Author Archives: Steve Chang

QotW: Daily, Garage, or Sell — Transformers, Go-Bots, or MASK

Welcome to another edition of Daily, Garage, or Sell, JNC‘s version of FMK. We’ve asked the question of 90s roadsters, flagship sedans, 80s drifters and more, but this time we’re turning our attention to 80s toys with their own cartoon … Continue reading

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Weds Wheels debuts steelies for kei cars and vans

Forged alloys take the cake when it comes to pure function, but there’s always going to be something sinister about a set of steelies. Recognizing that steel wheels are from the factory these days, Weds Wheels has developed a steelie … Continue reading

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QotW: What’s the most scenic place you’ve driven to?

Today, July 21, marks two important days of commemoration in Japan. The first is Natural Parks Day, remembering the day in 1957 when the Natural Parks Act was passed in order to protect and promote Japan’s national parks. The second … Continue reading

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Jack White continues to exude cool with his latest ride

As we know all too well in the automotive realm, money does not buy taste. That’s not the case for musician Jack White. Despite a net worth deep into the 8-digit range, his vehicle choice is absolutely brilliant. In a … Continue reading

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Mugen CF-48 wheel returns in very limited quantities

Mugen has announced a remake of its famed CF-48 wheel. Renowned for its functionality. the original was frequently found on tuned Hondas in the 80s, such as CRX, City, and EA/EF Civic. As with anything Mugen, they are pretty rare … Continue reading

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QotW: What’s your favorite JNC for open air driving?

It’s summer and time for open top cruising. Japanese mrques haven’t traditionally been known for convertibles, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t good options for being at one with the elements. Let’s include T-tops, targas, canvas tops, and other assorted … Continue reading

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Channel your inner Bunta with an official ‘Initial D’ Zippo lighter

An official Initial D-themed Zippo has been released in Japan. The classic cigarette lighter depicts scenes from one of the manga’s most famous battles — between Takumi Fujiwara’s Toyota AE86 against the Todo School’s EK9 Honda Civic Type R — … Continue reading

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Toyota’s revived GR Celica will be mid-engined, confusing fans

It’s pretty much assumed by now that Toyota will bring back the Celica, it’s just a matter of when. But a new report out of Japan comes with an extra dose of “what?” as well. Apparently, this new Celica will … Continue reading

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‘Subaru and Subaru’ promises to unite the worlds of ‘Initial D’ and ‘MF Ghost’

Subaru and Subaru, the sequel to Initial D and MF Ghost, launches in a few weeks. As the debut approaches, the series’ plot summary and setting has emerged. Apparently it will take place after the events of MF Ghost, in … Continue reading

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Toyota Land Cruisers at Tokyo Outdoor Show to promote 60, 70, and 80 series GR Heritage Parts

Toyota entered the Tokyo Outdoor Show over the weekend with a pair of classic Land Cruisers. The trucks, an FJ40 and FJ60, hailed from the Toyota Automobile Museum’s collection and have undergone impeccable restorations. They were on site to promote … Continue reading

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Toyota built a one-off open-top Century SUV for sumo champions

Is the Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet too common for you? Toyota might just have the ultimate droptop crossover in the form of the Century SUV. The bad news is, there’s only one in the entire world, and you have to be … Continue reading

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Iconic SP will be “a good successor for RX-7” says top Mazda exec

Few companies are making pure, timelessly beautiful sports cars any more. The Mazda Iconic SP might be the very last one that uses gasoline, if it gets made. A few more details about it have surfaced, and it seems like … Continue reading

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Initial D creator to debut Subaru-centric manga set in the Fujiwara universe

With MF Ghost having concluded and the 30th anniversary of Initial D fast approaching, author Shuichi Shigeno has announced a new manga. Subaru and Subaru will take place in the same universe his two previous street racing epics and will … Continue reading

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Aussies know how to make a Toyota Land Cruiser commercial

A new commercial from Toyota Australia proves that it’s possible to hawk the Land Cruiser. It has just the right amount of heritage and humor, and it shows a bunch of Cruisers tearing through the Outback. It’s much better than … Continue reading

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J-tin abounds in Sabrina Carpenter’s latest music video

We suspect most of our readers are not in the Sabrina Carpenter demographic, but there’s no denying she’s one of the biggest pop stars in music right now. Her music video for ‘Manchild’ debuted on June 6 and it plays … Continue reading

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A closer look at the Tommykaira ZZII prototype

At the turn of the century Tommykaira was on the verge of building a Japanese supercar. Gran Turismo players may remember the Tommykaira ZZII as a super light, mid-engined, all-wheel-drive weapon that decimated the competition. Sadly, that was as far … Continue reading

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QotW: What’s the best rig for a novice off-roader?

Carefully plotting every tire placement through a rock-strewn trail at tortoise-like speeds can be just as exhilarating as perfectly connecting apex after apex to shave a tenth of a second off your lap time. And as it happens, today, June … Continue reading

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UD Trucks celebrates 90th anniversary

The company today known as UD Trucks was established in 1935. This year they’re kicking off a 90th anniversary campaign to celebrate nearly a century of trucks. The large truck and bus maker was founded by Kenzo Adachi in Saitama … Continue reading

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QotW: What’s your best/worst dealership story?

Today is apparently the first ever National Automotive Dealer Day. Love ’em or hate ’em, dealerships are a part of life. We suspect that most people don’t like spending a lot of time in them, but  if you love cars … Continue reading

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QotW: What’s the craziest odometer reading you’ve ever seen?

Today, May 12, is National Odometer Day. The modern odometer is credited to William Clayton, a Mormon pioneer who attached a mileage counting device to his horse-drawn wagon in 1847. The device tracked wagon wheel’s number of revolutions as his … Continue reading

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