Author Archives: Ben Hsu
Question of the Week: What’s Japan’s most luxurious car?
From the world’s first production GPS system in the JC Eunos Cosmo to the Cressida’s redundant stereo volume dial next to the steering wheel, Japan has always been a pioneer of automotive luxury. That is why this week we ask, … Continue reading
EVENTS: 2012 Fuji Jamboree, Part 01
If the sight of a Skyline and Savanna in nostalgic warpaint doesn’t stir your soul, we’ll go ahead and notify your next of kin. Add to that a sprinkling of Starlet, Sunny, and a snazzy Japanese-colors retro racing helmet perched just so, … Continue reading
Posted in events, honda, isuzu, mazda, motorsports, nissan, toyota
Tagged 110s, 1600 sports, 2000 sports, 240z, 260z, 280z, 330, 510, advan, alpine, b110, bellett, bluebird, bmw 2002, c10, c110, c130, cedric, cosmo sport, datsun, europa, fairlady roadster, fairlady z, familia, familia rotary coupe, fuij speedway, fuji jamboree, fuji speedway, gc10, gloria, gordini, gt-b, gt-r, Hakosuka, honda, isuzu, kenmeri, kgc10, kgc110, kpgc10, kpgc110, laurel, lola t70, lotus, m63, macransa, mazda, motorsports, nissan, passol, porsche 904, publica, r100, renault, rs watanabe, rx-3, s30, s500, s54, s600, s800, savanna, skyline, sports 800, starlet, sunny, toyota, toyota sports 800, wagon, watanabe, yamaha
19 Comments
Benvenuto l’Alfa Miata! Mazda X Fiat collab announced
And so it comes full circle. In 1989 Mazda launched the template for the modern roadster, the MX-5 Miata. It was so pure in formula that the Japanese model name was simply “Roadster,” a tribute to British and Italian droptops of … Continue reading
Posted in mazda
Tagged alfa romeo, eunos, mazda, miata, mx-5, na, nb, nc, racing mate, roadster
20 Comments
Akio Toyoda’s favorite cars built by Toyota’s rivals
In case you needed more proof that Akio Toyoda is a car nut of the highest order, yesterday the ToMoCo head honcho rattled off his favorite cars that are not Toyotas. The occasion was Toyoda’s inauguration as chair of JAMA, the Japan … Continue reading
Posted in isuzu, mazda, mitsubishi, nissan, toyota
Tagged 110s, acura, akio toyoda, bellett, cosmo sport, dakar, honda, isuzu, mazda, mitsubishi, montero, nissan, nsx, pajero, skyline, toyota
5 Comments
Vintage Toyotas spotted on the set of Ron Howard’s Rush
Hollywood doesn’t exactly have a stellar track record when it comes to movies for the die hard car nut but hope looms on the horizon. Ron Howard’s Rush, a biopic about the legendary rivalry between James Hunt and Niki Lauda … Continue reading
Posted in toyota, Video Games
Tagged celica, crown, daruma, f1, formula 1, fuji speedway, james hunt, kujira, ms75, niki lauda, ra21, ra22, ron howard, rush, s60, ta21, ta22, toyota
5 Comments
Friday Video: New NSX commercial could explain what’s wrong with Honda
Remember in the 80s and 90s when Honda could do no wrong? Compare those steallar lineups to the current one and even the most die hard Honda head is asking himself, “What in Soichiro’s name is going on?” Honda Japan’s … Continue reading
Five Axis Design developing Retro Series Scion FR-S
Five Axis Design is well known for creating stunning aero kits and drool-inducing concept cars for Scion, Toyota and Lexus vehicles. But in the midst of all the SEMA-style glam, if you looked closely there were always clues that an old school heart … Continue reading
Posted in toyota
13 Comments
Question of the Week: What Japanese car was the biggest manga star?
You knew it was coming. After last week’s QotW about the best Nihon car movie star, we now grill you about the Japanese art form known manga and its in-motion equivalent. What Japanese car is the biggest manga/anime star? Being the hachi-head … Continue reading
Posted in minicars, Question of the Week, toyota
Tagged Fast and the Furious, Initial D, Question of the Week, Shakotan Boogie, soarer, sports 800, toyota, z10
21 Comments
MINICARS: Hot Wheels’ mid-engined Honda CR-X
In 1981 Hot Wheels debuted the Hot Ones, a line of diecast cars with an articulating suspension and thin axles for a smooth, frictionless ride across your tabletop. Mattel has been busy re-launching many of the iconic cars from this series, as well … Continue reading
Posted in honda, manga, minicars
Tagged ballade, cr-x, crx, diecast, honda, hot ones, hot wheels, Keiichiro Shinmura, king, manga, minicars, ultra hots
7 Comments
Question of the Week: What Japanese car was the biggest movie star?
Not counting the Fast and Furious franchise, cars of Japanese origin don’t usually feature too prominently in Hollywood productions. But that makes their rare appearances all the more special, which brings us to this week’s question: What Japanese car was … Continue reading
Posted in honda, Question of the Week, toyota
Tagged a20, acura, celica, civic, daruma, honda, nsx, Question of the Week, toyota
74 Comments
Kidney, Anyone? 22,000-mile 1974 Toyota Celica ST
In Ashland, Kentucky right now there sits a gorgeous 22,000-mile daruma waiting for a new owner. The 1974 Toyota Celica ST is as mint as mint can be and swathed in a period brownish-green. Everything is original except for the Cragar wheels, but … Continue reading
MINICARS: Hot Wheels bosozoku-style Mad Manga
Holy effing crap. If you had told us a year ago that one day Hot Wheels, the most red-blooded American toy there is, would have a takeyari-equipped bubble-flared shark-nosed zokusha in its lineup, we would have called you baka. And … Continue reading
Donate $100 for a chance to own Victor Laury’s 1970 Datsun Fairlady Roadster
Our friend and beloved member of California’s nostalgic car community Victor Laury is relinquishing is collection of beautiful Datsuns. Sadly, Vic suffered a stroke a while back and as a result he will no longer be able to drive his cherished … Continue reading
Posted in for sale, nissan
Tagged datsun, fairlady, fairlady roadster, for sale, nissan, sports 2000, srl311, Victor Laury
21 Comments
Question of the Week: What nostalgic race car would you have driven?
Okay, so you’ve invented that time machine. Oddly, it can only serve one purpose — to put you in the cockpit of any classic Japanese motorsports machine. What nostalgic race car would you have driven? The JNC staff (except Kev) … Continue reading
Posted in motorsports, nissan, Question of the Week
Tagged echo, gt-r, Hakosuka, kpgc10, mitsuoka, motorsports, nissan, Question of the Week, skyline, toyota
52 Comments
Friday Video: Mr. Bean goes for a ride in Nissan’s Zama Warehouse
Now that Nissan CEO Mr. Bean has revived the Datsun brand, it’s probably appropriate that he visit the Zama warehouse, where the company’s legendary collection of 400-plus classic and racing vehicles are stored.
Cataloguer: S130 Nissan Fairlady Z
The S130 Fairlady Z is by no means an ugly car. In fact it was once considered the must-have car of its time. Yet nowadays it gets little to no love from the Z-car crowd, whose legion of newcomers much prefer the lighter, … Continue reading
Posted in Cataloguer, nissan
33 Comments
