The Honda S-Series sports car — a lineage that consists of the S660, S2000, S800, S600 and S500 — is legendary today, but how did it make its first appearance to the world? After all, Honda is one of the few automakers whose first passenger model was an actual sports car and its launch was of historic import. Luckily, an old Honda-produced short film shows us that exact moment, and the road leading up to it. Continue reading
NEWS: Tokyo Motor Show may be a reunion of Japanese sports car icons
If the multitude of rumors are true, this fall’s Tokyo Motor Show could be one for the history books. Nissan, Toyota, and Honda are all said to be reviving sports car icons. A modern Z, Supra and S2000 could be in the works. Continue reading
Posted in News
Tagged fairlady z, honda, nissan, S-FR, s2000, supra, tokyo motor show, toyota
12 Comments
RIP Namco founder Masaya Nakamura, 1925-2017
Video game pioneer Masaya Nakamura passed away on January 22 at the age of 91. News just broke in Japan, leading to an outpouring of love for the man whose company gave the world Pac-Man. However, before the round yellow ghost-hunter became a global phenomenon, Nakamura created several coin-operated ways of bringing kids and cars together. Continue reading
Posted in Video Games
Tagged dax, fuji speedway, honda, Masaya Nakamura, Mitsukoshi, Namco, pole position
6 Comments
Happy 97th Birthday, Mazda!
Ninety-seven years ago today, the Toyo Kogyo Cork Company was founded in Hiroshima. The cork business wasn’t exactly brimming in a rapidly industrializing Japan, so they soon shifted to heavy equipment, including the Mazdago 3-wheeled truck. Then they made some weird cars without pistons and stuff. Happy 97th birthday, Mazda!
QotW: Which JNC took on grassroots rally racing the best?
This week, we’re taking a little break from the JNC challenge, which you can still contribute to here. During the break, I wanted to consider a simple, but possibly controversial question:
“Which JNC took on grassroots rally racing the best?
This isn’t a focus on WRC pro rally, we want to know a good story of local rally racing and the JNC that helped get people into the sport. I know there are some crazy races in Central America and even Africa so bring out your best! If you have a pic, attach or link it! We wanna see J-tin duking it out!
The most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW: Take the JNC Challenge, Part 2. Continue reading
Happy Year of the Rooster from JNC
Okay, so the logo of the Toyota Century is technically a fushichou, or phoenix derived from Chinese mythology. But, if you trace it back far enough, the fenghuang is also called the August Rooster and according to Wikipedia, sometimes replaces the rooster on the Chinese zodiac. We’ve never seen it happen, but hey, it was either this or an AW11 logo. Here’s a closeup so you can see the detail in all its golden glory. Continue reading
VIDEO: Roadkill‘s $1,500 Japanese car challenge
The last time we saw the Roadkill guys, they were busy being confounded by an AE86 with historic plates. Perhaps seeking to delve deeper into the world of J-tin, they recently filmed an episode in which they each spent $1,500 on a non-Big Three jalopy. What happens when they trade barely running muscle cars for a barely running first-gen Mazda RX-7 and Honda Civic? An entertaining as hell episode, that’s what. Continue reading
Honda T880, an adorable retro kei truck concept
One of the coolest and most unexpected concepts to emerge from the Tokyo Auto Salon this year was the Honda T880. Based on the Honda Acty, it takes the unmistakable look of Japan’s ubiquitous kei trucks and creates a design that is at once charming, nostalgic, and somewhat sporty. Continue reading
MINICARS: A brief update on upcoming Hot Wheels
Yesterday we stopped by El Segundo to catch up with our friends at the Hot Wheels Design Center. We can’t report on everything that happened — though JNCers will have to hold on to their butts in 2018 — but here are a couple of sneak peaks we can share. Continue reading
NEWS: Mitsubishi may bring back Eclipse, but in name only
There is a rumor swirling around, reported by a reputable source, that Mitsubishi may revive the Eclipse name. The report comes from Autoblog, who says that Eclipse could be the name for a vehicle Mitsubishi will unveil at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show, one that the company has released a teaser image of. Take a look at that image below and you’ll see there’s a catch, and it’s a big one. Continue reading
MARKETWATCH: 1977 Honda Civic sells for $15,400
The annual Scottsdale, Arizona car auctions have slowly been introducing Japanese classics to the larger collector market. There have been the expected Toyota 2000GT, Hakosuka GT-R, and Cosmo Sport, but also workhorse FJ40 Land Cruisers and tuner favorites like the R32 Skyline GT-R. Now, a new piece of Japanese automotive history has joined the ranks, a 1977 Honda Civic. Continue reading
MINICARS: New Japanese classics in Tomica line, sort of
Japanese diecast manufacturer Tomica is about to release its first Japanese classics into their main line since, well, since most similar classics were still new cars. The cars in question are an Isuzu 117 and Bellett, but there’s a catch. Both are actually going to be plastic accessories attached to a modern Isuzu Elf flatbed. Continue reading
QotW: Take the JNC Challenge, Part 02
Last week, we introduced a new challenge segment for QotW. In fine fashion, JNC readers came up with some amazing answers with links and fact checking to prove it! The staff here were blown away by the amount of creativity and dedication for the challenge. Some felt it was difficult to be locked in with a budget of $2,000. Others found out clever ways to save money by selling parts off their purchased chariot or get help from friends and family, all in the name of meeting the second half of the challenge; a running and driving JNC.
