A People's Sports Car from Japan.(Escape Roads)

Byline: LARRY EDSALL The revered and iconic 2000GT was not the first sports car from Toyota. Rather, it was the tiny Sports 800. In 1955 Japan's Ministry of International Trade and Industry encouraged the development of a so-called People's Car-a Japanese Beetle, if you will. Much of the postwar Japanese auto industry was based on licensing agreements with overseas manufacturers, but MITI wanted its automakers to undertake design and development, along with export, independently. MITI's plan called for cooperation on a single new vehicle. The automakers balked and went off on ...