1966 Toyota 2000GT - Jay Leno's Garage

1966 Toyota 2000GT. After a 50-year wait, Jay lives the dream of driving the most collectible Japanese car of all time - which was once driven by James Bond!
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1966 Toyota 2000GT - Jay Leno's Garage
• 1966 Toyota 2000GT - J...
Jay Leno's Garage
/ jaylenosgarage

[@notsocialatall]

This Car has it all: Looks, Technology, rarity and it feautured in a James Bond film. Plus the best looking engine of all time.

[@VBshredder]

All except cabin space judging by Jay's driving position, he looks crampt as heck! I'm 6'3" so i'd be in simlar boat. But yeah - looks amazing, dual cam engine looks great, all that agreed.

[@juniorjohnson9509]

@Archimedes They were designed around Japanese sized drivers. When Datsun hired an American to design the 240Z, they were flabbergasted at his demand for room for 6 ft+ tall drivers and passengers.

[@edbo10]

the exhaust manifolds are PERFECT for engine cooking. Snug a burrito in between the pipes, drive for about 20 km on the highway and it's done

[@hueymontgomery9508]

Is anybody watched the film, "you only live twice."?

[@Kenny-yl9pc]

@@hueymontgomery9508 How can you live twice?

[@Telefiend]

Since the car is for all intents and purposes priceless, they didn't let him leave the parking lot and there were no other cars around. Got to admit thought, I would be happy with that to drive one too. I was impressed just seeing one in person.

[@TheVeregat]

This is in my humble and accurate opinion, one of the finest automobiles ever made.

[@Porsche996driver]

Humble and accurate?! Lol. It’s basically a one-off.

[@jeffmattel7867]

What an idiot.

[@gabb05]

driving museum classics around the parking lot, priceless!

[@1955Cal]

Jay is living the dream of most of us car guys, he's a fortunate man!

[@dipro001]

Hahaha! Hammond fits perfectly in this car!

[@Gr8Layks]

Jeremy (the only reason I watch Top Gear, BBC...you a-holes) would look like Andre the Giant in this car.

[@Gr8Layks]

Wow...he's a tall bugger! I hope he starts a new syndicated car show, and blows BBC off the ratings chart.

[@Gr8Layks]

***** Respect! Good men, all.

[@JohnD640]

+Anonymous On Amazon, I believe.

[@Gr8Layks]

I'm a Prime subscriber. I'll be dialing it in. F**k the BBC.

[@johncahill3849]

I saw one of these, new, at a dealership when i was a kid. I was a few years away from a drivers license but already a car nut and this car totally floored me! It was absolutely voluptuous in person, with an amazing, elegant presence. And this was at a time when Japanese cars were widely ridiculed (although Honda was preparing to upset the applecart in Formula 1 in a couple more years).

[@joelcr250]

Was only allowed to drive it in the parking lot... lol

[@writerconsidered]

that's still one hell of a feat to get permission for that parking lot. And probably only because he has the money cover it.

[@roblucchetti2993]

writerconsidered ....and he's Jay Leno. His car collection is world renown.

[@MTLJack]

+CR2504life many of us don't even get to see one in real lol. Driving one is already hell of a priority!

[@andrew_owens7680]

+Jacky L. You're really important if you get permission to crash one!

[@DanaTheInsane]

+CR2504life Can you blame them?

[@CarsnStuff]

I proud to say i worked for Shin Yoshikawa in his shop, we worked on over 3 2000GT's and just being around the GT is such an awesome experience. everything about them is just amazing and very interesting to look around.... the wheels for the 2000GT are incredibly light being mag wheels, the head of the car was designed from yamaha aswell as the dash.... the exhaust was mainly a joint production between yamaha and toyota.. I loved working on these cars.. never seen the convertible though

[@manofthehour6856]

I'm sure someone else has posted this long before me, but I know that Sean Connery did not actually drive the 2000GT in "You Only Live Twice". Would have been cool if he did, certainly! Maybe because of its rarity it looks even better than the E-Type to me. Albrecht Goetz did a masterful job on the styling. This car really gave Toyota additional street cred worldwide. Around 15 years ago, Classic and Sports Car magazine did a profile of one of the convertibles, and the story written was that this and the soon-to-be introduced Chevrolet Camaro were in the running for Aki's car. The preference was for the Japanese Toyota, but it wasn't available in convertible form from the factory....the Japanese can be rather persistent in attatining a goal and addressed that deficiciency for the needs of filming.

