Author Archives: Ben Hsu
VIDEO: Watch the first Honda car built for the US get restored
The discovery and restoration of the first Honda car ever built for the US market is like an Indiana Jones story for car nuts. Not only did the car find its way to the right owner, Honda N600 and Z600 … Continue reading
QotW: What’s the best JNC for open-top cruising?
As of yesterday, Toyota became the only Japanese carmaker to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans twice, but when it came time to escort the colossal trophy around Circuit de la Sarthe, they had to go with a 1987 … Continue reading
MOTORSPORT: Toyota’s Celica Convertible Le Mans Trophy Car
As is tradition before each year’s running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the previous year’s champion gets to do a little parade lap showing off the towering trophy they have. The prize then gets delivered to FIA officials … Continue reading
TOYOTAFEST SPOTLIGHT: One-owner Supra
Every once in a while you run into a car that simply drops your jaw. At this year’s Toyotafest, one of those cars was Gary Toomer’s 1984 Toyota Celica Supra. It looked as it it had rolled straight out of … Continue reading
BIKES: Kawasaki re-releases retro W800 motorcycle
Kawasaki has re-released the W800, a vertical-twin motorcycle inspired by the original Kawasaki W-series built from 1965 to 1974. The W800 is said to not only take its layout and look from its predecessors, but its riding feel and sound … Continue reading
EVENTS: All-Toyotafest, Part 04 — Starlets & Tercels
Over the years even traditional, Camry-hating mainstream car enthusiasts have come to appreciate some Toyotas, your Celicas, MR2s, and FR Corollas. However, when it comes to the marque’s most diminutive compacts, the love still tends to emanate only from the … Continue reading
SHOWA SNAP: Nagoya, 1972
The Nagoya TV Tower was completed in June of 1954 is one of the key landmarks of the central Japanese city. In this photo from 1972, a lineup of taxis before it have the typical Toyota Crowns and Nissan Cedrics, … Continue reading
VIDEO: Dirt track oval racing in Japan
Dirt track racing is stupid fun, doing with real cars essentially what every kid does with Hot Wheels. That, apparently, is true no matter what country you’re from. Back in the day, with plenty of big, rear-wheel-drive cars available for … Continue reading
Posted in motorsport
Tagged Cima, gloria, mark II, nissan, Option Video, r31, skyline, soarer, supra, toyota, x70
4 Comments
EVENTS: All-Toyotafest 2019, Part 02 — Fun Fours
This year’s Toyotafest was headlined by the many generations of Supra in support of the A90’s debut. With all the focus on the new six-cylinder sports car, let’s not forget that Toyota has built plenty of fun fours. More and … Continue reading
MOTORSPORT: Three Paris-Dakar drivers are reunited with the Mitsubishis they raced to victory
The sun is setting on the Mitsubishi Pajero, but before the legendary nameplate enters twilight, the company is honoring its many successes in the Paris-Dakar Rally. A new video released by Mitsubishi Motors titled “The Spirit of Pajero” highlights the … Continue reading
Posted in motorsport
Tagged Hiroshi Masuoka, Luc Alphand, mitsubishi, montero, pajero, Paris-Dakar Rally, Patrick Zaniroli
7 Comments
EVENTS: All-Toyotafest 2019, Part 01 — Real Supras
The theme of this year’s All-Toyotafest was, unavoidably, Supra. The 24th gathering of the Toyota Owners and Restorers Club featured generations of this one model on the offiical merchandise and promotional materals this year. Toyota gave many of the attendees … Continue reading
VIDEO: 60 years of Honda at the Isle of Man TT
The Isle of Man Tourist Trophy is perhaps the world’s most famous motorcycle race. Honda won its first constructors’ championship there in 1959, thanks to their RC141 and RC142 race bikes. It’s been 60 years since, and today the marque … Continue reading
SHOWA SNAP: Ginza, Tokyo, 1971
The clock tower of the Wako department store has seen countless cars pass beneath its face. Standing over one of the busiest intersections of Tokyo, the 4-chome crossing in Ginza, since 1932, it even predates times when cars were common … Continue reading
Happy S30 Day from JNC
2019 is a very special year for the Nissan Fairlady Z. The iconic sports car turns 50 this year, a huge milestone for the iconic sports car that changed the very notion of what a sports car could be. Along … Continue reading
NEWS: Acura might bring back the Legend
A beloved Acura nameplate might be making a comeback. Honda has filed a trademark application for the word “Legend” in the category of vehicles with the Europe’s intellectual property office. The speculation, of course, is that it would be applied … Continue reading
JNC THEATER: Sarah Connor saves the day with an 80-Series Land Cruiser in the new Terminator: Dark Fate trailer
If you’re going to spend your life fighting unstoppable robots from a post-apocalyptic hellscape, there’s probably no better vehicle to drive than a Toyota Land Cruiser. It’s tough as nails, can go anywhere and, most importantly, is dead reliable. There’s … Continue reading
JNC THEATER: Hot Version is coming to Amazon Prime with English subtitles, floodly!
Hot Version, the Best Motoring spinoff about Japan’s top tuner cars, is headed to Amazon Prime with English subtitles. They might not be good subtitles per se, if the promo video in which they promise “Episodes will be added floodly … Continue reading
