Author Archives: Ben Hsu
Toyota Celica revival confirmed by top exec
Rumors of a Celica return have been circulating for over a year and a half, but we finally have confirmation from the horse’s mouth. Or, rather, the mouth of a top Toyota exec who would know about such things. The … Continue reading
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The Mazdaspeed MX-5 Miata was a product of the tuner times
It’s funny to see how our beloved cars were reviewed when new. In the present we think of the Miata as standing heads and shoulders above rival sport compacts of the era. Cars like the EP Honda Civic Si, Ford … Continue reading
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Someone donated one of the rarest Mazda RX-7s to the Toyota Automobile Museum
As visitors to the Toyota Automobile Museum in Japan know, it’s not just a hall of Toyotas. The TAM is a museum that celebrates the history of all cars, and just happens to be founded and funded by Toyota. Cars … Continue reading
Honda transforms Tokyo headquarters showroom into Hot Wheels heaven
Everybody loves Hot Wheels, but it’s for some reason still rare for an automaker to fully embrace the little toys that create thousands of loyal customers for them. Recently, of all places, Honda Japan set up a homage to Mattel’s … Continue reading
Is Japan making fun of us by decorating their USDM-style cars with plastic bags and other garbage?
If you ever been to Japan you’ll notice that their cars, even the regular commuter ones, tend to be much cleaner than their US counterparts. Part of it is the strict roadworthiness inspections they have to undergo, but owners also … Continue reading
2025 CX-50 Hybrid: What happens when Toyota and Mazda join forces
We’ve long wondered what would happen when Mazda and Toyota finally teamed up. Mazda, the enthusiasts’ choice that carries the torch for true drivers outgunned in a cruel market of crossovers and electrification, and Toyota, the juggernaut which for years … Continue reading
Motorcycle racing pioneer, father of Prius, and more inducted into Japan Automotive Hall of Fame
The Japan Automotive Hall of Fame has selected its 2024 inductees. In addition to four vehicles of historical importance to Japan’s automotive history, the JAHoF has also selected five individuals whose work in the field are considered significant contributions to … Continue reading
QotW: Which JNC has the best-looking rear?
Today, November 4, is Butt Day in Japan. Now as you pick your brains up out of the gutter you should know that the holiday comes from the popular children’s character Detective Butt, who is a crime solver with a … Continue reading
Toyota Chaser is perfect pursuit vehicle in ‘Lonesome Hitman’
We’ve featured many classic car chases from Japanese film and cinema, but there has never been one with a car so fitting. In 1989’s Lonesome Hitman, the pursuing car is, in fact, a Toyota Chaser. With a name like that, … Continue reading
Next-gen GR Supra will reportedly be all-Toyota, with gasoline-hybrid power
Rumors about the next-generation Toyota Supra are swirling again. It’s good news for the purists this time around the rumor mill, because it’s saying the car will be an all-Toyota effort. Furthermore, it was believed that the GR Supra would … Continue reading
Kia has restored two Mazda-based examples of its earliest cars
The Korean auto industry has come a long way. So long, in fact, that they now have the luxury of looking back at their early history and honoring it by restoring a couple of the earliest Kia vehicles. At first … Continue reading
What would you pay for an ex-JGTC Toyota Supra?
The heyday of the All-Japan Grand Touring Championship marked a time when tuner culture hummed at fever pitch and racing machines were immortalized in the pixels of Gran Turismo. The A80 Toyota Supra was yet to be catapulted into movie … Continue reading
QotW: How do you clean old stains from floormats and carpets?
I’ll admit this QotW is purely for selfish reasons, but we are trying to do a deep clean on my AE86 and the carpets have very old stains from an unknown substance. We’ve tried everything — a Bissell carpet cleaner, … Continue reading
Karaoke has its origins in a 60-year-old car stereo
Today, October 17, is Karaoke Day in Japan. The date marks the establishment of the Japan Karaoke Association (JKA) on this day in 1994, exactly 30 years ago. Karaoke was named — along with kei cars, the Honda Super Cub, … Continue reading
Posted in Anniversaries
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QotW: What is your favorite form of motorsports, and what car would you compete in it with?
Today, October 14, is Sports Day in Japan. It was created in 1966 to commemorate the opening of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, an event that set off a massive infrastructure program — bullet trains, expressways, satellite broadcasting — that helped … Continue reading
Posted in Question of the Week
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Help Nissan find the stolen R32 Skyline GT-R from their Heritage Collection
Thieves suck. They all deserve to get the book thrown at them, but it’s especially painful when they steal something that isn’t just an easily replaceable mall crawling Kia. Down Under, some particularly brazen lowlifes has pilfered the R32 Skyline … Continue reading
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