[@robertkees6048]

Watching Jay sort of stuffed into that tiny drivers space was pretty funny, imaging a 6'3" Bond trying to drive it, he had enough trouble just getting into the passenger seat. My guess is then as is now, the average British or American guys are taller and weigh more than the average Japanese man that cockpit was made to fit. The lady fit in perfectly. But I totally agree, a stunning set of lines, just poetry in motion. You look at it now and you think, how did they not see that and think, we've got to make this rag top too. I'd guess they'd have sold a few. In the early 2000's I bought a super detailed diecast replica of that car by AutoArt, for like $65 it was very expensive for then, still have it. Now they average $350 on Ebay in nice condition. So even the model is rare and valuable. I love having a tiny highly detailed version of that two of a kind car.

[@fukgoogole2]

Thank you Toyota for allowing this car on the road again. The optimism in this car design and the luxury appointments are truly something which do it credit even to this day. Just made for driving. この車を再び路上に出してくれてありがとうトヨタ。この車のデザインの楽観主義と豪華なアポイントメントは、今日でもそれを信じているものです。ちょうど運転のために作られました。

[@ismaelcarrillo3956]

Just recently started following this car. It's rather stunning. Never realized how compact it is inside until now.

[@peejay1954]

I was a parts counterman at Pfeiffer Toyota, E Rutherford, NJ in 1975. When we needed to expand for office space, there was a "Radio Room" that we kept 100's of old take out am radios when we dealer installed Clarion am fm radios. (for what purpose, who knew). In the process, I found a set of old service bulletins for the 2000gt's requiring their steering racks to be replaced as there were some failures. I don't know how many of them actually got to the US, but I recall it was an amusing find

[@fordgtrocks1579]

I saw this car today in a Toyota dealership... Stunning

[@1996pnut]

a 67 just sold for 1.5million i believe or some crazy number like that

[@juniorjohnson9509]

Almost bought one for restoration back in '75. Dammit!

[@theboot801]

I believe Jay is incorrect when he says Sean Connery drove the car. I believe his Japanese girlfriend Aki (Akiko Wakabayashi) did all the driving. At least in the finished product.

[@GLevine]

You are correct sir. 007 never drove in You Only Live Twice. He did show his fighter pilot skills in Little Nellie though.

[@christoph404]

she starts off driving him, when they arrive at their destination doesn't Bond get out the drivers side? as if they have switched around on route, or am I thinking of another Bond movie? but you are quite right that he does not appear to be driving it onscreen in the finished film, I suspect there were sequences filmed where he was driving that ended up on the cutting room floor, as they say. :-)

[@edsimnett]

You are right- in addition it's the only Bond movie in which he never drives a land vehicle (though he does fly a helicopter, and pilot a boat)

[@FindecanorNotGmail]

BTW. Little Nellie is on display at the London Film Museum, Covent Garden. I almost broke out in tears when I saw it.

[@chris2513-cc]

That’s right! No driving this car for Bond. He was a passenger only in the movie.

[@christoph404]

Interesting trivia, the close up scenes of Akiko driving and Bond in the passenger seat were obviously done in the studio with back projection, as was the style in those days, those scenes were shot back at Pinewood studios in England but they are not sitting in a Toyota, they didn't bring a Toyota back for filming in the studio so they actually used a white Alfa Romeo 2600 convertible sports car that they could cheat in close up, you can see the Alfa dash and steering wheel in the over the shoulder shots, the windscreen frame is similar and the rear view mirror has been repositioned for continuity. So its a 1960s Alfa Romeo 2600 sports car standing in for the studio back projection shots.

