Toyota 2000GT – Japans First Super Car

Toyota Motor Corporation is known mostly for building rock-solid SUVs and family sedans for customers around the world. Early in its life though, times were tougher. Exporting Japanese vehicles to the United States and other Western Countries was difficult. People saw Japanese products as inferior products at the time. In the creation of the 1960s Toyota 2000GT, the first Japanese Super Car, Toyota was instrumental in changing the face of the Japanese motor industry and shifted the perception of Japanese vehicles to the world. The 2000GT would go on to not only developing an iconic role on the silver screen as a Bond car but would become the first Japanese vehicle to sell for over $1,000,000.

The Beginning of the 2000GT

At the end of World War II, Japan struggled to rebuild itself as a nation. Rebuilding its industries and finding buyers for Japanese products was a top priority. Most Japanese consumer products, unfortunately, were seen as inferior by consumers in the U.S. and established western nations.