In the 1960s, the 2000GT was best known from the line… “Welcome to Japan, Mr. Bond.”
In 2014?
“Welcome to Monte Carlo, Mr. Toyoda.”
This is the closing of the previous 2000GT article here on Car-Revs-Daily.com — so what is more appropriate than talking about Bond cars in this next article!?
After it was discovered that the rather tall Sean Connery did not fit inside the 2000GT hardtop, Toyota was in a pickle. Eager to participate in the film, the company presented two ideas to the Bond producers: a targa or a cabriolet. Both would need to be made in just a few weeks time, so the Targa was clearly the easier method.
But the cabrio was Broccoli’s choice – so two coupes were turned into the convertible movie cars seen in the above clip. A bold undertaking, the rapid fabrication of the convertibles shows the fabulous motivation and skill of the Toyota 2000GT teams.
The Targa sketches then sat dormant for the next two decades before being created in the flesh in California in 1984 from an original 2000GT.
The Targa is still quite desirable, perhaps even more so to some people, for maintaining the rear roofline slope of the original car.
Sold for *Just* $200,000 or so by RM Auctions in 2010’s London event, this Targa would likely bring double that value today considering its rarity and on-trend white paint color.
Official Details from RM Auctions Below.
Lot 202
1967 Toyota 2000GT Targa
To be auctioned on Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Sold for £179,200
150 hp, 2,000 cc in-line six cylinder engine, aluminium DOHC two valve per cylinder Hemi head designed by Yamaha, three twin choke side-draft carburettors, five-speed fully synchromesh transmission with overdrive, four-wheel independent suspension, rack-and-pinion steering, four-wheel power-assisted Dunlop disc brakes.
Tom Burkart is the founder and managing editor of Car-Revs-Daily.com, an innovative and rapidly-expanding automotive news magazine.
He holds a Journalism JBA degree from the University of Wisconsin – Madison. Tom currently resides in Charleston, South Carolina with his two amazing dogs, Drake and Tank.
Mr. Burkart is available for all questions and concerns by email Tom(at)car-revs-daily.com.