[@the5thmusketeer215]

Reading this - 4 years on from your comment - thank you for clearing up that mystery. As a sportscar fan and someone who thinks that the Toyota 2000GT is one of the best looking cars that Japan has ever produced (and even more remarkable considering how tacky some of the models were back then...) I did notice, during the movie, how the dashboard changed radically in some shots, but never knew why... until now... and thanks to you, for that. 🤝 They say that “knowledge is power” - so, now that I have this knowledge, I have obviously become very powerful..... 💪🤨 All that remains, therefore, is to decide what to do with my tremendous, new found power... 🤔 I think I’ll begin, by constructing my evil supervillain lair, hidden away, deep within the bowels of an extinct volcano, and - once that’s complete - I’ll hatch my plan to take over the world..... Thank you for giving me a new purpose in life. If I succeed in my plans for World Domination, there’ll always be a place for you in my Mega Crime Syndicate... 🤝

[@christoph404]

@@the5thmusketeer215 Knowledge is indeed everything, in the four years since I have found out that the studio car was in fact an Alfa Romeo 2600 and not the sunbeam alpine, if you google images of the alfa romeo 2600 you will see they match up, I'v edited my post accordingly.

[@the5thmusketeer215]

@@christoph404 Thank you for updating me with *even more pertinent* knowledge, Chris... 😃👍 You see, my Brother is, in fact, a lifelong Alfa Romeo Petrolhead. Throughout his entire adult life, starting with the very first car he owned as a University Student (a 1600cc GT Junior) he has always owned sporty Alfa Romeos... often two at a time... He is so obsessed with them, that he constantly bombards me with Alfa Romeo trivia, oblivious to the fact that I’m not an Alfa nut, even though I do admire some of their classic models and a few of their contemporary ones also. This latest piece of arcane Alfa Romeo knowledge that you’ve shared, is definitely POWER in my hands, as I’m sure that he is not aware of this interesting tidbit, for the simple reason that - if he were - he’d have boasted about it long ago... Just like he recently mentioned (even though I already knew it) that Roger Moore drove an Alfetta GTV in Octopussy (my brother having owned two Alfetta GTVs at various times). Now that I KNOW this tidbit of Alfa Romeo trivia, which my Brother doesn’t know, I can subtly hint at it - while withholding the facts themselves, and not revealing enough information for him to research it himself...! This dastardly **withholding of vital Alfa Romeo trivia** from an incurable “Alfaholic” - can only increase my Supervillain Power exponentially... 🦾🤨 My Subterranean Lair can now be finished in HALF the time... I shall have to bring forward my plans for World Domination accordingly! Consider yourself promoted to Henchman in Chief (if you want the position) although, I warn you... If Bond Movies are anything to go by, the attrition rate for Chief Henchmen tends to be rather... high. Very close to 100% in fact... 🤔 And “cause of death” is generally something very gruesome and unpleasant. Sooooo... you might want to think it over before signing up. 😉

[@Porsche996driver]

Nice! Yeah I’d much rather drive the Alfa tbh.

[@LancerJak]

Wow, he went all the way to Japan to drive this beauty. Stunning car.

[@XBullitt16X]

A legendary motor vehicle ! It still is absolutely gorgeous

[@frankfitzpatrick5300]

The owner of my local Toyota dealership has had one for years . They look & sound so good up close . True Japanese classic roadster .

[@abdulazizsaleh9567]

What a Legendary Car..... One of the Best car ever built....i just love it😁💯

[@jlyon801]

I think all the cool speedy rides you play with should be taken to the track for this series. Awesome. Thanks

[@leonscheepers5350]

I'm a Toyota fan - MR2 Spyder and Hilux double cab ... This is Toyota heaven - this is 'the' motoring heaven - no other manufacturer can claim the reliability that Toyota offers.

