Category Archives: News

Toyota announces reproduction parts for AE86 twin-cam engine

A couple of months ago Toyota announced that it had barn-found an old AE86 in Japan that they planned to restore. The purpose was to show what could be accomplished with the roster of remade parts under the Gazoo Racing … Continue reading

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Tomica celebrates 30 years of ‘Initial D’ with detailed premium sets of AE86, RX-7, S13, and more

Great news for Hachiroku fans this AE86 Day. Tomica has announced a set of highly detailed toy cars in honor of Initial D‘s 30th anniversary. The cars include Takumi’s iconic Toyota AE86, Keisuke’s Mazda RX-7, Iketani’s Nissan Silvia, and a … Continue reading

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The last Honda V10 to power Ayrton Senna is up for auction

Honda will soon be auctioning off the last V10 engine that powered Ayrton Senna’s rise to become the 1990 Formula 1 Drivers’ Champion, and helped McLaren-Honda clinch that year’s Constructors’ Championship. Until now, it’s been in Honda’s possession exactly as … Continue reading

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Initial D celebrates 30th anniversary with limited edition Seiko watch

Automotive culture was forever changed when when Initial D launched in July of 1995. To mark the seminal touge manga’s 30th anniversary, author Shuichi Shigeno and publisher Kodansha have teamed up with renowned watchmaker Seiko for a limited edition timepiece. … Continue reading

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Why a 2001 Acura Integra Type R sold for over $200,000

A 2001 Acura Integra has sold for $204,204. Unfortunately, your clapped out Viper killer is still going for the same price as it did before, because the record breaker is no ordinary Integra. For one, it’s an Integra Type R, … Continue reading

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Nissan Oppama plant closure is “the most difficult decision of my career” says CEO

In what CEO Ivan Espinosa has called “the most difficult decision of my career,” Nissan announced Tuesday that it would be shutting down its Oppama plant. The factory has been in operation since 1961 and was Japan’s first full-scale integrated … Continue reading

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Turbo V8 GT3 race and road car duo prove that Toyota its not playing around

Toyota is not sending any mixed signals about its intent to occupy every performance niche. Hot on the heels of a rumor about a mid-engined Celica, Toyota showed off a pair of supercars at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. We’ve … Continue reading

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Channel your inner Bunta with an official ‘Initial D’ Zippo lighter

An official Initial D-themed Zippo has been released in Japan. The classic cigarette lighter depicts scenes from one of the manga’s most famous battles — between Takumi Fujiwara’s Toyota AE86 against the Todo School’s EK9 Honda Civic Type R — … Continue reading

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Toyota’s revived GR Celica will be mid-engined, confusing fans

It’s pretty much assumed by now that Toyota will bring back the Celica, it’s just a matter of when. But a new report out of Japan comes with an extra dose of “what?” as well. Apparently, this new Celica will … Continue reading

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Nissan mulls Foxconn deal to save Oppama “mother” plant

Earlier this year, in a desperate financial situation, Nissan announced it would close seven of its 17 factories around the world. Among the facilities on the chopping block was the Oppama plant, founded in 1961 and long considered the “mother” … Continue reading

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Toyota Land Cruisers at Tokyo Outdoor Show to promote 60, 70, and 80 series GR Heritage Parts

Toyota entered the Tokyo Outdoor Show over the weekend with a pair of classic Land Cruisers. The trucks, an FJ40 and FJ60, hailed from the Toyota Automobile Museum’s collection and have undergone impeccable restorations. They were on site to promote … Continue reading

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Akio Toyoda presents awards to SuperGT and JGTC masters

How many jobs does Akio Toyoda have? He’s already chairman of Toyota, a semi-pro race car driver, and president of the Japan Sumo Association. Now he’s adding another feather in his cap, chairman of the Automobile Business and Culture Association … Continue reading

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Toyota built a one-off open-top Century SUV for sumo champions

Is the Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet too common for you? Toyota might just have the ultimate droptop crossover in the form of the Century SUV. The bad news is, there’s only one in the entire world, and you have to be … Continue reading

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Iconic SP will be “a good successor for RX-7” says top Mazda exec

Few companies are making pure, timelessly beautiful sports cars any more. The Mazda Iconic SP might be the very last one that uses gasoline, if it gets made. A few more details about it have surfaced, and it seems like … Continue reading

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A 1977 Toyota Celica is driving 10,000 miles from the Czech Republic to Japan for the Osaka Expo

There are 158 countries participating in the Osaka Expo, currently being held in in Japan. As far as we know, the Czech Republic is the only one sending a delegation of vintage cars across Europe and Asia to get there. … Continue reading

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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

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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

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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

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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

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