Author Archives: Ben Hsu
VIDEO: Watch the Isuzu Trooper take a slalom without rolling over
In the 90s at the dawn of the SUV takeover, truck-based people haulers were trying to move upscale while still retaining their off-road cred. Also, Isuzu still existed as a purveyor of passenger vehicles. Their entry into the segment was … Continue reading
Honda brings back Phoenix Yellow for limited edition Civic Type R
We all know that the most proper color for any Type R Honda is Championship White, but Phoenix Yellow ranks as a close second. Well, Honda has just announced that it’s bringing back the color on a limited edition Civic … Continue reading
Toyota won’t bring the GR Yaris to the US, but will deliver another hot hatch
Toyota USA is adamant that the bonkers GR Yaris won’t be coming to the US. However, even if the car doesn’t, the WRC homologation special’s engine could, according to Toyota’s Bob Carter, executive vice president of sales, in the form … Continue reading
TUNE UP: A Mazda RX-7 appears in a Japanese boy band video
Once again we remain utterly clueless about the song or the artist portrayed in the video called “44 Raiders” by the Ballistik Boyz from Exile Tribe. We can only tell you that there is a Mazda RX-7 in it, and … Continue reading
QotW: What’s your best Toyota Corolla story?
On this day in 1972, the Volkswagen Beetle overtook the Ford Model T as the best-selling car in the world. However, the Toyota Corolla has long since obliterated both combined, with over 44 million sold. Unless you’re living in an … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
17 Comments
Happy Presidents’ Day from JNC
No amount of lawmen can stop this President, a Nissan President H150, to be exact, in a clip from the crime drama The Big City, Part III. The authorities come at it hard, with countless Cedrics and even a Fairlady … Continue reading
Toyota is already giving the A90 Supra significant updates
Supra sales are not great. Toyota sold just 2,884 of them in 2019, fewer than the number of 86es in same year (3,398). That’s not a good sign for a halo cars like the Supra, whose sales curves usually start … Continue reading
The winners and runners up of the 2020 Tokyo Auto Salon
The 2020 Tokyo Auto Salon was, like SEMA, largely a big ol’ Supra-fest. However, after the trophies were handed out there were a few highlights from the awards categories that defied convention. Like the teachers said in English class, you … Continue reading
Posted in Tokyo Auto Salon
Tagged A80, A90, b310, Blitz, c210, century, crown, csp311, datsun, fairlady roadster, hino, hks, mazda, nissan, re amemiya, rx-7, sa22c, silvia, skyline, sunny, supra, tokyo auto salon, Top Secret, toyota, ts cup
7 Comments
VIDEO: How Hiroshima’s unique past made Mazda what it is today
Mazda is celebrating its centenary this year, so expect to see a lot of historical content from them this year. The latest is a video about the company’s early history and its origins in Hiroshima, an area far removed from … Continue reading
Japan’s postal service celebrates 50 years of the Skyline GT-R with a commemorative stamp set
On Monday Japan’s postal service released a set of commemorative stamps honoring the Nissan Skyline GT-R’s 50th anniversary. Technically, the 50th anniversary took place almost exactly one year ago, but better late than never, no? Of course, with this being … Continue reading
PIXELATED: Acura video game matches its graphics with the car’s era
We pooh-poohed Acura’s “Beat That” ad when it came out last October. A video game based on that spot, though? Well, that’s just undeniably cool. Here’s how you can play.
QotW: What’s your most romantic JNC story?
Valentine’s Day is almost upon us, and you know you have some romantic, steamy, or downright heartbreaking stories involving a JNC and a significant other. Maybe there was a date, relationship, or marriage that turned out particularly well (or ended … Continue reading
VIDEO: Chevy’s captive import Isuzu and Suzuki turbos were the bee’s knees
The 1980s were heady times. Even the smallest econoboxes coming out of Japan had sport-ified versions lavished with tech and gear that would have seemed at home on much higher-priced sports cars. Plus, both Isuzu and Suzuki were still operating … Continue reading
Toyota brought out stock and rally Celica GT-Fours to the GR Yaris debut
The Toyota GR Yaris seems like it will be an insanely awesome hot hatch, even if its connection to the Celica GT-Four is dubious. We said it smelled like a retcon, but we have to admit, when Toyota put all … Continue reading
Posted in Tokyo Auto Salon
Tagged A90, ae86, celica, corolla, corolla levin, Dakar Rally, GR Yaris, J200, land cruiser, rally, st165, SuperGT, supra, tokyo auto salon, toyota, TS050, wrc, yaris
8 Comments
VIDEO: Battle of the Japanese one-box vans
The sheer variety of Japan’s one-box vans are as mind-melting as their ubiquity. There are so many trims, options, and configurations that we could launch a sister site, JNV, to cover them all. Luckily, during the brief moment that they … Continue reading
QotW: How should Mazda celebrate its 100 birthday?
It’s not every day that a car company reaches 100 years of age. Of the Japanese companies still making cars today, only Daihatsu, Isuzu, Mitsubishi, and now Mazda have made it this far. It’s a momentous occasion that literally happens … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
15 Comments
Happy TA22 Day from JNC
Later this year, the original Toyota Celica will celebrate its 50th birthday. Perhaps we should paint one eye of a little red Japanese doll, set it on our shelf, and paint the other one when the Celica joins the 50 … Continue reading
Here’s how Mazda celebrated its 100th anniversary
Turning 100 years old is a tremendous milestone for anyone. Mazda celebrated with an understated gathering at their headquarters in Hiroshima. The entrance was arranged with two cars from Mazda’s past, and two from its present. Around them, the lobby … Continue reading
Here’s a kit to make the new Suzuki Jimny look like its great-grandfather
It should come as no surprise that the Suzuki Jimny is a popular car in Japan. It’s one of the coolest new cars you can buy there, and a vehicle whose purposeful engineering is at the core of its appeal. … Continue reading