[@AFROCLOWN213]

This is art PERIOD.

[@paulbennell3313]

Unspeakably cool, I wish they'd made more of these beautiful cars and sold them in the UK.

[@leleedler]

I personally gotta say, the fastback is a much sexier car.

[@schneir5]

Le Leedler isn't that almost always the case?

[@Weird.Dreams]

"Handles well." Yeah, really exploring it's capabilities going 8 mph in that car park. :D

[@fifteenbyfive]

That's not a half million dollar car that's a $1 million plus. The most valuable car Japan ever built, granted it's one of only two convertibles and with the James Bond history this thing pulls seven digits all day.

[@gotDesign]

totally agreed...

[@bludude41]

They go for $2-3M today, but he was talking about the original MSRP in today's money, I believe.

[@ErnestMizera]

No. He was talking about the price of the engine alone.

[@kayakuprising5914]

What do you mean "they" there were only 2 made.

[@ErnestMizera]

They- the coupes. The convertibles are not for sale. The one you see here is owned by Toyota museum- do yopu think they would sell? :-)

[@Ecosse57]

the first, and last, truly beautiful japanese car. and they nailed it.

[@Ploobstill]

I just bought an 83 supra with 113k on it, in white on red. It is a real beauty.

[@maxxweber4336]

There is currently one on display at the Petersen Auto Museum in LA.

[@korymanuel6759]

Yeah but that one's just sitting there this one's being driven

[@mpa1931]

I can't handle the sexiness of this car, so damn gorgeous

[@brianbelton3605]

Hi Jay, something else you may not be aware of: The Yamaha company, whose other main business was music (brass instruments, and Pianos) made the dash board, steering wheel, and shifter knob, in the Piano division of Yamaha. It is NOT veneer. It is 3/8 inch rosewood on the dash, and hand made steering wheel, and shifter knob. Truly a rare car.

[@TurboMountTV]

Yamaha also souped up my MR-2 Turbo in the 90's. They came out with a 2 liter putting out 200 HP. In 1989. Whatever Yamaha does they do do well.

[@skyisdlimit6125]

Wow I didn't know this is a collectibles dream car. I've just seen one in a car show I knew it's special but didn't knew it's like the god father of Japanese sports car and it's worth a fortune.

[@RAMSEY1987]

there is no two ways about it Jay is making some of the best car shows available.

[@seanteh7120]

LFA's predecessor. This 2000GT was also built with no expense spared. Toyota/Lexus usually make very reliable cars but once a blue moon they make super dream machines

[@RuelSpot]

One of the iconic sports cars of the 1960s... The Toyota 2000GT. Only 337 of these bad boys were produced.

[@ericgeorge5483]

Stunning, understated design that looks even better today than it did back in the day.

[@terribletanner805]

What a beautiful machine. It's *even* sweeter convertible. Oh my, yes.....

[@donelmore2540]

I sat in one in Honolulu in January 1968 at the dealership while on R&R from Vietnam. I was 5’10”, but only about 135’ at the time and I fit just great.

[@ConstantXplorer]

Jay Leno's Garage is the like the Noah's Ark of automobiles. His extensive collection is amazing. This is a rare and somewhat unknown car from Toyota and one the coolest.

[@TheBigBlue19]

I love the front bumper integrated lights!

[@PD19954]

Now, jay leno is a TRUE car enthusiast just for driving and even knowing about this!

[@stretch54]

I always loved these cars as a kid in the 60's. They borrow a lot of the shape of the Jag XKE's that came before them.

[@biggusbestus551]

My Dad's stock broker managed to get one brought to the US. I was about 14 years old when I saw it outside our home. I was sure it was copied from the Jag E type. I have never forgot that car !

[@MartysWhiteSuit]

My dad was a big James Bond fan, so I've seen this car in the film many times. It was always a cool car - and delicious in white. Great style and interior fittings. Oh, but it seems so tiny now. I'm not a big guy and don't think I could be comfortable in the seat. The steering wheel is barely clearing Jay's legs. Does it come with a giant shoe horn to get you into it? Nice film. Wish it had been longer.

