Toyota 7

The Toyota 7 was a racing car developed by Toyota Motor Company and subsidiary Yamaha Motor Corporation. Designed primarily for use in the Japanese Grand Prix, the cars were Toyota's first custom-built racing car, competing under the FIA's Group 7 rules, similar to the Can Am series in North America and Interserie in Europe.

The 7, known by the internal code 415S was developed by Jiro Kawano, who had also developed the 2000GT that Toyota had previously entered in the Japanese Grand Prix. Yamaha constructed the chassis while the new 5.0 litre V8 engine was built by Toyota. The V8 that powered the 7 replaced the Straight-6 engine used in the 2000GT due to the increase power potential of the larger engine. This engine was capable of producing up to 300 hp, thanks to the addition of a dual overhead cam design.However, the 3.0 litre V8 which was used in the early years was not powerful enough to compete with the Chevrolet and Porsche-powered competitors. This led to the development of a 5.0 litre version, capable of 600 hp. The initial bodywork was similar to other Group 7 cars, with an open two-seater cockpit and large intakes behind the doors. Exhaust pipes were placed directly on top of the engine, exiting straight off the tail of the car. A simple rollhoop protected the driver.