Are we the first ever to compare the Toyota 2000GT to the Jaguar E-Type?
Not...in...the...least.
Pretty much anybody with even a remedial knowledge of autos has compared the two, at least if they are familiar with the Toyota. The E-Type instantly comes to mind when you see the Toyota, and if you read the history of the 2000GT you learn that it is no coincidence. The E-Type is obviously the more well-known of the two, and one of the most iconic cars ever, not to mention one of the prettiest. But the Toyota is an icon in its own right, being the first Japanese supercar, and the first indication of Toyota's forthcoming world dominance. And among JDM fans, there is a certain reverence. Japanese car events might be filled with 510's and Skylines, but if even one 2000GT is there, car geeks approach it like an Italian grandmother approaches the Pope.
So here we have two cars that demand equal respect, so any comparisons are not done to crown a winner. That appears to be Motor Trend's approach as well when they put them to the test.
Well we wanted to do it too. And now that Hot Wheels has done the Toyota, we can. We will let Motor Trend educate you on the two cars in the article linked above, while we show Mattel's contribution to the legacy that these two long-distance siblings share.
The Matchbox E-Type casting that we are using is the Mattel Matchbox version released in 2006. There is a Lesney casting as well, but for comparison's sake it makes sense to use the newer casting. The particular red version in the photos is actually the very first version released back in 2006. Since then it has been a very popular model, with Matchbox producing at least 20 different versions, in red, white, black, green, zamac, red again, light blue, dark blue, light blue again, orange, and on and on. Hopefully the HW 2000GT sees that kind of production as well, including the Shelby Racing version that we were supposed to see last year in the Hot Wheels Racing line (seeing that this was the original purpose for the casting really stings):
(Find the HW Toyota 2000GT
Matchbox Jaguar E-Type & Hot Wheels Toyota 2000GT:
Didn't think we would forget the Super, did you? Matchbox has the equivalent for that one as well:
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