Monthly Archives: May 2012

Project Neo86: Introducing the JNC Scion FR-S

Posted on May 31, 2012 by Jason

When the original AE86 and Silvia were killed, no one expected that Japan would simply walk away from its automotive roots. But walk they did, and light, agile, affordable RWD cars remained absent from the market for what turned out … Continue reading →

Posted in Project Neo 86, toyota | Tagged ae86, fr-s, gt 86, hachiroku, Project Neo86, scion, toyota, toyota 86 | 35 Comments

Motorsports: The Honda S800-based Macransa Tojiro-III

Posted on May 31, 2012 by Ben Hsu

Whilst roaming around the Speedway paddocks for our 2012 Fuji Jamboree coverage we spotted this FRP creation stamped with a vintage Mark of Soichiro below a Honda Twin Cam Club decal. What could this contraption be? Why it’s the 1966 … Continue reading →

Posted in honda, motorsports | Tagged alpine, dome, fuji jamboree, fuji speedway, honda, lola, lola t70, m63, Macransa T-III, Macransa Tojiro-III, Minoru Hayashi, motorsports, porsche, porsche 904, renault, s500, s600, s800, soichiro honda | 8 Comments

EVENTS: 2012 Fuji Jamboree, Part 02

Posted on May 29, 2012 by Ben Hsu

In Part 01 of our 2012 Fuji Jamboree coverage we focused on machines that took to the Speedway. Blood red hakosuka with Okamoto logos? You know those black Wats are ready to cut loose on Fuji’s tarmac. However, as every … Continue reading →

Posted in events, honda, isuzu, nissan, toyota | Tagged a20, b210, bellett, butaketsu, c10, c110, c130, c210, celica, daruma, datsun, fuji jamboree, fuji speedway, gc10, gc110, Hakosuka, hayashi, hayashi street, honda, isuzu, kenmeri, kp30, laurel, MkII, motorsports, nissan, publica, ra28, rs watanabe, s500, s600, s800, skyline, ssr, starlet, sunny, sunny excellent, toyota, watanabe, yonmeri | 15 Comments

Question of the Week: What’s Japan’s most luxurious car?

Posted on May 28, 2012 by Ben Hsu

From the world’s first production GPS system in the JC Eunos Cosmo to the Cressida’s redundant stereo volume dial next to the steering wheel, Japan has always been a pioneer of automotive luxury. That is why this week we ask, … Continue reading →

Posted in Question of the Week, toyota | Tagged ae86, century, civic, corolla, eg, hachiroku, honda, levin, QotW, Question of the Week, sprinter, toyota, trueno | 29 Comments

EVENTS: 2012 Fuji Jamboree, Part 01

Posted on May 24, 2012 by Ben Hsu

If the sight of a Skyline and Savanna in nostalgic warpaint doesn’t stir your soul, we’ll go ahead and notify your next of kin. Add to that a sprinkling of Starlet, Sunny, and a snazzy Japanese-colors retro racing helmet perched just so, … Continue reading →

Posted in events, honda, isuzu, mazda, motorsports, nissan, toyota | Tagged 110s, 1600 sports, 2000 sports, 240z, 260z, 280z, 330, 510, advan, alpine, b110, bellett, bluebird, bmw 2002, c10, c110, c130, cedric, cosmo sport, datsun, europa, fairlady roadster, fairlady z, familia, familia rotary coupe, fuij speedway, fuji jamboree, fuji speedway, gc10, gloria, gordini, gt-b, gt-r, Hakosuka, honda, isuzu, kenmeri, kgc10, kgc110, kpgc10, kpgc110, laurel, lola t70, lotus, m63, macransa, mazda, motorsports, nissan, passol, porsche 904, publica, r100, renault, rs watanabe, rx-3, s30, s500, s54, s600, s800, savanna, skyline, sports 800, starlet, sunny, toyota, toyota sports 800, wagon, watanabe, yamaha | 19 Comments

Benvenuto l’Alfa Miata! Mazda X Fiat collab announced

Posted on May 23, 2012 by Ben Hsu

And so it comes full circle. In 1989 Mazda launched the template for the modern roadster, the MX-5 Miata. It was so pure in formula that the Japanese model name was simply “Roadster,” a tribute to British and Italian droptops of … Continue reading →

Posted in mazda | Tagged alfa romeo, eunos, mazda, miata, mx-5, na, nb, nc, racing mate, roadster | 20 Comments

Question of the Week: What is the most overrated nostalgic car?

