Author Archives: Ben Hsu
NEWS: First official images of 4th-gen Suzuki Jimny released
Suzuki has finally released official images of the fourth-generation Suzuki Jimny, the first update to the mini-SUV in 20 years. They confirm much of what we’ve already seen from spy shots, that the trucklet sports charmingly retro design and real off-roader … Continue reading
MOTORSPORT: Toyota wins the 24 Hours of Le Mans
Toyota has finally won the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The Aichi automaker broke their long-running curse at one of the world’s most prestigious races this morning, when their two TS050 race cars crossed the finish line in 1-2 position. Though it must have been satisfying … Continue reading
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Tagged Gazoo Racing Super Sport Concept, Kazuki Nakajima, le mans, toyota, TS010, TS020, TS050
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NEWS: Toyota confirms production of 986-horsepower supercar
Toyota has confirmed that the 986-horsepower (1,000 DIN hp) Gazoo Racing Super Sport Concept will enter production. At a press conference ahead of the 86th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Gazoo Racing president Shigeki Tomoyama revealed that development has already … Continue reading
NEWS: It’s probably not a good idea to speed in Japan anymore
A Nissan GT-R patrol car is now on duty in Japan. At a ceremony today, the country’s fastest pursuit vehicle was donated by Nissan to the Tochigi Prefectural police department. The gift marked 50 years of operations of Nissan’s Kaminokawa, Tochigi factory, … Continue reading
KIDNEY, ANYONE? The actual Honda Today from You’re Under Arrest is for sale
Today, we have a very special Today. Specifically, it’s a Honda Today painted like the star car of the You’re Under Arrest series. Even more specifically, it’s the actual Honda Today used in the live-action adaptation of Kosuke Fujishima’s popular manga.
It would be great if Toyota sold stuff like this AE86 sweat shirt again
Back in 2003, my brother and I went on our first trip to Japan. Being the Toyotaku that I am (and especially fanatical about AE86s), one of the first things on our agenda was hitting up Toyota’s Megaweb showroom in Tokyo. At the … Continue reading
NEWS: Honda is bringing Cubs and Monkeys to the US
We were pretty torn up when Honda announced in April 2017 that it would discontinue its Monkey motorcycle by the end of the summer, especially when it was the 50th anniversary of the 50cc mini-bike. The reason given was that it was too hard … Continue reading
MOTORSPORT: The Toyota 86 in classic Le Mans liveries
In preparation for the this year’s running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Toyota has decked out a trio of 86 sport coupes in the racing colors of former contenders. A win at the famed endurance race has proven to be a heartbreaking … Continue reading
NEWS: Mazda Miata gets major horsepower increase, high-revving redline
Mazda is about to give the MX-5 Miata a significant bump in horsepower, and a screaming redline to go with it. The move to increase output from the current 155 horsepower to a reported 181, all the while pushing the redline to … Continue reading
Toyotafest Spotlight: A true kaido racer on American soil
“We used to do this with hot rods,” said Shige Suganuma, president of Mooneyes, as I pointed out the unmissable Mark II kaido racer in the Cressida section at Toyotafest. We were walking the grounds, and he recalled how, during the Bubble Era, his … Continue reading
VIDEO: Jay Leno drives a Hakosuka GT-R four-door
Jay Leno has driven cars that would make any motorhead jealous, but in the most recent episode of his online show Jay Leno’s Garage, America’s most famous car collector gets wowed by what is perhaps the ultimate sleeper classic, the Nissan Skyline … Continue reading
EVENTS: All-Toyotafest 2018, Part 02 — Supras
To the general public, Toyota may be most well-known for its sedans, but for enthusiasts another five-letter word that begins with an S calls to them: Supra. For four generations the mighty flagship sports car of Aichi has been a petrolhead’s dream. At … Continue reading
JNC THEATER: Datsun 510 spotted in Bumblebee trailer
Paramount Pictures has just released the Bumblebee trailer, and we couldn’t help but notice a BRE-themed Datsun 510 lurking in the background. It’s not the first time a Datsun 510 has made an appearance in the Transformers film universe, and though we hope … Continue reading
EVENTS: All-Toyotafest 2018, Part 01 — Sedans
If there’s one thing Toyota is known for, it’s sedans. Yes, the Camry is basically the default car that pops into most brains when the word “sedan” is uttered, but Toyota also has a mean portfolio of old school, rear-wheel-drive mobbers. From Cressida … Continue reading
MINICARS: Apparently you can get kaido racers from a vending machine in Japan
You can get almost anything in a vending machine in Japan, and now that apparently includes toy kaido racers. Just drop in ¥1,000 (approximately $10 USD) and out comes your 1:64-scale bosozoku-style minicars.
Toyotafest is this Saturday
Just a reminder: The 2018 Toyotafest is tomorrow, June 2 at Marina Green Park in Long Beach, California. It promises to be the largest one yet. There are over 550 slabs of Aichi steel registered for this event, plus vendors, special displays, … Continue reading
NEWS: Retro fourth-gen Suzuki Jimny leaked ahead of July debut
Though it has been on the market for nearly 50 years, the stalwart Suzuki Jimny has had only three complete generational changes. The fourth generation of the kei SUV debuts this July, but renderings based on leaked information in Japan’s Best … Continue reading
