The Japan Automotive Hall of Fame has announced its inductees for 2024. Every year the non-profit organization adds four “Historical Heritage Cars” to its list of vehicles that it believes are important milestones in Japan’s automotive industry. The cars are voted on by a panel of judges consist of journalists, engineers, professors, researchers and members of various engineering groups in Japan. Here are their latest picks.
The 1909 NS-go motorcycle holds the honor of being the first domestically produced motorcycle in Japan. It was named after its creator, Shimazu Narazou, a former Toyoda Automatic Loom Works employee who was just 20 years old at the time. The NS-go was powered by a four-stroke, 400cc single-cylinder engine attached to a bicycle frame, built in the back of Narazou’s father’s precious metals business in Osaka. It marked the first motorcycle built in Japan, which paved the way for mass-produced models.
It’s a bit surprising that Japan’s first supercar wasn’t already in the JAHoF, but that oversight is corrected this year with the addition of the Toyota 2000GT. The 2000GT featured advanced engineering like its twin-cam straight-six engine developed in partnership with Yamaha. It set 16 international endurance speed records and shocked the world with stunning lines penned by Satoru Nozaki. It was the first Japanese sports car to go head-to-head with high-end marques from Europe, and the first Japanese car to sell for over $1 million at auction.
The first-generation Suzuki Alto is humble kei car released in 1979. In the era after kei jidosha regulations increased displacement from the original 360cc to 550cc in 1976, the Alto epitomized minimalist design and simple but practical engineering at an affordable price, the essence of Japan’s “light car” class. Kei car sales had slowed, but the Alto breathed new life into the segment.
The first-generation Subaru Legacy gets its due as Fuji Heavy Industries’ first global success. It set the template for Subaru’s modern lineup, pioneering all-wheel-drive technology and injecting new excitement into the station wagon market. In 1989 it broke the FIA’s 100,000 km land endurance record over a span of 447 hours and started Subaru in the World Rally Championships, laying the groundwork for the game-changing WRX.
All four inductees are eminently worthy. It’s especially satisfying to see that the Toyota 2000GT is finally included, but also gratifying to see regular cars like the Subaru Legacy and Suzuki Alto joining the ranks. For past inductees, see the announcements for 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023.
