Author Archives: Ben Hsu
VIDEO: The 1999 Civic Si was peak Honda
Ah, the EM1 Civic Si, a jewel among jewels. The brilliantly engineered performance variant of the humble sixth-generation Civic was peak Honda. When it debuted in 1999, magazine reviews were unanimous in their praise. The Motorweek take could have been … Continue reading
QotW: What type of car has the best community of owners?
There are some cars you love, but can’t stand the people in their orbit. Then there are other cars that seem to attract owners with whom you can forge life-long friendships. We have friends who own all types of cars, … Continue reading
1982 Nissan Laurel Givenchy Version welcomed to Nissan Heritage Collection
The family that founded one of Japan’s largest department store chains was doing some spring cleaning recently and stumbled upon an entire car. Not just any car, but an impeccably preserved, one-owner 1982 Nissan Laurel Turbo Medalist Givenchy Version. What’s … Continue reading
Pikes Peak Tacoma brought out of retirement for 100th hill climb
Over the weekend the 100th running of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb took place. The event was marked by rain and dense fog, conditions that shattered any chance of drivers setting new records. One driver that didn’t need to … Continue reading
Posted in motorsport
Tagged pikes peak, Pikes Peak Celica, Pikes Peak Tacoma, Rod Millen, tacoma, toyota
2 Comments
The third-generation Toyota 4Runner brought it into the modern age
The third-generation Toyota 4Runner ushered the model into the modern age. Split from its HiLux pickup roots, it was a fully modernized SUV that still managed to maintain its off-road cred. It arrived at just the right time for Toyota, … Continue reading
QotW: What’s your craziest story about buying goods from Japan?
Years ago, I had a dream of turning my factory 1997 Lexus SC into a JDM-spec Soarer. The SC and naturally aspirated Supra 5-speeds used Toyota’s W58 transmission, but to get big power to the rear wheels you needed the … Continue reading
Toyota to restore rare Land Cruiser FJJ fire engine
Toyota has begun restoration on a very rare Land Cruiser FJJ. Introduced in 1954, it was first Land Cruiser to bear any kind of “FJ” chassis code. Originally designed for use as a fire engine, Toyota only sold it to … Continue reading
Why the Pikes Peak Suzuki Escudo is a legend in Gran Turismo
The 100th Pikes Peak International Hill Climb starts this Friday. As it happens, the latest update to Gran Turismo 7 released this week brings back one of the greatest race cars of all time — at least for the in-game … Continue reading
Posted in Video Games
Tagged escudo, Geo Tracker, nobuhiro tajima, pikes peak, Sidekick, suzuki, Vitara
7 Comments
Retro Land Cruiser builder Flex Auto to open first US dealership
If you love Toyota Land Cruisers, you’ve probably come across the Japanese firm Flex Auto’s restomods before. The shop specializes in transforming modern vehicles into their older counterparts. Their most popular offerings include J80 or J100 Land Cruisers with J60 … Continue reading
Toyota 85C at Le Mans links father-son racing dynasty
Over the weekend, Toyota won its fifth consecutive victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Just before the race, Le Mans tradition requires that the previous year’s winner bring back their trophy so it can be passed on to … Continue reading
Posted in motorsport
Tagged 24 Hours of Le Mans, dome, Kaoru Hoshino, Kazuki Nakajima, Masanori Sekiya, Satoru Nakajima, tom's, toyota
5 Comments
QotW: What’s the worst car buying experience you’ve ever had?
A few years ago a friend of JNC finally bought his dream car, a machine that he’d been talking about and saving up for for years. It had a Toyota engine, but the rest was a bit more British. After … Continue reading
Acura Integra Type R driven by 86-year-old made new again
You hear about the “little old lady” driven sports cars still with their original owners, but how many of those stories are actually true? In the case of one Acura Integra Type R, the story is not simply myth. The … Continue reading
Mitsubishi’s hidden collection of Fuso work trucks was restored 12 years ago, then left untouched
May marked the 90th anniversary of when Mitsubishi Fuso built its first vehicle, a 38-passenger bus, at its Kobe shipyard. While researching the B46 bus, we learned that Mitsubishi Fuso has a small collection of classic trucks dating back to … Continue reading
QotW: What’s your most memorable rainy day car story?
Today is National Wiper Day in Japan, a date to remind drivers to replace their wiper blades in the name of safety. A date with the same month and day numeral was chosen because wipers are replaced in pairs, and … Continue reading
See you at Toyotafest 2022!
We are packing up the Land Cruiser and heading to the 2022 Toyotafest! If you’re at the show, please stop by and say hello. Look for the red JNC booth at Marina Green Park in Long Beach, California this Saturday, … Continue reading
Posted in Reminder
2 Comments
This huge Toyota AE86 model will cost $1,600 and take two years to complete
The Toyota AE86 is finally getting immortalized in a highly detailed 1:8-scale model kit. Specifically, it’s a weekly subscription kit by DeAgostini in which parts will be mailed to the subscriber every seven days for over two years. At the … Continue reading
