<P> The 2000GT revolutionized the automotive world's view of Japan, then viewed as a producer of imitative and stodgily practical vehicles . As a sleek, high - performance fastback, it demonstrated its auto makers could produce a sports car to rival the better marques of Europe . Reviewing a pre-production 2000GT in 1967, Road & Track magazine summed up the car as "one of the most exciting and enjoyable cars we've driven", and compared it favorably to the Porsche 911 . Today, the 2000GT is seen as the first seriously collectible Japanese car and its first supercar . Examples of the 2000GT have sold at auction for as much as US $1,200,000 . </P> <P> Most of the 2000GT's design was done by Yamaha, which also did much automobile work for other Japanese manufacturers, originally for Nissan rather than Toyota . Many credit the German - American designer Albrecht Goertz, a protégé of Raymond Loewy who had previously worked with Nissan to create the Silvia, as inspiration . He had gone to work for Yamaha in Japan in the early 1960s to modernize Nissan's two - seater Fairlady sports car . A prototype 2000GT was built, but Nissan declined . Yamaha then proposed the design to Toyota, for whom they also did contract work, then perceived as the most conservative of the Japanese car manufacturers . Wishing to improve their image, Toyota accepted the proposal, but employed a design from their own designer Satoru Nozaki . </P> <P> The 2000GT design is widely considered a classic among 1960s gran turismos . Nozaki's bodywork was inspired by the E-type Jaguar . Its smoothly flowing bodywork was executed in aluminium and featured pop - up headlights above large plexiglass covered driving lamps flanking the grille similar to those on the Toyota Sports 800 . Bumpers were minimal, and the car was extremely low, just 116 cm (45.7 in) to the highest point of the roof . Despite a custom open - top version built for the James Bond film You Only Live Twice, a factory - produced convertible was never offered . </P> <P> The interior offered comfortable, if cramped, accommodation and luxury touches such as a rosewood - veneer dashboard and auto - seeking radio tuner . Road & Track was impressed, considering the interior suited to a "luxurious GT" and calling the 2000GT an impressive car "in which to sit or ride - or simply admire ." </P>

Japanese sports car in you only live twice
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