Toyota Sports 800

 

Produced from 1965 to 1970, with just 3131 built, Toyota's diminutive Sports 800 was essentially the production version of their Publica concept shown at the 1962 Tokyo Motor Show.

It's front-mounted, air-cooled, 790cc, 2-cylinder engine, increased from the 690cc fitted to the show car, had an output of 45hp and 53lbft of torque, powering the rear wheels through a 4 speed box. Priced at ¥595,000 it wasn't cheap - ¥5.7m or $38k at today's prices.

Known in Japan by its nickname, 'the Yota-Hachi' or Toyota 8, the Sports 800 was the first Japanese production model to utilize aluminum panels... and is extremely lightweight, just 580kg as a result.

The car had aerodynamic styling by Shozo Sato, a designer on loan from Datsun, and Toyota engineer Tatsuo Hasegawa. Hasegawa had been an aircraft designer in World War II utilising their experience to allow the aerodynamic featherweight 800 to achieve its 97mph top speed.

1962 Tokyo Show - Toyota Publica Sports Concept