Rare Toyota Models That Are a Collector’s Dream

When it comes to reliability and engineering excellence, Toyota is a name that instantly commands respect. But beyond the everyday sedans and SUVs, there exists a rare breed of Toyotas that have become legends among collectors machines that combine timeless design, limited production, and rich motorsport heritage. From sleek sports coupes to hand-built masterpieces, these rare Toyota models have become the crown jewels of automotive enthusiasts around the world. Let’s take a closer look at the ones that have truly earned their collector’s dream status.

Toyota 2000GT

Okay, we have to start here. I mean, it’s the one. The 2000GT. It’s like… it’s like Japan looked at the E-Type Jag and said ‘hold my sake’. That long, long hood, the curves… it’s just art. Honestly, it’s a piece of sculpture. And it was in a Bond film! But, uhm, the crazy thing is how expensive it is now. We’re talking… like, a house. A really nice house. I think one sold for, what, over a million? Maybe like $1.2 million? It’s insane. You’d be too scared to even look at it wrong.

Toyota Sera

This one is just pure fun. The Sera. It looks like a soap bubble, right? But the doors! The doors are the whole show. They’re gullwing doors! But not on some hypercar, on this tiny, fwd econobox from the 90s. It’s so backwards, I love it. And the glass… it’s like a greenhouse, you feel like you’re in a fishbowl. They’re not fast at all, but who cares? You’re driving around in a spaceship. You can import one for maybe, uhm, $15k to $20k? Totally worth it for the party trick.

Toyota Mega Cruiser

So you know the Hummer H1? Yeah, Toyota saw that and was like, “we can do that, but, like, properly.” The Mega Cruiser is… it’s a building. It’s massive. And it has four-wheel steering, so this behemoth can actually turn in a really tight circle, it’s wild. It’s just… excessive in every single way. I’d feel like I could drive through a wall. But the fuel economy… yikes. I’ve seen prices creeping up to like $80,000 or something crazy. It’s an obsession.

Toyota Sports 800

This is the granddaddy. The Sports 800, or ‘Yota-Hachi’. It’s so tiny! It’s like a go-kart with a roof. Air-cooled twin-cylinder engine, so it has like… no power. But it’s so light, it doesn’t need it! It’s all about the feeling, you know? And the roof, it’s this whole metal panel you take off and store… it’s just so clever and simple. They’re getting really expensive now for what they are, maybe $60,000? For a car with a motorcycle engine, that’s wild.

Toyota Century

This is the ultimate boss car. The Century. For the longest time, it had a V12, so smooth you couldn’t even hear it. And the interior… the seats are wool cloth, because leather is too noisy. It’s a whole different philosophy. A used one from the 90s might be $30,000, but a newer one is well over a hundred grand. It’s the car that whispers.

Toyota Cavalier

Wait, what? A Toyota… Cavalier? Yeah, no, I’m serious. In the 90s, they sold a rebadged Chevy Cavalier in Japan. It makes no sense! It’s the most bizarre piece of badge engineering ever. Why would anyone in Japan want a Cavalier? I don’t know, but that’s why it’s a collector’s item now. It’s so terrible it’s brilliant. You could probably get one for like five grand, just to confuse the heck out of everyone at a car show.

Toyota Will Vi

The early 2000s, man. The design… it was a time. The Toyota Will Vi looks like a happy frog. It’s so round and bubbly and just… weird. It was part of this whole youth marketing thing, and it’s just a vibe. Not special mechanically at all, but it has so much character. You just don’t see them. They’re still pretty cheap, maybe $7,000 or $8,000? It’s an affordable time capsule of weirdness.

Toyota Origin

This car is a love letter. The Toyota Origin was made for their 100th anniversary, and it’s a retro-modern take on the old Toyopet Crown. It has these suicide doors and this incredibly formal, upright design. It just oozes class and nostalgia. They didn’t make many, and only in Japan. Prices are… uhm, I think they’re climbing, maybe $35,000 now? It’s like a piece of corporate art.

Toyota Corolla Levin / Sprinter Trueno (AE86)

I know, I know, I said no obvious ones, but the AE86 is just… it’s the one. The Initial D car, the drift icon. But strip all that away, and it’s just a perfect, lightweight, rear-wheel-drive coupe. The pop-up headlights on the Trueno… ugh, so good. It’s just a pure driver’s car. But the prices are insane now. A clean one can be $40,000 easy. For a Corolla! It’s crazy, but… I kinda get it.

Toyota Land Cruiser (70 Series Troop Carrier)

The 70 Series. Especially the Troopy. It will outlive you, your kids, and civilization itself. They’re finally getting to the US and people are losing their minds. Not cheap though, expect to pay $50,000 or more. It’s not a car, it’s a legacy.

Toyota MR2 (AW11, First Generation)

The first MR2. The AW11. And it’s still kinda attainable! A project can be under $10k, a nice one maybe $20k. It’s probably the best pure driving experience you can get for the money.

Toyota Previa (Supercharged All-Trac)

Okay, just… hear me out. The Previa minivan. But the supercharged, all-wheel-drive one. It’s a mid-engine minivan! The engine is slanted under the front seats, it’s basically in the middle of the car. And with the supercharger, it’s… well, it’s not slow. It’s the weirdest, most wonderful people-mover ever made. A true cult classic. You can find a decent one for, I dunno, $6,000? It’s the king of the “wait, what is that?” car scene.