Last week it was discovered that Toyota has applied for trademarks for the GR MR2 and GR MR-S names. There have been rumors of an MR2 revival swirling around for a couple of years, and Toyota has shown off a sports car with a mid-engined profile, but that concept was said to be electric. Naturally the discovery is fueling another round of speculation about the possibility of a Mister Two resurrection. Continue reading
Toyota has filed a GR MR2 trademark application with Japan’s patent office
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QotW: If you could travel to one moment in time, when would it be and what would you do?
Let’s say you got your hands on a flux capacitor and had the nuclear scientist know-how of Doc Brown to attach it to any vehicle you want. You know the rest — hit 88 mph, get instantly zapped into the time of your choosing, and let the antics commence. The obvious choice would be to get that sports almanac, but let’s say for the purposes of this question that whatever you do has to be automotive related.
If you could travel to one moment in time, when would it be and what would you do?
The most entertaining comment by next week will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “Which movie scene forever seared a Japanese car into your brain?“. Continue reading
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Boring no more: Toyota unveils 2000GT, Lexus LFA successors
In a one-two punch that will reverberate though the ages, Toyota pulled the curtains off of two flagship supercars today. The birth of a Japanese supercar doesn’t come along very often, and in fact there have only been five since Toyota launched the original one, the 2000GT, in 1967. It didn’t make another one until 2010 with the Lexus LFA. Today, it debuted successors to both. During the unveiling, Toyota execs made it clear that these cars only exist because they were deeply dissatisfied with their own brand. Continue reading
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Tagged akio toyoda, GR GT, hiromu naruse, lexus, lfa, Simon Humphries, toyota
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Pininfarina’s take on the Honda NSX has been fully revealed
There are two legendary Italian design houses penning modern interpretations of the Honda NSX right now, and one has been fully revealed. The Tensei, meaning “rebirth” in Japanese, is a carbon fiber-bodied reimagining by Pininfarina, a studio that has birthed some of the most beautiful supercars of all time. Continue reading
Toyota 2000GT appears in teaser for its next supercar, and the location is an easter egg
On November 27 televisions in Japan began airing a commercial that teases Toyota’s next supercar. The spot opens with a Toyota 2000GT, followed by a Lexus LFA, followed by a sleek black sports car. The words “The Soul Lives On” appears on screen as the cars speed down a banked track. Turns out, this location reveals a hint toward the car’s purpose. Continue reading
With official Subaru wedding rings, your stars really do align
Subaru created the, “Love. It’s what makes a Subaru, a Subaru” slogan when it realized that the common theme uniting nature loving Outback owners and and rally fiend WRX drivers alike was that they were among the most brand-loyal customers in the automotive world. But there’s brand-loyal and there’s completely obsessive freaks, and the latter can now prove just how devoted they are to the marque with a pair of his-and-hers Subaru wedding rings. Continue reading
QotW: Which movie scene forever seared a Japanese car into your brain?
Today, December 1, is Movie Day in Japan, marking the country’s first public screening of a film in 1896. So it’s only fitting that we ask about notable movie scenes depicting Japanese cars. We’re not talking about petrolhead movies necessarily, and in fact the vehicle in question doesn’t even need to be the hero car. Nor does it have to be involved in a pivotal action scene. In fact, we’re looking for blink-and-you’ll miss it appearances, the more obscure the better. For example, we’ll never forget the time in Mission to Mars when Gary Sinese briefly drove the Isuzu VX-O2 concept, essentially an open-top VehiCross for a few seconds on-screen.
Which movie scene forever seared a Japanese car into your brain?
The most entertaining comment by next week will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “Which car had the best evolution between generations?“. Continue reading
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‘Pluribus’ offers compelling car options for an alien invasion apocalypse
If you need something to watch during this Thanksgiving holiday, the smash sci-fi series Pluribus set a new record as Apple TV’s most-viewed show. Though it takes place in Albuquerque, New Mexico, it’s a complete departure from Vince Gilligan’s previous works, Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. Both had excellent car choices, and Pluribus is no exception. We’re only five episodes in, and one of the most-seen cars in the series is this classic E30 Toyota Corolla. Continue reading
A Nissan Sunny B310 is being restored by students in Japan
Many of the most prominent automotive technical colleges in Japan are associated with OEMs. The students who graduate funnel directly into those companies or service centers of that particular brand. However, there are less known schools that are also doing cool things like the Saitama Automobile College, which is currently restoring a B310 Nissan Sunny. Continue reading
QotW: Which car had the best evolution between generations?
Today, November 24, is Evolution Day, marking the date on which Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species was published in 1859. Like in the animal kingdom, when cars go from one generation to the next, changes can occur. Sometimes they’re an improvement, sometimes they’re not. Purists may prefer the undiluted driving experience of earlier generations, while leadfoots might enjoy the advancements in performance that came with subsequent ones, and there are some generational changes in which everything just went to shit. Was it the quantum leap between R31 and R32 Skyline? Or perhaps the return to basics that characterized the Z32 to Z33 Fairlady Z?
