Category Archives: News
The Mazdaspeed MX-5 Miata was a product of the tuner times
It’s funny to see how our beloved cars were reviewed when new. In the present we think of the Miata as standing heads and shoulders above rival sport compacts of the era. Cars like the EP Honda Civic Si, Ford … Continue reading
2025 CX-50 Hybrid: What happens when Toyota and Mazda join forces
We’ve long wondered what would happen when Mazda and Toyota finally teamed up. Mazda, the enthusiasts’ choice that carries the torch for true drivers outgunned in a cruel market of crossovers and electrification, and Toyota, the juggernaut which for years … Continue reading
Motorcycle racing pioneer, father of Prius, and more inducted into Japan Automotive Hall of Fame
The Japan Automotive Hall of Fame has selected its 2024 inductees. In addition to four vehicles of historical importance to Japan’s automotive history, the JAHoF has also selected five individuals whose work in the field are considered significant contributions to … Continue reading
Official Toyota anime probably not hinting at next-gen Celica, MR2 and Supra
In February Toyota debuted a new anime series, Grip, that was all about fun cars like the GR Corolla, 86 and Supra battling against a world of boring, autonomous cars. The second season is out now, and people have been … Continue reading
Next-gen GR Supra will reportedly be all-Toyota, with gasoline-hybrid power
Rumors about the next-generation Toyota Supra are swirling again. It’s good news for the purists this time around the rumor mill, because it’s saying the car will be an all-Toyota effort. Furthermore, it was believed that the GR Supra would … Continue reading
What would you pay for an ex-JGTC Toyota Supra?
The heyday of the All-Japan Grand Touring Championship marked a time when tuner culture hummed at fever pitch and racing machines were immortalized in the pixels of Gran Turismo. The A80 Toyota Supra was yet to be catapulted into movie … Continue reading
Help Nissan find the stolen R32 Skyline GT-R from their Heritage Collection
Thieves suck. They all deserve to get the book thrown at them, but it’s especially painful when they steal something that isn’t just an easily replaceable mall crawling Kia. Down Under, some particularly brazen lowlifes has pilfered the R32 Skyline … Continue reading
Honda Prelude revival will reportedly have manual transmission
Honda surprised a lot of enthusiasts with the debut of the Prelude at last year’s Japan Mobility Show. Honda has since said that the sleek-looking coupe will be powered by a hybrid powertrain. Now, a report from Japan says the … Continue reading
Mazda CX-70 ad featuring an RX-7 GSL-SE is a real downer
We are always stoked when a JNC appears in an ad for a new car. It shows that the company cares about — or is at least aware of — its heritage. But there’s a rule of thumb in advertising … Continue reading
‘Pink Subaru’ movie is full of Subarus, but is about life on the Israel-Palestine border
In the 1970s Japanese carmakers were fanning out across the globe, looking for markets that might be interested in their unique takes on the automobile. However, political tensions in the Middle East forced carmakers into a difficult choice. If they … Continue reading
QotW: What’s your favorite Japanese motorcycle?
Today, August 19, is Motorcycle Day in Japan. The date of the holiday comes from a pun. In Japanese, an alternate pronunciation of eight is ba, one is i, and nine is ku. Put them together and you have baiku, … Continue reading
Toyota Celica could debut at Tokyo Auto Salon with 400 horsepower
After many months of rumors about a Celica revival, reports now say that the return of the Toyota sports coupe could come as early as five months from now. Not only that, but the Celica will reportedly be powered purely … Continue reading
The 2025 Toyota GR Corolla lets you race in automatic mode
As much as we love to drive manual transmission cars in real life, when we sit down for a round of Gran Turismo we almost always choose automatic mode. Shifting on a PlayStation controller is just another added level of … Continue reading
Nissan Silvia revival is the “dream” of new global product chief
The Nissan Silvia, the once abundant sports coupe and darling of the drift community, was recently name-checked by Ivan Espinosa, the company’s new chief of global product planning. Espinosa has been in product planning since 2017, and starting in 2019 … Continue reading
Is this the new Mazda logo?
Mazda may be updating their logo, according to new trademark filings in Japan. The logo began circulating on Japanese social media on Monday after users unearthed it from the Japan Patent Office. It appears to follow the trend of “flattening” … Continue reading
Mitsubishi car chase compilation from ‘Gorilla: Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department Investigation Unit 8’
In the late 80s much of Seibu Keisatsu‘s original production team, actors, and directors reunited to create a new TV show. Gorilla: Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department Investigation Unit 8 sought to recapture the feel, action and popularity of Japan’s most … Continue reading
A Toyota Celica takes on 1970s sports coupes plus a Daihatsu Taft in Hong Kong’s ‘No U-Turn’
The 1981 film No U-Turn is a car-centric romp with an 8-minute illegal race as its centerpiece action sequence. In it, an orange A20 Toyota Celica races a “who’s who” lineup of performance cars of the era, including a BMW … Continue reading