[@williambutton5351]

Current ND MX5 is 5.3 inches wider than a 2000GT.

[@nonelost1]

Tiger: “How’s that for Japanese efficiency?” Bond: “Just a drop in the ocean.”

[@williev9267]

They're around 800,000 grand now used to be higher but that's what the market is right now but Jay didn't mention that the dash was made from wood from their yamaha piano division simply gorgeous!!!!!!

[@gtfour93]

Nostalgic!

[@sigmann66]

Very beautiful car. It's baffling to me why Toyota doesn't make cars this beautiful anymore.

[@moviewatcher1024]

I would love to see more Japanese cars on your show! Thanks

[@teaenjoyer1676]

I absolutely love that a cars standard for success is being featured in a james bond film 😂

[@jonathanmarquise422]

he took it out of a museum and it started right up. sounds like a toyota to me.

[@pmac2558]

Glad to see another review on this rare classic! The Toyota 2000GT must be the most beautiful and sexiest car ever! It is the Grandaddy or Grandma of the SUPRA and the Datsun Z. The first Celica Supras have the same basic M engine block as the 2000GT along with the body style and the front grille. I wish Jay Leno would do reviews on KZbin and TV for the also rare and beautiful Toyota Celica Supra of the late 1970s-early 1980s!

[@stavros969]

So cool, how lucky was Jay Leno.

[@caribman10]

For the edification of the younger viewers, this is a Japanese take on the Jaguar XKE - in 8/10ths scale,right down to the engine size.

[@garyseefeld620]

Or is it a Japanese take on a Triumph GT6 in full scale?

[@kirkrogers6968]

I am so impressed!!! What a nice piece of machinery. It could have a large cockpit though.

[@MDonovan]

Gran Turismo gave me one on my birthday :)

[@moonlighter6]

So far ahead of its time in 1966. But being 6"3" I do appreciate driving my UBER international Toyota Camry more for the extra room and comfort. I even ordered it without the Sunroof to get a few extra inches of headroom, we are a tall family.

[@deanladue3151]

Super looking car! And it also has a place in movie history as a car used in the James Bond movie. Doesn't get much more cool than that! 👍👍

[@ernieschatz3783]

Thought I was gonna see Jay on the Shuto Expresswary driving on the LH side of the road. That would have been a thrill a minute!

[@dianerandise6612]

They obviously wanted to create their own E-Type. Beautiful car.

[@HimanshuDudi]

thanx Jay Leno....u r awesom....atleast we have one channe in whole utube without ads....u r g8 buddy...thnq for making it simple n clean

[@screeneducation4167]

Glad you got to do that Jay, as you only live once............ehr, ah, twice.

[@chunman24]

I respect him, he is a real car lover,

[@moriver3857]

Cool indeed. Thank you, Mr Toyota, and Mr. Leno.

[@DavidM-mb1vx]

Never been a fan of Japanese cars. First time I saw You Only Live Twice, I thought that’s a great looking car. Almost Italian in silhouette

[@iamtsooj]

One of the most beautiful cars ever, only Jay wishes it was build at 110% the size...

[@rocketman63]

These are magnificent little cars. They are extremely hot performers for the time!

[@michaelbiggins7533]

True! Very few people got to drive it ! It was a convertible and I believe the only convertible built because Sean was too tall ,and needed to leap in to escape the baddies! I was the luckiest 20 year old on the planet I got to drive it when it arrived for the Melbourne Motor Show in 1967- So there Mr Leno I got to drive your car half a century before you and it only had half a dozen miles on the clock! I also scored another one off drive that week, the Mazda Cosmo , ancestor of the RX7 series!

