Author Archives: Ben Hsu
Finally, A Toyota Ad with Nostalgics!
Finally, an ad where Toyota honors its heritage instead of asking people to crush it. And all it took was a global recall of 8 million cars, the worst in the company’s history, and non-stop cries for the rolling heads … Continue reading
Kidney, Anyone? 1977 Mazda RX-3 SP
Remember that hunka hunka road burnin’ Mazda we posted? Well apparently the cost to set the streets of your neighborhood afire is $11,000. Holy racing stripes, Batman! The 1977 Mazda RX-3 SP was and appearance package for the American incarnation … Continue reading
Import Bible Ultimate Rim Shirt: We swear, great minds think alike! Even though we’ve collab’ed with Import Bible in the past, this whole rims on a shirt idea was conceived by each of us independently. The main difference is that … Continue reading
Friday Video: S60 Toyota Crown Driver's Ed Drama
If I remember correctly, I learned to drive in a second-generation Chevy Cavalier. If only my driving school taught spin turns in an S60 Toyota Crown. We don’t know what this clip is from, in which an exasperated driving instructor … Continue reading
Mazda Cosmo Company Car: Hemming’s has a blog entry about an employee of Distributors Illings Mazda Pty., an importer of Mazdas inĀ South Africa. Basil McLaren snapped this photo of the Mazda Cosmo Sport in 1970, just as it came off … Continue reading
The First Japanese Racers in the US: H. Sakamoto and W.T. Watanabe, known only by their first initials, were the first recorded Japanese race car drivers in the US. They piloted a Mercer and a Case and Stutz respectively. Writer … Continue reading
EVENTS: 2010 New Year Meeting, Part I
So as we’re sure you all know, the biggest Japanese kyuusha show of the year took place last weekend. TheĀ 2010 New Year Meeting has come and gone, and we just received an incoming transmission beamed across the Pacific from our … Continue reading
Rotary Power Prevails at Daytona!
The icing on Mazda’s 90th birthday cake must be the SpeedSource Mazda RX-8‘s victory a few hours ago at the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona enduro. Drivers Jonathan Bomarito, Nick Ham, David Haskell, and Sylvain Tremblay repeated their 2008 win … Continue reading
Mazda 90th Anniversary Website Launched
A little weekend browsing for you guys: Mazda just launched its 90th Anniversary mini-site. Timeline photos abound, including some rarely-seen commercial vehicles.
Friday Video: Shakotan Boogie, The Movie
Don your headbands, hang your friends out your side windows and get ready for Shakotan Boogie. In 1987 Japan apparently made a movie out of the manga that celebrates the bosozoku lyfe. Plot points include cross-cultural drag racing that ends … Continue reading
Mr. K Talks Z-Cars: Yutaka Katayama opines on the Nissan 370Z, Toyota FT-86, Datsun 200SX, toy ponies, and the future of driving. Full article at Racer.com.
Mazdas at the 2010 Retromobile Show: Retromobile 2010 is one of the biggest classic car shows in Paris. They have all sorts of vehicles showcasing the history of locomotion, and this year Mazda had a big display. Check out photos … Continue reading
Strong Nostalgic Showing at the Tokyo Auto Salon: This year’s TAS had more J-tin that we can remember for a long time. Check out Speedhunters’ coverage here: Old School Style @ TAS 2010. Hat tip to DegreE.
Kyuusha Dealership Found Outside of Japan: We’ve seen plenty of nostalgic car dealerships in Japan, but this is the first one we’ve heard of on the outside. Sadly for us ‘Murrikins, it’s still on the other side of the ocean … Continue reading
Mazda Celebrates 90th Anniversary
In just a few days Mazdafarians will begin rejoicing in honor of their chosen marque’s 90th birthday. It has been ninety cycles of the sun since Toyo Cork Kyogo Company, Ltd. was founded in in the city of Hiroshima.
Nissan Skyline & Electric Vehicle Postage Stamps
If you’re expecting mail from Japan you might be lucky enough to receive a Nissan Skyline or two. The automaker is teaming up with the Minami Kanto Regional Office (Nissan’s home turf) of the Japan Post Network to offer these … Continue reading
Friday Video: Toyota Starlet Driving Lessons
Here is Japanese comedy troupe Katoken in a sketch about driving lessons behind the wheel of a four-door Toyota Starlet. Hilarity and havoc ensue. Surprisingly, there appears to be a Pontiac Fiero GT at one point. It escapes unscathed. However, … Continue reading


