1967 Toyota Sports 800
Toyota’s first production sports car emerged in 1965 as an impossibly lightweight machine weighing just 1,279 lb (580 kg). Between 1965 and 1969, only 3,131 examples were built, with 538 produced in 1967, making this diminutive two-seater one of the rarest Japanese sports cars of its era.
Its aerodynamic body featured one of the earliest removable targa-style roof panels, predating the famous Porsche Targa by two years.
The car’s design came from Tatsuo Hasegawa, a former World War II aircraft engineer who applied aerospace principles to automotive construction. Aluminum panels were used for the hood, trunk, roof section, and seat frames, while thin-gauge steel formed the monocoque chassis to minimize weight without sacrificing strength.
Power came from a 790 cc (48 cubic inch) air-cooled, horizontally opposed two-cylinder boxer engine producing 44 horsepower through dual carburetors. Despite its modest output, the Sports 800’s exceptional aerodynamics and featherweight construction allowed it to reach about 97 mph.
The 1967 model year introduced a synchronized first gear, making city driving more manageable than earlier versions.
Approximately 40 Sports 800s were brought to American dealers for test marketing, but Toyota concluded the car wouldn’t sell in the U.S. market. The dealers were allowed to keep these rare left-hand drive examples rather than returning them to Japan, making them exceptionally collectible today.
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