In Japan, you have full-blown vintage racing events devoted to Nihon steel, factory sponsored motorsports festivals, and manufacturer exhibits. These things don’t really happen in the US with Japanese automakers, so JCCS is one of the rare opportunities for competition machines to shine. Continue reading
EVENTS: 2017 Japanese Classic Car Show, Part 01 — JDM Goodness
We say this every year, but it’s true: the quality and selection of cars at the Japanese Classic Car Show keeps getting better with age. This year, the representation from Japan was increased substantially, with nameplates both beloved and obscure. Here are the best JDM cars we saw at the show. Continue reading
Posted in events
Tagged 117, 510, A174, a73, bluebird, c10, c110, city, corolla, corona, datsun, delica, e70, F30, fairlady z, fd3s, figaro, Hakosuka, honda, isuzu, kenmeri, l300, lancer, leopard, mazda, motocompo, nissan, P80, pao, Pike Cars, Pulsar NX, r30, r31, r32, rx-7, s30 z, skyline, starlet, subaru, svx, t170, T360/T500, toyota
19 Comments
MOTORSPORT: There is now a giant 787B at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca
Measuring 32 feet long and 10 feet tall, the massive Mazda 787B towers above the Monterey-Salinas Highway. The road, also known as California State Route 68, passes by the entrance of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Apparently, when you buy the naming rights to a track, they let you decorate it how you like. Continue reading
How to help our fellow Puerto Rican JNCers
Puerto Rico has one of the largest per capita JNC communities in the western hemisphere. Historically they have pushed the limits of rotary and 4-cylinder engines in drag racing, and was one of the first bastions of Japanese car culture outside of the land of the rising sun. Beyond their place in the annals of JNCing, the island itself has a vibrant and beautiful culture unique to anywhere else in the world. So far, 2017 has been a year of insurmountable tragedy for the island nation with the one-two punches from hurricanes Irma and Maria. A week after Irma hit the island prior to stalling over Houston, Maria landed a direct hit on the island as a full category 5 storm with winds as high as 150-plus mph and 10-foot surges. Continue reading
VIDEO: Honda RA300 returns to Monza after 50 years
Honda debuted its RA300 Formula One car fifty years ago, near the tail end of the 1967 F1 season. Miraculously, it won the very first race it competed in, the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, by running strong but steady near the top of the pack for most of the race and and clinching victory in a last-lap pass of the two lead cars. On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of this achievement, Honda sent the RA300 back to Monza and ran it on an exhibition lap at the Italian Grand Prix earlier this month. Continue reading
KIDNEY, ANYONE? Mint chocolate 30k-mile Colt Vista Wagon
The first-gen Mitsubishi Chariot is one of those cars that people forgot ever existed. In the US, it was extra hard for it to gain any recognition, because it was sold under the Dodge brand and called the Colt, a model name it shared with everything from Mirages to Galants. Plus, they were eminently functional and affordable, meaning every example was pretty much used, abused and discarded. So when a 30,154-mile example shows up, and it’s a brown manual wagon, we take notice. Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged chariot, dodge colt, kidney anyone, mitsubishi, Space Wagon
14 Comments
VIDEO: On board with the original Hakosuka GT-R touring car at Fuji Speedway
The legendary GT-R name began with boxy, sedan-based touring cars racing at Fuji Speedway. NISMO has just released a video in which they take one of these PGC10 Hakosuka Skyline GT-Rs out on Fuji Speedway, the circuit where they forged their legendary status in Japanese racing lore. Continue reading
JCCS Preview: Limited Edition 50th Anniversary “Giant Killer” 510 shirts
Our Giant Killer shirt, honoring the Nissan Bluebird/Datsun 510 and its historic battles against established players, has been very popular. Thus far we have only offered it in single colors, black ink on a brown or orange shirt. Since 2017 is a special year, the 50th anniversary of the 510, we thought it only fitting to release a limited edition tricolor version in vintage Nissan racing hues. Giant Killer LE will debut at the JCCS tomorrow, Saturday, September 23. We are making only 100 of them. If there are any remaining, we will put them in the JNC Shop. See you there!
Posted in JCCS Preview
Tagged 510, bluebird, datsun, Giant Killer, japanese classic car show, JCCS 2017, nissan
4 Comments
NEWS: Mitsubishi adds a next-gen Evo concept to Tokyo Motor Show lineup
Mitsubishi has released a teaser image of what it calls an “all-new flagship concept car” to be unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show next month. The company promises 4WD and a “low-slung aerodynamic” shape, but also an all-electric powertrain and (sigh) an “SUV coupe” body. But, this doesn’t mean Mitsubishi’s once again crapping on a legendary name (necessarily). Continue reading
What is Toyota’s Gazoo Racing?
Toyota has launched a new performance line in Japan. Called GR, it offers performance parts and complete cars, with six models offered at launch. Four more will follow and hit the roads of Japan by spring 2018. Toyota hopes to “gradually” bring the series outside of Japan, but whether that is good news or not depends on whether you think GR is a true performance line. But first, a brief history of GR. Continue reading
Posted in News
Tagged akio toyoda, Gazoo, Harrier, mark x, noah, prius, sports 800, suzuka, Suzuka 500, toyota, toyota 86, vitz, Voxy, yaris
17 Comments
KIDNEY, ANYONE?: The Most Expensive 1983 Honda Accord Yet?
