Author Archives: Steve Chang
Jay Leno drives a flawlessly restored Nissan Fairlady Z
Jay Leno has driven his share of Datsuns, but for some reason they’ve all been heavily modified. Finally, on the latest episode of his Jay Leno’s Garage channel on YouTube, he has the opportunity to get behind the wheel of a … Continue reading
QotW: Who deserves to be in the JNC Hall of Fame?
Last week we wrote about two great men from Japanese motoring history. Former president of Toyota Shoichiro Toyoda passed away, while co-founder of Honda Takeo Fujisawa was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame. That got us thinking about creating … Continue reading
Toyota AE86 Hydrogen and Electric Concepts: build video and driving impressions
Toyota’s twin AE86 concepts, one powered by hydrogen fuel and one powered by electrons, were unveiled at the Tokyo Auto Salon earlier this year. Toyota has released some additional materials about the cars, including the images you see here, as … Continue reading
Posted in Tokyo Auto Salon, Video
Tagged ae86, corolla, corolla levin, sprinter trueno, toyota
3 Comments
Mazda made a chocolate Miata for Valentine’s Day
Picking out a spot-on Valentine’s Day gift is never easy but as it is in all aspects of life, Miata is always the answer. Forget flowers, if I found a chocolate Miata like this wrapped in a bow on V-Day … Continue reading
This Toyota AE86 gets 40 mpg with its original gasoline engine
There has been a lot of buzz about the pair of alternative energy AE86s that Toyota unveiled at the Tokyo Auto Salon. However, even before Akio Toyoda‘s big reveal there’s been other efforts at making an environmentally friendly AE86. Specifically, … Continue reading
Mitsubishi vintage WRC and Dakar footage posted in massive video dump
Well this was unexpected. Just when you thought Mitsubishi was content selling Mirages and Eclipse Crosses, they unleash a bunch of footage from when the company still had guts. Though short, each video features raw clips of Lancers, Starions, Galant … Continue reading
Toyota Century SUV rumored by end of 2023
Shocking rumors out of Japan claim that Toyota is working on what is internally being called a Century SUV. Since 1967 the nameplate has been attached to Toyota’s flagship luxury sedan, often chauffeur-driven and sold only to elite customers. But … Continue reading
QotW: What Japan-market car from 1998 would you import?
It’s a new year, and that means a whole new roster of formerly forbidden Japan-market cars are now eligible for import. The 25-year federal prohibition on cars built in 1998 is now lifted. So what will it be, a Honda … Continue reading
Gran Turismo movie trailer promises amazing camerawork
Sony dropped a first look at the upcoming Gran Turismo movie at CES, and we’re frankly shocked. The glimpses we get of on-track footage show some of the best racing camerawork we’ve seen in ages. Not only does it capture … Continue reading
An ND Miata morphs into Mazda RX-3 convertible for Tokyo Auto Salon
The Tokyo Auto Salon is approaching, and that means it’s time for some truly stupendous vehicular creations to emerge from the Nihon Automobile College. This year, Japan’s future automotive technicians are bringing a Mazda RX-3 convertible to the tuning extravaganza. … Continue reading
Gran Turismo, now 25 years old, promoted virtual racing but real car culture
On December 23, 1997 the automotive world was forever changed with the launch of Gran Turismo. The Playstation game didn’t just redefine the racing genre; it exported real life Japanese car culture worldwide. Less than one in five households in … Continue reading
Toyota Celica GT-Four ST205 not banned from Gran Turismo 7
Gran Turismo 7‘s December update is here and the Toyota Celica GT-Four has joined the party. Though infamously banned from the WRC in 1995 for using an illegal turbo restrictor plate, the ST205 is still an iconic car, perhaps even … Continue reading
Toyota 2000GT mouse gives you ultimate cursor control
If you’re looking for something to jazz up your desktop with a little nostalgia, Japanese company Faith might have just the right product for you: a Toyota 2000GT mouse. The wireless pointing device is a scale model of Toyota’s iconic … Continue reading
Barn find Toyota Celica is Stephan Papdakis’ next project
For those who grew up in the Tuner Era, Stephan Papadakis needs no introduction. A pioneer in the import drag racing scene, his tube-frame Hondas broke records and were a regular presence in tuning magazines of the day. With his … Continue reading
Nissan 350Z, Toyota Truck, Suzuki Cappuccino are cars to invest in, says Hagerty
Hagerty has published its annual Bull Market list, next year’s “hottest collector vehicles” according to the classic car insurance company. Out of the ten cars (and one motorcycle) three hail from the land of the rising sun. Let’s see which … Continue reading
Posted in News
Tagged cappuccino, fairlady z, kei, N60, nissan, suzuki, toyota, toyota truck, trucks, z33
4 Comments
Barn find FD Mazda RX-7 R2 with 8,800 miles washed for the first time in 23 years
Since it’s Car Wash Day in Japan, we thought it was only appropriate to share this video of an amazing barn find FD Mazda RX-7 washed for the first time in over two decades. According to the video by WD … Continue reading
Posted in Video
3 Comments
Mitsubishi Starion’s first wash in 26 years is extremely satisfying
The Mitsubishi Starion might look like a boxy, uncomplicated car to clean from afar. But all those straight lines must intersect in corners, and those many little nooks can be a real pain to keep spotless. Most 80s cars are … Continue reading
