Author Archives: Ben Hsu
Could this test mule be the next Toyota MR2?
A visitor to Fuji Speedway may have spotted a prototype Toyota MR2 lapping the circuit. The car in question is a compact sports car with a mid-engine layout as evidenced at the large air intakes aft of the doors and … Continue reading
It’s the end of the road for the Nissan Altima: The rise and fall of the once-proud Accord rival, Part 02
The Nissan Altima is dead, confirmed by a top Nissan exec last week. In Part 01 of our Altima retrospective, we followed its rise, from compact Stanza spinoff to, by generation three, a true enthusiast’s contender against midsizers like the … Continue reading
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It’s the end of the road for the Nissan Altima: The rise and fall of the once-proud Accord rival, Part 01
The Nissan Altima is officially dead. Its demise was confirmed by Nissan’s head of product planning and senior vice president for North America Ponz Pandikuthira in an interview with WardsAuto. It’s been rumored to be on the chopping block since … Continue reading
Akio Toyoda drops wisdom on students, then takes them drifting in unforgettable graduation ceremony
There’s no question that Akio Toyoda is one of the most impressive auto executives in the world. He’s one of us — an enthusiast — who races cars in his spare time. But even if we take that bias out … Continue reading
A Toyota MR2 SC lost out to a Fiero in Motorweek’s comparo, thanks in part to its eye-watering cost
When Toyota debuted its supercharged MR2 for 1988, it was a revelation. While several automakers experimented with supercharging in the 1950s, it hadn’t really been used in a production car for decades. Sure, there were Lancias and Japanese-market Toyotas that … Continue reading
Five Toyotas are the first Japanese cars to race in the Mille Miglia
The original Mille Miglia was one of the most storied and dangerous road races in automotive history. Covering 1000 miles through beautiful Italian cities, it was the crucible that helped make legends out of Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, Lancia, and more. … Continue reading
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Tagged 2000gt, A80, Crown S30, lexus, lfa, Mille Miglia, sports 800, supra, toyota
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Honda and Nissan will soon announce team-up of some kind
Honda and Nissan broached a merger in 2024, but the talks blew up spectacularly before any sort of agreement could take place. A lot has happened in the two years since and now Honda’s CEO is hinting that a collaboration … Continue reading
QotW: What’s your best story about buying or selling a car via auction?
Today, June 29, is Real-Time Used Car Auction Day in Japan. It commemorates the anniversary of the first time dealers across the country could bid on a car live. The inaugural auction took place long before the world wide web … Continue reading
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Keisuke Kuwata’s latest music video is a feast of Showa Era cars
Keisuke Kuwata’s latest music video “Hitotarashi” is a carspotter’s dream. It takes place in a Tokyo traffic jam where almost every single car is a standout from the 70s, 80s, or 90s. Prior to the gridlock Kuwata himself, a known … Continue reading
Mazda 787B to return to Le Mans for 35th anniversary
A Mazda North America PR person once told us that every car in the collection is expendable, except for the 787B. “That one is priceless because there will only ever be one Le Mans winner,” he said. Given that, if … Continue reading
Honda is bringing back the Element as a Bronco Sport competitor
Honda is reportedly planning to revive the Element after what will be, by the time it debuts, an 18-year absence on the market. Details are sparse, but the resurrected Element nameplate will go on a hybrid crossover that will split … Continue reading
Toyota is restoring an FJ40 Land Cruiser with reproduction parts
Toyota is releasing a series of videos documenting the restoration of an FJ40 Land Cruiser. The stated purpose of the project is to demonstrate the use of reproduction parts from the Gazoo Racing Heritage Parts Program. We’ve seen Toyota work … Continue reading
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Congrats to Toyota on their first ‘real’ 24 Hours of Le Mans win
Toyota claimed its sixth 24 Hours of Le Mans victory over the weekend, tying Bentley to become the fourth winningest manufacturer in the race’s history. Until this year, however, Toyota never succeeded against any real competition. For 2026, it had … Continue reading
RIP Jiro Yamada, legendary automotive cutaway illustrator who turned engineering into art
Jiro Yamada, the singularly talented automotive artist, passed away in August 2025 at the age of 65 following a battle with pancreatic cancer. Out of respect for his lifelong preference for privacy, news of his passing was only shared with … Continue reading
The 2027 Nissan Z comes with even more nostalgic nods
We covered many of the upgrades and throwbacks of the facelifted 2027 Nissan Z, but Nissan just pointed us to a few more that we missed. One of the coolest is the fact that the Performance trim wheels are inspired … Continue reading
The revived Nissan Primera nameplate has a lot to live up to
After nearly two decades, the Nissan Primera nameplate has been revived. Those expecting an SR20-powered sports sedan may be disappointed, though, as the Primera has been resurrected as an EV. While it shares a name with its predecessors, it likely … Continue reading
The Tommykaira ZZ returns with a modern facelift to show carmakers what’s possible
The last of the Tommykaira ZZ sports cars was built in June 2021. However, the hand-built Japanese sports car may seems to have risen anew at the Automotive Engineering Exposition in Yokohama. Strictly speaking, this isn’t a Tommykaira, but is … Continue reading
QotW: How are your automotive new year’s resolutions coming along?
It’s June 1, which is New Year’s Resolution Recommitment Day. They call it a midyear milestone even though it’s not actually the midpoint of the year, but with summer starting it’s probably a good time to dig in to whatever … Continue reading
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The Mitsubishi Pajero will officially return in fall 2026
It’s official. Mitsubishi has announced that the Pajero will return by year’s end. The revived SUV will serve as the company’s flagship as it tries to rebuild its brand. Its comeback has been speculated upon since 2024, but we started … Continue reading
