It’s been a while since we had a Showa Snap, but here’s a striking photo of taxi drivers gathered in front of a row of storefronts. Note that the 230 and 330 Nissan Cedric cabs have no toplights, and that the various taxi companies are denoted by vivid two-tone paint jobs. We know these aren’t privately-owned vehicles because of their green license plates. The businesses include what looks like a travel agency and a small food market. The image was likely taken in 1975, meaning these young drivers are probably retirees by now.
The Honda Dax 125 is coming to America
Honda has announced that the revived Dax motorcycle is coming to America. The updated classic minibike was announced for the Japanese market in 2022, but now it’s officially crossing the Pacific. It joins Honda’s “mini moto” class of 125cc bikes like the Cub, Monkey and Grom. It’s also probably the most faithful to the original version of all the recently revived motorcycles in Honda’s lineup. Continue reading
Honda Prelude revival will reportedly have manual transmission
Honda surprised a lot of enthusiasts with the debut of the Prelude at last year’s Japan Mobility Show. Honda has since said that the sleek-looking coupe will be powered by a hybrid powertrain. Now, a report from Japan says the Prelude will come with a 6-speed manual transmission. If true, it would be the first gasoline-electric hybrid with a stick since the Honda CR-Z. Continue reading
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QotW: What complete JNC body shell should be reproduced next?
The AE86-osphere went kind of nuts last week when it was revealed that they can buy a complete unibody Sprinter Trueno shell on Alibaba. The iconic drift sled is a good candidate for this treatment, as the majority of original ones have been rusted out, drifted into walls, or otherwise had their numbers reduced by natural attrition (accidents, financially overwhelming mechanical failure, etc.). Yet it remains a platform with a dedicated enthusiast following. Surely there are other legendary cars that are impossible to find clean shells for.
What complete JNC body shell should be reproduced next?
The most entertaining comment by next week will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What’s the most 90s car?“. Continue reading
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The story of Mooneyes told in ‘Craft of Speed’ documentary
The origins of Mooneyes has been well covered. The iconic hot rod equipment maker is one of the most recognizable brands in the custom car aftermarket, denoted by its cartoonish eyeballs logo and signature yellow cars. Yet this classic American nameplate has also become inexorably Japanese. That part of its history has never been thoroughly explored. That is, until Craft of Speed. Continue reading
Reproduction Toyota AE86 shells are available on Alibaba
About 20 years ago, at the height of TNN’s Power Block and million dollar Hemi ‘Cudas at Barrett-Jackson, a company called Dynacorn blew SEMA’s minds with a complete reproduction 1967 Mustang Fastback body. Since then we’ve been wondering which Japanese car would be the first to get the same treatment. Well, you can now order a complete reproduction Toyota AE86 shell to build the touge warrior of your dreams. Continue reading
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Nissan Cedric taxis sure can take a beating, but the door hinges could use work
The Nissan Cedric taxi was once a staple of Japanese streets. It was also once a staple of Japanese car chases, where cheap 230s and 330s were sacrificed to to gods of Showa Era police dramas. To be fair, Toyota Crowns were just as common, but Nissan secured better deals with TV producers. Continue reading
The Lexus GS400 was a “barnstorming performance sedan”
The arrival of the second-generation Lexus GS turned up the heat on 1998’s luxury sedan market. Lexus was still young, less than a decade old, but the LS held down the unflappable luxury sedan corner, the SC had the beautiful grand tourer thing nailed, and the GS cranked the dial toward the performance end of the sport-luxury spectrum far more than any Lexus that had come before. Continue reading
QotW: What’s the most 90s car?
As someone who lived through the 1990s, I feel like the decade is hard to pin down. A lot of what is called 90s is actually an 80s aesthetic, and everywhere you look there are claims that 90s fashion is coming back. But are graphic T-shirts and cargo pants really exclusive to the 90s? The automotive realm is one area where the 90s have a distinct look, with simple and organic soft shapes and just enough but not too much in-car tech. And, of course, it was a time when Japanese cars shined bright. With Y2K nearly 25 years behind us, is there a single car that can be called emblematic of the decade?
What’s the most 90s car?
