Category Archives: events

Nissan takes over Cars & Coffee Tokyo with Z Proto

Cars & Coffee in Tokyo is a relatively small event but given its location, it’s a place where Japan’s carmakers will sometimes sneak a priceless concept out to mingle with enthusiasts. Sometimes, even a CEO will pop up and pose … Continue reading

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2020 Japanese Classic Car Show, Part 01 — 60s and 70s

This year, the Japanese Classic Car Show could not be physically held due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the organizers took the opportunity to expand the show into a global virtual event for 2020, allowing entries from all over the … Continue reading

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The winners and runners up of the 2020 Tokyo Auto Salon

The 2020 Tokyo Auto Salon was, like SEMA, largely a big ol’ Supra-fest. However, after the trophies were handed out there were a few highlights from the awards categories that defied convention. Like the teachers said in English class, you … Continue reading

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Toyota brought out stock and rally Celica GT-Fours to the GR Yaris debut

The Toyota GR Yaris seems like it will be an insanely awesome hot hatch, even if its connection to the Celica GT-Four is dubious. We said it smelled like a retcon, but we have to admit, when Toyota put all … Continue reading

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The Toyota 86 Black Limited Concept could mark the model’s final edition

At the Tokyo Auto Salon, Toyota had a pretty killer display that included a trio of Hachiroku. The purpose of the display was to show off a new prototype version of the Toyobaru 86 called the Black Limited Concept. For … Continue reading

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Here’s a kit to make the new Suzuki Jimny look like its great-grandfather

It should come as no surprise that the Suzuki Jimny is a popular car in Japan. It’s one of the coolest new cars you can buy there, and a vehicle whose purposeful engineering is at the core of its appeal. … Continue reading

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Even Honda yearns for its heyday with a 20th Anniversary S2000 and EK9 Civic for the upcoming Tokyo Auto Salon

It’s hard to believe but the Honda S2000 is 20 years old (For reference, when JNC started the AE86 was 21 years old, and it felt ancient). At the upcoming Tokyo Auto Salon in January, Honda will be revealing a … Continue reading

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Celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Mazda Roadster in Japan

While we were celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Mazda Miata in the US at Laguna Seca, Roadster owners in Japan had their own shindig. Held at Mazda’s Miyoshi Proving Grounds, the event drew 2,200 cars and 3,500 fans of … Continue reading

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EVENTS: Celebrating the 30th anniversary of Mazda’s iconic roadster at the Miata Reunion

There aren’t many cars like the Mazda Miata, and we don’t mean light, two-seat sports cars, even if their scarcity is indeed glaring these days. We’re talking about something even rarer — a machine that transcends the realm of car … Continue reading

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Japanese Classic Car Show 2019: Upping the Game and Best in Show

We are 60 percent of the way to the point where the JCCS itself, if it were a car, would be eligible for classic status. In its 15 years in existence, the Japanese Classic Car Show has grown from a … Continue reading

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Japanese Classic Car Show 2019, Part 09: Trucks, Vans, and Wagons

We have arrived at what could be our favorite part of JCCS, the vans, trucks, SUVs, and wagons. And now, in addition to seeing amazing US-market builds of such cars, their Japan-market counterparts are flooding in. No longer are the … Continue reading

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SEMA 2019: Honda had the best booth of the show, and there was even a Chevy in it

There used to be tons of Japanese manufacturers at SEMA. One by one, Mitsubishi, Subaru, Mazda, and Lexus have all pulled out. And in a year that marked the 50th anniversary of Nissan’s two most beloved models and the second … Continue reading

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SEMA SPOTLIGHT: Daniel Wu’s show-stopping Honda S800

Even with countless companies spending big bucks, it’s hard to find anything truly stunning at SEMA anymore. The race to outdo each other and grab eyeballs, has resulted in some high-dollar builds, but when everything is extreme, nothing is. It’s … Continue reading

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2019 Japanese Classic Car Show, Part 08 — 90s Kids

With 90s cars now eligible for JCCS it is suddenly quite obvious that the cars of the Tuner Era are have arrived at JCCS. This coincides with the Youngtimer movement in the collector car community as a whole catching steam. … Continue reading

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SEMA 2019: Finally, you can get an inexpensive ultra-wide bosozoku tire in the US

One of the most unexpected treats of the SEMA Show was the surprise appearance of Banzai Sports’ Bluebird SSS Sanitora. We first spotted this eye-catching ute at the Tokyo Auto Salon in 2018 and were extremely taken by it. Half … Continue reading

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SEMA 2019, Part 04: More Nihon Steel

It’s really hard to capture everything at a show as big as SEMA, but here are a few more slabs of Nihon Steel we found lurking around. There was everything from slammed sleds to off-road heroes, sometimes both in the … Continue reading

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SEMA 2019, Part 03: Year of the Supra

There were, like, so many Supras at SEMA, you guys. It felt like everywhere you went, you were bumping into an A90. Either that, or a mobility scooter with a swag-filled reusable Spyder bag. But yeah, Supras. At the end … Continue reading

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SEMA 2019, Part 02 – The coolest cars at the Toyo Treadpass

Toyo Tires consistently has one of the best displays at SEMA. It offers the most diverse lineup of cars of any company, from classics to supercars to scratch-your-head stuff like a slammed Mercedes G-Wagen. It also offers a convenient pass-through … Continue reading

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SEMA 2019, Part 01 — Japanese Hot Rods

When there are 2,400 companies and 2.2 million square feet of exhibits, limits are constantly pushed in order to garner attention. It can result in show cars that are insanely expensive but absent of taste. Still, there can be gems … Continue reading

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2019 Japanese Classic Car Show, Part 07 — Kaido Racers

The classic Japanese street racer look has really taken off in recent years. It’s gotten to the point where even non-Japanese cars are adopting the look of deep-barreled small-diameter wheels, over-fenders with flush fitment, and a tough shakotan stance. It’s … Continue reading

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