Category Archives: Video

VIDEO: The Lexus SC presented buyers with a difficult dilemma

The Lexus SC is probably, to this day, still one of Toyota’s best-looking cars. It was the Supra you could take to the opera, built upon the same chassis that spawned the legendary JZA80, but grander, more civilized, and fitted … Continue reading

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VIDEO: The 1999 Civic Si was peak Honda

Ah, the EM1 Civic Si, a jewel among jewels. The brilliantly engineered performance variant of the humble sixth-generation Civic was peak Honda. When it debuted in 1999, magazine reviews were unanimous in their praise. The Motorweek take could have been … Continue reading

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The third-generation Toyota 4Runner brought it into the modern age

The third-generation Toyota 4Runner ushered the model into the modern age. Split from its HiLux pickup roots, it was a fully modernized SUV that still managed to maintain its off-road cred. It arrived at just the right time for Toyota, … Continue reading

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The 1989 Subaru Justy pioneered the dreaded CVT

Here comes Jerry with a new car! The Subaru Justy started out as a Subaru Rex kei car, enlarged in all dimensions and fitted with a bigger engine to compete in the 1-liter class in Japan. In America, it gave … Continue reading

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Jay Leno reunites with a Datsun Roadster, accompanied by a modern twist

The Datsun 1600 roadster is significant for Jay Leno because it was the first sports car he ever owned. In the latest episode on his YouTube channel, Leno is reunited with a Datsun roadster with a bit of a modern … Continue reading

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R32 and R33 Nissan Skyline GT-R CRS concepts go for a spin at Fuji Speedway

The Nissan Skyline GT-R’s menu of factory tuned versions run deep, and one could argue that the NISMO CRS cars are the ultimate examples of the breed. The Clubman Race Spec treatment, which combines the highest level parts NISMO has … Continue reading

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VIDEO: It’s easy to forget how weird import drag racing was

Back in 1996 the idea of a front-wheel-drive Honda being anything but an economic commuter was still an alien concept to most Americans. But, it had grown big enough that even a public broadcast show like Motorweek was reporting on … Continue reading

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Acura anime series “Chiaki’s Journey” has Initial D vibes

Acura has launched its own anime series, titled Chiaki’s Journey. The story features a young driver, a lonely mountain road, a cocky rival, and a gruff father figure that pushes her to hone her driving skills. Sound familiar? It’s like … Continue reading

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The 1984 Plymouth Colt GTS Turbo Twin-Stick gets glowing review, some 40 years after its debut

It only took 37 years, but the 1984 Mitsubishi Mirage Turbo is finally getting its due. Back in the day the captive import, sold here as the Plymouth Colt GTS Turbo, was not given a ton of respect. Sure, it … Continue reading

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VIDEO: The Lexus ES300 had some unexpected features, like a manual transmission and ski sheath

The Lexus ES300 was largely decried as a “Camry with a fancy badge” back in the day. It was a more than that, though, even if it shared the same platform with its mainstream cousin. And so what if it … Continue reading

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The Subaru GL-Turbo 3-door 4WD is a total unicorn

Talk about a unicorn. The Subaru 3-door was probably the rarest of all the US-market third-generation Leones, and was significant for being Fuji Heavy’s first sporty model offered in the US market. Despite this notable history, there remains precious little … Continue reading

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VIDEO: The 1982 RX-7 GS was reviewed surprisingly similarly to modern Mazdas

We’ve seen a lot of Motorweek‘s old reviews, but a recently uploaded flashback to a 1982 Mazda RX-7 GS is a standout. Few have raved about their subject matter as much as this one. That shouldn’t come as a surprise, … Continue reading

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Toyota thanks fans for 70 years of the Land Cruiser

The first Toyota Land Cruiser went on sale in August 1, 1951. This year, they celebrated 70 years of the well-traveled beast by not only launching the all-new J300 Land Cruiser, but announcing that the FJ40 would be the first … Continue reading

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VIDEO: The Mazda 323 Protegé LX was good, but not Honda Civic good

Poor Mazda. Even though they typically make great cars that should sell far better than they actually do. This was even true in the late 80s, when the well-reviewed sixth-generation BF 323 was completely overshadowed by, as Motorweek found, by … Continue reading

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VIDEO: The 1991 Toyota Land Cruiser was ahead of its time

No one could’ve known when the J80 Land Cruiser was released just how insane the SUV market would become. And we’re not talking about the popularity of Toyota 4Runners and Ford Explorers that helped killed off sports cars like the … Continue reading

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VIDEO: Your all-Toyota garage in 1989 needs nothing else

Toyota was on a roll in 1989, with three revised or all-new models that are all highly desirable today. If you bought the entire trio of Cressida, Supra, and Truck you’d have a vehicle for every situation right at your … Continue reading

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VIDEO: The E90 Toyota Corolla offered 16-valve power to the masses

It’s really amazing what we take for granted in cars today. Back in 1988, Toyota extended its market dominance by offering multi-valve technology on a humble four-cylinder Corolla. That doesn’t seem like a big deal now, but was a small … Continue reading

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VIDEO: Mazda UK Celebrates MX-5 Special Editions

The Mazda Miata has had a ton of special editions over the years, and we’re talking just the US models. When you account for all the Miatas sold in all the different markets around the world, their numbers are seemingly … Continue reading

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VIDEO: Isuzu was on a roll in 1986

Isuzus that aren’t commercial trucks may be but a faint memory today, but back in 1986 the company seemed to be on a solid roll. They had just introduced a drastically improved Trooper SUV and an even more enhanced Impulse … Continue reading

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VIDEO: The 1985 Honda Civic Wagon was the first crossover

Today’s market isn’t particularly kind to small cars, or cars in general, as the would-be small cars on stilts we know as crossovers dominate the sales charts. There was a time in 1985, however, when you could buy a literal … Continue reading

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