Category Archives: Question of the Week

QotW: What diecast car should they make next?

Last week it was announced that Tomica, after 42 years making diecast Japanese cars, is finally coming out with the pivotal Datsun Fairlady roadster. We learned too that the first A60 Celica to exist anywhere in 1:64 universe would soon debut, a mere … Continue reading

Posted in minicars, Question of the Week | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 38 Comments

QotW: What is the greatest Japanese engine?

We’ve asked quite a lot of weekly questions about the greatest cars. What about the hearts that beat within? There have been incredible motors forged in Nihon, from 10,000rpm Honda mills to screaming Mazda rotaries. So we put the question … Continue reading

Posted in Question of the Week | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 88 Comments

QotW: What is the most influential Japanese car?

The western world has often overlooked the influence of Japan’s cars. So this week we put to you the question, one that is bound to stir up plenty of debate. What is the most influential Japanese car? There are so … Continue reading

Posted in mitsubishi, Question of the Week | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 63 Comments

QotW: What’s the worst model name?

A few weeks ago we asked JNCers what the best model name was. Well here’s the flipside. Sometimes the best and worst are one in the same but in any case we put the question to you. What’s the worst … Continue reading

Posted in honda, nissan, Question of the Week | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 48 Comments

QotW: What’s the best Japanese car commercial from the West?

The Japanese are known for offbeat, zany or downright insane car commercials, but clearly not all of them would translate to western audiences. International marketing departments have their own way of luring you into the showroom, so we ask: What’s the … Continue reading

Posted in honda, minicars, Question of the Week, subaru | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 37 Comments

QotW: What’s the best car commercial from Japan?

Now that the star of one of the most famous Japanese car commercials has been rediscovered, it’s time we asked: What’s the best car commercial from Japan? The 1972 Nissan Skyline hit the market just as Japanese citizens getting hooked … Continue reading

Posted in mazda, minicars, nissan, Question of the Week, toyota | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 30 Comments

QotW: What’s the best model name?

The Japanese are known for colorful uses of the English language when it comes to christening their cars. There’s seductive women’s names like Silvia and Gloria, word salads like the Isuzu Wizard Alive and Honda Life Dunk, and perfectly chosen appellations like … Continue reading

Posted in mazda, minicars, nissan, Question of the Week, toyota | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 36 Comments

QotW: What’s the most beautiful OEM color?

The world of nostalgics is filled with bold colors, perfectly paired two-tones and the whitest whites this side of heaven. Go to any gathering of vintage Japanese cars and it’s a feast for your retinas, a refreshing break from the … Continue reading

Posted in honda, minicars, Question of the Week, suzuki | Tagged , , , , , , , | 30 Comments

QotW: What’s the coolest kei car?

Seeing some excellent examples of kei jidosha on the way back from Nagano last week got our brains churning. These uniquely Japanese micro machines are what put the island nation on the road and have been around for over 50 … Continue reading

Posted in kei, Question of the Week | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 29 Comments

QotW: What Japanese concept should have been produced?

The Tokyo Motor Show is known across the auto industry for having the most crazed concepts in auto-dom. Future is what Japan does best, but last week Toyota debuted a concept at a toy show to get Japanese kids off … Continue reading

Posted in concepts, minicars, nissan, Question of the Week, toyota, wheels | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 32 Comments

QotW: What’s the coolest vintage barrel?

No other car culture comes close to Japan’s in terms of wheels. The sheer enormity of selection can be matched only by the magnitude of a rim collector’s obsession. From ninja star designs to barrels deep enough to bathe a … Continue reading

Posted in Question of the Week, wheels | Tagged , , , , , , | 44 Comments

Question of the Week: What new car would you buy today to preserve for posterity?

Inspired by Jason’s article about Project Neo86, this week’s QotW should be obvious: What car would you buy today to preserve for posterity? Kev reported that today Toyota Australia announced a starting price of $29,000 for the GT86. For comparison’s … Continue reading

Posted in mazda, Question of the Week, toyota | Tagged | 36 Comments

Question of the Week: What’s Japan’s most luxurious car?

From the world’s first production GPS system in the JC Eunos Cosmo to the Cressida’s redundant stereo volume dial next to the steering wheel, Japan has always been a pioneer of automotive luxury. That is why this week we ask, … Continue reading

Posted in Question of the Week, toyota | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 29 Comments

Question of the Week: What is the most overrated nostalgic car?

We’ve asked what the most underrated nostalgic was, but we neglected to find its flip side.  Thus we ask you this week. What is the most overrated nostalgic car? The one car which we had high expectations for — because of … Continue reading

Posted in manga, minicars, nissan, Question of the Week | Tagged , , , , , , , | 39 Comments

Question of the Week: What Japanese car was the biggest manga star?

You knew it was coming. After last week’s QotW about the best Nihon car movie star, we now grill you about the Japanese art form known manga and its in-motion equivalent. What Japanese car is the biggest manga/anime star? Being the hachi-head … Continue reading

Posted in minicars, Question of the Week, toyota | Tagged , , , , , , , | 21 Comments

Question of the Week: What Japanese car was the biggest movie star?

Not counting the Fast and Furious franchise, cars of Japanese origin don’t usually feature too prominently in Hollywood productions. But that makes their rare appearances all the more special, which brings us to this week’s question: What Japanese car was … Continue reading

Posted in honda, Question of the Week, toyota | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 74 Comments

Question of the Week: Which nostalgic had the best nickname?

One of the most entertaining things about vintage Japanese cars is the crazy nicknames. There’s obvious ones like hachiroku, shortened ones like hakosuka, and funny ones like butaketsu. Therefore, we ask you: Which nostalgic had the best nickname? There are … Continue reading

Posted in Question of the Week, toyota | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 43 Comments

Question of the Week: What nostalgic race car would you have driven?

Okay, so you’ve invented that time machine. Oddly, it can only serve one purpose — to put you in the cockpit of any classic Japanese motorsports machine. What nostalgic race car would you have driven? The JNC staff (except Kev) … Continue reading

Posted in motorsports, nissan, Question of the Week | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 52 Comments

Question of the Week: What is the ugliest Japanese car?

Without even reading the title, you can probably guess what this week’s QotW is just by photo alone. What is the ugliest Japanese car? Sorry Kev, but I’m going to have to make an executive decision on this one. The … Continue reading

Posted in mazda, nissan, Question of the Week, toyota | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 38 Comments

Question of the Week: What is the most beautiful Japanese car?

This week’s QotW is one that anyone can answer, as it requires no knowledge of history, obscure Japanese trivia, or even an ability to differentiate between a sparkplug and a lug nut. All it takes is a pair of eyes. … Continue reading

Posted in honda, mazda, nissan, Question of the Week | Tagged , , , , , | 59 Comments