Author Archives: Ben Hsu
VIDEO: Why the first-gen Honda Civic makes a great race car
One of our favorite series on the internet right now is by Shannons Insurance of Australia. In the latest episode, they explain why you should go out and buy a first-gen Civic immediately.
NEWS: ND Mazda Miata is Japan Car of the Year
As if the ND Miata needed any more accolades, it has just won Japan Car of the Year. Praised for its purity and sporting driving experience, it earned 442 points, beating out the second-place Honda S660, which garnered 401. The BMW 2-Series came … Continue reading
QotW: Which Japanese automaker had the best single-year lineup?
Models come and go, and some generations are better than others. However, once in a lifetime, maybe twice, cosmic forces just align and an automaker knocks it out of the park like the 1996 Chicago Bulls. Wrong metaphor? I don’t know sports. … Continue reading
MOTORSPORT: 25 Hours of Thunderhill Miatas in retro livery
If you’re watching the 25 Hours of Thunderhill this weekend you might see a very familiar livery blasting around the northern California circuit. Mazda has sent a quartet of ND Miatas into the longest enduro in America and, fittingly, they’re … Continue reading
Posted in motorsport
Tagged 25 Hours of Thunderhill, mazda, miata, motorsport, mx-5, ND, rx-7, sa22
1 Comment
JNC THEATER: Time Taxi takes you back in a Toyota Crown
Forget Deloreans, what would a time traveling car in Japan look like? A kujira Crown, apparently. In the drama Time Taxi an MS65 cab takes people back to rectify their mistakes — as long as they have the dough.
VIDEO: Shakotan car show rollout
And now for your viewing pleasure, a metric buttload of kyuusha leaving a car show in Japan. Every single one is a proper, old school Japanese sled. Also note the immaculate smoothness of Japan’s roads, which makes these shakotan rides possible. Watch … Continue reading
QotW: How do you prepare your JNC for winter?
As temps drop, weather gets precipitous and the dreaded salt spreaders come out, our driving patterns change. In LA the only difference is that we might have to actually check the weather report for the chance of rain. The rest of the world, … Continue reading
EVENTS: SevenStock 2015
Mazdafarians far and wide came to the recent SevenStock 18, the premiere showcase of rotary-powered Hiroshima heroes. Held at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, the all-day festival mixed a car show, track day, and basically anything that was Mazda rotary-themed.
QotW: How do you park your JNC?
Given that we’ve just finished a three-part series on the art of parking, we’d like to hear how you park your JNC. Do you seek out the least ding-prone spot in the lot, or is it a garage-only, “point A-back-to-point A” scenario, … Continue reading
Tokyo Motor Show: So what’s up with the easter egg pigs on the Toyota Kikai? [UPDATE]
We’ve waited to talk about the Toyota Kikai because we were hoping to get an answer from Toyota about one of the most bizarre easter eggs we’ve ever seen on a concept car. We still don’t have it, but hopefully … Continue reading
QotW: Which concept from the Tokyo Motor Show should be built?
The Tokyo Motor Show may be over, but the concepts have a chance to live on. This year saw a return to the far-out concepts that you don’t see at any other auto show. From oddball Suzukis to a mid-engined Yamaha, bonkers Daihatsus … Continue reading
VIDEO: Toyota at the Tokyo Motor Show, 1954-2013
In honor of the recent Tokyo Motor Show, Toyota has released a video showing a year-by-year review of every display it’s had since the show’s inception. Travel through time to see Crowns, Coronas, 2000GTs, Corollas, Celicas, and even more Crowns! Watch … Continue reading
Posted in Tokyo Motor Show, Tokyo Motor Show
Tagged 2000gt, celica, corolla, corona, crown, tokyo motor show, toyota
3 Comments
Tokyo Motor Show: Suzuki’s kei throwbacks
The Tokyo Motor Show ended last night, and we have one thing to say: Oh Suzuki, how we’ve missed you. Not only do we not see your funky little cars on US roads any more, but then you show up to the big … Continue reading
Posted in Tokyo Motor Show, Tokyo Motor Show
Tagged Air Triser, Alto Works, Ignis, mighty boy, Mighty Deck, suzuki
8 Comments
Get your free customized Toyota badge
Toyota is offering a pretty nifty promotion in which you can get a free badge in Toyota font spelling out the name of your car. Just upload a photo of yourself with your car and tell them your name at this website, … Continue reading
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
