Author Archives: Ben Hsu
QotW: JNC prices are on the rise. Good or bad?
We are headed to the Monterey Historics this week. Among the festivities are the Pebble Beach Concours D’Elegance in which million-dollar cars you’ve never heard of compete to see who has the bone-stockiest restoration, the Motorsports Reunion in which priceless pieces of … Continue reading
EVENTS: 2014 SpoCom
Google “SpoCom” and you’ll find more photos of bikinied booth babes than actual cars, but occasionally this “automotive lifestyle” show for the dubstep crowd does turn up some JNC gems. To show you, we dodged legions of rehearsing dance crews, suffered loud electronic distortion … Continue reading
Happy 8/6 Day from JNC
It’s that time of year again, August 6 or 8/6, the day on which we celebrate the hachiroku. It’s the drift king, the touge master, the car both Keiichi Tsuchiya and Takumi Fujiwara cut their teeth on, or to paraphrase Mad … Continue reading
QotW: What’s the greatest Z-Car?
As we prepare for the 2014 ZCon this week, we can’t help but reflect on how influential the Z-Car has been to the JNC scene. We don’t usually devote a QotW to a single model but the Z has earned … Continue reading
NEWS: Mazda gets naming rights to Hakone Turnpike
Mazda sure knows how to pick ’em. In the US, Mazda PR reps never let us forget that the full name for the famous corkscrew-having NorCal circuit is Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. On August 1 in Japan, they’ll be the official sponsors of the Hakone Turnpike, a … Continue reading
VIDEO: A Tale of Two Corollas
For your Hump Day viewing pleasure, we present two videos about 1970s Toyota Corollas. One’s stock, one’s anything but, though both are equally entertaining.
QotW: What’s the coolest JNC stereo deck?
The rise of Japanese stereo component systems parallels the popularity of Japanese cars. Since it’s already been determined that retro electronica bands love the styling of 80s Japanese cars, what about the devices used to play them? What’s the coolest JNC stereo deck? … Continue reading
Reminder: ZCon 2014, August 5-9
ZCon 2014 is coming up soon, and this year the organizers have a lot of great thing planned. First and foremost, you should know that this is not a Z-only gathering. While Zs from 240 to 370 are definitely a large part … Continue reading
TUNE UP: AW11 Toyota MR2, the official car of 80s revival electronica
Electronica, it’s what all the kids are into these days. It’s like the 1980s all over again, especially in car choice, and the AW11 Toyota MR2 is apparently the go-to machine for music videos of 1980s electronica revival bands.
KIDNEY, ANYONE? 57-mile MA71 Toyota Supra Turbo
Yes, you read that right. 57 miles. 92 kilometers. That’s the odometer reading of this Canadian MA71 Toyota Supra Turbo, likely a dealership showpiece for nearly 25 years. Now it’s being offered by County Hills Toyota-Scion in Calgary after a lifetime of being … Continue reading
EVENTS: 2014 Mitsubishi Owners Day
Every summer at the Mitsubishi Motors North America’s headquarters in Cypress, California there’a massive gathering of the triple diamond clan. The company might be in dire financial straits, but they’re still the only Japanese automaker to invite all their fans over for a house party. This is the west coast … Continue reading
ART CORNER: Coop’s “Nag Fink” Kenmeri
The artist known Coop has made a career illustrating hot rods, X-rated devil girls and rock ‘n’ roll album covers. His latest creation takes the style of Ed Roth (check out his sweet Honda N600) and gives it a Japanese twist. Nag … Continue reading
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QotW: What’s the best shade of JNC blue?
Happy Marine Day! Also known as Ocean Day, the third Monday of every July is a Japanese national holiday that celebrates the seas and the bounty they provide for the island nation. On St. Patrick’s Day we asked for the … Continue reading
NEWS: Get your Juke in Nissan heritage colors
Nissan recently revealed the 2015 Juke to media in Nashville, Tennessee. This garishly colored example, which reps jokingly called the “USC edition,” is part of a new program that allows buyers to pimp their Jukes with custom coloring. We think this will lead to … Continue reading
EVENTS: Nissan Jam, Part 03
In our third and final installment of the 2014 Nissan Jam, we take a look at the JDM (and JDM-style) cars that populated the show. In the comments of Part 02 NX Coupe Driver asked “Where are all the Nissan Skylines?” Well, right … Continue reading
VIDEO: The Kanjozoku by Bowls Films
Osaka’s midnight racers have been terrorizing the Kanjo Loop line for decades. There have been many stories about the Kanjozoku, but a new short by Bowls Films is the most in-depth look yet at the Honda Civic driving speed junkies.
QotW: What’s the most unlikely JNC?
Until six or seven years ago, most of the collector world openly scoffed at the idea of a Japanese classic. Today, prices are going up and the tide has shifted. However, even amongst the true believers there’s still a few cars that surprise us with their … Continue reading
25 YEAR CLUB: Z32 Nissan 300ZX
On July 10, 1989 the Z32 Nissan 300ZX went on sale in Japan. Now, 25 years later, the Z32 300ZX is officially a Japanese nostalgic car. Twin turbos, dual intercoolers, 300 horsepower and starship-worthy sheetmetal made a very strong impression on your … Continue reading
Bubble Era Toyota classics meet their successors
The British sure know how to appreciate the classics. In fact, Toyota UK is quietly amassing a proper heritage collection of the company’s best and brightest. Back in April they found what they describe as “quite possibly the best original MR2 in existence” in the … Continue reading
