Author Archives: Ben Hsu
QotW: What do you actually drive?
Self-described car enthusiasts on the internet love to tell car companies what kind of cars should be made. And if all of them really put their money where their keyboards are, the world would be flush with 400-horsepower manual sports … Continue reading
There’s a Honda Civic on the cover of Stephen King’s new book
We don’t know anything about horror master Stephen King’s new book, Later, except that there’s an early first-generation Honda Civic on the cover. We can’t seem to find out if the car is even in the story, but King has … Continue reading
Posted in Books
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VIDEO: The 1990 Isuzu Impulse deserved better
The second-generation Isuzu Impulse never got enough love. It was cheap, but not quite cheap enough. It was sporty, but not quite sporty enough, especially compared to the competition from Honda or Toyota. Isuzu was more of a truck brand … Continue reading
Restoration of the Mazda 737C Le Mans race car has begun
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Mazda 787B’s historic win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. To commemorate the occasion one of its predecessors, the 1985 737C, is undergoing restoration. Last week in Hiroshima, technicians began disassembling … Continue reading
Posted in motorsport
Tagged 24 Hours of Le Mans, 737C, mazda, Takashi Yorino, yojiro terada, Yoshimi Katayama
5 Comments
Dreams and Sawzalls: How the Mitsubishi 3000GT Spyder was made
The Mitsubishi 3000GT Spyder was the first modern car to offer a power folding hardtop convertible roof. The option was a big deal in 1995, adding anywhere from $22,000, or the price of a new Acura Integra, to the cost … Continue reading
QotW: What would you have bought if you were rich in 1990?
Today, Japan’s Nikkei stock index surpassed 30,000 for the first time in over three decades. The last time it was that high was August 1990, right before the bursting of the asset bubble, an event that would slowly sap the … Continue reading
Happy Presidents Day from JNC
Announced at the 1965 Tokyo Motor Show, the Nissan President was the pinnacle of luxury. It offered more cabin room than the flagship car named after a US president whom we are actually honoring today, the Lincoln Continental (by 1.6 … Continue reading
A train station in Japan now plays the Seibu Keisatsu theme song
Starting February 20 of this year, Kokuryo Station, located in Chōfu, Tokyo, will adopt the Seibu Keisatsu theme song as one of its platform jingles. The change is a tribute to Ishihara Pro, the production company responsible for some of … Continue reading
Get an Okayama Circuit license as a reward for paying taxes
The city of Mimasaka, Okayama Prefecture, is offering one of the best citizenship benefits we’ve ever seen. The hometown of Okayama Circuit has begun offering residents a circuit license to drive on the famed race track as a reward for … Continue reading
VIDEO: Chip Foose draws an FJ40 Land Cruiser
Custom car designer Chip Foose is famous for his amazing takes on American cars from Detroit’s the golden age. He’s not typically drawing Japanese cars, but in a series produced for Hagerty, Foose takes his pen to one of the … Continue reading
QotW: What JNC would you take for a race around the world?
Today, February 8, is the birthday of Jules Verne, one of the first science fiction authors, born in 1828. One of his most famous works is Around the World in Eighty Days, in which a Londoner takes a bet of £20,000 … Continue reading
Infiniti Red Sport twin-turbo V6 confirmed for Nissan Z Proto
What has long been suspected has now been confirmed. The Nissan Z Proto has the VR30DDTT under the hood. Nissan hasn’t popped the hood of the Z concept for press, but a fan was able to snap a few shots … Continue reading
Toyota might build a Century-esque ultra-luxury SUV
According to a new report out of Japan, Toyota is planning to launch an ultra-luxury vehicle on par with the Century, except it will be an SUV. Spurred by a global shift from sedans to crossovers and sport utility vehicles, … Continue reading
Happy Daruma Celica Day from JNC
Today is February 2, or 2/2, as in TA22. As it happens, it’s a pretty good year to Celica-brate the Daruma. We just marked the 50th anniversary of the Celica a couple of months ago, and learned last week that … Continue reading
The next Nissan Pathfinder could have retro design cues
A new Nissan Pathfinder will be revealed later this week, and we’re going to make a prediction. It will have retro design cues taken from the first-generation. It’s not a complete shot in the dark, but it’s close. In this … Continue reading
QotW: What should Toyota do with the Celica name?
Last week we learned that Toyota has filed for a trademark for the Celica name. As readers have pointed out, the most likely reason is that they just want to hang onto the name to prevent others from using it. … Continue reading
VIDEO: Here’s a Nissan 240SX that doesn’t go sideways
This should be a fun one. You utter the words “Nissan 240SX” to anyone even marginally knowledgeable about cars today, and the first thing they’ll think is “drift missile.” But when the S14 debuted in 1995, that wasn’t even remotely … Continue reading
The Toyopet SA was Toyota’s first post-war passenger car
Introduced in 1947, the Toyopet SA was Toyota’s first all-new post-war passenger car design. It was advanced for a Japanese car of its time, but due to limitations on automobile production and Japan’s market conditions at the time, only 215 … Continue reading
