Category Archives: Legends
Japan Automotive Hall of Fame honors Lexus founder, Honda F1 engineer, pioneers of four-wheel-steering
The Japan Automotive Hall of Fame has named four individuals to be inducted into their ranks. Each has been chosen for their contributions to Japan’s automotive industry. As with the four cars that were announced this year, there are names … Continue reading
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Tagged 2012 All-Toyotafest, Airtrek, cordia, daihatsu, debonair, Diamante, formula 1, Galant Σ, honda, honda 1300, japan automotive hall of fame, Lancer EX Turbo, lexus, mazda, Miata NA, mira, mitsubishi, Mitsubishi i, prelude, ra271, ra272, RA300, RA302, Shoichi Sano, Shoichiro Toyoda, toyota, Tredia
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Shoichiro Toyoda, the Toyota president who built a global powerhouse, 1925 – 2023
Shoichiro Toyoda, the influential president of Toyota who captained the company during its growth into a worldwide phenomenon, passed away on February 14. The official cause, according to a Toyota press release, was heart failure. “Dr. Toyoda,” as he was … Continue reading
Tadashi Kume, former president of Honda, 1932-2022
It was announced today that Tadashi Kume, the third president of Honda Motor Co., had passed away. The engineer turned businessman died on September 11, 2022 at age 90. The influential leader guided the company from 1983 to 1990, a … Continue reading
Kunimitsu Takahashi posthumously awarded Order of the Rising Sun for his contributions to motorsports
The Japanese government has posthumously awarded the Order of the Rising Sun to Kunimitsu Takahashi. The revered motorcycle rider and race car driver passed away March 16 at the age of 82. The Order of the Rising Sun is the … Continue reading
Kunimitsu Takahashi, legendary racing driver and grandfather of drifting, dies at 82
One of the greatest names in Japanese motorsports has died. Kunimitsu Takahashi, motorcycle rider and automobile racing driver, passed away on March 16 at the age of 82. In the final years of his life, Takahashi had been battling lymphoma. … Continue reading
Posted in Legends
Tagged c10, honda, keiichi tsuchiya, kunimitsu takahashi, nissan, porsche, prince, r32, r380, r382, skyline
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Shunji Tanaka, Mazda Miata chief designer, 1946 – 2021
Shunji Tanaka, chief designer of the original Mazda Roadster/Miata, has died. He passed away at the age of 75 on December 12 at, according to a close friend and member of a Japan Roadster Club, who posted the news over … Continue reading
Sonny Chiba, actor, action hero, Toyota spokesman, 1939—2021
Legendary Japanese action hero Sonny Chiba died on August 19 of pneumonia resulting from a COVID-19 infection. Known for his on-screen tough-guy persona, he often played martial arts masters, samurai, and yakuza. The actor in such films as The Street … Continue reading
Ryu Asada Memorial Drive + Fundraiser announcement
Please come out and help us honor a great man and support a great charity. Click here for details. ?
RIP Ryu Asada, Hot Wheels designer, 1978—2021
Ryu Asada, beloved designer of Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars, has passed away after a hard-fought battle with cancer. He was 42 years old. Ryu was immensely talented and instrumental in bringing a multitude of well-loved cars to the Hot … Continue reading
RIP Tetsuya Watari, 1941 — 2020
Tetsuya Watari, one of Japan’s most famous crime drama stars, died from pneumonia on August 10. His death was announced on Friday after a private funeral with family members. Watari played the leading man in several movies and television programs … Continue reading
Posted in Legends
Tagged c210, datsun, fairlady z, nissan, r30, s130, seibu keisatsu, skyline, tetsuya watari, the big city
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How Hondas from the S800 to the NSX have inspired our greatest living supercar builder
Gordon Murray, perhaps the world’s greatest living supercar builder, came out with a new car this week, the GMA T.50. This isn’t typical JNC fare, but we are very much admirers of Murray’s car-building philosophy. Murray’s notions of ideal car … Continue reading
Posted in Legends
Tagged acura, Formula One, Gordon Murray, honda, McLaren Honda MP4, nsx, s800
10 Comments
RIP Yoshihiko Matsuo, Nissan Fairlady Z and Datsun 240Z designer, 1933—2020
Yoshihiko Matsuo, the man who spearheaded the design of one of the most influential sports cars of all time, has died. Matsuo led the Nissan design team that penned the S30 Fairlady Z, known as the Datsun 240Z in the … Continue reading
Posted in Legends
Tagged 240Z/260Z/280Z, datsun, fairlady z, nissan, s30 z, Yoshihiko Matsuo
21 Comments
RIP Yoshikazu Sunako, 1932 — 2020
It was announced yesterday that on January 3, 2020, racing driver Yoshikazu Sunako passed away at the age of 87. The former Prince and Nissan works driver was a pioneer during the nascent years of Japan’s motorsports scene, perhaps most … Continue reading
RIP Syd Mead, 1933 — 2019
On December 30, 2019, Syd Mead passed away at the age of 86. The legendary concept artist almost single-handedly shaped our visions of tomorrow, having designed the futures seen in films such as Blade Runner, Alien, Tron, and the Star … Continue reading
Posted in Legends
Tagged Akira, ballade, camry, corona, Gundam, honda, hot wheels, motorcycles, prelude, quint, Rays Wheels, SV40, Syd Mead, t80, toyota, Vigor
4 Comments
RIP Dan Gurney, 1931-2018
A true titan of 20th-century motorsport, Dan Gurney has passed away at the age of 86. Considered by many to be the greatest American racing driver in history, Gurney’s contributions to the world of auto racing as a driver, engineer … Continue reading
Posted in Legends
Tagged a40, celica, dan gurney, Eagle Mk III, formula 1, imsa, st165, toyota
8 Comments
RIP Kenichi Yamamoto, Father of the Mazda Rotary Engine, 1922-2017
Kenichi Yamamoto, who famously led Mazda’s “47 Ronin” team that brought the rotary engine into reality, passed away on December 20, 2017. His family made public his passing to the Japanese press on Christmas Day. Yamamoto was 95. A bona fide legend in … Continue reading
Posted in Legends
Tagged cosmo sport, fc3s, fd3s, k360, Kenichi Yamamoto, mazda, r100, r360, rotary engine, rx-2, rx-3, rx-4, rx-5, rx-7, RX-Vision, sa22, Tsuneji Matsuda
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RIP Jim Mederer, 1942 — 2016
2016 may be over, but we’re sad to report that on its way out an already tough year has claimed yet another luminary from us. Jim Mederer, co-founder of the renowned Mazda tuning house Racing Beat, passed away on December … Continue reading
Posted in Legends
Tagged bonneville, Jim Mederer, Land Speed Record, mazda, racing beat, rotary engine, rx-2, rx-3, rx-7
10 Comments
Hiroyuki Hasegawa, 1945 — 2016
Hiroyuki Hasegawa, co-founder and the “H” of renowned Japanese tuning house HKS, has passed away at the age of 71. A former Yamaha engineer, Hasegawa founded HKS in October, 1973 in a small shed at the base of Mt Fuji in … Continue reading
LEGENDS: An interview with Yoshikazu Sunako, original Skyline racing driver
Motor sports stories come in many types: the rookie driver winning their first race for a big name team, legendary drives from last place to the checkered-flag, the somehow magical performance in the rain that astounds everyone watching, and perhaps … Continue reading
Posted in Legends
Tagged 1964 Japan grand prix, nissan, prince, r380, s54, skyline, suzuka circuit, Yoshikazu Sunako
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