Category Archives: toyota

ART CORNER: Makoto Komori’s children’s book illustrations

Makoto Komori is a Japanese children’s book illustrator, and one of his favorite subjects happens to be 1960s nostalgic cars. He often incorporates them into his whimsical stories in which the vehicles, with eyes for headlights, find themselves on brilliantly … Continue reading

Posted in Art Corner, honda, mitsubishi, nissan, toyota | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

EVENTS: Vintage Auto Salon, Part 02 – Light, Quick, Agile

Despite holding three shows in one year’s time, including one just three months ago, the variety of cars that come out of NorCal’s woodwork for Historic J events never disappoints. In Part 02 (Here’s Part 01 if you missed it) … Continue reading

Posted in events, mazda, nissan, toyota | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

KIDNEY, ANYONE? Million Dollar Baby, Part 02

Two months ago a shockwave was sent through the automotive world when a 1967 Toyota 2000GT became the first Japanese car to break the million dollar barrier. 1,155,000 buckaroos to be exact. But was it a fluke? Well, we shall … Continue reading

Posted in for sale, toyota | Tagged , , | 8 Comments

EVENTS: Vintage Auto Salon, Part 01 – JDM Machines

Vintage Auto Salon is the third show of its kind held by Historic J, the team that’s quickly becoming the de facto force for nostalgics in the Bay Area. Though co-founders James Vorasane and Ivan Jarmillo are both Americans, their events … Continue reading

Posted in events, nissan, toyota | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

NOSTALGIC LIFE: Towing anything, anywhere, anytime.

Oh, the machinery we would put in the JNC dream garage. You cannot even imagine. The rarest twin-cam Toyotas, ex-works Nissan racers, immaculate rotaries, obscure kei cars. It would be downright pornographic, I tell you. No matter what though, our fantasy fleet always has … Continue reading

Posted in toyota | Tagged , , | 16 Comments

MINICARS: 2014 Hot Wheels Toyota AE86 Corolla leaked

Just in time for 86 Day festivities, the Lamley Group has leaked that the Toyota Corolla AE86 Hot Wheels casting will be making a return to the pegs in 2014. This time around, the car will be silver with 80s-vintage … Continue reading

Posted in minicars, toyota | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

NEWS: Happy 86 Day from JNC

2013 is a momentous year for the compact, lively and influential car we know as the hachiroku. With Initial D perhaps getting its final curtain, along with the fact that the first AE86 rolled off the production line in Aichi … Continue reading

Posted in News, toyota | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

VIDEO: Wheeler Dealers goes to Japan

In Discovery Channel UK’s Wheeler Dealers: Trading Up, campy car trader Mike Brewer journeys across various continents to buy and sell cars for profit. In the fourth episode, he finds himself in Japan and gets a quick lesson in its … Continue reading

Posted in toyota, Video, Video Games | Tagged , , , | 18 Comments

JNC GARAGE: Ben’s 1980 Toyota Celica Supra

On Monday Toyota UK posted a history of the Supra. This led at least one major media outlet to wonder aloud whether it had anything to do with rumors of the nameplate’s revival. Sadly, that same major media outlet led … Continue reading

Posted in JNC Garage, toyota | Tagged , , | 45 Comments

NEWS: After 18 years of touge battles, this is how Initial D ends

The final chapter of the long running manga Initial D was released yesterday in Japan. After 18 years of publication the hugely influential story that introduced touge battles and the glory of RWD Japanese cars to a whole generation of … Continue reading

Posted in manga, toyota | Tagged , , , , , , , | 42 Comments

NEWS: Final chapter of Initial D to be published Monday

Eighteen years after a tofu delivery Toyota AE86 drifted onto the scene, author Shuichi Shigeno has announced that the hugely popular Initial D manga will come to an end on July 29, 2013. Since 1995, the tale of a teenager with a … Continue reading

Posted in toyota, Video Games | Tagged , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

MINICARS: Kyosho X DMC Limited Edition “Panda” Toyota 86

A while back our friends at DaBox Model Cars decided to make a limited edition car based on Japan’s car of the moment, the Toyota 86. They were looking for a tribute to the original AE86 on which it was … Continue reading

Posted in minicars, toyota | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

The return of Intelligent Sport” and a introducing a new member of the JNC family

By the time Nobuaki Katayama began work on the original Lexus IS, he was already a rock star within Toyota. He’d chief engineered all-time greats like the Lexus SC and JZA80 Supra and, in his younger days, worked on the … Continue reading

Posted in Lexus, toyota | Tagged , , , , | 13 Comments

KIDNEY, ANYONE? 20,000-mile 1981 Toyota Century

If a Crown is just too common and a 2000GT too small for your old school flossin’ needs, here’s your chance to destroy all comers with a 1981 Toyota Century. The ultimate Japanese VIP sled is now for sale on … Continue reading

Posted in for sale, toyota | Tagged , , | 8 Comments

VIDEO: Brian Karasawa’s 1977 Toyota Celica Fastback by Electric Federal

In a new video called “Japan’s Forgotten Fastback,” Electric Federal gets up close and personal with our friend Brian Karasawa‘s and his gorgeous 1977 Toyota Celica Liftback. Of course, JNCers and anyone who’s been to Toyotafest or JCCS knows that the RA29, and … Continue reading

Posted in toyota, Video | Tagged , , , | 9 Comments

MINICARS: Happy Independence Day from JNC!

Happy July 4th from JNC! Each year, the Aichi Prefecture-based supermarket chain APiTA teams up with Japanese toy car manufacturer Tomica for a series of limited edition cars. Similar to when Hot Wheels teams up with say, Kroger, these cars … Continue reading

Posted in minicars, toyota | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

NEWS: The Toyota Camry — 30 years old, 10 million cars sold

The Camry. Much derided punching bag for self-respecting car enthusiasts. Scapegoat for all the world’s automotive ills, its clueless drivers, and the decline of automotive culture as we know it. Where would we be without it? 

Posted in News, toyota | Tagged , , | 18 Comments

GRAND TOURING: The Ise Peninsula, Part 01

Our destination for this tour was Mie Prefecture, some 250 miles southwest of Tokyo on the far side of Ise-wan (the same wan in Wangan, meaning “bay”). Known for its ancient craft ceramics and as the birthplace of the ninja, … Continue reading

Posted in Grand Touring, nissan, toyota | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

KIDNEY, ANYONE? 24,000-mile 1977 Toyota Celica GT

Almost two years ago to the day we reported on a 24,000-mile 1977 Celica GT Liftback for sale in Berthoud, Colorado. Asking price? $19,000. Some balked at the sum, despite the fact that the car was showroom fresh with an undercarriage you … Continue reading

Posted in for sale, toyota | Tagged , , , | 14 Comments

NEWS: RA64 Toyota Celica spotted on the set of Scorcese-produced 80s gang epic Revenge of the Green Dragons

Time to dig out your Zodiac shoes, Guess jeans and bolo tie, because Martin Scorcese is producing yet another period film about the ethnic gangs of New York City. This time, the period is the 1980s and the setting is … Continue reading

Posted in News, toyota, Video Games | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments