Author Archives: Ben Hsu
QotW: What’s your greatest tale of JNC acquisition?
It’s getting harder and harder to buy a JNC for a song, but not impossible. Even as prices and general awareness about the value of old Japanese cars rise, once in a while you can still find a good deal. You … Continue reading
May the Fourth: Darth Vader drove a 428-horsepower Mitsubishi GTO 3000GT
So you’re the ultimate Sith Lord, second in command of a galaxy-spanning Empire. You have the entire might of the imperial fleet at your disposal. Still, sometimes you need to travel across planetary surfaces at great speed. What mode of transportation does … Continue reading
MINICARS: LS Collectibles’ 1:18 Toyota Celica Supra is now available for pre-order
Back in January we wrote about an exciting new series of 1:18-scale models of iconic Japanese cars of the 1980s. Made by LS Collectibles, they were still in the prototype phase, and the first one was the long-awaited A60 Toyota Celica Supra. The … Continue reading
MOTORSPORT: John Morton’s 240Z lap at Road Atlanta
The Mitty was this weekend, and Nissan was the featured marque. We’ll have a full report on what it’s like to race at Road Atlanta in a Datsun 240Z coming soon, but for now check out this video of John Morton … Continue reading
Happy TE51 Day from JNC
The third-gen Corolla Sport is under appreciated. So let’s appreciate it today, May 1, otherwise known as TE51 Day. May the Corolla gods smile upon you.
VIDEO: 30 years of the Suzuki Sidekick
It’s hard to believe, but the Suzuki Sidekick is 30 years old. In some markets it was called the Vitara, or Escudo, or Geo Tracker, but we know what it really was — a nonstop barrel of monkeys.
VIDEO: Soichiro Honda’s rousing speech explains “Why we Race”
Honda has released a video called “Why we Race.” The title is taken from an impassioned speech founder Soichiro Honda himself back in the day. Honda’s actual words is played over archival footage of Honda’s racing successes (and failures) from bikes at … Continue reading
Happy DNA Day from JNC
Today is National DNA Day, which celebrates the discovery, 65 years ago, of the double helix structure comprising life’s building blocks by James Watson, Francis Crick, Maurice Wilkins, and Rosalind Franklin. And while DNA usually applies to, you know, biological organisms, cars can … Continue reading
KIDNEY, ANYONE? 12k-mile EM1 Honda Civic Si sells for $24,000
It was only a few weeks ago that a near-new EM1 Honda Civic Si sold for $22,750. As far as we know, that was a record price for the much lauded 1999-2000 Civic Si, but in less than a month it … Continue reading
NEWS: Mitsubishi may bring back the Lancer as a crossover
Rumor on the street has it that Mitsubishi is bringing back the Lancer, a name used on its compact sedan for over 40 years, as a crossover. The idea is perhaps not as egregious as the Eclipse Cross, as the Lancer did famously have … Continue reading
KIDNEY, ANYONE? Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 Rallye Côte d’Ivoire winner
Before the Lancer Evolution, Mitsubishi’s AWD turbo rally warrior was the Galant VR-4. Starting in 1988 and until the launch of the Lancer Evo, Mitsubishi campaigned the Galant VR-4 in World Rally Championship races across Europe, earning the triple-diamond marque an early reputation for ruggedness and … Continue reading
Posted in for sale
Tagged Côte d’Ivoire, galant, Galant VR-4, kidney anyone, mitsubishi, rally
4 Comments
MINICARS: Charge your phone with a Fairlady Z
There are few phone accessories a boring as a portable charger battery, usually no more than a rectangular box with an LED light and a USB port. In Japan, however, you can now charge your phone with something a little more … Continue reading
VIDEO: A cartoon history of the Suzuki Alto and motorcycle business
After a brief hiatus, Suzuki is back with two new cartoon videos explaining how the company got where it is today. The first outlines the genesis of the Alto, a revered name in kei cars, and the second explains how … Continue reading
MOTORSPORT: Mitsubishi rally cars showcased at Megaweb
Though owned by Toyota, the Megaweb showcase in Odaiba, Tokyo and the adjacent History Garage offer much more than Aichi steel. Since last year, there has been a rotating exhibit of famous rally cars, often on loan from other automakers. Currently, it is Mitsubishi’s … Continue reading
Posted in motorsport
Tagged lancer, Lancer Evolution III, Megaweb, mitsubishi, rally, safari rally, wrc
8 Comments
OPEN THREAD: What did you think of JDM Legends episode 01?
The premiere episode of JDM Legends is airing on Velocity Channel on the west coast right now and has aired in most of the country. What did you think? Leave your comments in the open thread below.
JNC THEATER: Behind the scenes with JDM Legends on the eve of their Velocity Channel premiere
Until now, the world of automotive-themed television shows has been pretty lackluster when it comes to Japanese cars. That’s all about to change with the Velocity Channel’s JDM Legends, titled after the Utah shop of the same name and premiering tomorrow, April 17. … Continue reading
Posted in JNC Theater, Video Games
Tagged 240z, datsun, Eric Bizek, fairlady z, jdm legends, mazda, nissan, rx-7, S30Z, sa22, skyline, toyota
25 Comments
NEWS: Toyota launches bare-bones Land Cruiser
As lovers of nostalgic cars, a common gripe is that modern machines have too many bells and whistles, too many electronic nannies that stand between you and the driving experience. As it turns out, Toyota has heard your sad cries and just released … Continue reading
Posted in News
Tagged J150, land cruiser, Land Cruiser Prado, lexus, Lexus GX, toyota, trucks
10 Comments
Happy 411 Day from JNC
Even in Japan, the Nissan Bluebird 411 is a rare sight. Make it a wagon and it’s doubly rare. This example was positively mint, though, seemingly brought to modern Tokyo via time machine. Happy 411 Day from JNC!
NEWS: Leaked Mazda document reveals 181 horsepower for 2019 MX-5
A document disclosing mid-generational changes to the Mazda MX-5 has leaked. The paper reveals a fairly significant bump to 181 horsepower and 151 lb-ft of torque, up from the current 155 horses and 148 lb-ft. Here’s the details on how they squeezed more juice … Continue reading
