Is there a more versatile car, than the Toyota sedan? It is as much beloved as it is loathed by so many. Here in the states, it would be nearly impossible, not to see a Camry out and about. Fortunately, we’re not talking about watered down, ex-pat Toyotas; we’re talking about quite possibly, the most important Toyota sedan of all, the Chaser.
The Toyota Chaser was introduced in 1977, as a competitor to the Nissan Skyline. It was an every man’s car, offering the Japanese an attainable, luxury sports sedan.
It came as both a coupe and a sedan, powered by economic 4 and 6-cylinder engines.
While the X30′s following may not be as prominent as the Celica 2000GT or the Hakosuka, it’s still a unique looking platform, with plenty of potential. The round headlamps fit the front end perfectly, as do the gaping grill and fender mirrors. It’s a relatively simple looking car, almost generic from the certain angles. But while other Japanese cars of the time, were mimicking American muscle styling, the Chaser remained Japanese. Painted black, you could even call it a noble.
The long, sweeping body lines have been carried through the line, since the days of the X30.
While most will immediately recognize the Skyline, as the most important Japanese car, it’s hard not to include the Chaser, as part of the conversation. Especially from a tuning perspective, the car has done it all. It’s been a drifter, competed in time attack and circuit racing, even had a steady foot in the VIP scene, before there was a VIP scene. It was the original car that was “too big” to slide and that made it beloved by the drifters. There are few sites more pleasurable, in the sport, than seeing a massive, JZX100 going sideways.
So there you have it, the X30 Chaser. Cetainly not the most popular, but one of the most interesting and definitely a classic.
