In a largely disappointing Tokyo Motor Show, the stars of the Toyota, Nissan, Honda, and Mitsubishi booths were autonomous or electric or overstyled crossovers — sometimes all three. Only Mazda bucked the trend with a couple of concepts that went old school. We don’t mean old school as in retro styling, but old school as in what golden era concept cars, like the ones from the 60s and 70s, were meant to do — get your heart revving with drop dead sexy looks give a glimpse of what’s to come. Continue reading
Tokyo Motor Show: Mazda’s concepts are simply stunning
Posted in Tokyo Motor Show
Tagged Kai, mazda, mazda 3, TMS 2017, tokyo motor show, Vision Concept
17 Comments
Tokyo Motor Show: Daihatsu saves the day
The Tokyo Motor Show was largely disappointing this year, mainly caused by high expectations. There was no Gran Turismo reunion of Supras, Zs, and Evos. In fact, Toyota, Nissan and Mitsubishi all highlighted some sort of electric crossover van thingy. It was up to tiny Daihatsu to show something, anything of interest to JNCers. Continue reading
Posted in Tokyo Motor Show
Tagged compagno, daihatsu, DN Compagno, TMS 2017, tokyo motor show
7 Comments
Tokyo Motor Show: Honda’s Sports EV concept will keep driving alive
Honda has unveiled what it believes is the next generation of sports cars at the Tokyo Motor Show. The Honda Sports EV is a concept model that the company says “combines EV performance and AI (artificial intelligence) inside a compact body with the aim to realize the joy of driving.” Continue reading
Kidney, Anyone?: Flawless 1984 Toyota Camry LE
Our friend Bryan Thompson, is selling his flawless 1984 Toyota Camry. This means that right now is your best chance to own arguably the best example of a V10 generation Camry currently in private ownership. If Bryan’s name is familiar, you’ve probably seen some of his other cars in our posts from JCCS. He is a connoisseur of orphaned JNCs and has set out to collect the finest examples of obscure ones from across time. Continue reading
QotW: What car should our Touge California Rallymaster get?
The time has come for your faithful Touge California rallymaster to get a new set of wheels. A shift in family priorities means that my trusty 2003 Honda Odyssey will be returning to kid-hauling duty with the missus, so I’m looking for a daily driver to handle my LA commuting needs. Of course, as a contributor to JNC, owner of a diecast model business, and announcer at JCCS, not just any vehicle will do. Since the JNC community was so helpful in steering Mrs Hsu toward the perfect car for her new life in LA, I’m hoping that your collective wisdom will once again generate a list of suitable candidates. Here are my requirements:
- It must have a back seat that can accommodate two young kids, one of whom still requires a full-sized child safety seat. No flexibility on this point.
- It must be at least somewhat modern, with reasonable level of crashworthiness in a freeway environment loaded with inattentively driven crossovers.
- It must pass California registration and smog tests with zero hassle. That pretty much means only fuel injected cars will be considered, and it definitely means that privately imported JDM vehicles are out.
- If a car was offered for sale in the US with a manual transmission, then ONLY manual versions of that car will be considered.
- It must be stock. Stock means stock. If you suggest a car with “easily reversible mods,” you need to be prepared to come to my home and easily reverse them yourself. For free.
- It must have some sort of performance potential. That can mean high-speed touring on the interstate, or it can mean cone-killing prowess at an autocross. Whatever, it just needs to be fun to drive.
- It must be $5,000 or less.
- Obviously, it has to be Japanese. I’ve made a couple of ill-advised BMW purchases, and I’m pretty sure that if I do that again my wife will leave me. And if she doesn’t, then Ben Hsu definitely will.
What car should our Touge California Rallymaster get?
