RETROSPECTIVE
The example that’s in the care of
Toyota SA was imported to this country in May 1968 and was originally painted in Pegasus White. It’s unclear when it received its red coat, but it was initially used by Toyota SA’s founder Dr Albert Wessels’ daughter, Elizabeth (later Bradley) as a daily runaround. Nowadays, the 2000 GT is widely
acknowledged as a seriously collectable motoring icon. Pristine examples have recently been sold for more than R14 million. (Yes, you read that right.) So forget about all the sleek, flashy
vehicles Q has devised for 007 over the years: a Toyota is the most expensive one he’s ever driven.
CRESSIDA: THE CRUISER When you travel on the R614 from
Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal towards the North Coast, you pass through the hamlet of Hlathikhulu – the “Cressida village”, where abandoned Cressidas, like lost socks, seem to have gathered. As the successor to the Corona Mark
II, locally available until 1976, the Cressida had big rubber boots to fill. Introduced 40 years ago, in November 1977, the first Cressidas received a locally built two-litre engine and were well equipped. Soundproofing was extensive, making this one of the quietest vehicles on the road at the time and cementing its reputation as an ideal long-distance cruiser. A station wagon model, a first for
Toyota in SA, was also released before the significantly redesigned second- generation Cressida arrived in 1981. It had more powerful engines, including a 2,8-litre, inline-six that became a firm favourite among South Africans. The next-generation Cressida wasn’t
considered for SA, but the current range received extensive upgrades and a new flagship model, the GLi-6 – with a more powerful 3,0-litre, straight-six engine producing 140kW of power and 250Nm of torque – was introduced. It was fully kitted and, with a double-
wishbone rear suspension, it handled well for its size. I distinctly remember chasing rally cars in the Sabie forests in this beast of a vehicle.
CAMRY: THE FAMILY ICON A recent meme, based on a humorous
release from Toyota in the USA, reads: “Toyota recalls the 1993 Camry due to the fact that owners really should have bought something new by now…” It may be a light-hearted quip, but it describes Camry ownership perfectly. Introduced in 1992, the wide-bodied
XV10 Camry continued where the Cressida left off and addressed some of its shortcomings as well – it had enough boot space to fit a gogo and her kitchen sink, it was couch-comfortable in the
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