[@jsleeio]

I visited TAM today. Getting there from Tokyo is annoying as hell (from Shinagawa, a Shinkansen trip to Nagoya and then another two trains from there) but ZOMG it was worth every minute and yen. The hardtop 2000GT they have on display there is achingly beautiful. I loved seeing its little brother, the Sports 800, as well.

[@SailorAllan]

Just watch "You Only Live Twice" last night--all through the movie I'm " what IS that car ? it's gorgeous ! " . anybody ever see one of those futuristic buildings where each apartment has it's own glass car elevator ? you drive up to the place, elevator takes you right up to your living room, car sits there.perfect for owning a GT2000. swirl a brandy,look at the car sitting there........

[@Aaron-og2wx]

Half a mill and upwards! "Ohh what a feeling

[@CarsnStuff]

im lucky enough to have worked on 3 2000GT's non convertable and i must say ... very amazing car

[@johnpick8336]

Thank you Jay and seeing you drive this car makes me want to put your name in the Hat to play James Bond in the remake of: You Only Live Twicé.

[@stevenspenneberg7407]

That amazing shape!! Car makers! Make beautiful cars again!

[@toddclarke1580]

I Can’t help but think the c3 corvette stylist started with a model of this car and molded it out before the 1968 C3 Production.

[@turbinexman]

That twin cam six was assembled by Yamaha, as was the 5MGE, that was used in the 2nd generation Supra, built from 1982-1985!!

[@Khmerican1]

Wow, what an honor to drive such an iconic car.

[@avgjoegeeknet]

LOL it is a museum piece. He was lucky to even have them pull it out of the museum for him!

[@timsmith854]

Spotto Yakuza in black over Jay's right shoulder @ 2:27 that Toyota hired "in case" trouble come to car...

[@everyday234]

That car was so far ahead of its time..

[@insonita55]

hahaha I like on 1:02 It seems he almost breaks the trim and he makes sure it will hold up with a little wiggle hahah...you are great Jay! I am happy for you keep living your dream!

[@bombardierrecreationalprod1023]

Sweet car!!

[@joemalonski5004]

You are a lucky man Jay, kudos to you. Thx for the vids.You are the historian.

[@MrJommins]

Always liked this car.

[@samsamba08]

It's pretty amazing that it took a guy in his 60's (not to mention a multi-multi-millionaire) this long to visit Japan for the first time!! If I had his money, I'd be globetrotting constantly.

[@SycoDannnnn]

Now that is a nice looking car.

[@ne2i]

I was lucky enough to sit in one of the hard top models in Paramus toyota about 1981. It actually was the owners car. I was 10 years old and it seemed small compared to the other cars in the showroom.

[@blacquesjacques7239]

Yes we all knew it was a Japuar but we loved it

[@The_R-n-I_Guy]

Jay is the luckiest man in Earth

[@ToulKorkMan]

he wasn't kidding when he said 'lets drive it around'

[@taketimeout2share]

It is absolutely DROP DEAD gorgeous. I want one and once I could have had one back in 1978. Rusted to shit and parked in a lock up near Balham High road. Last I heard the roof fell in and it was scrapped.c. 1991

[@gotham61]

Jay must have been psychic as a child. He's waited 50 years to drive a car that was first unveiled 45 years ago.

[@CmdrGendoIkari]

The various GT makes and models from the mid 1960s are among the most beautiful of all sports cars.

[@scootfd3s]

2000GT a true pinnacle of it's time.

[@alchemistoxford]

Actually, Sean Connery never drove the Toyota 200GT in the movie, "You only live twice." Connery too tall, and he was driven by a very popular Japanese actress, Akiko Wakabayashi who played the part of "Aki" an agent working with Tiger Tanaka. The 2000GT appeared in three scenes, where Aki rescues Bond from the clutches of Blofeld's agents. Jay, "You Only Live Twice," is a James Bond classic movie, and I hope you get to watch it someday.

[@tonybrown3869]

Looks like one of those small cars you buy the children to crash into the garage door.

[@Rob901]

A beauty . I wish Toyota made more of them