Category Archives: Question of the Week
QotW: Have you ever seen Japanese government vehicles outside of Japan?
In the US government vehicles tend to be American. It probably makes politicians look bad if they buy foreign cars, but some slip through. We’ve heard some states have Subaru police cars though we’ve never seen one. The Pentagon used … Continue reading
QotW: Which once-derided Japanese car will make a comeback?
History is filled with flops, but even some of the worst cars get a second chance at glory after some time has passed. There are owners who now love Chrysler K-cars, Pontiac Azteks, Trabants, and other forms of automotive awfulness. … Continue reading
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QotW: What’s your ultimate hashiriya build?
The announcement of the first Tokyo Xtreme Racer title in two decades dropped last week, just a few days before the anniversary of the Rainbow Bridge’s opening on August 26, 1993. Coincidence? Probably, but it does raise the question of … Continue reading
QotW: What’s your favorite captive import?
On August 12, 1981 Suzuki, Isuzu, and General Motors signed a deal to co-develop compact cars. In hindsight we know that this deal didn’t result in any game-changing products. Instead, it produced a lot of rebadged models under the defunct … Continue reading
QotW: What’s your Honda, Nissan and Mitsubishi dream build?
If you’ve been following industry news you might have heard that, last week, Honda and Nissan not only strengthened their strategic partnership, but added Mitsubishi. The alliance is for fast-tracking electrification technologies — and to compete against the Toyota, Subaru, … Continue reading
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QotW: What marque do you most often recommend?
We’re assuming that because JNC readers are car enthusiasts, you often get asked by your normie friends what kind of car they should buy. Obviously the recommendation will depend on the various needs of the buyer, but is there a … Continue reading
QotW: What car do you not regret selling or letting get away?
Every car enthusiast has a few stories of the cars that got away. Perhaps it was a car you regret selling when times were hard. Maybe it was a car you should’ve bought but didn’t. On the other end of … Continue reading
QotW: What car(s) from Japan would you import right now?
Let’s say a rich relative you never heard of died suddenly and left you a big chunk of cash. The only condition is that you use it to buy a Japan-market car in today’s rather favorable exchange rate climate. There … Continue reading
QotW: What non-Japanese car would you modify in Japanese style?
The 1973 Lincoln Continental Mark IV we posted for Independence Day is a perfect example of how Japanese customization style can work on even non-Japanese cars. The Linc is a ridiculous car to begin with, and its nearly 20 feet of … Continue reading
QotW: How do you navigate when driving your JNC?
Today is the 10th anniversary of Navigation Day in Japan, started in 2014 by Zenrin, the map company that helped create the world’s first in-car GPS in the Mazda Eunos Cosmo. The date of July 1 was chosen to coincide … Continue reading
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QotW: Which historic auto industry figure would you visit if you could time travel?
A recently published Japanese novel tells the a sci-fi story of what would happen if Toyota chairman Akio Toyoda traveled back in time to meet his grandfather Kiichiro Toyoda, the man who founded Toyota Motor Co. If time travel were … Continue reading
QotW: What was it like driving the least powerful car you’ve ever been in?
True car enthusiasts know it’s more fun to drive a slow car fast. But what about a really slow car? Maybe just getting home without a catastrophic event makes an everyday drive a thrill ride. Anyway, we don’t care about … Continue reading
QotW: What’s your favorite car-themed T-shirt?
Today, June 10, it T-shirt Day in Japan. The date was chosen because it coincides with the start of the humid summer season, where a T-shirt can bring much relief in Japan’s sweltering climate. But T-shirts are much more than … Continue reading
QotW: What’s the best ‘Gran Turismo’ setup?
Last week’s Gran Turismo 7 update brought back a lot of memories. Some of us have played the latest and greatest, but the last GT game I really played religiously was Gran Turismo 4, simply due to the sheer number … Continue reading
QotW: If you could only drive cars from one year for the rest of your life, which would it be?
We’ve asked before what you’d select if you could only drive cars from a single marque. But instead of limiting the options to one brand, what it if it was one year? You can own and drive as many different … Continue reading
QotW: What dead nameplate should be revived as an electric car?
Today, May 20, is Electric Car Day in Japan. It was named so in 2009 after battery company Yuasa restored a century-old electric car. As we hurtle toward the EV era automakers seem to have settled on two main naming … Continue reading
QotW: What car would you choose for a 100 horsepower or less cross-country rally?
Three years ago there was an invitation-only Cannonball-style cross-country rally for cars 100 horsepower or less. It was called the Musketball. Among the entrants were a Suzuki kei van decorated like the famous Trans-Con Medivac ambulance. So naturally we got … Continue reading
QotW: What Japanese racing livery should be revived?
We were pleasantly shocked last week when Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing revealed that they’d be bringing back Toyota’s WRC and JGTC Castrol livery — on a Ford Mustang, no less. It got us thinking about what other famous Japanese racing … Continue reading
QotW: What’s your favorite Showa Era car?
Today, April 29, is Showa Day, one of Japan’s national holidays. It’s considered a time to reflect on the Showa Era, which lasted from December 25, 1926 to January 7, 1989. But when you say Showa Era to the average … Continue reading
QotW: What’s the greenest car you’ve ever owned?
Happy Earth Day! We at JNC don’t see a love for cars as being in conflict with care for the planet. We’re all about preservation, whether it’s classic cars or mountain gorillas or clean rivers. We love our Land Cruisers … Continue reading
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