

We are very proud to announce that in 2016, Hot Wheels has created a new premium collection devoted to Japanese nostalgic cars. Called the Japan Historics line, it will feature celebrated cars from Japan’s automotive past. And of course, we are very excited to tell you that the JNC inkan will be featured on all of them.
First up is the Mazda RX-3, a brand new casting for 2016 that will debut in the Japan Historics line. We showed you a preview of the car in its prototype stages a couple of weeks ago when Jun Imai brought a bare zinc example to JCCS. Though we’ve had these renderings for months, we can now reveal that the final car will be purple with black racing stripes and the #3 in its roundel.
The RX-3 was designed by Mattel veteran Mark Jones and was inspired by the touring car RX-3s that raced in the early 1970s. It features Katayama flares, a ducktail spoiler and front spook. The model will have a metal base and the new 4-spoke wheels with hippari stretched tires as well.
The red JNC inkan is located on the doors, and we are proud to share space with JCCS, Advan, and NGK.
Jun Imai was the mastermind behind the Japan Historics line, so it’s only natural that his own personal 1971 Datsun 510 Wagon would make an appearance. Black with a Flame Red interior, this time it’s decked out in classic black and red Advan racing livery.
Once again the wheels will be the new 4-spokes with hippari tires, but this time in black with red foil lips. A red JNC inkan appears on the rear quarter panels, along with JCCS, Advan, NGK, Greddy, and Speedhunters elsewhere on the car. The #0 in the roundel on the hood is a nod to the graphics Jun designed for his 1:1 scale 510.
Last but definitely not least will be the Nissan Skyline 2000GT-X. The famed Hakosuka returns with a classic livery inspired by Kunimitsu Takahashi’s #15 Nissan Works KPGC10 GT-R. The wheels are existing 8-spokes, which are reminiscent of RS-Watanabes.
This is a very special casting and color scheme for us at JNC, because this casting debuted with a similar livery (inspired by Moto Kitano’s GT-R) back in 2011. That was the first time the JNC inkan appeared on a Hot Wheels car, fulfilling a childhood dream of many JNC staffers.
That was also the very model that sparked the current wave of Hot Wheels collectors obsessed with Japanese cars, even though cars like the 510, 240Z and AE86 existed before. As fans of J-tin, it’s been especially rewarding to see these cars get the love and recognition they deserve over the last five years from fans and collectors both new and old.
The Japan Historics line will be part of a larger Car Culture premium series, which will feature subcategories such for European cars, trucks, and so on. There are more models in the lineup that we’ll share with you as they get closer to release.
If you’re keeping track, here’s a list of Hot Wheels featuring the JNC inkan.
- Nissan Skyline GT-X hakosuka (2011, white/green with red JNC inkan)
- Mazda RX-7 (2012, black/gold/red with gold JNC inkan)
- Mazda RX-7 (2012, blue/white/orange with orange JNC inkan)
- Mazda RX-7 (2012, white/gold/red with red JNC inkan) — Kroger’s/Ralph’s exclusive
- Toyota AE86 Corolla (2013, black/white with black JNC inkan)
- Toyota AE86 Corolla (2013, white/black with black JNC inkan)
- Toyota Celica 1970 (2013, red/black with black JNC inkan)
- Mazda RX-7 (2013, silver/blue with blue JNC inkan) — Treasure Hunt
- Datsun 620 (2014, orange with black JNC inkan)
- Datsun 620 (2014, blue with black JNC inkan) — KDay exclusive
- Datsun 620 (2014, red with black JNC inkan)
- Datsun 510 wagon (2014, red/white with blue JNC inkan)
- Datsun 510 wagon (2014, dark red/white with blue JNC inkan) — Super Treasure Hunt
- Datsun 240Z (2015, black/blue/gold with blue JNC inkan)
- Datsun 510 wagon (2015, yellow with dark blue JNC inkan)
- Datsun 240Z (2015, white/blue/red with blue JNC inkan)
- Datsun 510 wagon (2015, black with black JNC inkan) — KDay exclusive
- Nissan Fairlady Z (2016, blue/black with white JNC inkan)
- Nissan Skyline GT-X hakosuka (2016, white/blue with red JNC inkan) — Japan Historics premium
- Mazda RX-3 (2016, purple with red JNC inkan) — Japan Historics premium
- Datsun 510 wagon (2016, black with red JNC inkan) — Japan Historics premium
Nice!
Nice job guys ! Hope to see many more japanese classics made into hotwheels
I’m ready.
Awesome… I’ll never find one. eBay will be arm and leg.
Get out and hunt them
“JUN-S”
I see what you did there!
busted!
When will these be out so I can be the first to buy them . I collect all kinds of Hotwheels but especially JDM .
Hadir gan cakep beneer nih!! Siap Sikat.. Lo rumahnya dimane gan? gw maen deh kesono yee.. Jangan lupa follow IG: MWHG13
COULD WE HAVE THIDhS IN ENGLISH?
No Mitsubishis again, this makes me a sad Panda 🙁
The corporate argument against an oldschool Mitsu is that HW consumers only buy the cars they’re familiar with. Of course that’s hogwash but no suit wants to be responsible for a fail..
Where did you hear this?
Nowhere it just seemed a plausible explanation..
Now these are gonna be hot, and very hard to find with all the hoarders. But definitely cool none the less keep them coming the more Japanese nostalgic cars the better.I can never get enough.
Hi there, love the fact you guys making Japanese hot wheels cars, please I hope to hear that there are an old seventys Chrysler galant , please let me know, would buy one or ten straight away. Thank you
Daniel?
Greatness…the card art is nice enough to keep. (The Rx-3 won’t be in its box any more ).
Very cool!
I suppose these will only be for sale in the US? Will the RX3 make it into the normal line up of regular Hot Wheels cars sold around the rest of the world too?
I really like the card art for this line.
I wanna mazda rx7 fc
Finally an RX-3! Somebody must be paying attention over there at the HotWheels headquarters
Do you know if the line will be available worldwide? I live in Mexico!!!
Sadly, I doubt it. Everywhere else gets shafted with these special lines, but here’s hoping!
Great work. I cant wait to see what the other 2 cars in this series will be, 240z, 620, Kenmeri Skyline, RX-7, AE-86, 2000GT? Oooh what about the retooled ’82 Supra only used once.
I hope they make a Datsun 521 truck finally. I do remember Jun saying a lot of requests at JCCS to make it. Hands down it will be a smash.
Hurry can’t wait love those JNC’s
Dat box sky though!!
I hope a TE27 is included in the series!
Bring em on… just love the artwork…… now.. where do I preorder a couple of sets.
Another line of hot wheels that I don’t be able to find on the east coast I bet.
Find a Hot Wheels coilector’s club that has swap meets.
TAKE MY MONEY!
Super dope that they’re showing love to historics, ESPECIALLY the RX3 : ) Wack color though…Purple?? Was that the actual color of the 3s that raced and beat Hakosukas back in the 70s??? Doubtful. Cmon man, purple?
You guys are awesome. I have much fun recreating these cars in Forza Motorsport 6 (and 5, and 4) on the XBox. Check them out and take them for a spin in game 🙂
I hope that they would make a Mazda cosmo like the one hw made 4 ultraman jack series
I just found all five , what do I do…
I love the package design, almost as much as the cars the package holds. I recently bought the Mazda RX-3. I must say, Hot Wheels introduced me to JNC and my private Hot Wheels collection has only one Japanese car that isn’t a JNC, the Nissan 180SX type X.
where i can buy thouses?