Toyota 2000GT vs. Nissan 240Z

[JohnBM01]

Hi, GTPlanet.

You may remember my "Japan's Most Beautiful Car Has to be the..." topic. Well, I'm taking two machines and its up to you to decide which is better. In one corner, it is the Toyota 2000GT of 1967. In the other, is the Datsun 240Z of 1971. The inspiration for this topic comes from this website below:
http://www.geocities.com/ma71supraturbo/history/2000gt.html

Now in case you may have not heard of these two Japanese beauties, let me introduce you to them in a way only I can.


THE TOYOTA 2000GT, 1967

Ahh, yes. The Toyota 2000GT. A look at this car, and you'd think it looks like something of Jaguar's, or another British car company. This beautiful damsel was an idea commissioned to Yamaha back in the 1960s. When Datsun tried to come out with their beauty of a car, Datsun was have some internal issues and benched the idea. In effect, Yamaha sold this idea to Toyota. Then by 1965, it was unveiled for the first time at the Tokyo Auto Show (the 12th one, at the time). How about it? An idea once started by Datsun (now Nissan), finished by Toyota. But no matter how anyone looks at it, this Toyota 2000GT is an elegant machine. It had broken speed records like a kid batting home runs and breaking window after window (don't tell me you didn't do the same thing when you were young). Its fastback design coupled with the huge retractable lights and fog lights made it look like it could challenge Le Mans. Shelby-Cobra powerful it was not. This princess is looking for a handsome prince to marry 'till death do them part to rule the race tracks of the world, to ride the streets with flair and style, to turn heads... this car could have been perceived as a little-known European machine. However, those into Jaguar and Aston Martin would be surprised this machine comes from Japan. If you don't like the fastback, this princess has an alterego in the form of a cabrio. The cabrio is equally as eye-catching and sensational as its sister. If you are to marry this princess and take her into your caring arms, be careful. She's a pretty lady. She ain't no regular girl. She is different from anything you've seen before. She has two square panels on the sides just past the front wheels. So maybe you can give her a diamond ring, in the form of a driver plate, with your favorite number on it. She is sweet, elegant, friendly, and will never betray her unconditional love for you. She bears the name 2000GT. 2000GT...


THE DATSUN 240Z, 1970

Toyota 2000GT, I hope you've enjoyed your time in the spotlight because Nissan has brought an angel from Heaven and resurrected its originally-comissioned idea. Like you, 2000GT, the 240Z is also an elegant princess. She has had new life breathed into her. She wants to have your prince save the 240Z from being neglected. Why the 240Z? 2000GT, I may have not had a good life, but you were raised beautifully by Toyota, while my parents had some trouble raising me. Now that you acheived your fame, here is my claim. Unlike you, I have beautiful eyes that sparkle in the sunlight and glisten when dark. What I may lack in power, I make up for with style. I thnk your retractable lights and fast back design... you should have been crafted by a handsome bunch of men in Europe. I, however, tend to be cuddled and loved by what used to be YOUR prince. Your prince will be mine once he gets to know my beautiful body and alluring lines. I think I'm so beautiful, my designs will only get better as times roll on. In fact, I predict sometime beyond 2000 A.D., that this so-called "Nissan" will resurrect my good soul and make a baby sister called the 350Z. She will be a very beautiful, bouncing, happy baby. And more and more princes will be looking to embrace and love her and give her all the love a man can give a lovely lady like myself. Where will you be later on? I hear you may have a 3000GT in your future, which looks like a car called... I think it's the Supra, maybe? Anyhow, sweetheart, when you were born, you did fine. When I was born, I wanted to challenge you. I wanted to challenge you with my alluring lines and sweet performance. Your prince will come to me, and we will be together for a long time. My new prince and I will give birth to the 280Z, and keep the love life flowing. Toyota 2000GT, all you have to do now is give up your marriage to your sweet prince, so he can get to love a new lady in town.

The Toyota 2000GT and Datsun 240Z. Two beautiful cars from Japan. So which is better?

SITES OF INTEREST:
http://www.grantoros.com/grantoros/2000_pg.html (TOYOTA 2000GT, but as a die-cast)
http://www.classiczcars.com/ (Nissan 240Z)

Off-topic:
- congratulations to Uconn for beating Georgia Tech in the NCAA Men's Tournament Game.
- Weather's expected to get crappy here later today, so I'm out of here for now.

 

[bengee]

Both are awesome cars, but due to the availability of the 240z I would have to say that this beauty has my heart, becuase i can actually own it, drive it, and cherish it...

 

[pimp racer]

Datsun 240z.

 

[AP1]

240Z. I thought the 2000GT today is like $115,000? You can get a 240Z for about $5,500.

 

[JohnBM01]

The 2000GT seems more like a rarity. I think that at auctions, I heard it banked about $100K. While I'm not really a Nissan fan, I say that the Toyota 2000GT certainly has style. The only drawbacks would be the "bug eyed" fog lights and retractable headlights. Now, the car needed retractable lights in America to meet U.S. regulations concerning lights.

And in a way, I think both Toyota and Nissan can take these old designs and bring them back to a post-modern world. To me, this is what would happen:

TOYOTA SIDE
While the Supra is still the hottest car in Japan, you don't see them much for sale in America. The raciest car for your dollar is the Celica. I would like for Toyota to come up with its own GTO, you know, a beautiful new car reflecting on the past. I think that if the 2000GT was stylized a bit more modernly and packed a 276hp/280 ps, turbocharged punch, this car can be the hottest new Toyota. Of course, the next-gen Supra is questionable. If the 2000GT gets better ratings than the Supra, the 2000GT will probably be more of a sports car than the Supra in this day and age. I am a freelance artist, but I think with a few more fenders and more modern bodywork, the machine could be a beautiful work of art. The more Toyota can look back into the past without murdering the beauty of the past, the better the car will be perceived and loved as. It won't be a cheap car, I'll tell you that. But if they can manage to stay under $40,000 in the States, we may be looking at Toyota's most beautiful modern sports car... that you can afford!

NISSAN SIDE
The Nissan 350Z is a nice, stylish car. I remember getting into the roadster at the Houston Auto Show this year. I was so comfortable sitting in this beautiful machine. However, the Datsun Zs were still king. This is not, however, a way of saying "nice try, Nissan. Better luck next time," instead, I still think that the tail lights kind of take away from the car's apperance. For that matter, the headlights don't really pay homage to the beautiful light design of the 240Z. Maybe a modified 350Z with alluring looks and styling like the old fastback would make a sweet sensation on the road.

But as the author of this thread, I'm siding with Toyota, with all due respect to the 240Z.