QotW: Would you buy a new electric car with with retro JNC styling?

Posted on September 18, 2017 by Ricky Silverio

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 →

Posted in Question of the Week | Tagged | 15 Comments

KIDNEY, ANYONE? $90k Nissan 300ZX Turbo

Posted on September 15, 2017 by Ben Hsu

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 →

Posted in for sale | Tagged , , , | 11 Comments

MINICARS: Get your Then & Now Hot Wheels Mazda RX-7s this Saturday

Posted on September 14, 2017 by Ricky Silverio

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 →

Posted in Hot Wheels, minicars | Tagged , , , , | 12 Comments

EVENTS: Automobile Council, Part 03 — Live the Classic Car Lifestyle

Posted on September 13, 2017 by San Mamiya

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 →

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NEWS: Honda’s retro electric Civic confirmed for production

Posted on September 12, 2017 by Ben Hsu

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 , , , | 25 Comments

MOTORSPORT: Calsonic and and BRE livery race again, in Australia

Posted on September 12, 2017 by Ricky Silverio

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 , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

ART CORNER: Initial D author’s new racing manga has begun

Posted on September 11, 2017 by Ben Hsu

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 , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

QotW: Would you EV your JNC?

Posted on September 11, 2017 by Brandon Kelley

It’s National Drive Electric Week, and Nissan has just unveiled their new Leaf sporting new styling and a longer battery range. The Leaf has a ways to go before it can be considered as a JNC, but with the trend obviously moving towards EV vehicles — and emission regulations getting tighter globally; what will you do with your JNC? What if there is a time when you can no longer run a dino juice-powered motor? The only option may be to own your own secret island or EV it. What say you:

Would you EV your JNC?

The most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What JNC emblem/logo needs to come back?” Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 25 Comments

EVENTS: Automobile Council 2017, Part 02 – Mazda, with heritage guns blazing

Posted on September 8, 2017 by San Mamiya

Now in its second year, Automobile Council gives car companies a chance to flex their heritage a bit. Some seized the opportunity better than others, but none came out with more guns blazing than Mazda.  Continue reading →

Posted in events | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

KIDNEY, ANYONE?: 76k-mile Toyota Hilux Diesel

Posted on September 7, 2017 by Ryan Senensky

Okay, I know what you’re thinking, $10,000 is a lot of scratch for a third-generation Hilux. However, I think we can all agree that this 1981 Toyota Hilux Diesel might be the one of the best examples ever posted on JNC. It’s a time capsule that’s spent the last few years with it’s current owner as a daily driver with a complete service history of its maintenance by the professional hands at his local Toyota dealership. Continue reading →

Posted in for sale | Tagged , , , | 12 Comments

MOTORSPORT: Why Calsonic Blue is a legendary livery in Japanese racing

Posted on September 6, 2017 by Ben Hsu

Outside of Japan, most enthusiasts’ first encounter with the legendary Calsonic Blue livery of Nissan’s touring cars was likely in Gran Turismo. Specifically, it graced the R32 Skyline GT-R of the Japan Touring Car Championships, and while Godzilla notably won every single JTCC race it competed in from 1990-93, the Calsonic liveried cars were the winningest, taking the championship in both the first and the final seasons. The JTCC R32s were what made the livery famous, but this wasn’t the first use of Calsonic Blue.  Continue reading →

Posted in motorsport | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

ICON: Honda City Turbo, the quintessential Japanese hot hatch

Posted on September 5, 2017 by Dave Yuan

High performance machines are no stranger to Honda. The Japanese carmaker may have spent recent years perfecting mass-market consumer runabouts, but its legacy in high-revving precision-handling vehicles is well cemented in the hearts of car enthusiasts. With the new-age NSX and Civic Type R and the likes of S660, Honda seems to be getting back in touch with its passionate side. All these Honda performance cars now sport turbochargers, and while Hondas have traditionally been associated with incredible power-to-displacement ratios from naturally aspirated engines, forced induction is not new to the marque. As such, it seems appropriate now to revisit this forbear of modern Honda performance, the Honda City Turbo, one of the most iconic hot hatches of the 1980s. Continue reading →

Posted in Icons | 19 Comments

QotW: What JNC emblem/logo needs to come back?

