Author Archives: Ben Hsu
VIDEO: The Ford Probe was a more futuristic looking Mazda MX-6
The Ford Probe is now largely forgotten, but even at the height of its popularity it was mostly known as the butt of jokes about its orifice-seeking name. Developed during Ford’s ownership of Mazda, it shared a platform with the … Continue reading
QotW: What’s your JNC project until this whole coronavirus thing blows over?
Many places around the world are shutting down because of the COVID-19, a.k.a. the coronavirus. Though the virus has nothing to do with vintage Toyotas, this is an excellent time to get some work done on your JNC project if … Continue reading
Toyota revives the Black Limited 86
At the Tokyo Auto Salon in January, Toyota unveiled a close-to-production concept of a special edition 86 called the Black Limited. A throwback to one of the most desirable AE86 special editions of all time, it seemed to signal an … Continue reading
JNC LIBRARY: A must-have book for the Isuzu aficionado
If you’re a hard-core enthusiast, or even just a casual fan, of Isuzus, the the new book A History of Isuzu Passenger Cars by Setsuo Toma should be in your library. As the title implies, it spans the entire run … Continue reading
Akio Toyoda celebrates Lexus’ 30th anniversary with a champagne glass throwback to the original LS
How does one celebrate a milestone anniversary? If you’re Lexus, it’s with champagne… glasses in the form of a tower on the hood of an LS. One of the most famous car commercials of the 1990s was Balance, the spot … Continue reading
Toyota closes museums, Megaweb, for coronavirus
COVID-19 is no laughing matter, but sometimes the jokes write themselves. Toyota has closed several of its facilities in Japan, including the Toyota Automobile Museum and Megaweb showroom, due to the coronavirus.
Mazda brings back the 93LE Miata’s black and red for a limited Eunos Edition ND
The Mazda MX-5 Miata has had many, many limited and special editions, but one of the most beloved is the 93LE. As the enthusiast-coined name implies, it came out in 1993 (1992 for Japan) and wore a distinctive black-with-red-interior color … Continue reading
QotW: Which JNC model deserves its own museum?
Most automakers have their own museums that showcase the history of the entire marque, but last week we wrote about an entire museum dedicated to one model, the Suzuki Jimny. Typically, to warrant its own museum the model would have … Continue reading
Posted in Question of the Week
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COLLECTIONS: By opening the Jimny Museum, Shigeru Onoue achieved his dream
The Jimny Museum in Japan was not officially established by Suzuki. Instead, the two story shrine to the country’s favorite mini 4WD truck was the obsession of one 72-year-old man, Shigeru Onoue, who has devoted his life to this single … Continue reading
Posted in Collections
Tagged Apio, HopeStar, jimny, Jimny Museum, lj10, lj20, Osamu Suzuki, samurai, sj10, sj20, SJ30, suzuki
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KIDNEY, ANYONE? MS75 Kujira Toyota Crown Coupe
The fourth-generation Toyota Crown is one the most outlandish designs in the company’s long history. The space-age front end was like nothing else at the time, and like nothing else since. Predictably, it was quite polarizing, leading to perhaps an … Continue reading
PARTS GUIDE: Yokohama adds new sizes for GT Special throwback tire
Last year, Yokohama Tires released a modern version of its iconic GT Special tire, with sizes specifically fitted for classic cars. Due to its success, Yokohama is adding new sizes to the lineup, which should be a boon to restorers … Continue reading
Posted in Product Guide
Tagged a10, a20, bellett, bluebird, carina, celica, galant gto, isuzu, mitsubishi, nissan, toyota, yokohama
8 Comments
Happy Z32 Day from JNC
A styling departure from the ones that had come before it, the Z32 300ZX still looks good today. Happy Z32 Day from JNC!
Posted in Uncategorized
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QotW: What JNC would you pick if you had to charge through a snowy mountain?
The Toyota Celica GT-Four may have nabbed the starring role in Take Me Out to the Snowland, though the filmmakers originally wanted to cast a Mitsubishi. The Celica proved capable, but Japan has a plethora of AWD and 4WD machines … Continue reading
Happy Z31 Day from JNC
Won’t you consider adopting a third-generation Nissan Fairlady Z? There are many that need loving homes. Happy Z31 Day from JNC!
JNC THEATER: That time a Celica GT-Four starred in a Japanese movie about skiing
The ST165 Celica GT-Four has gotten some attention lately, thanks to Toyota constantly comparing it to the new GR Yaris. While that link is still somewhat tenuous, it did remind us of when Toyota showed off the newly introduced Celica GT-Four’s … Continue reading
Honda wants to know which parts S2000 owners need
For the 20th anniversary of the S2000 Honda has created exclusive parts to make essentially a “third facelift” version, but it’s also going one step further. As with the NSX and Beat, Honda is creating a parts catalog of hard-to-find … Continue reading
Honda is selling new parts for the S2000’s 20th anniversary
In honor of the S2000’s 20th anniversary, Honda is selling all-new parts designed for its popular roadster. Based on the S2000 20th Anniversary prototype unveiled at the Tokyo Auto Salon, Honda is technically calling this a MMC, or minor model … Continue reading
VIDEO: Z-Cars and Rotaries, classics that appeal to “the youths”
What are the classic cars that will inspire the younger generation of car enthusiasts to carry on the restoration hobby? You already know the answer but if any additional validation was needed, Hagerty Insurance’s Barn Find Hunter video series reaffirms … Continue reading
QotW: What should the Emperor of Japan have in his garage?
Today is the day when Japan celebrates the Emperor’s birthday. Though the Japanese royals are just figureheads, they can still own pretty much any car(s) they want. The previous Emperor, Akihito, kept it 100 with a low-spec Honda Integra sedan. … Continue reading
