Jiro Kono

Toyota project leader for the 2000GT who set its development concept and led Team Toyota's pre-launch race activity.

Toyota began the 2000GT project in 1964 after the first Japanese Grand Prix had sharpened its interest in a world-class GT. Its code name was 280A. The Toyota Automobile Museum identifies Jiro Kono as project leader, with Satoru Nozaki responsible for design, Hidetaka Takagi for the engine and Shinichi Yamazaki for the chassis.

Yamaha Motor joined the programme in the autumn of 1964, after an earlier GT project with Nissan had ended. Toyota's core staff worked at Yamaha; the first prototype was completed in August 1965 and a second appeared at the Tokyo Motor Show that October. The development concept called for a low-volume, high-quality GT with road and race capability.

Before the 2000GT's May 1967 launch, Kono led Team Toyota's race activity. The programme used racing and the Yatabe speed trial to develop the car. In October 1966 the 2000GT set three world records and 13 international records; its development cars had already taken third at the Japanese Grand Prix and first and second at the Suzuka 1000 km.