I fully nerded out on Toyota’s weird and wonderful WiLL line of funkified city cars last year, but now there’s a low-mileage, Pale Rose Opal Metallic example for sale on Bring A Trailer. Toyota launched its WiLL sub-brand as a partnership with several other Japanese companies specifically intended to appeal to young buyers. The WiLL cars that Toyota envisioned were a unique trio of small cars that were built upon preexisting Toyota chassis, but their polarizing interior and exterior designs set them apart from their plebian counterparts.
This 2000 Toyota WiLL Vi is currently listed for sale on Bring A Trailer with roughly 30,000 miles on its odometer, which is exceptionally low given its typically Toyota tough powertrain. The WiLL Vi is powered by a 2NZ-FE 1.3-liter inline-four and four-speed automatic transmission which it shared with the first-generation U.S.-market Toyota Echo, or the JDM Toyota Vitz. Known more for its dependability than thrilling driving characteristics, the little engine produced just 87 horsepower and 90 pound-feet of torque when new, it is known for its dependability. And should anything go wrong, it shouldn’t be difficult or expensive to find someone to work on it.
It is plenty funky though, from the outside with its zany looks and curious shade of muted pink to the inside where a front bench seat faces a ribbed-for-your-pleasure brown steering wheel and dashboard with a spherical column shifter. Toyota said the WiLL Vi’s roofline was reminiscent of Cinderella’s carriage. You’re not likely to run into another one of these at your local cars and coffee, but it ain’t quite perfect.
There are a couple of catches
This particular car is registered in Alberta, Canada where it currently lives, but any prospective U.S. buyers need not give up hope. Since it’s 2000 model year car, it just barely qualifies for the U.S. Department of Transportation’s 25-year import regulations, but anyone who has imported a foreign car can tell you it’s not a particularly pleasant process. It’s easiest to pay for an importer to help handle all the red tape involved with the process, so it’ll be another cost to consider if you’re on a tight budget.
Beyond its foreign status, this particular WiLL Vi had the hood, roof, and trunk repainted and they don’t quite match the paint on the doors and remainder of the exterior. Given the car’s unusual styling, it almost looks like the dual tones of slightly more pigmented Pale Rose Opal Metallic and less-pigmented panels are an intentional two-tone, but they’re not. Nobody’s perfect, right?
Those are the only two apparent issues with the car, but given that it’s selling for no reserve in three days and at the time of publishing the highest bid isn’t even $5,000 yet, it could be an incredible deal. This WiLL make a brilliant purchase for a car enthusiast on a budget who’s looking for something obscure and distinctive without breaking the bank at time of purchase, or at the repair shop down the road. WiLL you bid on it?