Author Archives: Ben Hsu
Son of Toyota
Today, Shoichiro Toyoda spoke at the Woodrow Wilson Center International Center for Scholars in Washington DC. This is right in our backyard, so we made the haul down to Das Capital to see what the son of Toyota Motor Corporation … Continue reading
Posted in toyota
Leave a comment
The Datsun of Woz
When our windows machine died an untimely death earlier this year, we made the jump to Apple. The the guy in this video is partially responsible. There’s no doubt by now that you’ve seen the 80s-rific commercial in which Apple … Continue reading
Posted in cm, datsun, nissan
Leave a comment
Daihatsu JDM Memorial Editions
On Monday, Japan’s small car specialist unveiled three limited edtions of its lineup. As regular readers know, 2007 marks a whole century of Daihatsu, and to celebrate their 100th Anniversary the company is rolling out a fleet of Memorial Edition … Continue reading
Posted in kei
Leave a comment
2000GTs Are Forever
Last week we told you about Toyota USA’s very own blog. Well on that blog, as part of their countdown to the 50th anniversary celebration on October 31, a retrospective of significant Toyotas will be highlighted, the first of which … Continue reading
Posted in toyota
Leave a comment
TRD, Just TRD
Despite millions of TRD stickers gracing the flanks of everything from pickups to Priuses, nothing street-legal has ever had the gall to jettison the “Toyota” part of its name and go only by TRD. Well leave it up to the … Continue reading
Posted in racing, rally, toyota
Leave a comment
Golden Skyline
In the past week, airwaves have been inundated with some important birthday news from the automotive world, the 50th anniversary of the Ford Edsel. Rarely does the mainstream media care about the anniversary of a single model, but apparently exceptions … Continue reading
Posted in datsun, nissan, prince
Leave a comment
More S in S2000
Automakers often resurrect famous model names from their past to inject some excitement into their lineups. Sadly, this often has the unintended effect of diluting the legacy of the original and spotlighting how glaringly unlike its namesake the current car … Continue reading
Posted in honda
2 Comments
Following Arrows
By the time Bob Geldof was slowly swaying side-to-side with both Hall and Oates chanting, “We are the world, we are the children,” Plymouth (the car company, not the rock) had ceased being interesting for quite some time. Its only … Continue reading
Posted in mitsubishi, trucks
Leave a comment
O, Canada!
As if their inexpensive health care and lack of violent crime weren’t enough, our neighbors to the north can import any car they please, as long as it’s 15 years old. Seriously, guys? Californians are still getting their exhaust holes … Continue reading
Posted in nissan, retro
3 Comments
Random House, Part II
So recently we found out about the M. Yokota Collection, a museum in the village of Ikaho in Gunma Prefecture that has – in addition to a fantastic heap of nostalgics – a wine & chocolate shop, vast amounts of … Continue reading
Posted in japan, museum
Leave a comment
Toyota Goes Whole-Blog
In Japan, blogs are a favorite feature of automakers during new product launches or for marking significant occasions. Daihatsu recently launched one to commemorate their 100th anniversary. Nissan has been operating one since the lead-up to the 50th anniversary of … Continue reading
Posted in toyota
2 Comments
Random House: Wine, Dolls, Squirrels, Cars
Rarely has more random a grouping been the theme of a single museum, but the M. Yokota Collection has all that and more. In fact, if you go by the sign in front of the building, it’s proper name is … Continue reading
Posted in japan, mitsubishi, museum
4 Comments
Cars with Girl Names: Silvia
We all have that one friend who has given an affectionate pet name, usually female, to his car. Perhaps you are that one. Hollywood has no shortage of examples. Who could forget 1974’s Gone in 60 Seconds, when car thieves … Continue reading
Posted in datsun, nissan
2 Comments
CLASSIC CM: Mazda RX-3 Wagon goes Hmmm
Ah, the 70s. Pogo sticks, fashionable men’s sweaters, and the Waylan Jennings-esque twang of country music synonymous with all that is automotive. For this Tuesday TV throwback from the height of Mazda’s rotary push, the crew from Hiroshima is touting … Continue reading
Posted in cm, mazda
Leave a comment
Datsun of Death
On June 2, 1976, from a scene straight out of the opening of Casino, journalist Don Bolles left a meeting with an informant for the Phoenix, Arizona corruption story he was investigating. He walked to his brand-new Datsun parked in … Continue reading
Pure and Simple: 510 Design Project
Nissan North America recently teamed up with Sweat Equity Enterprises, a youth entrepreneurship program, to design a low-cost urban car. Nissan received six designs from participants, with the retro, 510-esque Nissan Pure concept chosen as the winner of the competition. … Continue reading
Fasten Your Seatbelts: AE86 2-Wheel Record
He’re a peculiar public service announcement from the Danish government. Apparently, it’s a message about seat belt safety, in which an extremely skilled stunt-driver set world record for two-wheeled driving in an AE86 Corolla only to endure a dark, M. … Continue reading
Posted in cm, toyota
2 Comments
Just In Time 30 Year Anniversary
Toyota celebrates many milestones this year, including their 50th year of sales in the US and their 50th year in motorsports. But perhaps the most significant one of all, not just to Toyota but the entire automotive industry, is the … Continue reading
Posted in manufacturing, toyota
Leave a comment
CM On: Car Commercial Database
Here’s an interesting site, the Car CM Database. There, you can see screenshots of your favorite cars, both old and new, starring in their own Japanese TV commercials. From wacky non sequiturs and nutty taglines to cameos by Western actors … Continue reading
Posted in cm
Leave a comment
Economies of Scale
When we were kids, we’d scuff up furniture, walls, floors, ceilings and anything else our parents valued with hundreds of little metal cars. Of course, in the US that meant Matchbox or Hot Wheels, and for a brief while, Pocket … Continue reading
Posted in minicar, minicars
Leave a comment
