By JUMPEI MIURA/ Staff Writer
January 14, 2022 at 07:00 JST
Actor Toshiaki Karasawa poses for a photo with a Toyota 2000GT he donated to the Toyota Automobile Museum. (Provided by the museum)
NAGAKUTE, Aichi Prefecture--The Toyota Automobile Museum received an unexpected call in mid-August offering up an ultrarare Toyota 2000GT sports car for donation.
The surprise caller was film and TV actor Toshiaki Karasawa, who said he had decided to finally let go of the specialty sports car, one of only a handful in the world, and that he wanted to give it to the museum.
Toyota Motor Co., which is now known as Toyota Motor Corp., developed the vehicle in collaboration with Yamaha Motor Co. in 1964, on the heels of the explosion in popularity of sports cars around the world.
When the world-class luxury car debuted, it boasted a maximum speed of 220 kph and the ability to accelerate from 0 to 100 kph in just 8.6 seconds.
Two trial cars were remodeled into a custom open-top version, driven by Sean Connery when he played James Bond in the 1967 film "You Only Live Twice," which was filmed in Japan.
The vehicle was released that year but production was halted three years later.
Only 337 units were ever produced of the 2000GT.
Karasawa, a classic car enthusiast, approached the museum with the donation because he wanted many people to be able to see and enjoy his beloved car. And he has a connection to the museum.
Karasawa played a race car driver in a TV drama produced by Japan Broadcasting Corp. (NHK) that aired in 2018. The museum was one of the locations where the show was filmed.
"We hope people seize the opportunity and visit the museum to see (the vehicle)," a museum official said.
The museum attracts many fans and families looking to see its displays of historical vehicles made by automakers from around the world.
The actor’s car will join the ranks of several other 2000GTs, including the one used in the 007 movie, kept at the museum.
Karasawa’s 2000GT has been placed near the entrance since late October.
Many visitors stop at the spot to admire the rare car, which has also caused a stir on social media.
The 2000GT is on display until the end of March 2022, according to the museum.
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