Author Archives: Ben Hsu
Toyota’s ‘baby’ Land Cruiser FJ revealed as mini body-on-frame SUV
Since at least 2022 Toyota has been teasing the idea of a mini SUV that draws on the Land Cruiser’s rich heritage. Now that vehicle has arrived, revealed in full ahead of the Japan Mobility Show at the end of … Continue reading
Toyota’s motor show video unites owners from around the globe
Not to be outdone by its subsidiary Daihatsu, Toyota has its own compilation video for the Japan Mobility Show. With the tagline “To You. Toyota”, the video depicts a vast variety of Toyota cars and trucks in all walks of … Continue reading
Posted in Japan Mobility Show
Tagged a70, A80, ae86, corolla, fj cruiser, hiace, hilux, Japan Mobility Show, land cruiser, supra, toyota
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Nissan CEO discusses Silvia revival, IDx concept
Nissan CEO Ivan Espinosa recently gave an interview and mentioned two model names that may be of particular interest to enthusiasts. The first was the the Silvia, which Espinosa has a special passion for and wants to bring back. The … Continue reading
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Forget the Century coupe and six-wheeled Lexus LS, peep the Daihatsu Midget concept
It’s almost time for the Tokyo Motor Show Japan Mobility Show, and Toyota is first out of the gates with a buffet of unhinged concept cars. And yes, the coupe based on the Century SUV or Lexus LS reborn as … Continue reading
Posted in Japan Mobility Show
Tagged century, daihatsu, Japan Mobility Show, lexus, midget, toyota
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Nissan designer Hiren Patel talks about his classic Pathfinder
With the news of Nissan Design America’s closing, we wanted to consider the earliest and arguably the most iconic vehicle to emerge from the studio: the WD21 Nissan Pathfinder. As it happens, we once stumbled upon this exact car at … Continue reading
Sam Mitani’s ‘Keys to the Empire’ finishes the automotive spy trilogy with a bang
The third and final installment of former Road & Track International editor Sam Mitani’s car-themed thrillers is Keys to the Empire. The trilogy began in 2018 with The Prototype, continued in 2023 with Red Mist, and draws to a close … Continue reading
Japan’s new Prime Minister is a Toyota Supra owner
In 2022 we wrote about Japanese politician Sanae Takaichi and her beloved A70 Toyota Supra. At the time, she had lost her bid to become the next Prime Minister, but over the weekend she was elected to head Japan’s ruling … Continue reading
QotW: What are your gasoline filling routines?
Today, October 6, is Oil Day in Japan, marking an occasion for average citizens to think about the many petroleum-based products used in every day life. The date was chosen because the numbers 1, 0, and 6 can be rearranged … Continue reading
It’s the end of the road for the Lexus LS
In 1989 Toyota introduced what was arguably the most over-engineered car ever made. The Lexus LS had to be perfect if it was going to go toe-to-toe with the established European brands. It was. More refined, more durable, and far … Continue reading
The Honda RA272 will return to the site of its first Grand Prix win 60 years ago
In 1965 Honda achieved something unthinkable. It won a Formula 1 Grand Prix just two years after it had begun producing its first car. As the famous story goes, when Soichiro Honda instructed his engineers to develop a car that … Continue reading
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QotW: Which JNC looks most proper in red?
The color red is most closely associated with Ferraris, Alfas, and other Italian cars. Former head of GM Performance John Heinricy once said, “All Corvettes are red, the rest are mistakes,” and they even titled a book based on that … Continue reading
SuperGT champ puts five NSX versions to the test
Continuing on its 35th anniversary celebration, Honda has released another NSX video featuring five iterations of its flagship supercar. This time, it has recruited two-time SuperGT champ Tomoki Nojiri to provide his driving impressions of the five cars. Nojiri drives … Continue reading
Tom Matano, designer of the iconic Mazda Miata and FD RX-7, has passed away
Tom Matano, the famed designer of the original Mazda Miata, FD RX-7, and more, has passed away. The Japan native was born in 1947 in Nagasaki, Japan and studied engineering at Seikei University in Tokyo but then left for America … Continue reading
QotW: What would you do without a car?
Today, Septemeber 22, is Car Free Day in many cities around the world, including nine in Japan. It asks citizens to refrain from driving in urban centers to consider what life might be like without the traffic and environmental impacts … Continue reading
Nissan to close 46-year-old San Diego design studio
Nissan is on a cost-cutting rampage, and the latest to fall are its studios. Design centers in southern California and São Paulo, Brazil are to be shuttered as part of the company’s “Re:Nissan” restructuring plan that hopes to bring the … Continue reading
Robert Redford helped launch Paul Newman’s Nissan racing career
Legendary actor and filmmaker Robert Redford passed away yesterday at the age of 89. Though he wasn’t as well-known for being a car guy as his buddy Paul Newman, Redford did have a penchant for vintage cars and racing. As … Continue reading
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Toyota reissues 4AG cylinder block and head through Gazoo Racing Heritage Parts Program
Last month Toyota teased a grand plan involving its heritage parts program and the venerable 4A-GE engine. Specifics weren’t disclosed, but the reality is far grander than we imagined. Turns out Toyota is reproducing the entire block and head of … Continue reading
Posted in News
Tagged AE101, ae86, ae92, aw11, corolla levin, GR Heritage Parts Project, mr2, sprinter trueno, toyota
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Nissan Z Heritage Edition brings Midnight Purple stateside
It’s hard to make a heritage edition of a car that’s packed with retro cues. The RZ34’s sheetmetal already mimics that of the S30 and the Z32 generations, so when it came time to make a Heritage Edition of the … Continue reading
Which sixth-gen Honda Prelude looks best?
I clearly remember when the last Honda Prelude came out. By the time the fifth-gen came out for the 1997 model year the entire country had been fully consumed by tuner fever. The first BB6 I ever saw outside the … Continue reading
Nissan will finally give the Z NISMO the manual transmission it’s deserved all along
When Nissan debuted Z NISMO debuted two years ago, despite offering the type of rear-wheel-drive sports car doesn’t cost six figures, something that’s in very short supply these days, they managed to piss everyone off by making it automatic only. … Continue reading