The most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What JNC needs to be Kylo Ren’s ride in the next Star Wars?” Continue reading
EVENTS: 2017 Japanese Classic Car Show, Part 08 — Best Booths
JCCS has become an international show. For years, the event has been growing, with ever better builds and spectators coming from farther reaches of the globe. This year, however, many top companies from Japan attended, while US-based ones upped the ante with their displays. These were the best booths of the 2017 JCCS. Continue reading
Posted in events
Tagged 240z, 240Z/260Z/280Z, 280z, 510, a40, accord, ae86, Altra, b-series, bluebird, c10, c30, celica, civic, Civic EF, Civic Type R, Classic Car Nagoya, Colin Project, corolla, cosmo sport, datsun, e30, fd3s, fj60, Hakosuka, honda, Hypermini, Hyprmini, imsa, japanese classic car show, JCCS 2017, land cruiser, laurel, leaf, matchbox, mazda, miata, mx-5, nissan, osaka jdm, r30, racing beat, rx-3, rx-7, s30 z, skyline, sprinter carib, tercel, toyota, wagons, Wild Cards, Work Equip 40, work wheels, Z Car garage
4 Comments
JCCS Spotlight: Best in Show goes to the most stunning Subaru 360 restoration we’ve ever seen
The competition has never been harder for a Best in Show award at JCCS. We did the perhaps obvious thing by giving the JNC award to a Datsun 510, but the JCCS judges collectively gave the coveted Best in Show award to Jay Ataka’s fully restored 1969 Subaru 360. It was with good reason, too. Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged japanese classic car show, JCCS 2017, kei, subaru, subaru 360
14 Comments
2017 Japanese Classic Car Show, Part 07 — Trucks
One of our favorite categories of JCCS is classic trucks. The compact pickup is a lost art, and no one did them quite like Japan. As it turns out, the truck category turned out to be the single most diverse this year in terms of marque, and earned the selection a prime waterside spot. Continue reading
Posted in events
Tagged 411, 521, brat, datsun, fj40, fj60, forte, hilux, japanese classic car show, JCCS 2017, land cruiser, mazda, mitsubishi, nissan, plymouth arrow, repu, subaru, toyota, trucks
7 Comments
VIDEO: Burnouts and assorted antics with the Wild Cards
After the recent JCCS show, our friends the Wild Cards swung by the Hoonigan offices for a little video shoot. You’ll see cars like Roy De Guzman’s Hako, Jay Kho’s R30, Patrick Soliman’s Kenmeri, and even JNC award winner Gilbert Susana’s 510. After a hood popping sesh the boys let loose with some burnouts and general hoonage. If seeing tires go up in smoke is your bag, check out the video below. Continue reading
QotW: What JNC needs to be Kylo Ren’s ride in the next Star Wars?
Last weekend, our mighty editor-in-chief Ben swung by the Tokyo offices as we gear up for Tokyo Motor Show. While on the hunt for some new Tomica minicars, we came across the above. Seeing as the latest trailer to the next Star Wars installment dropped, this week’s QotW is fitting. What does the First Order Jedi roll around in when not fighting on self-destructive planets, or losing his cool on a Destroyer?
Simple question, make it fun, gang. Bonus points if you Photoshop something. (Previous Star Wars-branded JNC excluded!!!)
What JNC needs to be Kylo Ren’s ride in the next Star Wars?
The most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “How far will you go for your next JNC?” Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
12 Comments
NEWS: Daihatsu’s retro concepts for the Tokyo Motor Show
This year’s Tokyo Motor Show might see the revival of some legendary models — Supra, Z, S2000, Evo — but it might be Daihatsu that takes the cake for the most charming heritage concepts this year. The compact car specialist has revealed a pair of throwback models ahead of the show to mark the company’s 110th anniversary. Continue reading
Posted in News
Tagged compagno, daihatsu, DN Compagno, DN Pro Cargo, kei, midget, tokyo motor show
6 Comments
EVENTS: 2017 Japanese Classic Car Show, Part 06 — Datsun 510 and the winner of the 2017 JNC Award
Every year, the kind folks at JCCS allow us to give one JNC award. This year, we were incredibly happy to give it to a Datsun 510, as 2017 happened to be the 50th anniversary of the Nissan 510 chassis. But which 510? There was a grip of them at the show, so let’s take a look at some of them before we reveal which five and dime went home with the award. Continue reading
Posted in events
Tagged 510, bluebird, datsun, japanese classic car show, JCCS 2017, nissan, Wild Cards
12 Comments
NEWS: Mazda’s Tokyo sedan concept to set next generation of design, looks rear-wheel-drive
Mazda has revealed some teasers for two concepts that will headline its Tokyo Motor Show display later this month. One is almost certainly the next-generation Mazda Axela (known stateside as the 3). The more far-out one is a sedan concept the Hiroshima carmaker says will establish the next generation of Mazda design. What’s more interesting though is that the car appears to have rear-wheel-drive proportions. Continue reading
VIDEO: Listen to the sound of the Honda RA300 at Monza
Fifty years ago, the Honda RA300 won the Italian Grand Prix. Earlier this year, Honda took its famed racing machine back to Autodromo Nazionale Monza, and cranked its 48-valve, 12,000-rpm V12 for the fans to hear. Continue reading
EVENTS: 2017 Japanese Classic Car Show, Part 05 — 80s & 90s
This year the JCCS Street Neo Classics show was put on hiatus because its venue, an area of the Toyota USA campus, is no longer available. If you’ve been following the news the company’s move to Texas is underway, so soon the long-standing Torrance headquarters will be a ghost office park. As such, JCCS organizers allowed a one time more 80s and 90s cars than would typically qualify — so enjoy this rare occasion! Continue reading
VIDEO: B110 Nissan Sunny vs KP61 Toyota Starlet touge battle
“Why no moar horsepower?” is probably the most oft repeated and annoying gripe leveled at Japanese cars. If you’d like to see a video that answers why, here it is. Japan’s roads are mountainous, tight and a ton of fun in small, lightweight cars. Watch Drift King Keiichi Tsuchiya and Takyua Kurosawa drive a KP61 Toyota Starlet and a B110 Nissan Sunny — cars that had less than 100 horsepower when new but weighed about 1,600 pounds — drive them on the roads they were meant to be driven on. Continue reading
Posted in Video
Tagged b110, best motoring, keiichi tsuchiya, kp61, nissan, starlet, sunny, toyota
6 Comments
QotW: How far will you go for your next JNC?
A recent trip took me to Dubai and back to Tokyo. A few take aways: Toyota is killing it in the taxi and fleet market, and there are plenty of JNCs out there. With internet auction sites, private listing sites and forums; are you willing to go beyond your local area for your next JNC? Where do you draw the line?
How far will you go for your next JNC?
The most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What is the worst modern design trend?” Continue reading
EVENTS: 2017 Japanese Classic Car Show, Part 04 — Shakotan Sleds
We’ve shown you the JDM rarities, competition machines and museum pieces of JCCS, but we know what you really came here for — Nihon sleds slammed on some vintage barrels. It’s the quintessential Japanese modified car look, and there was plenty of it on hand at the Queen Mary. Continue reading
Posted in events
Tagged 240Z/260Z/280Z, 521, 710, a20, a40, a60, ae86, b110, c10, celica, Civic 1G, corolla, corona, corona mark II, cressida, daruma, datsun, e30, fairlady roadster, Hakosuka, honda, honda N, japanese classic car show, JCCS 2017, kp61, mazda, nissan, rx-3, s30 z, skyline, sprinter trueno, starlet, sunchaser, sunny, supra, t80, te27, te37, violet, X10, x20, x30, x60, zokusha
6 Comments
NEWS: Toyota will introduce a new Century for only the third time in 50 years
Toyota has released images of the third generation Toyota Century ahead of the Tokyo Motor Show. This is notable, because in the Toyota flagship sedan’s entire 50 year history, there has been only one complete redesign, until now. While minor updates have been made over the decades, the 2018 Century will be only the third completely new generation in, well, half a century. Continue reading
NEWS: More images of Mitsubishi Evo concept revealed
Mitsubishi has revealed two new images of its next Evolution model. Called the e-Evolution, it is said to combine the automaker’s greatest strengths — all wheel drive, electrification, and off-roading prowess. Continue reading
Posted in News
Tagged e-Evolution Concept, lancer, lancer evolution, mitsubishi, pajero, Pajero Evolution
6 Comments
