Author Archives: Ben Hsu
3DBotMaker’s JNC diecast racing tournament begins this weekend
We at JNC are excited to announce a partnership with 3DBotMaker, the premier diecast racing league. For the next four weekends, every Saturday the 3DBotMaker YouTube channel will be broadcasting the Japanese Nostalgic Car tournament, in which all the Hot … Continue reading
There’s now a Mazda 787B easter egg in the Mazda 2
It’s kind of a shame Americans don’t buy small, zippy hatchbacks anymore because the Mazda 2 by all accounts is an affordable car that is still pretty fun to drive. Even if it hadn’t been discontinued already, it was offered … Continue reading
QotW: What’s the best way to find your dream JNC?
It used to be very simple. If there was a JNC you wanted, you’d search its make and model on Craigslist. Either that, or hop on a forum dedicated to that model if such a thing existed. Nowadays, it can … Continue reading
VIDEO: The 1984 Corolla marked a watershed moment in Toyota history
The fifth-generation Corolla marked a paradigm shift in Toyota history. It was the first sign that the old, rear-wheel-drive traditions would soon be wiped clean, replaced with newfangled front-drive successors. It was a risky proposition for Toyota, but it paid … Continue reading
The Isuzu Plaza museum’s latest exhibit has a Bellett race car
Last week the Isuzu Plaza museum in Fujisawa City, Kanagawa Prefecture has opened a new exhibit. Called “Isuzu Challenging Spirit,” it shows a few off-the-beaten-path creations that the company, which is today primarily known for large trucks, has been responsible … Continue reading
Toyota’s Megaweb shows off some actual Toyotas
Like the Toyota Automobile Museum, the History Garage of Toyota’s Megaweb showroom in Odaiba, Tokyo is a celebration of all things automotive. Recently, we’ve seen them restore a couple of Nissans, an R32 Skyline GT-R and 510 Bluebird Coupé. Now, … Continue reading
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Tagged ae86, corolla levin, Megaweb, soarer, sprinter trueno, te27, toyota, z10
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Toyota adds more Supra parts to GR Heritage Parts Project
Toyota announced today more parts to be added to the GR Heritage Parts Project for the A70 and A80 Supras. It’s the first expansion since the program was launched almost a year ago. So far the list hasn’t been very … Continue reading
QotW: What’s your favorite Japanese luxury car?
On June 28, 1995 the governments of the US and Japan reached a historic trade agreement regarding the auto industry. The US was seeking to balance out the trade deficit, and Japan agreed to build more cars in the US … Continue reading
Rent your own island villa complete with FJ40 Land Cruiser
Remember that Allstate Insurance ad where the guy drives his little Defender all over town, revealed at the end to be entirely situated on a tiny island that you could drive across and back before your tea kettle boiled? Well, … Continue reading
Nissan imagines Datsun 240Z Safari Rally tribute from Juke
The Safari Rally kicks off today in Nairobi, Kenya, marking the 50th anniversary of when Nissan won the tortuous desert race overall in a Datsun 240Z. To commemorate the occasion, Nissan Europe has created a tribute to the iconic black-on-red … Continue reading
Mitsubishi on why there won’t be a Lancer Evo, even though shareholders requested it
Mitsubishi made its first newsworthy announcement in years in May when it said it would revive Ralliart, its motorsports brand for all things rally. On June 23 at Mitsubishi Motors’ annual shareholders meeting, CEO Takao Kato got a bit more … Continue reading
QotW: What’s your favorite Japanese race car?
This week marks the 30th anniversary of Mazda’s historic victory at Le Mans. Fairy tale doesn’t properly describe it, as fairy tales are usually pat and tidy. For Mazda, it wasn’t just the race itself but everything that led up … Continue reading
A Toyota Land Cruiser J80 has sold for $136,000
It was bound to happen. An 80-series Land Cruiser has followed the likes of the 2000GT and A80 Supra deep into six-figure territory by recently selling for $136,000. Of course, there are extenuating circumstances, with the main one being that … Continue reading
The Nissan Skyline is not dead, according to Nissan executive’s strongly worded statement
Over the weekend a minor panic ensued among Nissan fans and car enthusiasts when the Nikkei Shimbun newspaper reported that Nissan was discontinuing the Skyline. The Fuga and Cima would go along with it, the article stated. Reasons cited included … Continue reading
VIDEO: The Mitsubishi Montero Sport was a nice truck
With Land Cruiser pricing getting into nosebleed territory, 4×4 fans have moved onto Lexus GXes, Monteros, and even the occasional Trooper, driving all their prices up. So far, the Mitsubishi Montero Sport seems to have evaded their gaze. Debuting at … Continue reading
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QotW: What’s the biggest hurdle to keeping your JNC nice?
It’s a myth that southern California is really good to cars. Sure, due to the desert climate old cars don’t rust (unless you live near the beach), but you can always fix rust if you’re determined enough a welder. What … Continue reading
Posted in Question of the Week
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