Author Archives: Ben Hsu
REMINDER: JCCS 2016 Registration opens today
Registration for the 2016 Japanese Classic Car Show has opened. Be sure to sign up for the US’s premier gathering of historic automobiles from Japan. The show takes place September 25, 2016 at the Queen Mary in Long Beach, California and open … Continue reading
NEWS: Toyota creates Initial D-inspired 86
Often, things that are blindingly obvious to enthusiasts sail high over the heads of the automakers themselves. Sometimes, though, they nail it. Take, for example, Toyota UK’s creation of a Toyota GT86 (aka FR-S) inspired by Takumi Fujiwara’s fictional hachiroku from the classic … Continue reading
Honda celebrates 40 years of the Accord
The ubiquitous Honda Accord turns 40 today, launched in June of 1976 as America was still reeling from the oil crisis. It was small (with a wheelbase less than a modern Fit’s) and light enough (at 2,083 pounds) that it could easily surpass … Continue reading
VIDEO: Restored kenmeri Datsun 240K race car
The kenmeri Skyline famously was debuted in race regalia at the 1972 Tokyo Motor Show, only to have Nissan pull the plug on the motorsports program it would have competed in due to the Oil Shock of 1973. It may never have seen … Continue reading
QotW: What was your second car?
Over biru and yakitori dinner Monday night in Ikebukuro, the JNC Japan team discussed cars we’ve owned. Brandon had the bright idea of going around the table to with what their second car was — simply because the first is often a hand-me-down or but … Continue reading
PROFILES: Driving Toyota’s Great Race 1970 Corolla
“It’s a bit snug,” says Jamie Bestwick in typical British understatement as he slides his racing seat into position. He bashes into the knees of his navigator, Laurence Foster, who is hunched in the back seat. Bestwick, a 13-time X-Games … Continue reading
QotW: What’s your most heartbreaking tale of JNC loss?
It’s sure to be a quiet day at the office in Aichi today. After the exact opposite of a fairy tale ending to Toyota’s Le Mans race over the weekend, the tears of Toyotaku are flowing like the waters of the River Sarthe. … Continue reading
MOTORSPORT: Toyota wins the 23 Hours, 55 Minutes of Le Mans
Rumor has it that Mazda, as the only Japanese automaker to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans overall, has a pre-written letter ready to congratulate Toyota should it ever become the second. Despite what seemed like a sure victory, that letter … Continue reading
Posted in motorsport
Tagged 24 Hours of Le Mans, kamui kobayashi, Kazuki Nakajima, toyota, TS050
7 Comments
QotW What’s the greatest Japanese nostalgic grand tourer?
Half sports car, half luxury sedan, the grand tourer is built for carrying driver and one passenger in utmost comfort, kids and third wheels be damned. Though just as large, or sometimes even bigger, than their 4-door counterparts, fewer doors and less seating capacity is an absolute … Continue reading
Happy 610 Day from JNC
This year the Datsun 610 turns 45 years old. To celebrate, here are a couple of our favorite 610 stories from over the years.
NEWS: Toyota trademarks the Supra name in Europe
Further evidence that the Supra is poised for a return has arrived in the form of a trademark filing. Toyota has claimed the name in the European Union Trademark system for use on an automobile, according to AutoGuide. In 2014, Toyota filed a … Continue reading
QotW: What’s the most American JNC?
Most JNCs are great for slicing a touge, darting through urban streets, and possibly even a late night dice on the expressway if you’ve got a Bubble Era turbo. But what if you just want to take a long, comfortable cruise through several American … Continue reading
EVENTS: Club TE27 Meeting
Japanese owners of the TE27 Corolla Levin and Sprinter Trueno recently gathered for their annual meeting, held at the Toyota Automobile Museum in Aichi Prefecture in central Japan. Ninety-six cars in total came from all over the country, forming a sea of moss green and orange.
EVENTS: 2016 Z-Bash
Eighty-two years ago today Nissan Motor Company was established. What better way to celebrate than with a slew of photos of its most iconic sports car? Fortunately, the recent Z-Bash show in Anaheim, California had approximately 400 of them.
NIHON LIFE: June is Illegal Exhaust Awareness Month in Japan
Time for a JNC public service announcement: If you have a car in Japan, and you have an aftermarket exhaust on it, be careful during the month of June. It’s Illegal Exhaust Awareness Month, and authorities will be cracking down on modified … Continue reading
QotW: How do you live the JNC life?
Not all of us are lucky enough to own the car of our dreams. And even if we do, sometimes that’s just not enough. Do you pore over every volume of Kousoku Yuen ever published? Build your dream garage in plastic model kits? … Continue reading
NEWS: Refreshed Nissan GT-R NISMO debuts
In a nod to Godzillas past, Nissan took to the Nürburgring today to debut the 2017 GT-R NISMO. It was only appropriate, since the famed German circuit was the site where its predecessor, the R33 Skyline GT-R, broke the production car record … Continue reading
