VOLUME 10 FEATURE
Words by Leila Khoshoie
Vehicles depicted are different to the ones used in the movies.
6 MIN READ
Toyota stands not only as a symbol of automotive excellence but its performance vehicles capture the spirit of ‘Waku Doki’, embodying that rush of adrenaline and sense of exhilaration that pulses through our favourite action movies. It’s no surprise that Toyotas would become a fixture in many legendary films.
Read on as we take a deep dive into two of Toyota’s performance vehicles that have featured in movies – the Supra in the Fast & Furious franchise, the AE86 in Initial D and the 2000GT in You Only Live Twice – exploring what makes them so iconic and how they tap into the essence of Waku Doki.
THE ICONIC TOYOTA SUPRA
Arguably the most well-known action series centred around street racing, the Fast & Furious franchise has had huge commercial success – it is Universal Studios’ biggest franchise and currently ranks as the seventh highest-grossing film series in the world. From high-speed chases to high-octane racing sequences, Fast & Furious became a cultural phenomenon, emerging as must-see entertainment for motor fans and film buffs alike. And it’s also the franchise that catapulted the Supra to global fame.
With an incredible line-up of performance vehicles, Toyota made the cut with not one but two Supras. The Supra was a superb choice in demonstrating that performance and aesthetics can go hand in hand to create a vehicle that not only gets the job done but looks slick while doing it.
The 1994 Toyota Supra MK IV debuted in the original film, The Fast and the Furious, back in 2001. Driven by the character Brian O'Conner, depicted on screen by the late Paul Walker, the orange Supra became an instant symbol of the movie and remains part of Walker’s enduring legacy. The JZA80, it’s also referred to, reprised its role in the 2003 sequel, 2 Fast 2 Furious. This generation of Supra was more grand-tourer than traditional sports car but could certainly get up to speed, earning it the moniker “ten-second car” throughout the series.
Paul Walker's legendary Supra, a symbol of raw power and cinematic speed.
Fast & Furious also set the bar for car modification culture, with many motorheads attempting to replicate the look. This Supra had a 2JZ-GTE engine and a 3.0-litre inline-six twin-turbocharged powerplant rated at 160kW, known for its robustness and potential for performance upgrades. The JZA80 stole the show and showcased the best of JDM power and capability.
But it was its unique exterior – Lamborghini Diablo Candy Orange pearl paint complete with ‘Nuclear Gladiator’ graphics by Troy Lee Designs – that truly cemented the car as an icon. Its distinctive orange and blue livery, along with the Supra’s sleek design, made it one of the most recognisable cars in the series and helped establish a visual identity for the franchise. It later sold at auction for a whopping $550,000 USD in 2021.
The second Supra to feature in the series is a 1995 Toyota Supra MK IV, appearing in Furious 7 (2015). Taken from Walker's garage, the white fourth-generation Supra played a central role in the goodbye scene from Furious 7; a homage to the late actor who tragically passed away in 2013. It was a fitting way to pay tribute to someone who had been a huge part of the Fast & Furious family.
Inspiring fans the world over, the popularity of the Supra could be responsible for the current price increase and limited availability globally. However, the car was also unavailable for many years – worldwide production ceased in 2002, and eager Supra fans waited almost 20 years to see its triumphant comeback in 2019.
Keep your eyes peeled: there’s a new live-action film in the works, based on the original Initial D manga series. It will be directed by Fast & Furious actor Sung Kang, known for his role as Han in Tokyo Drift – a Fast & Furious film which introduced drifting to a worldwide audience. We can’t wait to see the AE86 brought to life on screen again. In the meantime, you can explore the history and origins of the Initial D series here.
THE LEGENDARY TOYOTA 2000GT
It will come as no surprise that another action-fuelled series features on our list. Overtaking Fast & Furious by two spots, the James Bond franchise put performance cars on the map. Delving into the world of international espionage, the series boasts 27 movies based on the spy novels by Ian Fleming. Agent 007 is played by seven different actors, most recently starring Daniel Craig in the titular role.
A legendary character needs a legendary car when they’re on a mission. Enter the 2000GT, the Toyota Supra’s predecessor, which featured in You Only Live Twice. The fifth in the Bond series from 1967 saw Sean Connery play the fictional MI6 agent, teaming up with the Japanese Secret Service to stop space hijackers from triggering a nuclear war.
The history of the 2000GT and how it made its way onto one of the biggest movie franchises in the world is nothing short of incredible. The vehicle was unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show in October 1965 and became the show's star, leading it to be featured in automotive publications worldwide. This likely is how it caught the attention of Bond producer Albert R ‘Cubby’ Broccoli. Due to its popularity overseas and 007 being such a hit with Japanese fans, Toyota was happy to supply the vehicles for You Only Live Twice.
The Toyota 2000GT, where elegance meets espionage thrill.
The first two 2000GTs to be used in the movie were coupes but when filming commenced, the film crew encountered a roadblock: it turned out that Sean Connery was too tall to fit in the car comfortably and attempting to film interior shots proved almost impossible. So the car was modified and the 2000GT Roadster was born. To date, these were the only two open-top 2000GTs ever officially produced. And if it wasn’t for You Only Live Twice and the ingenuity of those involved, the 2000GT Roadster might never have been created.
The fate of one of the vehicles remains unknown, rumoured to have been sold to a private buyer in the seventies. But the other was located in Hawaii in 1977, brought back to Japan and restored to its former glory. It now resides in the Toyota Museum in Nagoya and is regarded as one of the most valuable vehicles within the collection.
A sleek icon of sophistication.
From the HiLux in Back to the Future (1985) to the Prius in The Other Guys (2010), some of Toyota’s most loved models have graced the silver screen, further solidifying the brand as a household name. Yet the cinematic journey of Toyota’s most iconic performance vehicles hasn’t just been about selling cars – it’s about harnessing the power of storytelling to captivate an audience.
The Toyota HiLux, ready for any adventure.
Seeing the Supra or 2000GT come to life on screen meant that Toyota not only became synonymous with power, performance and prestige but also the thrill of a dynamic driving experience. So although we might not be James Bond or testing the limits of the street racing underworld, when we sit behind the wheel of a performance car, we too can experience the heart-pumping excitement that is Waku Doki.
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