The Toyota 2000GT was the fastest brand-building halo ever | Revelations with Jason Cammisa | Ep. 25

Toyota’s 2000GT was one of the fastest cars in history. Its 16 international and world endurance-speed records have nothing to do with it: the Yamaha-built Toyota 2000GT did for Toyota in eight short years what took Hyundai more than three decades: it catapulted Toyota from the laughingstock maker of Japanese curiosities (like the 1958 Toyopet Crown) to the esteemed manufacturer of a Porsche-beating supercar. Set out to be a world-beater, the 2000GT had the Jaguar E-Type in its sights (and its long hood) but the Lotus Elan under its skin. With a backbone chassis inspired by (read: shamelessly stolen from) the Lotus, the 2000GT competed directly with the best sports cars of its time. In fact, its spec sheet reads like the best sports cars from decades later — with a 7000-rpm twin-cam engine, fully synchronized 5-speed manual, 4-wheel disc brakes, limited-slip differential, rack-and-pinion steering, and 4-wheel independent suspension with double wishbones at each corner. The intricately