BETTER PARTSThe maintenance of tradition at Toyota
Cologne, 27. November 2017
They have long been the stepchildren of the classic car scene: Japanese cars. Glamorous were the other manufacturers, which are often rather colourless models of Toyota and co. worked like clockwork. However, a modest replacement part location doesn't stop some enthusiasts of huge collections of cars from Nippon. Characteristically, there are usually veteran traders, the old Japanese sheet metal to hoard. For example, the Frey family from the vicinity of Augsburg, which operates since the beginning of this year in the Fugger city of a Mazda Museum. Now Toyota pulls, but in a different way.
The treasures of the Lord Pichert
While in the Frey family, the German Headquarters of Mazda seemed in the Background, it is at Toyota the other way around. However, after the row: Peter Pichert was Toyota-dealer of the first hour of Passau, which opened in 1994, is a private Museum with vehicles from the brand in the lower Bavarian hard churches at the Inn. After his death in 2016, his family turned to Toyota Germany. There they agreed on a Takeover of the ancient treasures.
New home in the tennis hall
Some of the cars were sold, left with around 70 vehicles from five decades remained. Your new roof is located on the site of Toyota Germany GmbH in Cologne-Mars village, more precisely: on over 1,800 square metres in an old tennis hall. The Museum has the character of less, especially since the hall is only open on special occasions. A collection of Works which are not dusty, but in the cellar: you could describe the character of the exhibition.
Rare Double
While there is no shortage of Toyota-gems: Remarkable example is the presence of two Toyota 2000 GT, of which there are a total of only three in Germany. Only 351 copies of the iconic sports car have been built at the end of the 1960s, famous for the Roadster, tag for James Bond. Speaking of 007: In the collection of the Land Cruiser HJ61, with the Roger Moore resides in Switzerland, private used.
The Number One
Hardly anyone will remember the first Corolla, the Toyota 1971 in this country offered. Also dealer Picherts first car sold, the brand was a Corolla, then a original price: 7.650 Mark. The exact vehicle was Pichert years later in a barn again, and aroused his passion for collecting. And so one thing led to another: The Celica Liftback GT in several versions, a Corona RT40 from the 1960s, and the noble Crown and the MR2, to name just a few.
For the time being, only after registration
However, Picherts dealer activity is likely to have a similar to Mazda-Frey makes it easy to find occasionally, be it due to trade-ins of old vehicles, the land use of existing warehouse and a workshop. Pichert was able to secure, for example, a special Celica Turbo 4WD. In Celebration of the WRC title in 1990 and 1992, Toyota built a special edition of 2,000 copies. At all the Motorsport that comes to his right: Fans can enjoy the formula 1 car from Toyota, a further two Le Mans race cars and the Corolla WRC to wait. Who would like to get a picture of that, must report in writing on the website of the Toyota Collection or by phone try it. According to Toyota, you want to give but are known soon for details on the visit possibilities.(rh)