Which car had the best evolution between generations?
The most entertaining comment by next week will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “How do you satisfy your car addiction when you can’t access your actual car?“. Continue reading
Nissan Pathfinder to go BoF for next generation
A Nissan exec has reaffirmed that the next-generation Pathfinder could be a proper body-on-frame SUV. There’s already pretty solid confirmation that Nissan will be bringing the Xterra back from the dead with a BoF architecture. That design could spawn several more model ladder-frame models, like the Frontier, Pathfinder, and maybe an Infiniti-branded luxury SUV. Continue reading
Honda S660 gathering sets ‘Largest Honda parade’ Guinness world record
Last week a meet for Honda S660 owners broke a Guinness world record. On November 15, 832 of the mid-engined kei cars gathered at Suzuka Circuit in Mie Prefecture and filed down the track. A Guinness adjudicator was on site to certify the procession as the “largest parade of Honda cars”. Continue reading
Supra Turbo, Prelude Si, Mitsubishi Galant: Japanese cars at the 1987 LA Auto Show
The Los Angeles Auto Show opens tomorrow. It was once one of the four “tier one” shows (others were Detroit, Chicago, and New York, Chicago), where automakers would unveil their new models with press conferences and big production numbers. The two-day events would have afterparties going late into the night with free concerts and free alcohol. Post-pandemic such events are pretty sad affairs, with just one or two reveals and everyone’s home after lunch. In 1987 when the good times were rollin’, Motorweek was on site covering Japanese cars with major updates. Continue reading
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Tagged a70, galant, Galant E10, honda, mitsubishi, prelude, supra, toyota
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‘Gran Turismo’ fan-made ‘Beige Edition’ lets you play regular traffic cars
Speaking of ways to kill time, a new fan-made update to Gran Turismo 2 is coming. One of the many groundbreaking aspects of Gran Turismo was its sheer volume of playable cars. That allowed developers to include not just the fastest and most desirable cars on Earth, but plenty of ordinary ones as well. However, those weren’t apparently mundane enough for these fans, who are making an entire game out of regular traffic. Continue reading
QotW: How do you satisfy your car addiction when you can’t access your actual car?
It’s been raining a lot in California, a rare occurrence, keeping us from tinkering with actual cars in the driveway. But like a junkie, we’re going through withdrawal. We tried hitting up the local Target for Hot Wheels but there was nothing to buy. What should we try next, binge-playing Gran Turismo, building a Tamiya kit, or just standing outside in the rain like a serial killer and watching the water bead on cera-coated paint?
How do you satisfy your car addiction when you can’t access your actual car?
The most entertaining comment by next week will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “Which JNC looks most proper in orange?“. Continue reading
Jay Leno pits Toyota Supra TT against Mercedes Evo II and Aston Martin Vantage
The latest episode of Jay Leno’s Garage centers around a comparison test of sorts. Three non-American “muscle cars” — hailing from Japan, Germany, and Britain — face off. It’s a battle between a 1994 Toyota Supra twin-turbo, 1990 Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 Evolution II, and 1978 Aston Martin V8 Vantage, but it’s not a contest of speed. Rather, it’s a competition to see which one has risen in value the most. Continue reading
Dome and Zagato collab on carbon fiber cello case
I don’t know anything about classical music, but it seems that a cello would be a pain to lug around. Fear not, engineering firm Dome, known for the Dome Zero concept car, has come to the rescue with a carbon fiber cello case. In fact, the case is a collaboration between Dome, famed Italian coachbuilder Zagato, and racing harness manufacturer OMP. Continue reading
Mitsubishi still dreams of reviving the Lancer Evolution
At the Japan Mobility Show Mitsubishi’s stand was filled with mostly kei cars, vans, and SUVs. It was a sad state for the once great purveyor of performance. However one executive, Kaoru Sawase, said that the dream of the Lancer Evolution is still alive at the company. Continue reading
Another Honda NSX restomod is coming from Italy, this time a Pininfarina collab
A few weeks ago the famed carrozzeria Italdesign teased a Honda NSX-based tribute car. Now, another legendary Italian design firm, Pininfarina, has released images of its take on the iconic Japanese supercar. It’s a limited production road car that seeks to redefine the NSX for the modern age. Continue reading
QotW: Which JNC looks most proper in orange?
Autumn, the season of turning leaves and pumpkin spice everything. Orange objects are suddenly obligatory. But in the automotive world the color of paprika isn’t particularly popular. We can think of only two eras in which orange was widespread — the late 60s/early 70s, and a brief moment in the 2000s when metallic orange had its turn in the spotlight. There are many JNCs that are iconic in orange, but is it ever the best possible hue in the palette of factory colors?
Which JNC looks most proper in orange?
The most entertaining comment by next week will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What types of cars should be preserved?“. Continue reading