The most entertaining comment by next week will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “How would you make a Mazda ad?“. Continue reading
JCCS exclusive diecast Skyline GT-R with Advan livery announced
As if there were any more reasons to go to the 19th annual Japanese Classic Car Show this year, an exclusive diecast car that will only be available at the show has been announced. It’s a highly detailed 1/64 scale Nissan Skyline R32 with Advan livery and widebody kit designed by tuner culture godfather Jon Sibal. Oh, and we also have a special coupon code for JCCS tickets below. Continue reading
Safari-fied Nissan Z “Warrior” trademarked
If trademarks are anything to go by, and we must stress that they’re often not, Nissan is looking at a safari-fied variant of the Z. But if it’s true, it would be a pretty entertaining car that has some historic precedent. If Porsche can build a 911 Dakar, Nissan can build a Safari Z. Continue reading
Toyota Castrol livery appears on Mustang race car in Australia
Toyota’s Castrol livery is getting resurrected once again, this time in Australia. Earlier this year the livery was worn on the NASCAR Mustang of Brad Keselowski during Darlington Raceway’s Throwback Weekend. The Aussie one does it better by putting the colors on an actual S650 Mustang body, not a generic NASCAR shell, and it looks darn slick. Continue reading
Honda Motocompo patent shows reveals foldable bike that doubles as a generator
Honda has long toyed with the idea of reviving the Motocompo, a foldable bike designed to reside in the trunk of the 1981 Honda City. A recently unearthed document shows that the dream is not only still alive, but serious enough to warrant a patent filing. Brilliantly updated for the modern age, the Motocompo now acts as both a bike and a power source for an electric vehicle. Continue reading
QotW: How would you make a Mazda ad?
It’s hard to make a car commercial stand out. Beautiful people, beautiful landscapes, the promise of adventure. Every company portrays their wares as thrilling to drive, even when they’re duller than dry dirt. What happens when you have cars that are actually fun to drive, but end up producing cringey ads that don’t really get the message across. It’s a predicament, especially when you have to talk to people who think a “V4” is a common engine. You have only 30 seconds to convince them to go visit your dealership.
How would you make a Mazda ad?
The most entertaining comment by next week will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “Have you ever seen Japanese government vehicles outside of Japan?“. Continue reading
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The 1983 Honda XXX three-wheeled land jet was Honda’s first concept car
Last month we discussed the 1984 Honda HP-X concept car that had been restored. Honda called the HP-X its first concept car, but there had been others before it. Take the Honda XXX, for example, a bizarre three-wheeled vehicle that was shown at the 1983 Tokyo Motor Show. Continue reading
Mazda CX-70 ad featuring an RX-7 GSL-SE is a real downer
We are always stoked when a JNC appears in an ad for a new car. It shows that the company cares about — or is at least aware of — its heritage. But there’s a rule of thumb in advertising — not sure where we heard it; could’ve been Mad Men — that no one should ever have any negative feelings when thinking about your product, ever. So why does this Mazda spot for the new CX-70 such a downer? Continue reading
Fuji Rabbit immortalized as a 1/8 scale subscription model
Hachette has announced their next subscription model, and it’s kind of an odd one. It’s a 1959 Fuji Rabbit Superflow S601, built by Fuji Heavy Industries, the former name of what is now known as Subaru Corp. If you decide to undertake the building of this 1/8 scale model a few pieces will arrive in the mail each week, taking nearly a year to complete. Continue reading
The Subaru Outback was patient zero of the crossover-pocalypse
Many say the Toyota RAV4, introduced to America in 1996, was the crossover harbinger of doom. While that may be technically true, the Subaru Legacy Outback predates it, having debuted in 1995. Crossovers are essentially wagons with higher ride heights, and the Outback was literally that. They took a Legacy wagon, added some rugged-looking cladding, jacked up the suspension, and threw on some foglamps and bigger tires. Voilà, instant moneymaker. Continue reading
QotW: Have you ever seen Japanese government vehicles outside of Japan?
In the US government vehicles tend to be American. It probably makes politicians look bad if they buy foreign cars, but some slip through. We’ve heard some states have Subaru police cars though we’ve never seen one. The Pentagon used to have unmarked Camrys but we’re not sure if they’re still in service. California uses Priuses, usually for parking enforcement, but we’ve seen Nissan Frontiers and Jukes in the colors of CalTrans, the state highway agency, and Toyota Tacomas and Tundras serving as lifeguard and beach patrol vehicles. The holy grail would probably be a vehicle painted in the mint green of the US Forest Service. The coolest one we’ve actually seen is a Mitsubishi-built US Navy Dodge D-50.
Have you ever seen Japanese government vehicles outside of Japan?
The most entertaining comment by next week will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “Which once-derided Japanese car will make a comeback?“. Continue reading
Nissan Silvia revival is in exploratory stage, says exec
Nissan is apparently at least somewhat serious about bringing back the Silvia. It’s not definite by any stretch, but it’s also not a random comment uttered by an exec in a throwaway line either. One thing Nissan is certain of though, is that if the Silvia becomes anything, it’ll be electrified in some way. Continue reading
