Author Archives: Ben Hsu
VIDEO: The 1982 RX-7 GS was reviewed surprisingly similarly to modern Mazdas
We’ve seen a lot of Motorweek‘s old reviews, but a recently uploaded flashback to a 1982 Mazda RX-7 GS is a standout. Few have raved about their subject matter as much as this one. That shouldn’t come as a surprise, … Continue reading
Amazingly detailed Mazda 787B rotary engine model released for 30th anniversary of Le Mans win
This year marked the 30th anniversary of Mazda’s historic win at the 1991 24 Hours of Le Mans. To commemorate the 787B race car’s victory, Mazda aftermarket parts company MZ Racing has developed a highly detailed 1:6 scale model of … Continue reading
QotW: What’s your favorite Japanese race truck?
Both Nissan and Mitsubishi recently revived some old racing truck liveries for the Rebelle Rally, which kicked off over the weekend. We often discuss Japan’s racing cars, but racing trucks seem to have been inadvertently sidelined. Most of Japan’s manufacturers … Continue reading
The new Kamen Rider trailer is a shot-for-shot remake of the original’s motorcycle opening
There’s a new Kamen Rider movie, called Shin Kamen Rider, coming out in 2023. The original, which aired in 1971 and is now 50 years old, was one of Japan’s most iconic tokusatsu shows of all time. The titular insect-costumed superhero … Continue reading
Honda is leaving Formula One with a retro livery homage to its first F1 car
Honda is getting ready to leave Formula One by year’s end on somewhat of a bittersweet note. After several years of disastrous results, Honda’s role as an engine supplier finally seemed to be turning the corner. Sadly, it was too … Continue reading
Megaweb has reopened before closing permanently at the end of the year
As we reported back in July, Toyota’s Megaweb showroom in Tokyo will be closing for good at the end of the year. If you wanted to see it, though, there was a slight hitch: the showroom had already closed, as … Continue reading
QotW: What’s your favorite car book?
Today is Old Book Day in Japan. The holiday is celebrated on October 4 each year because it’s a pun on the kanji 古書, which is translated as “old books”. When you break down the kanji for “old” (古) into … Continue reading
TUNE UP: Dua Lipa drives a pink Mazda Cosmo Sport in “Levitating” music video
Unless you’re talking about a Land Cruiser or Datsun 240Z, classic Japanese cars don’t often cross over to American pop culture. Surprisingly, though, in the music video for the song “Levitating” by Dua Lipa, which is done in an anime … Continue reading
Happy 929 Day from JNC
The pre-facelift second-generation Mazda Luce is probably one of the most underappreciated 1970s Japanese designs. Called the 929 when equipped with a piston engine and the RX-4 under rotary power, it struck just the right balance of elegance and menace. … Continue reading
There is now a Takumi motor oil for Initial D fans
Since its debut about a decade ago, Japan’s Takumi motor oil has had nothing to do with Initial D. If Sears had been Japanese, its in-house line of tools would have been named Takumi, because though Takumi is a popular … Continue reading
QotW: What’s your favorite Nissan color?
Nissan’s recent revival of Midnight Purple and Millennium Jade sparked an internal debate here at JNC about what the best R34 Skyline colors were. Even on that one model, there were so many great ones — do you pick one … Continue reading
MINICARS: Hot Wheels x JNC Toyota Land Cruiser FJ60
We are stoked to show you the latest Hot Wheels to wear the JNC inkan. In fact, it’s got quite a few more similarities than just the sticker with our own real-life shop truck, a 1986 Toyota Land Cruiser The … Continue reading
History’s greatest Toyota trucks converge in new commercial
Toyota ads have been pretty lame for a while now but if they asked us how to make one, their latest new ad is exactly how we’d do it. The Big Three have been leaning into their heritage for decades … Continue reading
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Tagged 4runner, back to the future, hilux, J40, land cruiser, N60, toyota, tundra
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QotW: What JNC doesn’t get enough respect?
Today is Respect for the Aged day in Japan, a reminder to show some appreciation for your elders. It’s not always easy to keep in mind when the youngins are faster and flashier than their predecessors. However, there are cars … Continue reading
Range Rover promo video shows James Bond’s Toyota Land Cruiser destroying Range Rovers
Normally when a car company strikes a product placement deal in a major blockbuster, provides cars to the production team, then posts a video to social media in which the cars getting destroyed, it typically doesn’t show the hero in … Continue reading
The 2023 Nissan Z’s designers talk about their inspiration and challenges
Redefining an icon with over 50 years of history behind it was always going to be a difficult task. However, in an interview published by Nissan, the two designers responsible for the new Nissan Z talk about what it was … Continue reading
