Author Archives: Ben Hsu
QotW: How has car ownership affected your love life?
Holidays are times we spend with our loved ones. But that time in the garage, on the road, or at the track can create conflict, because some of us also have spouses or significant others. Or, maybe your better half … Continue reading
This Toyota 2000GT model in 1/8 scale will cost $1,700 and take two years to complete
The latest classic from Japan to get the 1:8 treatment is the Toyota 2000GT. Issued by Hachette Collections Japan, the subscription kit will consist of 100 installments received weekly by mail with a retail price of ¥1999 ($17.25 USD) each. … Continue reading
Nissan Hardbody and Datsun 720-inspired Frontiers debut at Chicago Auto Show
Nissan is going HAM on the throwback stuff these days, and we’re not talking about the new Z. For the Chicago Auto Show they’re bringing not one, but two concept trucks with a decidedly flavor based on new Frontier pickup. … Continue reading
Classic Toyota Celica and Truck appear in 2022 Superbowl commercial
Toyota has released their 2022 Superbowl ad, and it features a couple of classics. Toyota has chosen to focus not on the cars, but on two real-life brothers, Brian and Robin McKeever, who are Olympic and Paralympic medalists. Much of … Continue reading
QotW: What’s the next Japanese car to cross the six-figure mark?
The classic car market is going bananas right now, leading to some sky-high prices for Japanese cars. The $112,000 Integra Type R is just the latest example of it, but we’ve already seen plenty of others cross the six-figure threshold. … Continue reading
Posted in News
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That new Nissan Z Superbowl ad is not like the old one at all, because it’s terrible
Nissan misled us big time when they released a trailer for their upcoming Superbowl ad. The trailer promised big stunts and chases with motorcycles, helicopters, and Max Maxian Firebirds, but it wasn’t about that at all. In fact, it’s not … Continue reading
See the nose-jobbed Nissan Z Customized Proto in action
Cars always look different in motion than they do standing still. Nissan has released a video of the Z432-inspired Customized Proto with its new and improved nose, and it’s worth a look. Well, technically it’s more of a computer render, … Continue reading
Let the Toyota Carina ED help you celebrate the Year of the Tiger
Four-door coupes might be all the rage today, but the Toyota Carina ED debuted as one way back in 1985. It was a style-setting car in Japan, a pillarless four-door that shared a platform with the sporty Celica. When the … Continue reading
2023 Nissan Z Superbowl ad starring Eugene Levy recalls Ridley Scott’s 1990 Z32 TT spot
Nissan has teased its upcoming Superbowl ad starring the 2023 Nissan Z. Called “Thrill Driver”, it also features some human stars in the form of Eugene Levy, Danai Gurira, and Dave Bautista. The bulk of the action, however, appears to … Continue reading
QotW: What movie or TV car scenes have angered you most?
As car enthusiasts, we’re familiar with the cycle of excitement and disappointment that accompanies car movies. Typically, you’ll see a trailer that promises incredible stunts and lots of action. Then after you’ve bought your ticket and popcorn, the actual movie … Continue reading
VIDEO: It’s easy to forget how weird import drag racing was
Back in 1996 the idea of a front-wheel-drive Honda being anything but an economic commuter was still an alien concept to most Americans. But, it had grown big enough that even a public broadcast show like Motorweek was reporting on … Continue reading
Posted in Video
Tagged acura, civic, crx, drag racing, fd3s, honda, mazda, rotary engine, rx-7
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Mazda RX-3 Wagon at Tokyo Auto Salon gives off Katayama vibes
While not quite as ambitious as the 6-rotor Eunos Cosmo, another Mazda that caught our attention from the 2022 Tokyo Auto Salon was the show’s sole RX-3 Wagon. Done up in a touring car style that evokes the Savanna RX-3 … Continue reading
Mazda Cosmo 6-rotor makes waves at Tokyo Auto Salon
One car that made a splash at this year’s Tokyo Auto Salon was a JC Mazda Cosmo with a 6-rotor motor. Built by Anniversary Racing Factory, a rotary specialty shop in Tokorozawa City, Saitama Prefecture, the engine consists of three … Continue reading
Daihatsu had the best Tokyo Auto Salon display with ten generations of HiJet
The Tokyo Auto Salon is traditionally filled with over-the-top booths filled with over-the-top builds. But this year, it was humble Daihatsu that took the cake with a lineup of HiJet kei trucks that dated back to 1960. There were 10 … Continue reading
QotW: Which seven cars would be in your dream garage if money was no object?
Over the weekend some of the JNC staff played this hypothetical game, as we are wont to do. Let’s say you had enough money to buy any seven cars you wanted, but they were the only seven cars you could … Continue reading
Toyota Century “Lowrider Limo” wins Sedan Grand Prix at Tokyo Auto Salon
One of the most notable displays at each year’s Tokyo Auto Salon belongs to NATS, the Nihon Automobile Technical College. As students there learn automobile maintenance, repair, and customization, they get to build some of the coolest (and most fun) … Continue reading
Nissan Fairlady Z432R-inspired Z gets a nose job at the Tokyo Auto Salon
Over the weekend the production Japanese-spec Nissan Fairlady Z was finally unveiled at the 2022 Tokyo Auto Salon. Joining it on stage at the custom car extravaganza, in addition to the standard yellow and blue, was one very orange customized … Continue reading
QotW: What is Japan’s Corvette?
On January 17, 1953, the first Chevrolet Corvette made its debut at the GM Motorama at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York. In the nearly 70 years since, the world has come to know it as a symbol of the … Continue reading
