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This, surely, is the ultimate Japanese classic, mixing the best European practice of the day in a curvy, aggressive coupe of rare elegance. The 2000GT was an aborted Nissan sports-car project that was taken on by Toyota as an image-boosting exercise. With its straight-six, twin-cam engine (based on the iron block of the Toyota Crown) developing 150 bhp (racing versions could be tuned to give more than 200), Lotus-style chassis and coil spring/A-arm suspension, it would do nearly 140 mph. The 2000GT had a super-slick five-speed transmission and handled like the thoroughbred it undoubtedly was, with sharp steering and a surprisingly supple ride. It was a serious portent of just what the Japanese were capable of at a time when the Europeans still regarded their products as marginal.
Despite rave reviews in the specialist press - and an appearance by a convertible version in the James Bond movie 'You Only Live Twice' - only 11 Americans ever bought 2000GTs. The truth was it was too expensive and buyers turned their noses up at the cheaper single-cam version, which accounted for just nine of the 337 2000GTs built. Three came to Britain, two of which were used on the Bond film, while the third was sold to the model Twiggy. Today, however, collectors jostle to buy these cars, particularly the Japanese, who recognise the 2000GT as their only credible big sports car of the '60s.
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