Author Archives: Ben Hsu
VIDEO: Toyota 2000GT drift!
So you have the most badass — and expensive — Japanese classic ever built. Why not take it to the track and mash on the pedals like they’ve got spiders pouring out of them? It’s exactly what one Japanese driver … Continue reading
QotW: What’s the coolest factory decal package?
Throughout 70s and 80s decal packages were a fact of life. Some were awesome, some were awesomely bad, but they were emblematic of the era. What’s the coolest factory decal package? We don’t know if it’s the greatest, but Mazda‘s … Continue reading
KIDNEY, ANYONE? 1968 Paris Auto Salon Mazda 110S
Mazda Cosmo Sports are rare already, but this particular specimen has the added provenance of being a show car. According to the seller, it was displayed at the Mazda booth at the 1968 Paris Auto Salon. Additionally, this is an export … Continue reading
KIDNEY, ANYONE? FJ40 Land Cruiser sells for $101,750
It’s auction season in Arizona, which means another round of stratospheric values for old cars. Last year FJ40 Toyota Land Cruiser prices reached new heights, going as high as $88,000 for a blueprinted 1981 at Barrett-Jackson. Now a 1977 model … Continue reading
QotW: What would you do with a Nissan IDx?
Now that a highly anticipated lightweight FR Nissan has been confirmed for production, the only question is: What would you do with a Nissan IDx? How about a replica of the Safari Rally winning 1970 Datsun 510 SSS? Extend the roof … Continue reading
NEWS: Nissan IDx production confirmed
A top Nissan exec has confirmed that the Nissan IDx will see production. As of yet it’s unknown which one of the two concepts, the IDx Freeflow or IDx NISMO, will get the green light.
KIDNEY, ANYONE? 38k-mile EF Honda Civic Si
For the Honda purist, online searches are a form of self-flagellation. You’ll want to go all Oedipus on your eyeballs after witnessing what crimes the average shocker-rockin’ Civic owner perpetrates on Soichiro’s creations. But wade through enough garish paint jobs … Continue reading
NEWS: Nissan IDx gets a nose job for North American debut
Remember how Nissan said the Sports Sedan Concept was going to redefine the marque’s future design language? They wasted no time and have already given the Nissan IDx, unveiled in Tokyo less than two months ago, a facelift for its … Continue reading
NEWS: The 4DSC is back! Nissan Sports Sedan Concept
When the J30 Maxima debuted in 1989 Nissan employed a clever little bit of marketing by calling it the “4DSC,” or “four door sports car.” Now the automaker is invoking the spirit of Nissans past in it’s new Sport Sedan … Continue reading
NEWS: Supra, 2000GT-inspired Toyota FT-1 concept unveiled
Since the Supra’s departure from US shores in 1998, Toyotaku have been eagerly waiting for its return. Every year or so there’d be rumors about a new halo sports car for the Toyota brand, including the weeks leading up to … Continue reading
QotW: What “Class of 1989” car would you import?
It may seem like we just asked this question, but just because a car is the greatest graduate from the Class of 1989 doesn’t mean you want to own it. The doors have opened onto a whole new era of once-forbidden Japanese … Continue reading
EVENTS: Meiji Jingu Classic Car Festival & Parade, Part 02
When Toyota holds a car show in the middle of Tokyo’s equivalent of Central Park, people notice. In Part 01 of our Meiji Jingu Classic Car Festival coverage we had the rare opportunity to see the best of Japan’s historic … Continue reading
Posted in events
Tagged 110s, 117, 411, a20, a40, ALSID-2, BLRA-3, bluebird, Bluebird 312, c30, carina, celica, clipper, colt, contessa, corolla, corona, corona mark II, cosmo sport, crown, crown eight, csp311, daruma, e10, e20, fairlady z, gemini, gloria, hino, honda, isuzu, jimny, lancer, laurel, mazda, Meiji Jingu Classic Car Festival, mitsubishi, nissan, prince, Publica Sports Concept, S-Series, s130, s20, s30, s500, silvia, skyline, skyline sport, Skyline Van, supra, suzuki, T20, toyopet, toyota, Toyota Automobile Museum, x20
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KIDNEY, ANYONE? 1 of 3 1986 IMSA GTO Toyota Celicas
For Celica fans 1986 is known as the year when the beloved sports coupe was transformed from rear- to a front-wheel-drive. Despite its softening, Toyota was still hell-bent on scoring sales with an aggressive racing program. At the time there … Continue reading
QotW: What’s your 2014 automotive resolution?
A new year is upon us, and if you haven’t already made a 2014 resolutions yet it’s not too late to start. Perhaps you have a heap of parts waiting to be re-merged into a car. Or 2014 could be … Continue reading
Posted in Question of the Week
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Happy Hatsuhinode from JNC!
In Japan it’s a new year’s tradition to wake up early, drive to the coast or the top of your nearest mountain, and watch hatsuhinode, the year’s first sunrise. Bosozoku take this seriously enough that police blockades are set up to … Continue reading
NEWS: Nissan’s Sport Sedan Concept may preview Bluebird successor, but not the 510
Earlier today, Nissan released a teaser shot of a car called the Sports Sedan Concept to close out the year. The show car will be fully revealed at the Detroit Motor Show in January, where it will be joined by the IDx … Continue reading
Posted in News, nissan
Tagged 4DSC, Detroit Auto Show, maxima, nissan, Sports Sedan Concept
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The Top 10 JNC stories of 2013
As we bid sayonara to 2013 let’s look back at some of the highs and lows it has given us. Enthusiasm for classic Japanese cars continues to grow and gain mainstream acceptance. This will only increase as cars that went … Continue reading
QotW: Which “Class of 1989” car is the greatest “new” JNC?
It’s here. 1989, one of the greatest single years Japanese automotive history. With the 25-year-or older rule rolling over one more year, any car built at the peak of the Bubble Economy is now officially a classic. Which “Class of … Continue reading
