Buyer Resources
- 1997 Toyota Classic
- 2.0L Naturally Aspirated I4
- 4-Speed Automatic
- RWD
- Maroon/Black Exterior
- Red Leather Interior
- Woodgrain Interior Trim
- Electronic Fuel Injection
- 96HP & 118 lb-ft Torque
- 1 of 100 Units Ever Produced
- Imported From Japan
- Right Hand Drive
In the Nineties, Toyota went a bit misty-eyed. They released a limited-production vehicle called the Toyota Classic. Inspired by the Toyota AA from the 1930s, the Classic sat on a Toyota Hilux platform and came with its running gear. This interesting pastiche of 1930s styling with 1990s mechanicals is supremely rare nowadays. Toyota sold just 100 units and charged US$ 75,000 for each one. So it isn’t often that a Toyota Classic comes our way, and yet, here we are. Say Konichiwa (Hello in Japanese) to this 1997 Toyota Classic from Chesterfield, Virginia. An excellent addition to a discerning collector’s lot, this curio has done over 230,000 miles which tells us two things. One, it’s pleasant to live with or else it wouldn’t have been driven this much. Two, it’s your typical bulletproof Toyota or it wouldn’t have survived. The way we see it, with the relevant maintenance, this vehicle can easily head for 500,000 miles!
Exterior and Interior
The look of this 1997 Toyota Classic is pure 1930s and 1940s, right down to the vehicle’s vintage style, running boards, podded headlamps, chrome bumpers and externally-mounted spare wheel cover. However, its wheels are of a more modern style and you’ll note its window beadings and door handles to be modern units from Toyota’s 1990s models. Of course, being Toyota, they couldn’t just let an old-looking car be old in design and engineering, could they? No, that legendary Toyota quality had to be applied. The spacious interior of this 1997 Toyota Classic is decidedly modern, with red leather seats and wood interior trim. The dashboard is unmistakably Hilux and includes features such as air conditioning and a Panasonic radio. We also see a Nardi steering wheel and modern conveniences like power windows.
Engine
This 1997 Toyota Classic uses a 2.0-liter naturally aspirated gas engine that makes around 96hp and 118lb-ft of torque. Yes, it’s in a low state of tune but that enhances its longevity without affecting the car’s drivability. Power goes to the rear wheels via a 4-speed automatic gearbox. Power steering and power-assisted brakes are included too, ensuring a thoroughly modern driving experience.
In the Nineties, Toyota went a bit misty-eyed. They released a limited-production vehicle called the Toyota Classic. Inspired by the Toyota AA from the 1930s, the Classic sat on a Toyota Hilux platform and came with its running gear. This interesting pastiche of 1930s styling with 1990s mechanicals is supremely rare nowadays. Toyota sold just 100 units and charged US$ 75,000 for each one. So it isn’t often that a Toyota Classic comes our way, and yet, here we are. Say Konichiwa (Hello in Japanese) to this 1997 Toyota Classic from Chesterfield, Virginia. An excellent addition to a discerning collector’s lot, this curio has done over 230,000 miles which tells us two things. One, it’s pleasant to live with or else it wouldn’t have been driven this much. Two, it’s your typical bulletproof Toyota or it wouldn’t have survived. The way we see it, with the relevant maintenance, this vehicle can easily head for 500,000 miles!
Ultra-rare, limited edition, retro-styled luxury cars aren’t usually among the first images that come to mind when one thinks of Toyota. In fact, at first sight, it would be perfectly understandable to mistake this car for a product from another manufacturer. However, this is very much a Toyota through and through. Only 100 examples of this very exotic automobile were ever produced to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the very first Toyota passenger car: the Toyota AA (or Toyoda AA, as it was called initially). The original AA was inspired by the Chrysler products of the era, as Mr. Toyoda (father of Toyota) had a Desoto Airflow shipped to Japan and reverse-engineered. The Toyota Classic debuted in 1996 and was priced at approximately $75,000. It was styled to look as close as possible to the car it was paying tribute to, while meeting modern regulations and standards. All 100 examples were sold out, partly fueled perhaps by the rising popularity for retro-styled cars in 1990s Japan, as seen by the Mitsuokas of the time and by the Toyota Origin that would come out a few years after the Classic.
