Does the release of <i>No Time to Die</i> make this the right time to sell a Toyota 2000GT?

**Our latest winner is Bob Harris. Harris is a collector based in rural California whose cars include a 1974 TR6, a Dodge Ram 2500, a 2019 Corvette, and a 2008 Mini Cooper S. Congratulations, Bob. And if you missed your chance this time, fear not—the next Bid is Right contest is around the corner.**

If you’ve been following the auction scene of late, then you’re aware things are kind of nuts right now. Thanks to the continued growth of online selling platforms, classic cars are being bid on at an unprecedented pace. Insider has lots of thoughts about this phenomenon—you can find some here and here—but perhaps the most important one is that it’s fun. Who doesn’t like seeing amazing classics trotted out day in and day out, and who doesn’t like guessing just how much they’ll go for?

In the spirit of fun, we’re introducing a new contest. We’re calling it, The Bid is Right. The premise is simple and should be familiar to anyone who has watched daytime TV in the last few decades: The person who guesses closest to the final bid—without going over—wins.

Oh, and did we mention we’re giving out $500 to the winner? Yes, we take fun pretty seriously.

With no further adieu, we present this week’s contest. Submit your guess in the comments section below no later than November 11, at 2 pm EST (24 hours before the auction officially closes—that’s right, no sniping!).

The Car: 1967 Toyota 2000GT (RHD), for sale on Bring a Trailer

Hagerty Price Guide Value Condition #1: $726,750 Condition #2: $582,250 Condition #500,650 

Our Take: The market for Japanese sports cars has been on fire in recent months and, if that’s not enough, there’s a new James Bond movie in theaters. You think that would make examples of this iconic Toyota, which debuted 54 years ago in You Only Live Twice, soar to new heights. Yet the story seems more complicated.

The 2000GT was born in the early part of Japan’s post-war economic boom and was, perhaps, the earliest sign of what its mighty auto industry could do. Powered by a 2.0L straight-six, it was intended to rival some the most exquisite European cars, such as the Porsche 911 and even the Jaguar E-Type. It even got 007’s imprimatur, appearing on the big screen with a Japanese secret agent behind the wheel. The 2000GT also had racing pedigree, competing in SCCA events with a team formed by none other than Carroll Shelby However only after three short model years, the 2000GT was discontinued as Toyota began to shift its focus into mainstream family vehicles (which seems to be working out for them, we have to say).

Values for the 2000GT were, if anything, ahead of the curve. With only 337 examples produced, this Toyota is one of the rarest and most sought-after Japanese cars, ever. People now think of the 2000GT as a million-dollar Japanese car because a few years ago, for a brief period, they were. But not so much in recent years—our Condition #1 value is now shy of $750k. Although collector cars of all stripes have seen big gains during the pandemic, those gains have not always extended to the top of the market, where collectors tend to know exactly what they’re buying.

But in today’s remarkable collector car market, there’s quite a bit of wind in the sails of Japan’s finest offerings. Plus, the twenty-fifth Bond film is soaring in the box office, which perhaps has some deep-pocketed collectors itching to channel their inner spy. How high do you think this Toyota can go? Guess in the comments, below. Closest guess to the highest bid (without going over) takes home $500.

More ground rules:

• The commenter who guesses closest to the hammer price—without going over—wins. (Hammer price excludes auction house fees).
• One guess per commenter.
• If two people guess the same amount (within a dollar) the earlier guess wins.
• Commenters must provide first and last name in addition to email address.
• We will close the guessing on Thursday, November 11 at 2 pm.
• Your privacy is important to us, and we'll never sell your information.  By providing your email you will receive the weekly Insider newsletter, and you can opt out at any time.
• You can read the full rules here.