Author Archives: Steve Chang

Brand new Nissan SR20 engines will soon be available in Japan

A company in Japan will soon start making brand new SR20 engines. While they’re not technically from Nissan, like the remade Skyline GT-R parts and NISMO gauge clusters are, the motors are being made with Nissan’s blessing. Mercury Enterprise, a … Continue reading

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Collect the 100 most significant Japanese cars in 1/64 scale

By now JNC readers are probably familiar with large-scale subscription model kits. Iconic cars like the Nissan Skyline GT-R or Toyota AE86 are common subject matter, with a few pieces mailed to you each week over a period of about … Continue reading

Posted in minicars | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

KIDNEY, ANYONE? 1973 Mazda Luce with less than 4,000 miles

When considering the list of 6-figure Japanese cars, the Mazda RX-4 isn’t typically a chart topper. When new it was considered too heavy for its rotary engine, especially compared to its RX-3 and RX-2 stablemates. But man, it was a … Continue reading

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A Toyota Corona runs from the law in Assassin

Almost exactly 40 years ago, on September 15, 1982, the movie Assassin was released in Japan. The plot was loosely based on the Setouchi Seajack Incident of 1970, one of the country’s most notorious hostage situations at the time. In … Continue reading

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Watching an immaculate 1,500-mile Mazda Miata get even cleaner is extremely satisfying

You might think that a 1990 Mazda Miata with only 1,500 miles on the odometer would not need a thorough detailing. Especially when that Miata was lovingly cared for by its original owner and is so “new” that even its … Continue reading

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QotW: Which JNC looks best in black?

Today, September 6, is Black Day in Japan. A number of businesses producing black goods promote their wares on this day, so it’s a good day to wear black clothes, eat black Kagoshima pork, or indulge your inner goth. It’s … Continue reading

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Travis Pastrana’s Subaru GL Wagon takes on Goodwood

Subaru has released a short film about taking their 1983 Subaru GL Wagon to the Goodwood Festival of Speed. The 15-minute video goes behind the scenes and into the mind of driver Travis Pastrana as the team set out to … Continue reading

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Oops, someone has already wrecked a new Nissan Z

As you read this the Nissan Z is just arriving at dealers, but the first documented crash involving the new 400-horsepower sports car has already occurred. As it happens, the Z configurator went live on Nissan’s US site only two … Continue reading

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QotW: Daily, Garage, Sell — Roadster Edition

Welcome to another edition of Daily, Garage, Sell, JNC‘s version of Bang, Marry, Kill. You are presented with three cars. One is going to be your daily beater no matter what the weather, distance, or cost. Another will be parked in your … Continue reading

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Rate This Ad: Subaru intensifies the Eurobeat with Initial D-style ads

An illustrated car speeds down a mountain road at night. That image will forever be linked to the artistic style of Shuichi Shigeno. The Initial D creator captured the thrill and speed of Japan’s underground touge battles even when it … Continue reading

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Toyota Land Cruisers sure are starring in a lot of movies and TV shows these days

I don’t get the chance to watch a lot of movies or TV, but even with my limited media consumption I’ve seen a ton of Toyota Land Cruisers appearing in all types shows. They’re not just retro background decoration, either. … Continue reading

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Toyota Supra successor rumored to spawn Mazda rotary variant

According to reports out of Japan, Toyota is reportedly working on a new sports car to be released sometime in 2026, around the time the current GR Supra is scheduled to sunset. The next version will allegedly be an electric … Continue reading

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Rate This Ad: Nissan off-roads through the decades

A new Nissan commercial takes viewers on a ride through the decades. Titled “60 Years in 30 Seconds”, it features spokeswoman Brie Larson time-jumping from the 1959 to present day in various Nissans. If you think that sounds familiar, it’s … Continue reading

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QotW: What is the most “Japanese” car?

On this day 45 years ago, August 8, 1977, the fifth-generation Nissan Skyline debuted. We know the car today by its nickname, the Skyline Japan. It originated from the car’s ad campaign slogan, which claimed (by way of translation), “A … Continue reading

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Nissan Z with revised grille, NISMO seats spotted testing in Los Angeles and Arizona

A new Nissan Z test mule has been spotted testing on Angeles Crest Highway near Los Angeles and in Arizona. Notably, it features a revised grille that evokes the Fairlady Z432R-inspired prototype unveiled at the Tokyo Auto Salon in January. … Continue reading

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Rate This Ad: Multi-generational Toyota family

Normally “national sales events” ads are pretty boring. You have the latest models zipping along a city street while APR financing options are recited at Micro Machine Man speed. For this summer’s Toyotathon, however, Toyota is pulling out the classics … Continue reading

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After 30 years Honda finally acknowledges “tuners”

One of the biggest mysteries of the universe will always be why Honda never capitalized on the whole “tuner” phenomenon of the 90s. Back in the era of front-wheel drag racing and underglow, car enthusiasts in the 18-34 age range … Continue reading

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Nissan Skyline Super Silhouette returns to Gran Turismo after 23 years

After a 23 year absence, the fire-breathing Nissan Skyline Super Silhouette race car is back in Gran Turismo. The iconic race car is part of the July 2022 free update to GT7, making its long-awaited return to the franchise. This … Continue reading

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Toyota, Daihatsu, and Suzuki to build 1.0-liter sports car?

Toyota, Daihatsu, and Suzuki are reportedly teaming up to build a 1.0-liter sports car.  There hasn’t been a real compact sports car from Japan since the Honda S660, and that was discontinued last year. A one-liter car would exceed kei … Continue reading

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Rent a classic Toyota on your next trip to Japan

About five years ago a bunch of automakers were trying to rebrand themselves as “mobility companies” to deal with the shifting trends of the industry. Car ownership was dead! People were just going to pay subscriptions to borrow a car … Continue reading

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