Author Archives: Ben Hsu
QotW: What Honda model is the most Honda?
Honda has made some fantastic vehicles in its 75 years as a company. But if you had to pick just one car to represent the distilled essence of Honda, what would it be? From the humble Civic CVCC to the … Continue reading
How Toyota recreated its long-lost first race car from scratch after 70 years
At long last Toyota has revealed the full story of how they recreated their first race car, the 1951 Toyopet Racer. News of the car’s existence was only made public last year, and after 71 years lost to history no … Continue reading
The Toyota Century SUV sure looks like it’s happening
Toyota has released a teaser showing a white-gloved chauffeur hand resting on the door handle of a tall and upright black vehicle. What else could this be but the rumored Century SUV? It was rumored to arrive before the end … Continue reading
Tokyo’s Rainbow Bridge, monument of legendary street races, turns 30 years old
No blast down Tokyo’s legendary Wangan would be complete without an encounter with the Rainbow Bridge. The 2,618-foot suspension bridge links the city’s Shuto expressway to the Bayshore Route, sites of Tokyo’s storied street racing scenes. On August 26, the … Continue reading
Posted in Nihon Life
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Enkei Al’Vita brings back an aluminum “steelie” that brought back an actual 1950s steelie
Enkei has revived a classic wheel design that looks like a steelie but is actually cast aluminum. The original Enkei Al’Life debuted in 1990 with the same “looks like steel but lighter” concept. The remake is called the Al’Vita, appropriately, … Continue reading
This 1958 Datsun L210 is one of the first Nissans sold in the United States
One of the the oldest Nissans in the USA is currently for sale. Nissan established a foothold in the US market one year after Toyota in 1957, and this 1958 Datsun 1000 would have been among the first sold. It … Continue reading
Watch Honda co-founder Takeo Fujisawa’s induction into the Automotive Hall of Fame
Soichiro Honda’s name may have been on the buildings, but Takeo Fujisawa was just as important a figure in making Honda the global powerhouse it is today. As brilliant as Soichiro Honda was as an engineer, Fujisawa was equally talented … Continue reading
Watch the R32 Nissan Skyline dominate the Japan Touring Car Championship
Between coverage of the latest variants of the Nissan Z and Skyline, we’re pretty NISMO’ed out. Instead, let’s return to NISMO’s heyday, when the R32 Skyline GT-R first appeared on the scene. It had been nearly 20 years since the … Continue reading
Posted in motorsport
Tagged jtcc, Kazuyoshi Hoshino, masahiro hasemi, NISMO, nissan, r32, skyline, Skyline GT-R, Toshio Suzuki
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Why the Nissan Z NISMO comes in automatic only
Zed-heads were all excited about the Z NISMO until it came out and it was confirmed that the only transmission option would be an automatic. That understandably caused dismay among enthusiasts, and made it the first Z in NISMO history … Continue reading
Nissan Fairlady Z officially gets a third nose option in Japan, inspired by Z432-R
The big news on the Z front this week has been the unveiling of the Nissan Z NISMO. However, at the same time Americans were getting a view of the tuned Z and its more aggressive face, in Japan a … Continue reading
New Toyota Land Cruiser debuts with retro styling and back-to-basics hardware
After a long wait, the next-generation Toyota Land Cruiser is finally here. The iconic truck returns for 2024 with a smaller body than the outgoing model, as well as a number of retro styling cues reminiscent of past models. Interestingly, … Continue reading
Next-gen Toyota Land Cruiser to take styling cues from classic FJ62
Toyota has issued another teaser for the 2024 Land Cruiser. It’s our first look at its supposedly retro nose, and to drive the point home Toyota has paired it with a classic FJ62 lurking in the background. While the similarities … Continue reading
Honda developed a plush S600 to soothe babies with real engine sounds
Every parent knows that there’s one surefire way to get a kid to sleep. Put them in a car and go for a drive. There’s something about the motion and sound that’s extremely calming for a baby. Honda’s research has … Continue reading
Posted in minicars
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A Volk Racing TE37 wheel comes to life at the Rays Engineering factory (VIDEO)
The Volk Racing TE37 wheel is one of the finest aftermarket wheels ever conceived. Behind its clean design is a legendary combination of strength and lightness that justifies its seemingly high cost. And its maker, Rays Engineering, isn’t some fly … Continue reading
Acura NSX Suzuka Circuit safety car is a tribute to beloved Hot Wheels designer Ryu Asada
It’s been a couple of years since Hot Wheels designer Ryu Asada passed away from cancer. His former colleagues at Mattel are honoring him with what is the most detailed 1/64 scale cars the company has ever offered. Fittingly, it’s … Continue reading
Official Honda wedding rings for the extremely brand loyal
Do you love Hondas? Like really, really love Hondas? So much that you’d only marry someone that loves Hondas just as much, get married at the Temple of VTEC, and name your kids Grace and Jade and CR-V? Well have … Continue reading
