Author Archives: Ben Hsu
Toyota Gazoo Racing Australia is restoring a ruined 2000GT
Toyota Gazoo Racing Australia recently announced they are undertaking a tremendous project: restoring what might be the country’s only 2000GT. The car was stuffed in a garage for 40 years, surrounded by junk, but it had been ruined long before … Continue reading
Chief engineers of Mazda Miata, R32 Nissan Skyline GT-R inducted into Japan Automotive Hall of Fame
In addition to cars, the Japan Automotive Hall of Fame also honors individuals who have made significant contributions to the country’s motoring culture. For 2020 three people were inducted: Toshihiko Hirai, chief engineer of the original NA Mazda Roadster; Naganori … Continue reading
Posted in News
Tagged japan automotive hall of fame, mazda, Miata NA, mx-5, Naganori Ito, Namiki Oka, nissan, r32, skyline, Toshihiko Hirai
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Japan’s Automotive Hall of Fame inductees for 2020 include the Suzuki Jimny, Honda RA272
Each year the Japan Automotive Hall of Fame choose three classic automobiles of historic significance to honor, and they’ve announced their inductees for 2020. More so than in past years, the trio covers extreme opposite ends of the vehicular spectrum. … Continue reading
Posted in News
Tagged formula 1, honda, japan automotive hall of fame, jimny, lj10, ra272, suzuki, Tatsuo Hasegawa, Toyopet SKB, toyota, trucks
1 Comment
QotW: What JNC van should star in a Japanese A-Team reboot?
In 1972 a crack commando unit was sent to prison by a court even Nissan’s CEO didn’t want to face for a crime they didn’t commit. These men promptly escaped from a maximum security stockade to the Tokyo underground. Today, … Continue reading
EF Honda Civic-driving idiot tries to run from police
One of my guilty pleasures is watching dashcam and police chase videos. It’s rare though that the subject of the pursuit is one of our own. And by one of our own I mean the enthusiast of an old Japanese … Continue reading
VIDEO: The Gemini was Isuzu’s most popular passenger car
Introduced in 1974, the Isuzu Gemini was known by many names around the world. Depending on the country, it was sold as a Chevy, Buick, Opel, Holden, Vauxhall, Daewoo, Saehan, and probably a few more. In Japan, though, it was … Continue reading
It’s Election Day and you should be voting instead of reading JNC
If you’ve spent an extended amount of time in Japan you’ve probably come across a gaisensha. Translated as “sound car” or “propaganda car,” they’re basically cars and vans mounted with gigantic loudspeakers. They drive at walking speeds and loudly blast … Continue reading
Posted in Holidays
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To eradicate smallpox in the world’s most remote regions, the WHO employed a fleet of FJ40 Land Cruisers
We might be knee-deep in a pandemic right now, but let’s remember what humanity can achieve if we work together. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the eradication of smallpox, a painful and deadly disease that was killing 2 … Continue reading
QotW: What’s your favorite radio controlled JNC?
There seems to be a large number of JNCers who are into radio controlled cars. Whether they’re as small as a grain of rice or 1:10 scale, built for drifting or off-roading, are simple off-the shelf affairs or highly detailed … Continue reading
VIDEO: The third-gen Accord was when Honda began to eat Detroit’s lunch
It’s no secret that we’re big fans of the third-generation Accord here, but how was it received when new? Motorweek said that it was making Detroit, which at the time still dominated the family sedan market, nervous. There’s good reason, … Continue reading
VIDEO: Why the Isuzu museum in Japan has a Chevy in it
Despite its prowess in building large industrial trucks for any type of terrain, Isuzu was never truly able to succeed in the domestic truck and SUV market. They never were able to challenge the like of the Land Cruisers, Patrols … Continue reading
A treasure trove of rare FD Mazda RX-7 parts has been found, but what does it mean?
Over the weekend, a Mazda RX-7 hoarder’s treasure trove was unearthed and shown to the world. Owned by an FD3S enthusiast from Kansas who’d recently passed away, the collection was purchased by an Oklahoma man named Lucas Fletcher who began … Continue reading
The Mazda MX-5 Miata’s reproduction parts are now available in Europe
One of Mazda’s biggest gifts to motoring enthusiasts was when it announced a Roadster Restore program in Japan, bringing NA Eunos Roadsters back to factory fresh and offering a slate of official reproduction parts. Then Mazda brought the parts to … Continue reading
VIDEO: This Datsun Z’s first wash in 44 years is extremely satisfying to watch
Barn finds are great, especially if the car in question has only 350 miles on it. Not so great is the cleaning process required to wash a car that has been sitting for 44 years. The original owner of a … Continue reading
QotW: Which JNC would you choose for surviving the zombie apocalypse?
It’s almost Halloween, a time for celebrating the spooky and ghoulish, and this year feels particularly endtimey. What if there was a different sort of pandemic, one where anyone who caught the virus turned into a brain-gobbling savage? There’d likely … Continue reading
VIDEO: Mazda tells its 100-year history with its most significant classics
As part of its continuing celebration of its 100th anniversary, Mazda has produced a short film covering its most significant classic models. Beautifully shot with a 15-minute runtime, it covers the company’s early history before delving into several milestone cars … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged 3-wheel truck, Automobile Council, cosmo sport, familia, Familia BD, Ikuo Maeda, luce, mazda, miata, Miata NA, mx-5, r360, rx-7
5 Comments
VIDEO: The Isuzu Bellel was far from great, but good enough
In the early 1960s, as Japan’s automotive market was heating up, Isuzu decided to forge its own path with a full-size, six-seater sedan. Notably, the Isuzu Bellel was Japan’s first sedan with a 2.0-liter engine and Japan’s first diesel passenger … Continue reading
Posted in Video
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JNC THEATER: Here’s the car chase from the new Lupin III movie
The first computer-animated Lupin III movie arrives in US theaters this week. The film looks beautifully rendered, and promises all the madcap shenanigans that generations of viewers have grown up loving. Cars have always been a big part of the … Continue reading
