Author Archives: Ben Hsu
VIDEO: Mazda launches “Driving Matters” campaign
Many automakers claim to sell cars that are fun-to-drive, but is there anyone walks that walk more than Mazda right now? Communicating that message to the unwashed masses, on the other hand, hasn’t always been easy. Thus, the Hiroshima company’s long-standing … Continue reading
EVENTS: 1st Touge California, 2015
This past Saturday a group of select cars and their drivers gathered in Thousand Oaks, California for the inaugural running of JNC‘s Touge California. Named for the hallowed Japanese roads where racing heroes honed their skills and where drifting was born, the event was … Continue reading
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Tagged 2000gt, 240z, 260z, 510, a20, accord, bluebird, c10, celica, century, corolla, corona, cosmo sport, crown, crx, datsun, fb, Hakosuka, honda, Luce Rotary Coupe, Malamut Museum, mazda, nissan, r130, rx-7, s30, skyline, sprinter trueno, t110, te27, Touge California, toyopet, toyota, toyota museum
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QotW: What’s the ultimate Toyota-Mazda combo?
Last week we learned that Toyota and Mazda have become bedfellows. We don’t yet know what will come of the union, but let’s imagine for a second that anything goes and that a time machine is involved. A V8-powered Luce? A three-rotor 2000GT? … Continue reading
EVENTS: 2015 All-Toyotafest, Part 03
In the final installment of our 2015 Toyotafest coverage, we take a look at two types of vehicles Toyota is known for — its compact, rear-wheel-drive sport coupes and its famously indestructible workhorse trucks. The former once dominated the company’s lineup and the latter still … Continue reading
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Tagged a20, a60, a70, ae86, aw11, corolla, crown, e20, fj40, fj60, hilux, land cruiser, mr2, Spinter Trueno, sports 800, supra, sw20, tercel, toyota, toyota celica speedster, toyotafest, W30
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NEWS: Toyota and Mazda ink strategic partnership deal
Toyota and Mazda have signed a deal to enter a technology-sharing partnership. Besides bringing together two of Japan’s most renowned companies, the agreement also unites the world’s largest automaker with one of the world’s smallest independent automakers. So what does this mean for Toyotaku and … Continue reading
REMINDER: NISMO Fiesta coming to Austin, Texas
If you’re going to be in Austin, Texas next week, don’t miss the NISMO Fiesta, a three-day celebration of all things Nissan. Cars from all over the Lone Star State and beyond will attend, and JNC will be making the trek … Continue reading
PRODUCT GUIDE: Complete FRP Datsun 240Z body
So this is rather insane. UK-based FRP Automotive has developed an entire Datsun 240Z body made of, you guessed it, FRP (fiber reinforced polymer). The company offers the entire body, or individual panels including doors, hood, trunk and fenders. Now you can build … Continue reading
REMINDER: 2015 Nissan Jam registration now open
The third annual Nissan Jam show is now taking registrations for the upcoming event on Sunday, June 7, 10am-2pm. Please take note of a couple of new announcements for 2015. First, the show is moving to West Covina Nissan, which … Continue reading
QotW: What’s your dream Datsun 510 build?
Yesterday was May 10, or as those of us in countries that still use “inches” and “Fahrenheits” to measure things, 510 Day. The Datsun 510 is one of the most iconic Japanese classics, comes in a variety of body styles, and is … Continue reading
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EVENTS: 2015 All-Toyotafest, Part 02
Registration for over 400 Toyotafest spaces sold out in under 24 hours this year, a new record. Perhaps it was the fact that it was the show’s 20th anniversary, or that in Japan it was already May 3, Akio Toyoda‘s birthday, or … Continue reading
JNC THEATER: See the Paul Newman racing doc Winning in select cities this weekend
Winning: The Racing life of Paul Newman will be opening in select cities this weekend ahead of its official debut. By now you know the story of the man, the actor, and his prolific racing career, much of it behind the wheel … Continue reading
QotW: What JNC is so ugly it’s cute?
This question came up because of an encounter with a Nissan Juke. Sure, it might have the kind of face only a blind mother could love but Nissan still has no problems moving a couple thousand a month. That’s better than the Subaru BRZ … Continue reading
VIDEO: Honda “I Like Sports” commercial
With the return of the S-Series in the S660, a reborn NSX launching later this year, and new one-make race series based on the funky retro N-One, Honda is looking once again like a automaker with some soul. Their latest Japanese ad … Continue reading
REMINDER: 2015 All-Toyotafest, May 2, 2015
Toyotafest is less than 48 hours away. This year, the show will be celebrating its 20th anniversary. All Toyota, Lexus and Scion vehicles, old and new, will be welcome. The show begins 9:00am on Saturday, May 2, 2015, at the Queen Mary in … Continue reading
EVENTS: Motorsport Auto’s Z-Car Bash
The annual gathering of the Zs at Motorsport Auto took place over the weekend. Despite some unpleasantness early on with traffic cops ticketing every Z in sight and then a rare SoCal drizzle in the afternoon, the show settled into a generally upbeat atmosphere … Continue reading
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Tagged 240z, 260z, 280z, 280zx, 300zx, datsun, fairlady z, motorsport auto, nissan, s130, s30, z-car west coast nationals, z31
10 Comments
QotW: What JNC stat would surprise non-JNC people?
A few weeks ago on After/DRIVE, I blurted out a statistic about how there are fewer stock AE86s left than Ferrari Enzos. No, I haven’t counted them all, but I can count on my own two hands how many I’ve seen … Continue reading
EVENTS: Behind the scenes at the Paul Newman doc Winning premiere
Last week was the premiere of Adam Carolla’s Paul Newman racing documentary in Hollywood. The movie was stellar, a must see for any Nissan/Datsun fan, and Carolla even brought several ex-Newman cars from his impressive fleet to mingle at the pre- and after-parties at … Continue reading
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Tagged 300zx, adam carolla, datsun, nissan, paul newman, Winning, z31
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