Author Archives: Ben Hsu
Tokyo Motor Show: A history of Honda in rap
For the Tokyo Motor Show, Honda released a rap video titled “The Power of Dreams.” We don’t know why, except that it was a collab between Honda and the Japanese rap group Scha Dara Parr, in which they shout out … Continue reading
50 YEAR CLUB: Nissan Fairlady Z / Datsun 240Z
Fifty years ago today at The Pierre hotel in New York City, the automotive world was forever changed when Nissan unveiled the Datsun 240Z. The occasion was the car’s international press launch, where Western journalists got to see the game-changing … Continue reading
Posted in 50 Year Club
Tagged 240z, 240Z/260Z/280Z, datsun, fairlady z, nissan, s30 z, Yoshihiko Matsuo, yutaka katayama
18 Comments
QotW: Will the sport compact style make a nostalgic comeback?
Ah, the late-90s. You know the style: retina searing paint, aftermarket roll call down the door, a wing that could double as a dining surface, unpainted carbon fiber proudly on display, Kanji that looked like the default font from a … Continue reading
The new Lupin III trailer has Bluebird-Cedric police cars
There’s a new Lupin III movie coming out, and the latest trailer shows a car chase with some classic Japanese police cars. At first glance they appear to be 510 Bluebird Coupes, but of course, it would be kind of … Continue reading
Japan slammed by worst typhoon in 60 years
Japan is still trying to assess the damage done by Typhoon Hagibis over the weekend. According to the Japan Times, the death toll is up to 68, and rescue crews are working around the clock to find more survivors. The … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged 180sx, altezza, gloria, J70, land cruiser, mark II, nissan, s13, S15, silvia, toyota, x70, y31
5 Comments
Drift back to school with an Initial D AE86 backpack
It’s hard getting up for class but when you’re wearing a snazzy AE86 backpack, you can slide to school in style. Forget your Jansport, a Japanese shop has made a replica of the Initial D Toyota Sprinter Trueno for all … Continue reading
QotW: What car must be saved before they’re all gone?
As much as we love Skylines, Zs, RX-7s, Supras, 2000GTs, and so on, perhaps there really isn’t a need to rescue them all, since there are so many well-preserved examples out there already. Or maybe there is, if it’s a … Continue reading
VIDEO: A first look at the new heritage gallery at Nissan’s Yokohama headquarters
As we reported in September, Nissan has opened a permanent heritage section at its headquarters building in Yokohama. Now, the company has released footage from the grand opening, giving us a first video look at the display.
2019 Japanese Classic Car Show, Part 05 — Toyota fans save the day
Before Toyota moved to Texas, their displays were always a centerpiece of JCCS. A massive enclosed trailer would bring a truck-full of the Toyota USA Museum’s rolling treasures to the show. Now, with the company’s headquarters several states away and, … Continue reading
2019 Japanese Classic Car Show, Part 04 — For Nissan, it’s the fans that make the marque
For Nissan, it was supposed to be a huge year. 2019 marked the 50th birthday of not only two nameplates iconic for Nissan, but for the automotive kingdom as a whole, the GT-R and the Z. However, Nissan is also … Continue reading
Posted in events
6 Comments
QotW: What’s your best advice for a JNC road trip?
Driving an old car for any distance can be a challenge. It’s not like hopping into a late model Camry with a cup of coffee and a bag of beef jerky and pointing that Toyota logo where you want to … Continue reading
Toyota has sold its 10 millionth Land Cruiser, celebrates in Japan and Europe but not US
Toyota is celebrating the sale of its 10 millionth worldwide sale of the venerable Land Cruiser. The longest serving nameplate not only in the Toyota lineup, but among all Japanese marques, it has taken 68 years for the go-anywhere truck … Continue reading
Watch some classic Acura sports cars get abused for a mediocre ad
For its last several generation cycles, Acura has been trying to find a brand identity. The cancellation of the Integra/RSX, the long hiatus of the NSX, and the adoption of various corporate grilles haven’t done it any favors. More recently, … Continue reading
Suzuki’s retro concept revives the dream of the Pulsar EXA
Suzuki has released images of its upcoming concepts for the Tokyo Motor Show, and they are pretty much bonkers. The most interesting one to JNCers will no doubt be the WakuSpo Concept, a small retro car that picks up where … Continue reading
Nissan opens permanent heritage gallery at Yokohama headquarters
Those who have been to Nissan’s headquarters building in Yokohama have no doubt experienced the gleaming showroom on the ground floor. The area displayed new, classic, and race cars, but whether visitors were welcomed by a fleet of vintage Skylines … Continue reading
Posted in Galleries
Tagged csp311, datsun, Datsun Type 14, masahiro hasemi, nissan, nissan gallery yokohama, prince, silvia, skyline sport
8 Comments
How to eat a GT-R for lunch: The R32 sandwich grill
Even if you absolutely love Nissan Skyline GT-Rs, and I think most of us do, it can still be difficult to incorporate them into every single aspect of your life. For example, it’s not really possible to enjoy GT-R life … Continue reading
BIKES: Honda is selling a retro CB1100 RS cafe racer
To mark the 50th anniversary of the game-changing CB750, also known as the world’s first superbike, Honda UK is selling a limited run of retro motorcycles based off the CB750’s successor, the CB1100 RS. Only 54 of the cafe racer-inspired … Continue reading
KIDNEY, ANYONE? Almost brand new “New Silvia”
The S10 Nissan Silvia is an already rare car. Sold in the US as the Datsun 200SX, American-spec safety bumpers marred its clean lines, giving it an undeserved reputation as one of the ugliest cars Nissan ever made. Few in … Continue reading
