Though it has been on the market for nearly 50 years, the stalwart Suzuki Jimny has had only three complete generational changes. The fourth generation of the kei SUV debuts this July, but renderings based on leaked information in Japan’s Best Car magazine have revealed that it will be a throwback design reminiscent of the beloved second-gen. Continue reading
There is a B310 Datsun Wagon that has been baking in a remote corner of the Mojave desert for over 20 years. The car was abandoned there when the owner died in a freak accident, but now, in a heartwarming tale of gearhead camaraderie, complete strangers are driving hours into the desert to try to recover the car and deliver it cross-country to the owner’s children. Continue reading
On May 15, Mazda reached a production milestone. The Hiroshima-based company has built 50 million cars since it began making its first road vehicles in October 1931. A small ceremony was held at the Hofu plant in Yamaguchi Prefecture. Continue reading
We continued to be tickled by the fact that Suzuki is releasing a lot of archival footage showing the evolution of their products. From animated history lessons to old ads, the company seems to be digging deep into the vault for this stuff and putting it online. The latest is a series of clips of the original Jimny, a kei-class SUV that, despite its size, was billed as a go-anywhere off-roader. And man, they sure beat these things like a rented mule. Continue reading
Well, there really isn’t an S30 Day on the calendar, but the seminal Japanese sports car certainly deserves a day of its own. So, we might as well make May 30 that day, because an “S” looks kind of like a “5” if you squint. Here’s a pair of G-noses from when we attended the rainy 2009 Time Machine Festival at Fuji Speedway. Happy S30 Day from JNC!
It was only in 2010 that I attended my first vintage race as a spectator. Eight years later, I was reliving racing history at the famed Road Atlanta circuit in an authentic C-Production 240Z I had spent a year restoring. We can only hope to catch a glimpse of what it was like to be a driver during the good ol’ days at this hallowed track where Datsun dominated other marques in SCCA racing for over a decade, but this was as close as we were going to get without a time machine. Continue reading
Looking over the new Petersen Automotive Museum exhibition: Monozukuri, the Creative Spirit in Japanese Automaking and Fine Tuning from last Friday’s post has me excited to see all the rare J-tin on display for all (go see it in person!). There are models I’ve never even seen in Japan! Seeing the JNC heavyweights like the 2000GT, Skylines and Cosmo are a no-brainer, but I want to know what you think should get the museum treatment for styling, performance or cultural significance.
What JNC belongs in a museum?
The most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What made you start collecting Hot Wheels?” Continue reading
Perhaps it is only fitting that the Petersen Automotive Museum is now located in what was once the only Seibu department store in the US. Where rows of Japanese home goods resided in 1962, today in 2018 stands this hemisphere’s most comprehensive museum exhibit celebrating the cars and car culture of Japan. Continue reading
I recently rediscovered these toys of two historic Japanese endurance racing prototypes. They are completely plastic, have no branding underneath, but are extremely well-made examples. Can you help us identify where they came from? Continue reading
There’s a incredibly rare S40 Toyota Crown being auctioned on Bring A Trailer right now. It’s located in New Hampshire and has no reserve. Specifically, it’s a 1966 Toyota Crown Deluxe with a 3R engine and a three-on-the-tree manual transmission. And, if you act now, they’ll throw in another one for free. Continue reading
It’s been a while since we mentioned Wheeler Dealers (is the show any good since Edd China left?) but tonight’s feature car is something that piqued our interest. It’s a Datsun 510, that seemingly had hopes of being a BRE tribute car at one point. Continue reading
For nearly 70 years, the simple green-on-white number plate has been the default vehicle registration identifier for passenger cars throughout Japan. That’s all about to change, because on May 22 the Japanese government unveiled 41 new license plate designs, each one reflecting a different region of the country. Continue reading
A couple of years ago we were at a dinner with several journalists and a Mazda executive. At the other end of the table, a debate broke out about whether the proper pronunciation of the Hiroshima carmaker was the standard issue “MAHZ-dah” or the Australian-accented “MAAZZ-dah.” Finally, the exec schooled everyone with the real pronunciation, “MA-tsu-da.” You can often make friends in Japan by speaking the universal language of cars, but in order to get more than a blanks stare back it’s helpful to say the words correctly. Luckily, YouTuber CZero has helpfully put together a video for this exact purpose. Continue reading
This week the Petersen Automotive Museum is opening three unprecedented exhibits featuring classic Japanese cars. Although the Petersen has exhibited classic J-tin in the past, this is the first time nostalgics have taken such a prominent position in the museum’s exhibit space. The exhibits will showcase many cars never displayed in the States before, many shipped from the automakers’ collections in Japan. The Petersen is offering JNC readers a special discount code to the grand opening on May 24, so see descriptions and get the code below. Continue reading
You can’t not love an honest truck. They basically tie dogs for status of man’s best friend. The Datsun 520 and 521 were the first of the modern compact pickups by Nissan, and kicked off decades of the breed. Obligatory: Wish they still made trucks like these. Today, on May 21, we honor these workhorses. Happy 521 Day from JNC!
After hearing of Hot Wheels’ 50th anniversary and Jun Imai’s departure from Mattel, I began thinking back to when I started collecting Hot Wheels. It was the “Toyota AE-86 Corolla” that set my heart afire. To see the beloved Hachiroku next to the Camaros and Mustangs was indeed a treat, especially since I had searched seven stores to find it. But at least I was able to. Today, Japanese Hot Wheels are the hottest things on the pegs and impossible to find. I have many Hot Wheels now, many JNCs mixed in with the fun fantasy models.
Jun’s designs not only kickstarted a new hobby of minicar collecting, but also helped create a stress-free oasis in the form of my office desk collection. I may not be able to go for a daily touge drive, but looking at all the JNC Hot Wheels on my desk transports me to winding roads with my arm perched out the window.
What made you start collecting Hot Wheels?
The most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What JNC would your mom actually enjoy driving in?” Continue reading
There is just one more bit of Hot Wheels news left for today, and it’s a sad one. Our friend and star designer Jun Imai has left Mattel for new opportunities. We had known it was happening for a couple weeks, but didn’t want to say anything before he had announced it publicly. Needless to say, with this knowledge in the backs of our minds writing the article about Hot Wheels’ 50th anniversary, especially the part about the Jun Imai Era and how much it had impacted the brand was bittersweet. Continue reading
Today we mark 50 years of Hot Wheels, the brand that changed toy cars forever and stoked the flames of automotive passion in millions. Since 1968 was the debut year for Hot Wheels and the US-market Datsun 510, we wanted to commemorate one of Jun Imai’s best castings.
A “what-if” rendering shows what could have been had the Datsun 510 emerged from the Redline Era. The spectraflame green paint and stripes pay homage to the first Japanese casting of the Hot Wheels line, Larry Wood’s Z-Whiz. With five decades memories made, it’s a nod to Hot Wheels’ heritage and the exciting direction of future car culture.
Fifty years ago today, the world was introduced to what just might be the most influential cars ever made. The automotive world was forever changed on May 18, 1968 when Mattel introduced the Hot Wheels brand of toy cars to the world. For half a century, billions of diecast miniatures have entertained children and adults alike. Though the cars have evolved over the decades, one thing has remained consistent — they are responsible for spawning more car enthusiasts than any other toy. Continue reading
When Ricky told me to check out the Shannons video about the Isuzu Car Club of Australia gathering, I did. But the thing that absolutely blew my mind wasn’t even an Isuzu. It was this classic car insurance ad, which featured an MS65 Toyota Crown and an R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R. Yes, these are what qualifies as classics in upside-down under. Continue reading
