Search Results for: jun+imai
MINICARS: The Kaido House Datsun 510 begins Jun Imai’s next chapter
Jun Imai is a pivotal figure in the diecast world, having transformed the most “hot rod” of diecast brands into a leader in Japanese minicars. For that he became a star in the collectible car world, and ever since he … Continue reading
MINICARS: the Jun Imai Era comes to a close at Hot Wheels
There is just one more bit of Hot Wheels news left for today, and it’s a sad one. Our friend and star designer Jun Imai has left Mattel for new opportunities. We had known it was happening for a couple … Continue reading
SEMA 2017: Jun Imai debuts his widebody Datsun Z
Five years ago, we watched as the pink slip of a dusty blue 1974 260Z was signed over to Jun Imai. It appeared as if attempts to turn it into something greater had been cut short, leaving a car that was neither stock nor carefully modified. If … Continue reading
VIDEO: Hot Wheels designer Jun Imai details the Datsun Fairlady 2000
The Nissan Fairlady 2000 is one of the most anticipated cars of the 2017 Hot Wheels lineup, and it’s easy to see why. Dedicated collectors will easily spot the signature touches of designer Jun Imai, who has transformed it into … Continue reading
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JCCS Preview: Get Jun Imai’s autograph on this very limited edition hakosuka Skyline illustration
Hot Wheels designer Jun Imai will be at the JNC booth this Saturday at the Japanese Classic Car Show in Long Beach, California. Jun will participate an autograph session from 10:30 to 11:00 am. Feel free to bring your cars, parts, posters … Continue reading
PROFILES: Jun Imai’s 1971 Datsun 510 Wagon
We see a lot of cars here at JNC. A lot. Every so often, however, there’s that one singular car that comes along and truly blows our feeble minds. Jun Imai‘s 1971 Datsun 510 Wagon is exactly one of those cars, and … Continue reading
JCCS Preview: Meet Hot Wheels’ Jun Imai at the JNC Booth
As regular JNCers know we’re huge, giddy fans of Jun Imai, Hot Wheels designer extraordinaire. This weekend at JCCS, we will be positively honored to have at our booth the man who created such diecast cars as the Datsun 510, Toyota AE86, hakosuka and kenmeri Skylines, Mazda RX-7, Mad Manga, … Continue reading
Chat with Hot Wheels’ Jun Imai
Hey minicar fans! Hot Wheels designer Jun Imai will be taking part in a live online chat tomorrow, August 16 at 3:30 PDT. If you don’t know already, Imai-san is the one responsible for the recent surge in nostalgics in the … Continue reading
Happy TE27 Day from JNC
The great-grandfather to the AE86, the Toyota TE27 still isn’t that well known among car collector circles. We spotted this one in with glorious glass-smooth paint in the parking lot outside the Tokyo Nostalgic Car Show in 2010. A VW … Continue reading
Posted in Holidays
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Hot Wheels has a tsunami of Japanese cars coming
Our friends at Hot Wheels recently shared with us some previews of upcoming cars. For fans of Japanese diecast, there will be no shortage offerings infiltrating every series the company makes. Here’s a couple dozen peeks at what’s coming down … Continue reading
RIP Ryu Asada, Hot Wheels designer, 1978—2021
Ryu Asada, beloved designer of Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars, has passed away after a hard-fought battle with cancer. He was 42 years old. Ryu was immensely talented and instrumental in bringing a multitude of well-loved cars to the Hot … Continue reading
MINICARS: Get humming with NISMO-tune Hot Wheels R33, R34 Skyline GT-Rs
Those of you who stopped by our booth at the 2019 JCCS may have caught a glimpse of some upcoming Hot Wheels. Here’s the deets on two of the most eye-catching models, an R33 and R34 Skyline GT-Rs in NISMO … Continue reading
MINICARS: Hot Wheels Nissan Hardbody D21 minitruck
Hot Wheels has definitely been on a roll these days, with lots of Skylines, Hondas, and assorted Japanese-market goodness. The latest release, however, covers a styling trend in which Japanese vehicles were extremely popular, but had uniquely American origins: the … Continue reading
QotW: What made you start collecting Hot Wheels?
After hearing of Hot Wheels’ 50th anniversary and Jun Imai’s departure from Mattel, I began thinking back to when I started collecting Hot Wheels. It was the “Toyota AE-86 Corolla” that set my heart afire. To see the beloved Hachiroku next … Continue reading
Happy 50th Birthday to Hot Wheels from JNC
Today we mark 50 years of Hot Wheels, the brand that changed toy cars forever and stoked the flames of automotive passion in millions. Since 1968 was the debut year for Hot Wheels and the US-market Datsun 510, we wanted to commemorate … Continue reading
50 YEAR CLUB: Hot Wheels celebrates half a century of toy cars
Fifty years ago today, the world was introduced to what just might be the most influential cars ever made. The automotive world was forever changed on May 18, 1968 when Mattel introduced the Hot Wheels brand of toy cars to … Continue reading
Posted in 50 Year Club, Hot Wheels, minicars
Tagged 2000gt, 200sx, 240z, 260z, 300zx, 50 Year Club, 510, a60, acura, ae86, Alton Takeyasu, bluebird, corolla, Corvette Stingray, datsun, honda, hot wheels, mazda, nissan, nsx, Odyssey, rx-7, Ryu Asada, s110, s30 z, sa22, silvia, supra, toyota, z31
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MINICARS: Hot Wheels Hakosuka Nissan Skyline Wagon
JNC stopped by Mattel’s design center yesterday and saw what promises to be one of the most coveted Hot Wheels for 2018 — the Nissan C10 Skyline Van. Designer Jun Imai was kind enough to share the final version with us, card art and … Continue reading
MINICARS: Hot Wheels X JNC Japan Historics 2
2018 isn’t even here yet, but we are very excited to show what we know already be the hottest series of the year. The five-car Japan Historics 2 features two new castings, retooled versions of popular existing castings, and some seriously epic card … Continue reading
Posted in Hot Wheels, minicars
Tagged 510, bluebird, butaketsu, c130, c210, datsun, fairlady z, hot wheels, Japan Historics 2, laurel, mazda, nissan, rx-3, S30Z, skyline
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