This week, we continue the challenge by taking the winning vehicle from last week and asking:
“What enthusiast scene do you enter your JNC into?
Do you enjoy taking it to a track for some hot laps? Join a local club for midnight cruising? Destruction derby? Whatever the choice, remember that this is still your daily driver. Whatever happens, it still needs to be available 5-days a week to take you to your 9-5 job. Anything beyond that, and we mean anything, is up to you. Keep it fun and creative as always to see where this story goes next!
The most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner and vehicle of last week’s QotW: What JNC would you buy as a daily driver with a budget of $2000 USD? Continue reading
VIDEO: Toyota puts the Drift King behind the wheel of his first true love, a 4AG-powered AE86
Keiichi Tsuchiya’s love for the Toyota AE86 is well documented. Though he got his start with the Hachiroku, he’s since driven everything under the sun as co-host of Best Motoring and even scored a class win with an NSX at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Last night, Toyota uploaded a video to their YouTube channel on the occasion of the Corolla’s 50th anniversary (it was technically last year, but whatever) in which one of Japan’s most famous drivers is reunited with the most famous Corolla. Continue reading
VIDEO: The Honda Collection Hall takes a Prelude, F1 racers, and a ton of bikes out for a spin
It’s been a while since we checked in with the Honda Collection Hall and its regular exercising of vehicles in its massive collection. The museum much pride in the fact that, unlike many automotive galleries out there, everything in its care actually runs. To prove it, they take cars and bikes out for a spin around the Collection Hall’s backyard (race cars stretch their legs on a larger track). The videos that result are entertaining, in kind of a James May-putting-together-a-Monkey way, each laden with trivia facts equally academic. Continue reading
Posted in Video
Tagged CB72, cb750, Dream 50, honda, honda collection hall, life, prelude, S500/S600/S800, SuperCub
4 Comments
NEWS: Work Wheels releases Equip 40 to celebrate 40th anniversary
Work Wheels has unveiled a new wheel for Japanese nostalgic cars, the Equip 40, at the Tokyo Auto Salon. Named in honor of Team Equip, the company’s race department founded in 1982 as well as Work Wheels’ 40th anniversary, it’s a modern take on the classic 4-spoke. Continue reading
TUNE UP: Keith Ape’s “Diamonds” Nissan 300ZX
If you liked the appearance of the FC Mazda RX-7 in The Weeknd’s “Party Monster” video that debuted last week, here’s another one just like it featuring a Z31 Nissan 300ZX. As was pointed out to us by reader Byron, rapper Keith Ape’s video for “Diamonds” includes shots of a zenki barreling through the streets of Los Angeles at night. Continue reading
Happy 117 Day from JNC
Today is January 17, so go out there and drive your Isuzu 117! What, don’t have one? Well, you can live vicariously by retracing this epic 10-day road trip across Japan in a 117 (links: Day 01, Day 02, Day 03, Day 04, Day 05, Day 06, Day 07, Day 08, Day 09, and Day 10), revisiting Japan’s premier vintage Isuzu restorer, returning to driving meetings sponsored that shop (links: here and here), or reviewing Isuzu’s 100 year history.
QotW: Take the JNC Challenge, Part 01
Welcome to a new segment, “JNC Challenge,” that will be sprinkled in throughout the year. After stellar responses in previous QotW, we decided to put your creativity to the test.
The premise is simple, we will ask a situational question with parameters such as money, goals, repairs, etc. Based on the question and details, we will ask you to give your best response. Based on the best response, we will continue the story line until it plays out.
So, the first question is this: What JNC would you buy as a daily driver with a budget of $2,000 USD? Do you buy something that runs and drives fine with the full budget? Or, do you buy a cheaper project and fix it up with the left over money? Whatever you decide, it just has to run and drive. Must be rooted in reality, though. No father’s giving out old Toyota’s with Formula Atlantic engines installed…
The best answer is the one with the most thoughtful response. Remember, we will continue with the challenge based on this week’s response so choose wisely.
What JNC would you buy as a daily driver with a budget of $2000 USD?
As always, the most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW: What JNC should be in the Blade Runner universe? Continue reading
VIDEO: Watch James May put together a Honda Monkey
James May of former Top Gear and current Grand Tour fame is mostly known for doing loud things with powerful cars. However, Captain Slow, as he’s often called by his more basic colleagues, also has a well documented love for Honda motorcycles, tinkering, and pedantry. All of this comes to life in The Reassembler, a show that trades in exotic locales for a dim shed and whose motorized vehicles are not tearing across a race track but betting slowly put back together from its component pieces. In this case, that vehicle is a Honda Z50 Monkey, and the process is oddly satisfying. Continue reading
