Category Archives: News
NISMO twin-cam conversion kit for L-series engines headed for production
The Nissan L-series is one of the most popular engines at any car show for Japanese classics. Installed in everything from Datsun 510s to Z-cars and Skylines, the tried-and-true SOHC motor is beloved the world over. Earlier this year NISMO … Continue reading
Honda announces reproduction parts program, starting with the NSX
Following on the heels of many Japanese carmakers in recent years, Honda has announced a reproduction parts program. The goal is to keep the company’s iconic classics on the road, and the first recipient of the program’s benefits is the … Continue reading
RIP Brian Wilson, Beach Boys songwriter who loved Hondas
Singer and songwriter Brian Wilson has died. Co-founder of the seminal surf-rock band The Beach Boys, Wilson is credited with creating the California sound that defined an era. His musical style created a movement centered around seasides, cruising, and carefree … Continue reading
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Toyota Land Cruiser ‘Lite’ patent image unearthed
Toyota has been teasing the idea of a baby Land Cruiser for over three years now. The notion seems one step closer to reality now that patent images showing a full render of the vehicle have been discovered. The rendering … Continue reading
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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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
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
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
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
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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
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
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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
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
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