Tag Archives: toyota
Toyota Celica officially returns to WRC for 2027
It’s official. Not only is Toyota bringing back the Celica, it will compete in the World Rally Championship. Technically, it will be named the GR Celica and, in a surprising twist, be campaigned alongside the GR Yaris. In an age … Continue reading
Toyota Celica mid-engined AWD coupe debuts in racing livery
Toyota has debuted its new mid-engined sports car in racing livery. Officially, it’s called the GR Yaris M Concept, but no one other than Toyota is actually referring to it by that name. Japanese media is confident that this vehicle … Continue reading
NHK’s ‘Inside Toyota’ documentary takes us where cameras never go
A new NHK documentary takes an unprecedented look inside the world’s top carmaker as it navigates an industry-wide existential crisis. Cameras go behind the scenes at the company’s technical center in Toyota City and the Design Dome (above), a highly … Continue reading
‘Initial D’ and Williams F1 collab is a weird snapshot of 2026 car culture
The Williams F1 team has unexpectedly collaborated with Initial D for a line of merch. There really isn’t a lot in common between a British Formula 1 team formed in the 1970s and a touge racing manga from 1990s Japan, … Continue reading
Lexus LS400 from ‘Street Fighter’ bonus stage made real
The most abused car in history has come to life. The Bonus Stage car from the Street Fighter II video game, in which your character must senselessly destroy a luxury sedan for points, now has a real-life counterpart in all … Continue reading
My car broke down two days before JCCS, but the Land Cruiser community is awesome
In preparation for the Japanese Classic Car Show this Saturday, I went to our storage to pick up all the stuff needed to set up our booth at the show. With our J80 Land Cruiser packed to the headliner, I … Continue reading
Toyota completes its restoration of a J40 Land Cruiser
Toyota has just posted the sixth and final episode of its extensive restoration of a 1982 Land Cruiser. This, in theory, is the fun part, where the rust has been repaired, the body has been painted, and all that’s left … Continue reading
Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance welcomes a Japanese class for the first time
The Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance that marks the grand finale of Monterey Car Week has long held the title of most prestigious car show in the world. Winning Best of Show is the highest and most coveted honor a car … Continue reading
Posted in Monterey Car Week
Tagged 24 Hours of Le Mans, 767b, 787, acura, celica, group c, honda, mazda, Monterey Car Week, nissan, nsx, Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, R91CP, T180, toyota, WEC, yojiro terada
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Carlyn Dinkler, pioneering Toyota Corona restorer and preservationist, 1939—2026
We are sad to report that Carlyn Dinkler, a pioneer in the world of vintage Japanese cars, has passed. Long before the internet, long before Toyotafest, and long before anyone though old Toyotas were cool, Dinkler was already devoting his … Continue reading
Japanese cars at the 2026 Monterey Car Week auctions
Among the big draws to Monterey Car Week are the various car auctions that spring up across the peninsula. They represent some of the most prestigious and highest-grossing public automotive sales on the planet, bringing collectors, speculators, and museums from … Continue reading
Posted in marketwatch
Tagged A80, acura, datsun, honda, J80, land cruiser, lexus, lfa, mazda, NISMO 400R, nissan, nsx, S30Z, supra, toyota, TRD 3000GT, z31
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Rolling through Monterey Car Week in a big white egg
Last week was a historic one at Monterey Car Week. The famously haughty bunch of car shows that for decades rejected Japanese cars suddenly had a change of heart. Nearly every major event included a Japanese class, and some truly … Continue reading
Toyota’s painstaking J40 Land Cruiser restoration continues
The saga of Toyota’s J40 restoration continues. Earlier this year, Toyota embarked on a journey to bring a well-worn 1982 Land Cruiser back to life. Though it had only 130,000 km (about 81,000 miles) on the odometer, its age and … Continue reading
Toyota bids Happy 86 Day with updated GR86 in ‘The Buddy’ commercial
Toyota has updated the GR86 and launched a new ad campaign to go along with it. The improvements are minor, but the commercial, titled “The Buddy”, is a beautifully shot homage to motoring. Brief Archival glimpses of an AE86 are … Continue reading
Can an AE86 actually beat an R34 Skyline GT-R in a race?
The R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R is often seen as the pinnacle of JDM performance cars, but can the humble Toyota AE86 actually give it a run for the money? With a 15-year age gap and 200-horse power gap the mismatch … Continue reading
Posted in Video
Tagged ae86, keiichi tsuchiya, Max Orido, nissan, Nob Taniguchi, r34, skyline, toyota
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Could this test mule be the next Toyota MR2?
A visitor to Fuji Speedway may have spotted a prototype Toyota MR2 lapping the circuit. The car in question is a compact sports car with a mid-engine layout as evidenced at the large air intakes aft of the doors and … Continue reading
Japan’s top mapo tofu chain celebrates Initial D’s 30th anniversary with dishes inspired by cars
Initial D is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, and one of the more delightful collabs is with Chen Mapo, Japan’s number one restaurant for spicy tofu. After all, the entire touge racing series begins with Takumi delivering tofu to … Continue reading
Akio Toyoda drops wisdom on students, then takes them drifting in unforgettable graduation ceremony
There’s no question that Akio Toyoda is one of the most impressive auto executives in the world. He’s one of us — an enthusiast — who races cars in his spare time. But even if we take that bias out … Continue reading
A Toyota MR2 SC lost out to a Fiero in Motorweek’s comparo, thanks in part to its eye-watering cost
When Toyota debuted its supercharged MR2 for 1988, it was a revelation. While several automakers experimented with supercharging in the 1950s, it hadn’t really been used in a production car for decades. Sure, there were Lancias and Japanese-market Toyotas that … Continue reading
