Author Archives: Ben Hsu
QotW: What modern car will be a collectible JNC 25 years from now?
Owners of classics love to complain about new cars. Not enough soul, too much tech, not enough value, too much weight, and so on. But, there are perhaps a few offerings that you would like to own, maybe even deem … Continue reading
VIDEO: Jay Leno compares a new Honda Cub with the original
When it comes to Japanese vehicles, Jay Leno’s Garage has been most entertaining when they’ve been about Honda bikes. The host has a true affinity for them in a way that’s not always there when he’s talking about, say, a … Continue reading
QotW: What’s the longest road trip you’ve taken with your JNC?
Summer is a time for road trips, and there is perhaps no greater reward in life than making a journey in a car that you’ve built yourself, or cared for lovingly, or when even your timely arrival is not guaranteed. … Continue reading
Celebrating 40 years of Toyota Racing Development USA
These days TRD USA’s primary focus is with NASCAR and dressing up some trucks, but back in the 80s and 90s, it was a Toyotaku’s dream come true. Founded in 1979, it’s celebrating its 40th anniversary and looking back at … Continue reading
VIDEO: A tour of Nissan’s Zama warehouse
Nissan’s Zama warehouse is a 400-plus collection of historic, racing and concept cars, a living catalog of the company’s long history. It used to be closed to the public, and only those with a special invitation could see the cars. … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged c210, fairlady z, nissan, nissan zama warehouse, s130, skyline
4 Comments
KIDNEY, ANYONE? The Corolla that started it all
The Toyota Corolla is the best selling nameplate in automotive history. It’s a household name, recognizable around the world to car enthusiast and normie alike, and has been produced for 12 generations and 53 years consecutively. Go back to its … Continue reading
VIDEO: Jay Leno drives another Datsun 510
On the latest episode of Jay Leno’s Garage, the host welcomes the prototypical hot rod for our generation. Leno mentions that for his era, it was the ’32 Ford, but for Millennials, it’s the Datsun 510. He may have been … Continue reading
QotW: What are your summer plans with your JNC?
It’s the heart of summer, at least for those of us living in the northern hemisphere, and the perfect occasion to spend a little time with our cars. Whether it’s some basic maintenance, digging into the rebuild of a major … Continue reading
Behold Miataland, the Miata-themed hotel in Italy
Any tour of Italy would have to include the Ferrari factory collections in Modena and Maranello, the Lamborghini museum in Bologna, or even the Museo Nazionale dell’Automobile in Turin. But if you’re looking for a small slice of JNC worship, … Continue reading
TUNE UP: E20 Corolla spotted in Bad Bunny and Drake video
There is an E20 Toyota Corolla in the music video for “Mia” by Bad Bunny featuring Drake. The song actually came out late last year, but because we are Teh Olds and hail from a time when a drake was … Continue reading
MARKETWATCH: Another A80 Supra Turbo sells for record price at $176,000
Values of the A80 Toyota Supra Turbo keeps climbing. Over the weekend, another example sold at auction for prices well into the 6-digit range. This time, the gavel came down at $176,000, a new record.
VIDEO: The great tragedy of the Geo Storm Wagonback
“These small sports wagons were popular with growing families who needed more room but didn’t want to give up their sports car lifestyle,” says Motorweek host John H. Davis of 1960s cars like the MG B GT and Volvo P1800. … Continue reading
QotW: What’s the best US-built or US-market JNC?
The conventional wisdom says that the best Japanese cars were reserved for the home market, but that’s not always true. We may not have gotten the Skyline GT-Rs and triple-rotor Cosmos, but there were cases where we Yanks got more … Continue reading
NEWS: Mitsubishi Motors relocating North American headquarters to Tennessee
Mitsubishi Motors is relocating their North American headquarters to Franklin, Tennessee. The move was announced by Tennessee governor Bill Lee today. The change of address is expected to strengthen Mitsubishi’s tie-up with Nissan, which moved to Franklin in 2006.
VIDEO: The Mitsubishi Diamante was a diamond in the rough
Mitsubishi didn’t have the budget to launch an entire upscale brand like Lexus or Infiniti. But, it had the know-how to build cars that were competitive in that class save for the badge. The Mitsubishi Diamante is largely forgotten now, … Continue reading
Toyotafest Spotlight: Our favorite car of the show
Just when you think you’ve seen it all, a unicorn appears out of nowhere. It has always been a rare sight, even at Toyotafest and JCCS, to find any A10 Toyota Carina. To observe one as clean as Nestor Rabanal’s? … Continue reading
QotW: What non-car item is essential for your JNC life?
As JNCers we often pride ourselves on needing the absolute minimum in order to enjoy our cars. No touchscreens, power seats, or cupholders required. However, once in a while there comes an item it’s hard to live without, such as … Continue reading
Toyotafest Spotlight: This mint Starlet was once part of the Toyota USA Museum
We’ve already covered the Starlets from this year’s Toyotafest, but there was one particular example we had to point out. It’s not that it was bone stock, or flawless, or a rare 3C5 Coral Metallic color, though it was all … Continue reading
Happy 620 Day from JNC
It’s time to celebrate the little pickup that was fit for a King. Or a King Cab, at least. Happy 620 Day from JNC!
NEWS: Honda restores a Chevy pickup
It is an extremely rare event for us at JNC to feature a non-Japanese car. Even more rare is when an automaker spends its hard-earned money to restore a car made by one of its competitors. But that’s exactly what … Continue reading
