Category Archives: News

Nissan might sell its Yokohama headquarters and showroom

In 2009 Nissan spent $450 million to build a brand new headquarters and showroom in Yokohama. Opened to coincide with the Port of Yokohama’s 150th anniversary, then-president Carlos Ghosn described the seaside high-rise as a “sailboat on a voyage across … Continue reading

Posted in News | Tagged | 5 Comments

Toyota is coming out with a sub-Tacoma compact pickup

For years fans of Toyota trucks have been clamoring for a return to the compact pickup, the kind of mini-truck that helped Toyota establish itself in the US in the 70s and 80s.  The Tacoma has gotten too big and … Continue reading

Posted in News | Tagged , | 22 Comments

QotW: What’s your most memorable road trip?

The Friday before Memorial Day is National Road Trip Day in the US. In Japan today, May 26, also happens to be the anniversary of the opening of the Tomei Expressway, a famed route heading from Tokyo to points west. … Continue reading

Posted in News | Tagged | 5 Comments

A brief history of the Toyota RAV4

Toyota debuted the sixth-generation RAV4 on May 21, continuing a crossover lineage that dates back 31 years. When the original launched in 1994 no one, probably not even Toyota, predicted how massive a sales success the model would be. Toyota … Continue reading

Posted in News | Tagged , | 3 Comments

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

Posted in News | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Could Toyota be Nissan’s financial savior?

Last week Nissan announced a new recovery plan to dig itself out of its downward spiral. It announced that its deficit for the fiscal year ending in March 2025 had swelled to $4.5 billion and that it will close seven … Continue reading

Posted in News | Tagged , | 5 Comments

Nissan’s mid-engined V6 Micra celebrates its 23rd anniversary with an refresh

Speaking of the Nissan March, Nissan Great Britain has just updated one of its wildest creations. Originally built 23 years ago, the Micra 350SR is what happened when Nissan GB crammed the ubiquitous VQ35 V6 engine midship into the back … Continue reading

Posted in News | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Toyota wants all its cars to evoke a “This is it!” feeling

Toyota held its annual financial results conference on May 8. While most of the conference covered boring things like sales projections and the potential effects of US tariffs on Japan, president Koji Sato spoke briefly about the new direction Toyota … Continue reading

Posted in News | 10 Comments

A Toyota Cressida-based Paragon prototype has surfaced in a California junkyard

An extremely weird car has appeared in a California junkyard. It’s a Paragon sedan, essentially a Toyota Cressida dressed up to look like it’s from the 1930s. Though fitted with skirted fenders flanking an elongated hood and upright grille, as … Continue reading

Posted in News | Tagged , , | 7 Comments

Akio Toyoda doesn’t like EV sports cars

Toyota chairman and racing driver Akio Toyoda has always been brutally honest about the auto industry, especially since he stepped down as the company’s CEO. His most recent sentiments about electric vehicles echo that of many enthusiasts — that he … Continue reading

Posted in News | Tagged , | 6 Comments

Nissan executives want to bring back the Xterra

The Nissan Xterra debuted for the 2000 model year. That makes the originals 25 years old, eligible for historic car license plates and collector car insurance in most states. The Xterra was an unexpected hit for a bleak period at … Continue reading

Posted in News | Tagged , , | 10 Comments

Mazda will build a rotary sports car if you actually buy it

Mazda has reaffirmed its desire to build a new sports car based on the gorgeous Iconic SP concept. It even wants to slap a rotary engine into it, creating a true successor to the RX-7 and RX-8. Things are ready … Continue reading

Posted in News | 22 Comments

Nissan says next GT-R could share a platform with Honda NSX

Remember when Nissan and Honda’s merger talks fell apart earlier this year? Unsurprisingly the two companies are still talking, and as one senior Nissan exec revealed, one of the potential projects the two juggernauts could collaborate on is their respective … Continue reading

Posted in News | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

Hot Wheels X JNC Toyota Corolla Levin TE27 Team Transport

We are happy to announce that the next Hot Wheels to wear the JNC logo is the 1972 Toyota Corolla Levin. Not only that, but the car is part of the Team Transport series, which comes with a matching truck. … Continue reading

Posted in News | 5 Comments

Rally drivers Hiroshi Masuoka and Teruo Katsuta receive Japanese government’s Sports Achievement Award

Two rally racers have received the Japanese government’s Sports Achievement Award. The honor is given to individuals that have made outstanding contributions in the world of sports. Hiroshi Masuoka won the Paris-Dakar Rally back-to-back, contributing to Mitsubishi’s era of dominance … Continue reading

Posted in News | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

This Mazda Miata quote about light weight may be among automotive history’s greatest

When answering the question of what defines the Mazda Miata, chief technology officer Ryuichi Umeshita just laid down what might go down as one of the great quotes of automotive history: “I would say the most important thing is that … Continue reading

Posted in News | 9 Comments

Autobacs and Blitz will help tune your Toyota GR86 exactly like the one in ‘MF Ghost’

MF Ghost is apparently shaping up to be this generation’s Initial D. The manga and anime is so popular that Japanese aftermarket parts retailer Autobacs is teaming up with tuning house Blitz to create a series of MF Ghost Corners … Continue reading

Posted in Barn Finds, News | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Japanese car importers get whiplash from slew of new tariffs

Car enthusiasts looking to buy an imported Japanese car or truck likely experienced a roller coaster of emotions yesterday. As the Trump administration rolls out its tariffs the news seemed to vacillate between very good and very bad for JDM … Continue reading

Posted in News | Tagged | 3 Comments

Seven & I Holdings, 7-Eleven parent company, buys controlling stake in Nissan

After months of negotiations, the fate of Nissan has been determined. Seven & I Holdings, the parent company of convenience store chain 7-Eleven, will own a controlling stake in the 91-year-old carmaker. “We welcome Nissan into our family of brands, … Continue reading

Posted in News | Tagged , | 13 Comments

Nissan’s new CEO promises R36 GT-R

Nissan’s newly appointed “car-guy” CEO, Ivan Espinosa, wants to make sure Nissan’s heritage doesn’t get lost. Even though Nissan closed the order books on the GT-R earlier this month Espinosa, who takes the reins of Nissan in April, is reassuring … Continue reading

Posted in News | Tagged , , | 5 Comments