Posted on May 23, 2012 by Kevin San

We’ve asked what the most underrated nostalgic was, but we neglected to find its flip side. Thus we ask you this week. What is the most overrated nostalgic car? The one car which we had high expectations for — because of … Continue reading →

Posted in manga, minicars, nissan, Question of the Week | Tagged choro-q, minicars, nissan, Question of the Week, r31, skyline, subaru, subaru 360 | 39 Comments

Akio Toyoda’s favorite cars built by Toyota’s rivals

Posted on May 22, 2012 by Ben Hsu

In case you needed more proof that Akio Toyoda is a car nut of the highest order, yesterday the ToMoCo head honcho rattled off his favorite cars that are not Toyotas. The occasion was Toyoda’s inauguration as chair of JAMA, the Japan … Continue reading →

Posted in isuzu, mazda, mitsubishi, nissan, toyota | Tagged 110s, acura, akio toyoda, bellett, cosmo sport, dakar, honda, isuzu, mazda, mitsubishi, montero, nissan, nsx, pajero, skyline, toyota | 5 Comments

Vintage Toyotas spotted on the set of Ron Howard’s Rush

Posted on May 21, 2012 by Ben Hsu

Hollywood doesn’t exactly have a stellar track record when it comes to movies for the die hard car nut but hope looms on the horizon. Ron Howard’s Rush, a biopic about the legendary rivalry between James Hunt and Niki Lauda … Continue reading →

Posted in toyota, Video Games | Tagged celica, crown, daruma, f1, formula 1, fuji speedway, james hunt, kujira, ms75, niki lauda, ra21, ra22, ron howard, rush, s60, ta21, ta22, toyota | 5 Comments

Friday Video: New NSX commercial could explain what’s wrong with Honda

Posted on May 18, 2012 by Ben Hsu

Remember in the 80s and 90s when Honda could do no wrong? Compare those steallar lineups to the current one and even the most die hard Honda head is asking himself, “What in Soichiro’s name is going on?” Honda Japan’s … Continue reading →

Posted in cm, Friday Video, honda | Tagged accord, beat, civic, cm, honda, n360, nsx, prelude, ra272, s500, s600, s800, super cub | 25 Comments

EVENTS: 2012 All-Toyotafest, Part 04

Posted on May 17, 2012 by Dan Hsu

We’ll let Patrick Ng‘s gorgeous TE27 kick off the fourth and final installment of our 17th Annual All-Toyotafest coverage. This tasty mango began life as a 1973 SR-5, an ultra-rare US-spec version of the Corolla Levin, with metal flares and all straight from the factory but … Continue reading →

Posted in events, toyota, trucks, vip, wagons | Tagged 2012 All-Toyotafest, 4runner, 5-axis, a60, ae83, august, aw11, barikan, camry, celica, corolla, corona, e70, estima, feroce, five axis design, fj40, fj45, fr-s, gt 86, hilux, junction produce, kp61, land cruiser, levin, liftback, ma61, mr2, n1, pickup, previa, ra21, ra22, ra28, ra29, riverge, riverside, rs watanabe, rt40, rt52, s-5, scion, soarer, sprinter, sr-5, ssr, star shark, starlet, stout, supra, sw20, t40, te27, te72, tom's, tosco, toyota, toyota 86, toyotafest, trd, trueno, v10, vip, watanabe, work wheels, z10 | 16 Comments

Five Axis Design developing Retro Series Scion FR-S

Posted on May 16, 2012 by Ben Hsu

Five Axis Design is well known for creating stunning aero kits and drool-inducing concept cars for Scion, Toyota and Lexus vehicles. But in the midst of all the SEMA-style glam, if you looked closely there were always clues that an old school heart … Continue reading →

Posted in toyota | 13 Comments

EVENTS: 2012 All-Toyotafest, Part 03

Posted on May 16, 2012 by Dan Hsu

We start the 17th Annual All-Toyotafest coverage with a perennial fave, Jorge Aguilera‘s Fuji-reminiscent green 18R-G turbo Celica. Note the fender mirrors, which are not green but gunmetal carefully matched to the accompanying Wats.

Posted in events, toyota | Tagged 2000gt, 2012 All-Toyotafest, 3s-ge, 4a-ge, a3a, a60, A80, advan, ae86, barikan, bbs, cabe toyota, camry, celica, century, chaser, corolla, corona, cressida, crown, cusco, e70, fj40, fj55, hachiroku, jza80, land cruiser, levin, lexus, Lexus GS, Lexus LS, Lexus RX, ma61, mark II, mf10, mx32, mx62, mx73, ra21, ra22, rs watanabe, rt40, RX330, s190, s50, sprinter, stout, supra, t40, ta22, te72, toyota, toyotafest, trueno, vip, watanabe, x30, x60, x70, xv30 | 23 Comments

Question of the Week: What Japanese car was the biggest manga star?