The 1998 Toyota Supra has become one of the defining Japanese performance cars of its era, and this example takes the platform far beyond its original specification with a comprehensively engineered high-horsepower build. Originally configured as a naturally aspirated automatic car, it now carries a built 3.0-liter 2JZ-GTE-based powertrain, a Precision Next Gen 8085 single turbo, Haltech engine management, and a Grannas Racing T56 Magnum-F 6-speed manual conversion. The car shows approximately 74,952 total miles, with the seller reporting roughly 1,500 miles on the current build. Output has been recorded at 1,208 wheel horsepower and 861 lb-ft on a Mainline hub dyno and 1,301 wheel horsepower and 930 lb-ft on a Dynojet, with a reported 1,535 horsepower and 1,094 lb-ft at the crank. Seven boost-by-speed settings range from 10 to 42 psi, corresponding to approximately 600 to 1,300 wheel horsepower. Finished in Imperial Jade Mica with a beige leather interior, this Supra combines serious drag- and roll-racing capability with an extensive list of Powerhouse Racing, Radium Engineering, BC Racing, Grannas Racing, Hypertune, Plazmaman, Turbosmart, and Haltech hardware. The work is reported to have been completed by KM Autowerks, with tuning by Lawrence Shipman / LS Fabrication.
This 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser TRD Special Edition 4x4 takes the FJ’s already rugged formula and pushes it considerably further with a long list of expedition-focused upgrades. Showing approximately 164,649 miles, it combines the TRD Special Edition Package and Convenience Package with ARB front and rear bumpers, a synthetic-cable winch, Safari snorkel, auxiliary lighting, additional fuel capacity, rooftop camping equipment, and a dual-battery electrical setup. Its AirTop rooftop tent, ARB refrigerator, ARB shade awning, Baja roof rack, and 38-gallon combined fuel capacity give this FJ the equipment to venture well beyond a typical weekend trail run, while the blacked-out presentation ties the build together with an appropriately purposeful look.
The 1974 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40 Restomod takes one of Toyota’s most iconic off-road platforms and upgrades it with a substantially more powerful drivetrain, modernized braking, revised suspension, and a more comfortable cabin. Showing approximately 4,502 miles, this example is powered by a 350ci V8 paired with a 4-speed manual transmission and features upgrades including power steering, four-wheel power disc brakes, Rancho shocks, 17-inch XD wheels, and custom tube bumpers. Inside, leather reclining front seats, a custom center console, AutoMeter gauges, navigation, and JL Audio equipment bring a more contemporary feel to the otherwise classic FJ40 layout.
The 1998 Toyota Supra has become one of the defining Japanese performance cars of its era, and this example takes the platform far beyond its original specification with a comprehensively engineered high-horsepower build. Originally configured as a naturally aspirated automatic car, it now carries a built 3.0-liter 2JZ-GTE-based powertrain, a Precision Next Gen 8085 single turbo, Haltech engine management, and a Grannas Racing T56 Magnum-F 6-speed manual conversion. The car shows approximately 74,952 total miles, with the seller reporting roughly 1,500 miles on the current build. Output has been recorded at 1,208 wheel horsepower and 861 lb-ft on a Mainline hub dyno and 1,301 wheel horsepower and 930 lb-ft on a Dynojet, with a reported 1,535 horsepower and 1,094 lb-ft at the crank. Seven boost-by-speed settings range from 10 to 42 psi, corresponding to approximately 600 to 1,300 wheel horsepower. Finished in Imperial Jade Mica with a beige leather interior, this Supra combines serious drag- and roll-racing capability with an extensive list of Powerhouse Racing, Radium Engineering, BC Racing, Grannas Racing, Hypertune, Plazmaman, Turbosmart, and Haltech hardware. The work is reported to have been completed by KM Autowerks, with tuning by Lawrence Shipman / LS Fabrication.
The 1999 Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec sits at the heart of Japan’s late-1990s performance-car golden era, and this Bayside Blue example brings together the hardware that made the R34 GT-R legendary with a strong catalog of Nismo-style and aftermarket upgrades. Showing approximately 8,714 miles, with the odometer noted as being in kilometers, this GT-R pairs the RB26DETT twin-turbocharged inline-six with a Getrag 6-speed manual, ATTESA E-TS Pro all-wheel drive, an active rear limited-slip differential, and Super HICAS rear-wheel steering. The V-Spec’s advanced aero package is complemented here by Nismo-style body components, upgraded braking, an ARK Performance exhaust, and additional carbon-fiber details, making this a particularly enthusiast-focused interpretation of one of the most iconic Japanese performance cars ever built.
The Honda S2000 has earned its reputation the old-fashioned way: high-revving naturally aspirated power, a close-ratio manual gearbox, rear-wheel drive, and a lightweight two-seat roadster layout with very little getting between the driver and the car. This 2004 Honda S2000 shows approximately 86,220 miles and is finished in Suzuka Blue Metallic over a Blue leather interior, one of the more distinctive color combinations offered on the AP2-generation car. Its specification stays close to the S2000’s original formula, with the notable addition of an AEM aftermarket cold air intake. With a 2.2L VTEC four-cylinder, 6-speed manual, torque-sensing limited-slip differential, double-wishbone suspension, and staggered 17-inch wheels, this is exactly the kind of analog roadster enthusiasts continue to seek out.
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