The one-off Lexus LFA Spyder isn’t the only open-top car Jay Leno drove during his visit to Japan. The Tonight Show host also got behind the wheel of a 1966 Toyota 2000GT.
Launched at the 1965 Tokyo Motor Show, it is considered to be the first Japanese supercar. It was fitted with a Toyota Crown sourced two-liter straight-six engine producing 150HP linked to a five-speed manual or a three-speed auto gearbox.
Yamaha, which nearly half a century later would tune the LFA’s exhaust sound, was the one that modified the engine and manufactured the car on Toyota’s behalf.
Production of the 2000GT ended in 1970, with only 351 units made. Today, the 200GT is valued by collectors, with some of them changing hands for up to US$400,000.
An open top version was never available for sale, but the automaker built two examples for the 1967 James Bond flick You Only Live Twice that was filmed mainly in Japan.
You can view a video of Jay Leno driving an open top 2000GT along with a clip of the Bond film’s chase right after the jump.
By Andrew Tsaousis
VIDEO