Posted on May 15, 2012 by Ben Hsu

You knew it was coming. After last week’s QotW about the best Nihon car movie star, we now grill you about the Japanese art form known manga and its in-motion equivalent. What Japanese car is the biggest manga/anime star? Being the hachi-head … Continue reading →

Posted in minicars, Question of the Week, toyota | Tagged Fast and the Furious, Initial D, Question of the Week, Shakotan Boogie, soarer, sports 800, toyota, z10 | 21 Comments

EVENTS: 2012 All-Toyotafest, Part 02

Posted on May 14, 2012 by Dan Hsu

Part 02 of our 2012 All-Toyotafest coverage starts off with a pair of our favorite neoclassic Celicas. Moises Rivera (white) and Jesse Ortiz‘s (blue 1JZ-swapped) wedge-shaped A60s are the very definition of 1980s knife’s edge styling, and the US-spec GT-S flares … Continue reading →

Posted in events, toyota | Tagged 2012 All-Toyotafest, 2jz, a20, a40, a60, a70, advan, ae86, aw11, celica, chaser, corolla, corona, corona mark II, coupe, cressida, dori, e100, e70, fj40, hilux, land cruiser, levin, liftback, ma70, ma71, mark II, MkI, mr2, ra21, ra22, sa3r, scion, sprinter, ssr, supra, t130, t60, ta22, takechi project, te72, toyota, toyotafest, trueno, wagon, wangan, x60, xb | 13 Comments

EVENTS: 2012 All-Toyotafest, Part 01

Posted on May 11, 2012 by Dan Hsu

The 2012 All-Toyotafest was abuzz with the excitement generated by the neo-hachiroku. After a decade and a half of supposedly sporty front-wheel-drive offerings, the lightweight FR Toyota is back with a vengeance. For throngs of Toyotaku in attendance it was cause … Continue reading →

Posted in events, toyota, wagons | Tagged 2012 All-Toyotafest, 5-axis, 80-series, a20, ae86, august, celica, corolla, corona, ct200h, e20, feroce, g's, land cruiser, levin, lexus, mango, peanut, ra29, sprinter, sr-5, ssr, star shark, t80, te21, te27, te28, te37, tosco, toyota, toyotafest, trd, trueno, wagon, work equip 01 | 27 Comments

Happy 5/10 Day!

Posted on May 10, 2012 by John Roper

Posted in nissan | Tagged 510, bluebird, datsun, nissan | 18 Comments

MINICARS: Hot Wheels’ mid-engined Honda CR-X

Posted on May 10, 2012 by Ben Hsu

In 1981 Hot Wheels debuted the Hot Ones, a line of diecast cars with an articulating suspension and thin axles for a smooth, frictionless ride across your tabletop. Mattel has been busy re-launching many of the iconic cars from this series, as well … Continue reading →

Posted in honda, manga, minicars | Tagged ballade, cr-x, crx, diecast, honda, hot ones, hot wheels, Keiichiro Shinmura, king, manga, minicars, ultra hots | 7 Comments

EVENTS: Motorsport Auto’s 2012 Z-car West Coast Nationals

Posted on May 9, 2012 by Yee

This year Motorsport Auto brought back the Z-car West Coast Nationals with a full scale show at their headquarters. The theme was “Back to the Streets,” the street being a closed-off stretch of Collins Avenue in Orange, California, just like in days … Continue reading →

Posted in events, nissan | Tagged 10th anniversary, 240z, 260z, 280z, 280zx, 300zx, 350z, 370z, 50th anniversary, 510, black gold, black pearl, bluebird, datsun, fairlady z, kameari, l24, l28, longchamp, motorsport auto, msa, n42, nissan, rb, rebello, s130, s30, ssr, superlite, wagon, watanabe, xr-4, z-car west coast nationals, z31, z32, z33, z34, zap | 18 Comments

Question of the Week: What Japanese car was the biggest movie star?

Posted on May 8, 2012 by Ben Hsu

Not counting the Fast and Furious franchise, cars of Japanese origin don’t usually feature too prominently in Hollywood productions. But that makes their rare appearances all the more special, which brings us to this week’s question: What Japanese car was … Continue reading →

Posted in honda, Question of the Week, toyota | Tagged a20, acura, celica, civic, daruma, honda, nsx, Question of the Week, toyota | 74 Comments