Author Archives: Ben Hsu
QotW: Which Japanese automaker is furthest from its roots?
Sometimes you have a great history and come to the table with some big wins already under your belt. Then you make a bad decision, miss the goal by one yard, and ruin everything you’ve worked for, leaving legions of … Continue reading
VIDEO: Motorweek reviews the Toyota Cressida
The Motorweek archives continues to entertain with another star of the 1980s, the Toyota Cressida. Before it was rediscovered in recent years by those with drift sedan or zokusha aspirations, the X70 Cressy was nearly entirely forgotten by much of the automotive … Continue reading
Detroit Auto Show: Acura NSX scale model
The new Acura NSX will retail for approximately $150,000. If that’s too rich for your blood, we spotted this scale model tucked away in a corner of the Acura booth at the Detroit Motor Show. It will, according to the company, … Continue reading
VIDEO: Land Cruisers and an ancient trade
A generations-old way of life is about to go extinct. The Daghwah fishermen on the shores of the Persian Gulf haul tons of fish to shore by casting massive nets each morning. Dragging them to shore and carrying them to … Continue reading
DESIGN: Acura NSX designer Michelle Christensen
Michelle Christensen was responsible for the form gracing the second-generation NSX unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show, and is the first woman to hold the exterior designer position at Acura. With the original NSX passing the threshold into classic status this year and an … Continue reading
The JNC Shop is back up
The JNC Shop is back up and has a new URL. Thanks for being patient as we upgraded it. The downtime was longer than we expected but this will make the experience better as time goes on. You can … Continue reading
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Detroit Auto Show: The coolest car there could have been a fake
The Honda RA272 is a legend. It brought Old Man Soichiro his first Formula One trophy in 1965, only three years after his company began building cars. It is such a revered car that the company rarely even shows it in Japan. … Continue reading
KIDNEY, ANYONE? 1977 Mazda RX-3 SP
The Mazda RX-3 SP was a US-only appearance package that included unique blacked-out bumpers trim and louvers, a snazzy decal package, and a jutting chin spoiler. Though nothing of note was added to the 12A rotary engine within, the SPs have become … Continue reading
QotW: What’s the greatest nostalgic Subaru?
With the Legacy squarely in the 25 Year Club and Subarus being the best mode of transportation available to much of the snowed-in country right now, it may be a good time to ask: What is the greatest nostalgic Subaru? Subaru … Continue reading
KIDNEY, ANYONE? How to sell a Datsun 240Z
This 1973 Datsun 240Z has dings, hasn’t been driven in 15 years, and the dash has more cracks than a plumber’s convention. It’s not even a desirable 1970-72 model. Why, then, with just a little over one day on eBay, it’s been bid … Continue reading
The saddest poem you’ll ever read
Forget Keats, forget Yeats. An unnamed Mazda RX-7 owner has penned the world’s saddest poem. Found in the missed connections section of Austin, Texas’s craigslist, it tells the tale of a new FC owner that found his formerly original-paint ’88 was no longer … Continue reading
KIDNEY, ANYONE? 24k-mile Mitsubishi Twin-Stick
The Mitsubishi Mirage (aka Dodge Colt (aka Plymouth Champ)) has one of the most interesting transmissions ever built, with as many gear ratios as your first big kid and two shift levers poking out of the cabin floor like a split hair. And … Continue reading
Posted in for sale
Tagged champ, colt, dodge, kidney anyone, mirage, mitsubishi, plymouth, Super Shift, Twin Stick
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QotW: What’s the most anticipated “Class of 1990” JNC?
Today is Coming of Age Day in Japan, a holiday in which adolescents become adults. Local city halls in towns across the country invite the newly minted adults for a small ceremony, a tradition that dates back to 714 AD. Of course … Continue reading
Posted in Question of the Week
Tagged bluebird, Class of 1990, datsun, maxima, Nissan 810, QotW, Question of the Week, transformers
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DESIGN: An interview with Nissan designer Ken Lee
It’s not often that you find yourself hurtling down narrow two-lane roads with the guy that designed the very car you’re sitting in. We recently had the rare opportunity to take a ride with Ken Lee, a senior creative manager at Nissan … Continue reading
EVENTS: SevenStock 17 Spotlight — Cherry Capellas
As the name implies, SevenStock is heavy on the Sevens. At SevenStock 17, however, Mazda RX-2s made a tremendous showing. We presented some of them already, along with R100s, RX-3s, REPUs and, yes, RX-7s galore. But there were three examples of Capellas, if going by their Japanese name, that deserved to … Continue reading
QotW: Which JNC should be a Transformer and what should its name be?
Happy 2015! We asked for a Question of the Week in last Monday’s Question of the Week, and you delivered. So to kick off a new year of QotWs, here’s (one of) the winning questions. Which JNC should be a Transformer … Continue reading
