Author Archives: Ben Hsu
Shunji Tanaka, Mazda Miata chief designer, 1946 – 2021
Shunji Tanaka, chief designer of the original Mazda Roadster/Miata, has died. He passed away at the age of 75 on December 12 at, according to a close friend and member of a Japan Roadster Club, who posted the news over … Continue reading
My wife’s Hakosuka Skyline races for JNC glory in the world of diecast motorsports
When we started racing with YouTube’s premiere diecast motorsports league, we had no idea it would come to this. My wife Carrie took the JNC team trophy, after ruthlessly decimating every writer on the staff and also our own two-year-old … Continue reading
QotW: What are you asking Japanese Santa Claus for this year?
It’s a well known fact that Japanese Santa Claus, a magical yokozuna in a red and white yukata, travels all over the world to in a flying Hino Ranger dekotora to bring those on his “nice” list. You can ask … Continue reading
Nissan T12 Bluebird becomes 80s retro-electric “Newbird”
Eighties culture and fashion is, like, so rad these days. Nissan has gotten in on the fun by 80s-fying a T12 Nissan Bluebird — what we would have called a Stanza 5-door in the US — with a modern powertrain. … Continue reading
Suzuki Samurai, Mazda RX-7 are classics to watch for 2022, says Hagerty
Hagerty Insurance has come out with their list of top ten classics to watch in 2022. The list is a reflection of how many customers ask for classic car insurance quotes for a particular model, with a focus more on … Continue reading
The Lexus Electrified Sports concept sure looks like the stunning Mazda RX-Vision
Akio Toyoda surprised the world with a mega press conference yesterday, announcing Toyota’s plans for electrification. He showed no less than 16 concept cars in dramatic fashion, talking about a packed lineup of five before dropping the false wall behind … Continue reading
VIDEO: The Impreza 2.5 RS proved Americans could accept a sporty Subaru
It’s kind of hard to imagine, but even back in 1998 the idea of a sporty Subaru was still pretty foreign to most Americans. Its most well-known US model was the Brat, and the marque was known mostly for utilitarian … Continue reading
Honda leaves Formula One with bittersweet championship win
The 2021 Formula One season concluded over the weekend. That means it was Honda’s final F1 race in an on-again, off-again factory effort that spanned over half a century. This time, though it seems fairly certain that the exit will … Continue reading
QotW: What made you fall in love with cars?
We all had to start somewhere. Whether it was toy cars, books and magazines, or just a relative that had good taste, our passion for cars probably came at a pretty early age. We’ve asked about your love for Japanese … Continue reading
The 1984 Plymouth Colt GTS Turbo Twin-Stick gets glowing review, some 40 years after its debut
It only took 37 years, but the 1984 Mitsubishi Mirage Turbo is finally getting its due. Back in the day the captive import, sold here as the Plymouth Colt GTS Turbo, was not given a ton of respect. Sure, it … Continue reading
NISMO’s $430,000 restored R32 Nissan Skyline GT-R: what it’s like to drive one
The R32 Nissan Skyline GT-R is already a car that few people outside of Japan get to drive. Even fewer will ever ever sit behind the wheel of one of NISMO’s $430,000 factory-restored R32 Nissan Skyline GT-Rs. The program takes … Continue reading
Posted in News
Tagged Michael Krumm, NISMO, nissan, Nissan Heritage Program, r32, skyline
5 Comments
Suzuki-Toyota-Daihatsu mid-engine sports car rumored to be under development
There’s a rumor coming out of Japan that a new mid-engine sports car is being jointly developed by Suzuki, Toyota, and Daihatsu. If true — and that’s skyscraper-sized if — it could kill two birds with one stone for Toyota. … Continue reading
The Nissan Cima of actress Kazue Itoh has been factory restored
Just over a year ago, Japanese actress Kazue Itoh made headlines when she revealed that she was still driving a decades-old Nissan Cima that she’d owned since new. After she noted some of its imperfections on social media, her fans … Continue reading
New Nissan Z GT500 race car launch brings out the legends
Nissan has announced its newest car for the 2022 SuperGT season, and it’s no surprise that it will be based on the new Nissan Z. For the last 15 years the GT-R has been Nissan’s fighter in the ring, but … Continue reading
Posted in News
Tagged 300zx, fairlady z, haruhito yanagida, john morton, Kazuyoshi Hoshino, nissan, peter brock, Steve Millen, Tsugio Matsuda, z32, Z34B
5 Comments
QotW: Will cars of the 2010s be collectible, and if so, which ones?
The other day we came across a company selling clothing “inspired by” 2010s style. That seems absolutely insane to us, as most of us probably have actual clothing hailing from before that era in our closets. Cars from the 80s … Continue reading
A 1974 Toyota Celica has sold for $61,000
We don’t need to tell you that the acceptance of Japanese cars as collectible classics is pushing prices to previously unseen heights. Among some makes and models, values of so-so condition cars are shooting past what cream puffs once traded … Continue reading
KIDNEY, ANYONE? Feast your eyes on a 94-mile Toyota Truck
We are constantly surprised by the prevalence of not-beat-to-dust Toyota pickups at shows like Toyotafest. Almost all of those, though, are examples that belie their actual mileage thanks to caring owners who have our full admiration. Then there’s this 1993 … Continue reading
Rays releases new wheels for 80s cars, celebrates anniversary of another classic
Rays has launched two new wheels that may be of interest to JNCers. One is new wheel specifically geared towards 80s cars. The other is an anniversary model for a take on a 90s classic, but sized for cars from … Continue reading
Posted in Product Guide
Tagged ae86, mazda, miata, Miata NA, rays, te37v, toyota, Volk Racing TE37
4 Comments
Yamaha Racing Heritage Club launches to unite owners of historic bikes
We’ve seen many Japanese manufacturers launch heritage programs in recent years, but Yamaha is taking the idea to a new level. The motorcycle maker has just launched an official heritage club for collectors of their vintage racing machines. The Yamaha … Continue reading
QotW: What do you do with dumb car toys?
It’s a problem that never crossed our minds before children, but it’s a real one. Many JNC staffers have kids and we are happily giving them lots of cool Hot Wheels, Matchbox, and other automotive toys (while also reliving our … Continue reading