There is a particular Honda on eBay that we’ve been watching here at JNC, and it is this 32,031-mile 1983 Honda Accord hatchback. While it is a beautiful car, and possibly the most flawless example in existence, what caught our eye was the current bid of $20,000 with nearly a week left on the auction. We would venture to say that this is the record for most money ever paid for a 1983 Accord, especially since the original MSRP for an LX hatchback such as this one was $8,549. But is it worth it? According to the 36 bidders, the answer is yes. Continue reading
JCCS Preview: Get a limited edition Matchbox Datsun 510 Rally Car at JCCS only
Matchbox will be giving away some special edition cars at the 2017 Japanese Classic Car Show this Saturday. They’ve provided a sneak peek at the packaging of at least one of them, the 1970 Datsun 510 Rally Car car. This will have different graphics than the mainline release, and if you look closely at the door, you will see a familiar logo. Continue reading
Posted in JCCS Preview
Tagged 510, datsun, japanese classic car show, JCCS 2017, matchbox
6 Comments
QotW: Would you buy a new electric car with with retro JNC styling?
Brandon’s question last week about the electric JNC was especially prescient, because just a day after he posted it Honda went and unveiled a retro-styled electric car. Jaguar, too, has unveiled an electric E-type, one with not just a retro design but a completely classic bod. Of course, Toyota did this five years ago with an electric 2000GT, but perhaps the sponsor stickers and modern wheels detracted from the end result. Like it or not, it seems even the world of classics is moving towards electrification.
Would you buy a new electric car with retro JNC styling?
The most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “Would you EV your JNC?” Continue reading
KIDNEY, ANYONE? $90k Nissan 300ZX Turbo
Recently, a 1996 Nissan 300ZX sold for $90,100. No, that is not a typo, nor was it your typical Z32. It was perhaps the most collectible example in the US, a big reason why the price was 10 times what a typical specimen would sell for. At the time, people thought this would be the last Z ever sold in the US. Continue reading
MINICARS: Get your Then & Now Hot Wheels Mazda RX-7s this Saturday
This Saturday, September 16, is another one of Hot Wheels’ Kmart exclusive K Days, and it’s one you won’t want to miss. It will be the only opportunity to buy this Mazda RX-7 pair in red at a retail store. Continue reading
EVENTS: Automobile Council, Part 03 — Live the Classic Car Lifestyle
Now that Automobile Council has somehow swayed a bunch of automakers into putting on a big show about their heritage and getting you all jazzed about living the classic motoring lifestyle, you’re going to need a Japanese nostalgic car. That’s why the show also had select top end dealers showing off their stock of vintage steel. Continue reading
Posted in events
Tagged 240zg, autech, Automobile Council, c110, coupe 9, datsun, fairlady roadster, fairlady z, fd3s, honda, KDR30, kenmeri, Kusaka Engineering, mazda, nissan, R130 Luce Rotary Coupe, r30, RB26DETT, rx-7, S30Z, skyline, stelvio, subaru, subaru 360, super silhouette, z432, zagato
7 Comments
NEWS: Honda’s retro electric Civic confirmed for production
In a surprise move, Honda has unveiled a new electric vehicle concept at the Frankfurt Motor Show’s press days, which just kicked off this morning. It’s called the Honda Urban EV Concept, and while the official press release makes no mention of it, the car’s design is clearly inspired by the first- and second-gen Honda Civic. More importantly, Honda says it “sets the direction for the technology and design that will appear on a future… production model.” Continue reading
Posted in News, Next Version
Tagged civic, Frankfurt Motor Show, honda, Urban EV Concept
25 Comments
MOTORSPORT: Calsonic and and BRE livery race again, in Australia
When we published our retrospective of Nissan’s famed Calsonic Blue livery last week we had no idea that it would soon be making its way to Australia. As it turns out, Nissan is about to revive not only this, but the famed BRE colors as well, and send them into battle side by side. Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged 510, Altima, australia, bre, calsonic, datsun, nissan, r32, skyline, V8 Supercars
9 Comments
ART CORNER: Initial D author’s new racing manga has begun
Four years after the conclusion of Initial D, author Shuichi Shigeno has embarked on the development of a new racing manga. The first chapter of the series, MF Ghost, has kicked off in Japan’s Weekly Young Magazine, where Initial D began its 18-year run in 1995. While it has a new cast of characters and is set many years after Takumi Fujiwara’s famed panda AE86 raced its last race, there seems to be at least one character carried over from Initial D. Continue reading
Posted in Art Corner
Tagged gt-r, impreza, Initial D, MF Ghost, nissan, r35, toyota, toyota 86
13 Comments
It might take twenty years, it might take a hundred, but the the autonomous car revolution is coming. The question is, where will it leave those of us, presumably everyone who reads JNC, who prefer to manually hurtle ourselves across great distances in little metal boxes. Will we be forced to take our machines to the track like equestrians are today, be allowed to share the road with autonomous cars, or be banned altogether? Every major automaker is working towards this future, so we might as well prepare ourselves.
The most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “Would you EV your JNC?” Continue reading →