Tag Archives: mark II

The legendary Toyota plant that built the AE86, Mark II, and Century is now closed

On December 7 Toyota held a closing ceremony for its Higashi Fuji plant. Today, all production lines will be shut down and the factory closed for good. The 53-year-old facility has produced some of Toyota’s most iconic models, including the … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

SHOWA SNAP: The old school face of Niigata Station will soon be torn down

The north side of Niigata Station is a Showa Era relic that will soon be no more. It might not look like much, but the nondescript rectangular building screams Showa Era, specifically the time when Japan was emerging from its … Continue reading

Posted in Showa Snap | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Toyota has ended 51 years of Mark II, Mark X production

On December 23, Toyota held a farewell ceremony for the beloved Mark II and Mark X sedan. The final example, a white Mark X 250G, rolled off the line at Toyota’s second-oldest plant, the Motomachi factory in Aichi Prefecture, as … Continue reading

Posted in News | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 17 Comments

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

Posted in events | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Japan slammed by worst typhoon in 60 years

Japan is still trying to assess the damage done by Typhoon Hagibis over the weekend. According to the Japan Times, the death toll is up to 68, and rescue crews are working around the clock to find more survivors. The … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

VIDEO: Every generation of Toyota Mark II gathered for the final Mark X send-off

After 11 generations and 51 model years, the Toyota Mark II/MarkX line is coming to an end. Toyota announced the cancellation of the decidedly old school, Camry-sized rear-wheel-drive sedan back in April. Now, with the Final Edition coming to showrooms … Continue reading

Posted in Video | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Happy MX73 Day from JNC

We love a good chassis code-based holiday here at JNC, but cars like the Toyota Cressida present a dilemma. The US sedan’s chassis code is MX73, so naturally that would make today, July 3, MX73 day. I think we can … Continue reading

Posted in Holidays | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

EVENTS: All-Toyotafest, Part 05 — Big Sedans

There’s nothing like a big Toyota sedan, and Toyotafest was full of ’em. Whether you’re talking about the brilliant luxury of a Lexus LS or the deadbolt reliability of a Camry, each one had its fans and fastidious owners. With … Continue reading

Posted in events | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

VIDEO: Dirt track oval racing in Japan

Dirt track racing is stupid fun, doing with real cars essentially what every kid does with Hot Wheels. That, apparently, is true no matter what country you’re from. Back in the day, with plenty of big, rear-wheel-drive cars available for … Continue reading

Posted in motorsport | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

NEWS: It’s the end of the road for the Toyota Mark X

All good things must come to an end, and today we must bid farewell to yet another steadfast nameplate of Japan’s automotive landscape. On the very same day that Mitsubishi announced the end of the Pajero, Toyota announced, after 11 … Continue reading

Posted in News | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 17 Comments

EVENTS: The Final New Year Meeting, Part 01

It is with a heavy heart that we bring you this report on 2019’s New Year Meeting, held on the fourth weekend of January, for it is also the very last New Year Meeting. period. Twelve years ago, JNC became … Continue reading

Posted in events | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

EVENTS: 2018 Japanese Classic Car Show, Part 01 — JDM

Japan-only cars have been making their way into JCCS for a while now, but this year the trickle seemed to turn into a tsunami. You couldn’t swing a fender mirror without coming into contact with a RHD ride from the … Continue reading

Posted in jccs | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

EVENTS: Petersen Museum Cruise-in, Part 02

The Petersen Museum in Los Angeles puts on many events throughout the year, each with a theme ranging from hot rods to Porsches. Recently, they hosted their annual cruise-in for Japanese cars, inviting Nihon Steel both old and new to … Continue reading

Posted in events | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Koyorad releases new radiators for 90s Chaser, 300ZX, Maxima

Our partners at Koyorad are releasing a slew of new cooling options for 90s cars, including the JZX90 Toyota Chaser, Mark II and Cresta triplets, as well as the Z32 Nissan 300ZX and J30 Maxima. It may seem odd to sell an aftermarket part for cars … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

SHOWA SNAP: Toyota taxis queue at the old Kyoto Station

Kyoto is one of Japan’s most historic cities, but you wouldn’t know it by looking at its travel hub. Bullet trains pull into Kyoto Station on an hourly basis, sending hundreds of passengers into a vast structure of glass and steel resembling a spaceport. … Continue reading

Posted in Showa Snap | Tagged , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Toyotafest Spotlight: A true kaido racer on American soil

“We used to do this with hot rods,” said Shige Suganuma, president of Mooneyes, as I pointed out the unmissable Mark II kaido racer in the Cressida section at Toyotafest. We were walking the grounds, and he recalled how, during the Bubble Era, his … Continue reading

Posted in Spotlight | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

EVENTS: All-Toyotafest 2018, Part 01 — Sedans

If there’s one thing Toyota is known for, it’s sedans. Yes, the Camry is basically the default car that pops into most brains when the word “sedan” is uttered, but Toyota also has a mean portfolio of old school, rear-wheel-drive mobbers. From Cressida … Continue reading

Posted in events | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

VIDEO: A bosozoku night cruise

Do you like bolted on bubble flares, takeyari shaped like lightning bolts, and blinding dome lights that look like they’re off a 1960s police car except they’re purple? If not, well, maybe avert your eyes so you don’t see the parade of Celicas, Soarers … Continue reading

Posted in Video | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

EVENTS: 2017 Tokyo Auto Salon, Part 02 — Restomods

Since its inception in 1983, the Tokyo Auto Salon has been Japan’s showcase premier exhibition of automotive trends. Back then, it went by the very literal name of Tokyo Exciting Car Show, but the idea was the same — showcasing what Japanese tuners … Continue reading

Posted in events | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

EVENTS: Houston Morningstar Meet

You might have heard there was a football game in Houston over the weekend. We were in town for the epic clash — something about classic Fords versus Jeep crossovers — but before the big game the local JNC community welcomed us to a Sunday morning meet. 

Posted in events | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments