Toyota Untold

Think you’re the world’s ultimate Land Cruiser fan? Chances are Greg Miller’s got you beat. After finding himself with six of them in his collection, he realized that no one was preserving the history of the Land Cruiser like he was. That’s when The Land Cruiser Heritage Museum was born. 

The celebration of all things Land Cruiser is based in Salt Lake City with the goal of inspiring adventure. But today’s story takes us WAY beyond Utah. Greg has driven Land Cruisers on every single continent on earth (not a typo). 

Land Cruisers have been a part of his life since he was four years old. His dad used to work for Toyota and he would sometimes get to play in the cars and pretend he was actually driving them. Little did he know that he’d one day become one of the world’s leading Land Cruiser experts.

In today’s episode, you’ll hear all about Expedition7, the amazing worldwide Land Cruiser-based undertaking that Greg spearheaded, as well as what goes into setting up and running a museum of such scale and polish. How do you transport Land Cruisers around the world? And what can you expect when you go to visit? Don’t miss this adventurous new episode. 

Resources:

The Land Cruiser Heritage Museum

Toyota Untold is co-produced with Crate Media.

Timeless ‘60s styling, movie star status, $1 million price tag, and a backstory for the ages – what doesn’t the 2000GT have? Though only a few hundred were ever manufactured, this iconic speedster stands as one of Toyota’s, and the world’s, most memorable vehicles.

Why? For starters, Japan’s first supercar blew the doors off of what the world thought of the then-humble Toyota name, giving the upstart brand invaluable credence and credibility in the American marketplace. Often referred to as a halo car, the 2000GT deeply influenced Toyota’s place in the automotive industry and earned a permanent place in performance vehicle history.

The perfect model or toy car, the 2000GT sports one of the most attractive shapes and styling packages ever put on the road; but movie buffs will remember it most fondly from its co-starring role in a certain 1967 action film, the fifth installment of a franchise that recently released its twenty-sixth feature, currently showing in theatres around the world. 

The world’s most famous big screen superspy still rules the box office today – just as the 2000GT remains one of his most revered rides, even if he never actually drove it (more on that in the episode).

We’re joined by Ross Scharphorn, professional stunt driver and car chase historian; Derrick Heydari, Product Development Engineer, Toyota North America; and Drew Eleazar, Senior Development Engineer, Toyota North America, for a fun roundtable conversation that zigs and zags from the 2000GT’s inspiration and launch, to its specs, tech, and place in movie history.

Shake a martini and fire up your backseat vision phone – we’ve chopped the top and set our sights on Tokyo, Japan, 1967.

Resources

• Toyota 2000GT Sold At Auction for $1.2m
• Daniel Craig’s Favorite Bond Car
• Photos: 1967 – 1968 Toyota 2000GT
• Collectible Classic: 1967-70 Toyota 2000GT
• Ross Scharphorn: IMDB
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Toyota Untold is co-produced with Crate Media

Grab some popcorn, Josh Brooks has a story to tell. As a boy, a classic vehicle in his neighborhood caught his eye — a stunning ‘79 Toyota Starlet. Like most people, though, he’d nod his head in approval and go on with his life… to school, the park, or wherever a kid might spend his time in the small town of Radstock, England. 

That’s where the story takes a turn into the uncommon. The experiences shared by Josh, the car, and its original owner in the decades following these sightings were as uncommon as they were endearing. What’s more, they’re truly representative of the family-minded approach that Toyota aims to embody every day.

As you may have guessed from the title, yes, the neighborhood Starlet has been marvelously restored to its original state (other than a set of modern tires) and now drives through its hometown with celebrity-like fanfare. Josh is sure that it deserves it’s own “verified check” on social media. You’ll hear the pride he has in it, and its story, come through in his voice. We’re just as proud to share it, here on Toyota Untold. 

The heartwarming details of this tale, though, are best left to its main character. We promise, by the end of this episode, you’ll be looking for airfare to England on a mission to ride in this amazing one-of-a-kind vehicle — just don’t expect to sit in the back seat.

Resources:

• Toyota People: Josh Brooks, classic Starlet restorer
• History of the Toyota Starlet
• Toyota Starlet: Vehicle lineage 

Toyota Untold is co-produced with Crate Media

Still going strong (and into space!), the “Fast” film franchise is one the highest-grossing the movie industry has ever seen and shows no signs of slowing down. Sure, superstar names like Vin Diesel and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson take top billing, but the franchise is built on fast cars – none more famous and sought-after worldwide than Paul Walker’s orange Gladiator Supra featured prominently in “The Fast and the Furious” (2001).

We’re joined by Craig Lieberman, original owner of the film’s primary, hero vehicle, a 1994 Toyota Supra MK IV. We go behind the scenes and dig into what it was like to lend his expert knowledge and eye-popping cars to such a high-profile production. How did the arrangement come to be? Which actors could really drive? How real were the most dynamic driving scenes? Craig shares his perspective as only someone in the driver’s seat possibly could.

After his Supra was “discovered” by movie producers and brought into the fold for filming, Craig provided consultation on all things auto for the first two “Fast” films. His deep knowledge of tuner culture and Japanese performance vehicles were key in the film’s initial (and ongoing) impact on the scene – after having ignited an explosion in the modifications industry and indoctrinating a new generation of auto enthusiasts around the world.

We discover what happened to the Supra after filming and hear about Craig’s new and influential place in the scene, boasting over 174k insatiably curious YouTube subscribers and over 129k Instagram followers that pepper him with questions on a daily basis.

Craig was a fantastic interview; we’re thankful that he set aside time to talk with us about his (and his car’s) unique place in movie history. Buckle up, this one’s fast. 

Resources:

• Craig Lieberman - Website
• Craig Lieberman - YouTube
• Craig Lieberman - Instagram
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Toyota Untold is co-produced with Crate Media