Author Archives: Ben Hsu
QotW: If you could witness one automotive moment, what would it be?
We recently asked about what car you’d preserve if you had a time machine, but what about a memory? Kenichi Yamamoto having his eureka moment about the rotary engine? Tetsu Ikuzawa passing the Porsche 904 at the 2nd Japan Grand Prix? Keiichi … Continue reading
SEMA 2015, Day 02: Old School Japan wins Best of Show
In Day 01 of our 2015 SEMA coverage, we noticed a marked increase in JNCs on the show floor. Unlike past years, these weren’t just museum cars trotted out by the automakers but builds that prove our little niche is moving into the … Continue reading
Posted in events
Tagged 240z, acura, datsun, datsun 521, fairlady roadster, Fugu Z, gt-r, honda, land cruiser, legend, Ludacris, nissan, peter brock, r35, Sung Kang, Titan XD
12 Comments
SEMA 2015, Day 01: The emergence of old school Japan
SEMA is for cars what Paris fashion week is for clothes. Top companies strut out their latest wares, often outlandishly decked out on stunning models. Most of the time it’s stuff you never see in the real world, but these shows act as barometers for the hottest … Continue reading
QotW: What’s your favorite Japanese car culture?
Tomorrow is Culture Day, a national holiday in Japan in which the nation’s ancient traditions are celebrated. Everyone gets the day off of work, presumably to tend to their minka or to practice their kabuki. Of course, Japan is a rich source … Continue reading
Tokyo Motor Show: The death of the Japanese sports car has been greatly exaggerated
Much ink has been spilled writing about the demise of the Japanese auto industry, especially for enthusiasts. Some of it here at JNC. However, if there was one thing to take away from this year’s Tokyo Motor Show, it’s that Japanese … Continue reading
Posted in Tokyo Motor Show, Tokyo Motor Show
Tagged acura, gran turismo, honda, Honda Project 2&4, Ken Okuyama, Kode9, nissan, Nissan 2020 Concept, nsx, s660, tokyo motor show, toyota, Toyota S-FR, yamaha, Yamaha Sport Ride
23 Comments
Tokyo Motor Show: Yamaha Sports Ride
One of the best sports car surprises from this year’s Tokyo Motor Show came not from Mazda, Toyota, or Honda, but Yamaha. The Sports Ride is a car built to drive like a Japanese crotch rocket on four wheels.
Tokyo Motor Show: Rotary-powered Mazda RX-Vision concept
Mazda launched the RX-Vision Concept moments ago at the Tokyo Motor Show. Now, we can finally reveal definitively what many of you have been hoping for since we first hinted at a return of the rotary.
NEWS: The Rotary is not Dead
Watch the live unveiling below.
VIDEO: Jenson Button drives Honda S800 in Johnnie Walker ad
Formula One driver Jenson Button stars in a new Johnnie Walker Red Label campaign called “Joy will Take you Further.” Button is a long-time Honda pilot and is currently part of the McLaren-Honda team, so it makes sense that he’s also driving a sexy little Honda S800 … Continue reading
50 Years Ago: Honda F1 car wins Grand Prix of Mexico
Fifty years ago, on October 24, 1965, the Honda RA272 crossed the finish line at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City to clinch the company’s first Formula One victory. The effort began in May 1962, and it was said that when Soichiro Honda gave the order … Continue reading
QotW: What car would you import from Japan?
For the last QotW, we asked what you’d do if you had a single day in Japan. Not surprisingly, many of you said you’d get a car to drive around in. Well, what if you could then take that car home with you? … Continue reading
TBT: HKS M300 Toyota Celica XX
In 1983 HKS achieved the long-held dream of building the first car in Japan to surpass the magical 300 kph barrier. The HKS M300 was purpose built for that very task, and the proof is right there in its aspirational name.
VIDEO: It’s October 21, 2015, Welcome Back to the Future
Put on your self-tying sneakers and get on your hoverboards, because the future is here. Today, October 21, 2015, is the day Marty McFly time traveled to in Back to the Future II, and Toyota is using the opportunity to … Continue reading
PRODUCT GUIDE: Rocket Bunny Pandem S30 Z kit
Rocket Bunny has released a new kit for the S30 Z. The Pandem kit takes the widebody look that head honcho Kei Miura is known for and applies it to the OG Japanese sports car.
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged 240z, datsun, fairlady z, Kei Miura, nissan, Rocket Bunny, s30 z, TRA Kyoto
20 Comments
EVENTS: 2015 Japanese Classic Car Show, Part 07 — Motorcycles
As we near the end of our JCCS coverage, we arrive at a subject we rarely cover on JNC, but we love two-wheelers just as much as four. In Japan, however, the ratio of motocycles to automobiles is far greater than in the US, and is … Continue reading
Posted in events
Tagged cb750, FZR 1000, honda, japanese classic car show, JCCS 2015, motorcycles, motra, SuperCub, superhawk, yamaha
5 Comments
QotW: What would you do with 24 hours in Japan?
For some reason your flight to O’Hare was diverted to Tokyo instead. You have one day see the one shop, buy the one part, or drive the one car you’ve always dreamed of before you have to fly back across the Pacific. What … Continue reading
Street Neo Classics Preview: Limited Edition Made in the 80s Shirts
Join us this Sunday at Toyota headquarters for the Street Neo Classics 80s & 90s show. We’ve made a limited edition run of our Made in the 80s shirt to debut at the show. It will be available in the … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
1 Comment
VIDEO: Toyota announcement coming on Back to the Future‘s October 21, 2015
October 21, 2015 was the date Marty McFly flew to in Back to the Future II, the date we were supposed to have things like hoverboards and Mr Fusion engines. And while the film’s hero may have done all his time traveling in … Continue reading
EVENTS: 2015 Japanese Classic Car Show, Part 06 — Road & Race
The last installment of our JCCS coverage was a homage to bone stock beauts, but a huge contributor to the popularity of Japanese cars has always been their tunability. Here are the JCCS cars that were built for street and circuit, not preservation.
Posted in events
Tagged 240z, 280zx, 300zx, 510, 710, a20, b110, b210, bluebird, celica, corona, cressida, crown, daruma, datsun, datsun 1200, e20, e30, e70, fairlady z, fb, japanese classic car show, JCCS 2015, mazda, nissan, rx-2, rx-3, rx-3 sp, rx-7, s30 z, s50, sa22, sr20, sunny, t80, te27, toyota, violet, x30, z32
8 Comments
