Author Archives: Ben Hsu
Mitsubishi Electric, which put the world’s first in-car GPS in the 1990 Mazda Cosmo, is leaving the nav business
Mazda’s Eunos Cosmo was a car of many firsts, one of which was the world’s first in-car GPS system over three decades ago. The so-called CCS (Car Communication System) was developed by Mitsubishi Electric, a trailblazer in car-based nav systems. … Continue reading
QotW: What will my 3-year-old’s first car be?
My son is three. I’ve always had dreams about passing down my AE86 to him someday. But by the time he turns 16 in 2035, a car built in 1986 will be nearly 50 years old. That would be like … Continue reading
Posted in Question of the Week
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QotW: Should being celebrity-adjacent add to a car’s value?
As you may have heard, an R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R that appeared in one of The Fast and the Furious movies has sold for $1,357,000. Specifically, Paul Walker drove it in the fourth installment of the series. With an East … Continue reading
Nissan Crossing Ginza: Hakosuka GT-R, Pulsar EXA, and a kei car with a piano in it
The Nissan Crossing showroom in Ginza, Tokyo currently has an odd collection of cars on display. It’s typical for vehicles rotate in and out of the showroom from Nissan’s Zama warehouse for a few weeks at a time. More often … Continue reading
Posted in Galleries
Tagged c10, N13, nissan, Nissan Crossing Ginza, pulsar exa, Roox, skyline
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Lovers kissing in Toyota MR2s is one of Japan’s most memorable TV scenes
So you thought the scene in Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift where Sung Kang drifts through the crowd at Shibuya Crossing was the most famous car-related clip to take place there? Well how about the time when two lovers just … Continue reading
The Toyota Automobile Museum has acquired a Celica XX, successor to a debated speed record
The Toyota Automobile Museum in Japan has a new acquisition, a 1983 Celica XX. We know it stateside as the second-generation Celica Supra but technically speaking this is a GA61, which is considerably different than the MA61 we got in … Continue reading
Posted in museums
Tagged a60, celica, datsun, fairlady roadster, nissan, sr311, supra, toyota, Toyota Automobile Museum
6 Comments
Gran Turismo trailer has Nissans galore, but also glaring omissions
The new Gran Turismo movie trailer was released earlier today, giving us a first look at what to expect when it arrives in theaters in August. In a heavily car-themed story like this one, it’s always interesting to see what … Continue reading
A Mazda 929 makes a great stealth luxo-cruiser, and it comes in stick
Its cool to want an 80s Japanese car now, but here’s a deep cut that’ll separate the wheat from the hipsters. The first-gen Mazda 929 was Hiroshima’s version of a big luxury sedan, not unlike a Toyota Cressida. Both were … Continue reading
Nissan restores 1940s fire engine for Tokyo Fire Department
An 82-year-old Nissan fire engine belonging to the Tokyo Fire Department has been restored. The fire department had been storing the vehicle for several years before reaching out to Nissan for help with the overhaul. A special team at Nissan … Continue reading
Shoichiro Toyoda’s farewell memorial attended by 4,500 mourners, including Prime Minister
On April 24 three farewell memorials for Shoichiro Toyoda were held across Japan. The former Toyota Motor president passed away on February 14, 2023 at the age of 97. As is the custom, a private funeral was held for close … Continue reading
Yukihiro Takahashi’s ads for Mazda, Daihatsu, Toyota Cresta and MR2
The seminal electronica band Yellow Magic Orchestra lost one of its founders, drummer and vocalist Yukihiro Takahashi earlier this year. Last week we remembered the band’s keyboardist Ryuichi Sakamoto’s Nissan commercials; now it’s Takahashi’s turn, and he was even more … Continue reading
Posted in News
Tagged cresta, daihatsu, familia, Familia BG, hino, mazda, mira, Mira L70, mr2, Super Dolphin, sw20, toyota, X100
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QotW: Why do you own a classic car?
There are many reasons to own a classic. Maybe it’s the nostalgia, or the feeling you get from driving something from a bygone era. Maybe it’s the desire to preserve something that gets rarer every year, or the satisfaction of … Continue reading
Japanese automakers jointly built five EV concepts for the Tokyo Motor Show 50 years ago
The conventional wisdom is that Japanese automakers are dragging their feet when it comes to EVs. It’s kind of a reductive statement that doesn’t take into account the fact that most are simultaneously exploring many zero-carbon propulsion systems, or that … Continue reading
Posted in concepts, Holidays
Tagged daihatsu, Earth Day, mazda, mitsubishi, nissan, toyota
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REMINDER: Toyotafest registration closes this Thursday
We’ve been saying for years that the majority of enthusiasm for Toyota is in off-roading, so it’s no surprise that the 27th annual Toyotafest has an overlanding theme. However, cars of all shapes and sizes are still welcome, so bring … Continue reading
QotW: What JNC would be best for an EV conversion?
There was much internet debate about whether an R32 Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R would be an appropriate car for Nissan to convert into an EV. Meanwhile, Toyota’s already done so with a classic AE86. It’s a trend that will only … Continue reading
Ryuichi Sakamoto’s Nissan Cedric Gran Turismo ads helped make the Y31 cool
The world lost two legendary musicians recently when YMO founders Yukihiro Takahashi and Ryuichi Sakamoto passed away in January and March, respectively. The Yellow Magic Orchestra was one of the first modern Japanese bands to break through internationally and was … Continue reading
Bridgestone Super R.A.P., an aluminum wheel that looks like a steelie, revived
Bridgestone is reviving its Super R.A.P. wheel, once famous for being incredibly light weight. A mainstay of the Showa Era, it was originally released in 1987. Though it looks like a simple steelie coated in white, the Super R.A.P. was … Continue reading
Posted in wheels
Tagged ae86, bridgestone, Bridgestone Super R.A.P., K11, march, nissan, tokyo auto salon, Tommykaira, Tommykaira M13, toyota
4 Comments
Nissan’s R32 Skyline GT-R EV conversion donor is surprisingly mint
Nissan announced last week that it will be converting an R32 Skyline GT-R to run on battery-electric power. A followup video has revealed the candidate that will undergo the knife, and it’s a pretty mint example. That has polarized many … Continue reading
Posted in News
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QotW: Which car has the best (or worst) seats?
Believe it or not, there is such a thing as Sports Seat Day in Japan, and it was started by a company you’ve actually heard of. Bride established the anniversary for April 10 because 4 and 10 can be pronounced … Continue reading
The Toyota Celica Liftback debuted 50 years ago today
On April 6, 1973 the Toyota Celica Liftback was born. It joined the lineup just two years and four months after the original Celica in Japan, though it wouldn’t appear in the US market until 1976. Thanks in part to … Continue reading