Posted on September 4, 2017 by Brandon Kelley

Recently, we saw a great example of an AE82 with 10k on the odometer. It reminded me of the car in which I learned how to drive: our family’s 1985 AE82 in the same color, same interior, but with a manual and I believe it was a DX grade. The grille was different but the emblem was the same. “TOYOTA”. Simple, clean and undeniable.

Now, I’m a fan of emblems. I have a box of emblems that I’ve gathered over the years from junk yards and late-night eBay purchases. There are some excellent badges that I won’t say to keep the discussion free-flowing. The TOYOTA badge is not the best one out there, it’s just something from my early driving years. I do wish we got back to some of the “classic” badging… I’ll allow models that may not be in production now (but maybe could be coming back!) What do you think?

What JNC emblem/logo needs to come back?

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 make a great mobile office?” Continue reading →

Posted in Question of the Week | Tagged | 21 Comments

Have a relaxing Labor Day from JNC

Posted on September 4, 2017 by Ben Hsu

It’s Labor Day in the United States so the JNC staff is taking a break from our regularly scheduled program until tomorrow. Fifty years ago, though, the Mazda factory was hard at work churning out three-wheeled trucks. The K360 kei car was built alongside the T1500 and T2000 with not a robot in sight. Industry!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

KIDNEY, ANYONE? 10,000-mile 1984 Toyota Corolla LE

Posted on September 1, 2017 by Ben Hsu

Do you want a supremely mint example of a hugely influential mid-80s Corolla that helped spread the Toyota gospel far and wide around the world? Behold, a 10,500-mile Toyota Corolla LE sedan. What, you were expecting an AE86? The argument could be made that the front-drive AE82, the first to be co-built in the United States with General Motors, became the foundation on which the modern Toyota empire was built.  Continue reading →

Posted in for sale | Tagged , , , | 14 Comments

KIDNEY, ANYONE? 34k-mile 1991 Toyota MR2 Turbo

Posted on September 1, 2017 by Ben Hsu

At this year’s Toyotafest we were saw an increase in stock (or stock appearing) and period correct examples of the second-generation MR2. Gone were the Invader body kits and intake snorkels from the Tuner Era heyday. Clearly, the unmolested SW20 is something collectable, especially when it has only 34,270 miles on the clock.  Continue reading →

Posted in for sale | Tagged , , , | 13 Comments

VIDEO: Restored Mazda Cosmo Sport runs the Hamburg-Berlin Rally

Posted on August 31, 2017 by Ben Hsu

After a truly heroic restoration of a rusted out Cosmo Sport, Mazda Germany did what anyone would do with a newly restored classic rotary — take it on a three-day road rally.  Continue reading →

Posted in Video | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

MOTORSPORT: Team Highball IMSA RX-7, the most successful endurance racer of all time

Posted on August 31, 2017 by Dave Yuan

It is often said that rotary engines are unreliable. And yet, some of the greatest long-distance racers have been pistonless Mazdas, including what has been called the most successful endurance racer of all time: the Team Highball 1985 IMSA GTU RX-7. Continue reading →

Posted in motorsport | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 18 Comments

EVENTS: Automobile Council 2017, Part 01

Posted on August 30, 2017 by San Mamiya

Japanese automakers seem to have a newfound passion for their heritage. In the past six months, Nissan, Mazda and Honda have all announced programs aimed at restoring iconic models. We’re not sure if the Automobile Council show has anything to do with it, but the unique event focuses on marque history and model lineage, and more importantly, has managed to gain support from major automakers both foreign and domestic.  Continue reading →

Posted in events | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

MOTORSPORT: IMSA Mazda RX-3 at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion

Posted on August 29, 2017 by Dave Yuan

Mazda continued to flex its racing heritage muscle at this year’s Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion. In addition to its usual usual cadre of booming (and zooming) rotary racers, four new participants ripped around the renowned Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca for the 2017 run of North America’s premier vintage racing event. The first is a car that caught our attention weeks ahead of the race: a 1978 Mazda RX-3 IMSA racer. Continue reading →

Posted in motorsport | Tagged , , , , , , | 10 Comments