Toyota RT40 Corona: Japan’s first Bathurst warrior

Image thanks to the Shannons Club via www.autopics.com.au

When Toyota first appeared at Bathurst for the 1965 Armstrong 500 with a trio of RT40 Coronas, they were fighting an uphill battle in more ways than one.

For their first appearance on The Mountain, Toyota was looking to prove that not only were their cars well-built and reliable, but fast and fun as well.

They would also have to make some headway into the lingering effects which both nations faced after the end of World War 2 just two decades earlier.

At a time when the cars which raced around Bathurst on Sunday were exactly the same as the cars you could walk into a dealership and buy on Monday morning, motorsport, and particularly Bathurst, was the perfect opportunity to speak to the people.

Those three little Coronas spoke louder than their small stature would suggest, and you can enjoy their tale at the Shannons Club in Toyota RT40 Corona: Japan’s first Bathurst warrior.

Thanks to the Shannons Club