Category Archives: Question of the Week

Race cars. Purposeful, raw, historic.  We recently learned that Subaru WRC rally cars were going to be restored for anyone lucky enough to own one. They seem like a thrill to drive. That would be a completely logical pick from … Continue reading →

Last week Acura unveiled a very cool thing: a restomodded SLX with a modern RDX engine and drivetrain. It was clever, challenging, and unexpected — all the hallmarks of a great build. Since SUVs and crossovers outsell sedans these days, … Continue reading →

Last month, a turning point in automotive history was reached when electric vehicles outsold ones with manual transmissions. According to JD Power, stick-shifts accounted for 1.1 percent of new cars sold in America, while EVs accounted for 1.9 percent. The … Continue reading →

Japan obviously doesn’t celebrate the same Thanksgiving Day as the US, but there’s a very similar holiday in Japan that occurs on November 23 each year. Labor Thanksgiving Day, or Kinrōkanshanohi, has its roots in a harvest festival, but in … Continue reading →

There are actually surprisingly few cars in the Japan Automotive Hall of Fame. The Mazda Roadster/Miata was just inducted, and the Toyota Corolla was welcomed last year, but the list is still pretty short. There can be many reasons for … Continue reading →

This week’s QotW can be read any number of ways. Our younger readers will likely witness the dusk of the traditional human-driven car in their lifetimes, or at least the end of the internal combustion engine. Older ones are paring … Continue reading →

Sometimes you just have to part with your beloved automobile. Whether it’s financial hardships, a life change, the fact that you’ve simply done all you can do, or a simple loss of interest, it’s time to pass it on to … Continue reading →

Recently around the ol’ JNC water cooler, we had a discussion about movies that contained excellent scenes of Japanese cars. We’re not talking random fillers but, cars that served to enhance the character’s persona. We asked a similar question in … Continue reading →

Ah, the late-90s. You know the style: retina searing paint, aftermarket roll call down the door, a wing that could double as a dining surface, unpainted carbon fiber proudly on display, Kanji that looked like the default font from a … Continue reading →

As much as we love Skylines, Zs, RX-7s, Supras, 2000GTs, and so on, perhaps there really isn’t a need to rescue them all, since there are so many well-preserved examples out there already. Or maybe there is, if it’s a … Continue reading →

Driving an old car for any distance can be a challenge. It’s not like hopping into a late model Camry with a cup of coffee and a bag of beef jerky and pointing that Toyota logo where you want to … Continue reading →

Last week, Nissan opened a long-overdue permanent heritage gallery at the heart of their Yokohama headquarters building, allowing millions of casual visitors to experience the company’s history. Some carmakers have museums, some have hidden collections, some have heritage parts programs. … Continue reading →

The 15th annual sapanese Classic Car Show is this Saturday, September 21. For many, it has been the one place in America where you can see the vast range of Japanese cars all in one spot. There is always something … Continue reading →

As we mentioned before, two members of the JNC team had little ones this year. Brandon Kelley and his wife had their son, Maximus, and Ben Hsu and his wife had their son, Cedric. However, it can be incredibly hard … Continue reading →

It’s Labor Day, an occasion to honor the hard working men and women that make the world go round. We also recently celebrated the 60th anniversary of one of Japan’s most popular work vehicles, the Isuzu Elf. It’s the perfect … Continue reading →

We all love our roadsters and lightweight coupes but sometimes you just want the nicer things in life. Whether it’s a serene cabin as quiet as your penthouse living room, a fancy stereo, or just a seat that’s not made … Continue reading →

Complete this sentence. You’re not a JNC owner unless you… Prefer driving a slow car fast? Live in deathly fear of salt? Have overpaid for parts from Japan? Have abused your AAA towing privileges to move a parts car? With … Continue reading →

Today is day on which the national holiday Mountain Day in observed in Japan. Technically the holiday falls on August 11 because the kanji for “8” (八) resembles a mountain, and “11” resembles two trees, but everyone gets the day … Continue reading →

Buying the JNC of your dreams can be a harrowing task. We all know the heart flutter we get when the proper model, trim level, condition, color, and optional equipment shows up in an ad. We also know the gut-wrenching … Continue reading →