Author Archives: Ben Hsu
NEWS: Toyota to buy Daihatsu, make it a global brand
Toyota has announced it will buy out Daihatsu in a stock deal worth about $3 billion. The Big T currently owns a controlling stake in the small car manufacturer, approximately 51.2 percent, and Daihatsu has served as Toyota’s kei and compact car arm since … Continue reading
KIDNEY, ANYONE? Holy crap, a 280Z 2+2 just sold for $49,500
If you needed more proof that originality counts, here it is. In the JNC world, a 1975 Datsun 280Z 2+2 is a special breed. Its 5 mph bumpers and rooflines practically guarantee that no one but the kindest of owners will adopt … Continue reading
KIDNEY, ANYONE? 8,700-mile R32 Nissan Skyline GT-R [UPDATE]
Another year, another round of auctions in which Japanese steel is dangled in front of bidders who wouldn’t have given a flying Figaro two years ago. This time it’s another Skyline GT-R, not the Hakosuka or Kenmeri but Godzilla himself, the BNR32, and … Continue reading
VIDEO: Drifting Hakone in 1992
Imagine a winding touge packed with Japanese drift machines — Silvias, RX-7s, Supras, Fairlady Zs and AE86s. So. Many. AE86s. Last year we showed a video proving that underground drifting was already reaching fever pitch by the late 80s. By 1992, Hakone Pass — one of … Continue reading
VIDEO: 40th Anniversary of TRD
Founded in 1976, Toyota Racing Development is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. At the Tokyo Auto Salon a video played on loop, showing highlights of the last four decades. From Starlets to AE86s to Celicas to Supras, this is … Continue reading
EVENTS: Tokyo Auto Salon, Part 01 — Old School Cool
As one of the most important auto shows on the Japanese calendar, the Tokyo Auto Salon is a showcase of Japan’s latest and greatest tuning trends. With every customization style imaginable on display, however, old school cool is not always easy … Continue reading
EVENTS: 2016 Tokyo Auto Salon Spotlight – Liberty Walk S30 Z
It’s understandable that most non-JNCers would recognize Liberty Walk as the purveyor of trendy widebody kits for Ferraris, GT-Rs and other assorted supercars. In his heart of hearts, though, founder Wataru Kato is an old school bosozoku.
Posted in events
Tagged bosozoku, c10, fairlady z, Hakosuka, kpgc10, liberty walk, nissan, s30 z, skyline, TAS2016, tokyo auto salon, wataru kato
4 Comments
QotW: What’s the greatest forced-induction JNC?
The Skyline Japan GT-EX kicked off the Age of the Turbo when it debuted in April 1980. Not only was it the first Skyline to rock a snail, it was deemed so important by Nissan that it was positioned successor to the mighty … Continue reading
EVENTS: 2016 Tokyo Auto Salon, Part 01 — A Preview
The Tokyo Auto Salon kicks off this weekend, and that means it’s time for the craziest builds the Japanese aftermarket has to offer. While gold-plated GT-Rs and VIP vans are still very much a part of it, looking past the glitz this year … Continue reading
Posted in events
Tagged 180sx, ambulance, bluebird, Bluebird 810, bosozoku, caravan, copen, d1gp, daihatsu, kei, mark II, NATS, nissan, shooting brake, sienna, Spirit Rei, SuperGT, TAS2016, tokyo auto salon, toyota, X100, x70
20 Comments
DETROIT: Aisin’s 1961 2-speed Toyoglide
This crusty old transmission seems like it should be sitting in the back of an old Japanese garage in some rural prefecture but it was displayed proudly, behind glass, at the Aisin booth at the Detroit Auto Show.
DETROIT: Soul Red is the new white
Despite our decree that white was the best color for Japanese cars, Nihon automakers are still continuing to make cars in other colors. One hue that seems to be surpassing the traditional white is Soul Red.
DETROIT: White is the best color for Japanese cars
The NSX proves that the best color for Japanese cars, especially Honda sportscars, is white.
Posted in honda
16 Comments
DETROIT: Akio Toyoda’s rousing speech about Toyota’s future
Lexus has unveiled its new halo sports coupe, the LC 500, at the Detroit Auto Show. If you’re thinking you’ve seen it before, that’s probably because it looks identical to the LF-LC concept that spawned it. This is, amazingly, an … Continue reading
DETROIT: Toyota Kikai gets an American makeover
One of the funkiest concepts to come from the Tokyo Motor Show last year was the Toyota Kikai, a steampunkish, Miyazakian retro hot rod. It’s a re-imagining of the automobile for a world where mechanical objects are things of beauty … Continue reading
QotW: What’s your most anticipated 25 Year Club addition?
Each year on the calendar brings us another round of cars that turn 25. Why is this significant? In short, 25 is the age at which most governments will grant a car historic status, which makes them eligible for things like collector car license plates … Continue reading
Posted in Question of the Week
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MOTORSPORT: The Super Silhouette Nissans that inspired a generation of bosozoku
One of the biggest treats from the NISMO Festival at Fuji Speedway the display of Nissan’s Super Silhouette racers from the late 1970s and early 1980s. Developed for Group 5 specifications, their extreme aero styling inspired a generation of bosozoku and kaido racers.
Posted in events, motorsport
Tagged bluebird, Bluebird 910, dr30, gazelle, group 5, haruhito yanagida, K10, Kazuyoshi Hoshino, march, masahiro hasemi, Matchy Kondo, NISMO Festival, nissan, r30, s110, s12, silvia, skyline, super silhouette
7 Comments
MOTORSPORT: How Nissan thwarted Toyota in the golden age of the Japan Grand Prix
By 1968 Toyota had had enough of losing their home country’s biggest race — the annual Japan Grand Prix — to Nissan. They had just debuted the nation’s flagship sports car in the 2000GT, but it was getting trounced by the Prince/Nissan R380, a … Continue reading
EVENTS: Walking the paddocks at the 2015 NISMO Festival
A celebration of all things Nissan and racing, the annual NISMO Festival held by the Nissan mothership in Japan. For one late November day, legendary racing machines are dusted off and emerge from their Zama hibernation to roar across the hallowed tarmac … Continue reading
Posted in events
Tagged 2011 nissan silvia, 24 Hours of Daytona, 24 Hours of Le Mans, fuji speedway, NISMO, NISMO Festival, R390 GT1, R91P, skyline
5 Comments
2015: The JNC Year in Review
With 2015 in the books, we thought it might be a chance to look at the highlights from the world of JNC.
Posted in jnc
12 Comments
