At the turn of the millennium, as Toyota embraced the Y2K era with renewed design confidence, a rare collaboration quietly emerged — the 2000 Toyota Caserta Limited by Modellista. More than a cosmetic exercise, this limited-production model represented Toyota’s willingness to explore exclusivity through its in-house styling arm, Modellista. Built in extremely small numbers, it remains one of the marque’s most obscure factory-backed special editions.

Worldwide production is believed to have been capped at 92 units or fewer, reportedly curtailed due to the high manufacturing cost incurred by Toyota. This particular example is the 21st unit produced — and notably, the only known unit in Malaysia. Such scarcity places the Caserta in a category far removed from mainstream production Toyotas of its era.

Finished in a striking red exterior over a warm tan interior, the colour combination gives the car a distinctive yet refined presence. The Modellista enhancements subtly elevate its design language, adding a more sculpted and purposeful character while maintaining factory authenticity. It carries an understated exclusivity that rewards those who truly understand what they’re looking at.

Under the bonnet lies the original 1.8-litre 1ZZ engine, paired with a 5-speed Semi-Automatic Transmission (SMT) — a forward-thinking drivetrain configuration at the time. The setup blends mechanical simplicity with early automated shifting technology, preserving the car’s originality and period-correct appeal.

As collectors increasingly look toward limited-production factory collaborations and overlooked heritage models, the Caserta Limited by Modellista stands apart. Rarely seen, seldom discussed, and virtually unobtainable in this region, this is an opportunity to secure a unique chapter of Toyota’s design evolution — one that few will ever have the chance to own.

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