Driving Japan’s Car of the Year, the Subaru Impreza, and its great-great-grandfather

Posted on January 13, 2017 by Ben Hsu

“Twenty years ago, no one was at our booth,” recalls Kazuhiro Abe, chief engineer of the 2017 Impreza. He was reminiscing about the launch of the third-generation Legacy at the Chicago Auto Show with a wry smile. He had joined the company in 1990, when business wasn’t going so well. The company didn’t even have the clout to get prime real estate in the convention center. Stuck in a remote corner of McCormick Place, the booth was a ghost town. Finally, a woman approached with her toddler, poised to ask a question. The mood at the booth immediately lifted and Abe got ready to tell her how great the car was.

“Can I change a diaper in your car?” she asked.

Naturally, Abe obliged. But he still talked to her about the Legacy’s features. A spacious cargo area, for example.  Continue reading →

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JNC PROJECT HAKO: Big in Australia

Posted on January 12, 2017 by Ben Hsu

A little over a year ago, JNC‘s very own Kevin San was selected by Nulon, an Australian oil and lubricant company, to participate in a video series titled “Born This Way,” which follows hard core car enthusiasts and explores what makes them tick. Today Nulon debuted the full video, so now you can see Kev’s Project Hako in action as you’re serenaded by the dulcet tones of his sexy Australian accent.  Continue reading →

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ART CORNER: San Mamiya’s “Bad Face” Mazda RX-3

Posted on January 11, 2017 by Ben Hsu

Our friend and contributor San Mamiya has revealed his latest illustration, titled Bad Face. It depicts the angry visage of an S124 Mazda Savanna RX-3, headlights glaring, pulled up next to a Suzuki GT380 motorcycle.  Continue reading →

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Consider the Following: Nissan Stanza Wagon

Posted on January 11, 2017 by Ryan Senensky

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With the prices of the most popular models entering unattainable status for a lot of younger JNCers, we felt it necessary to highlight some painfully overlooked — often for no good reason at all — yet still affordable (for now) nostalgics. Welcome to another Consider the Following installment, in which we ponder the Nissan Stanza Wagon.  Continue reading →

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NEWS: This new Nissan concept has an easter egg from the Bluebird SSS

Posted on January 10, 2017 by Ben Hsu

Yesterday at the Detroit Auto Show, Nissan unveiled a boldly styled concept sedan. The Vmotion 2.0’s styling is decidedly brand-spanking-new school, as it heralds the design language of all future Nissan sedans, but designers stuck one easter egg from the 910 Bluebird SSS in there for the old schoolers.  Continue reading →

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NEWS: The last of the V8 Lexus sedans

Posted on January 9, 2017 by Ben Hsu

That was unexpected. At the Detroit Auto Show today, Lexus unveiled its newest flagship sedan, the 2018 LS 500. However, general manager Jeff Bracken dropped a bombshell soon after — namely, that the tip-top-of-the-line Lexus would no longer have a V8 under the hood, breaking a tradition that traces back as far a Lexus has existed.  Continue reading →

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PIXELATED: Tokyo Xtreme Racer is coming back

Posted on January 9, 2017 by Ben Hsu

Video game publisher Genki recently tweeted an picture of a Nissan GT-R idling at a Tokyo expressway pull-off zone at night, ready for action. For JNCers of a certain age, then image should instantly evoke the thrill of Tokyo Xtreme Racer, perhaps the only game in the world that had a button reserved exclusively for flashing your headlights at other drivers. It looks like late-night Shuto battles are back.  Continue reading →

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QotW: What JNC should be in the Blade Runner universe?

Posted on January 9, 2017 by Brandon Kelley

New Year’s in Japan is a time to take things slow. Many people leave the big city lights for the quiet hum of kerosene heaters at their grandparent’s homes in the flat countryside. I too, went outwards to Gunma prefecture and relaxed with family. A funny thing happened though. While browsing auctions I came across an old Blade Runner record and found a second-gen Mazda RX-7 Turbo in white happily resting on the corner. In fact, you can see the RX-7 and theme in action here!

Since the Ridley Scott classic hit in 1982 but Mazda didn’t release the car until 1985, we know it wasn’t cast as an extra for the streets of 2019 Los Angeles. But, I also feel that it may not be that out of place if it had. During this same New Year’s holiday, the new Blade Runner 2049 movie trailer was released and it got us thinking:

What JNC should be in the Blade Runner universe?

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’s your JNC New Year resolution? Continue reading →

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VIDEO: Hot Wheels designer Jun Imai details the Datsun Fairlady 2000

Posted on January 6, 2017 by Ricky Silverio

The Nissan Fairlady 2000 is one of the most anticipated cars of the 2017 Hot Wheels lineup, and it’s easy to see why. Dedicated collectors will easily spot the signature touches of designer Jun Imai, who has transformed it into a bumperless, hard-topped race-ready version that would look right at home tearing through Fuji Speedway circa 1967. Watch Jun explain his inspiration in a Hot Wheels official video.  Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 10 Comments

VIDEO: The world’s first race cars to broadcast live from the cockpit were Toyota Celicas

Posted on January 6, 2017 by Ben Hsu

Toyota Australia has just released an interview with Aussie racing great Peter Williamson. As you may recall, Williamson passed away in 2016, but his legacy as the world’s first in-car camera broadcaster lives on. The interview was conducted at the 2016 Toyota Nationals shortly before he passed. Williamson had brought and displayed one of his Group C Celica “camera cars” — which pioneered the technology of sending live video and sound feeds from the car, in this case to a helicopter pacing the vehicle above the track. Continue reading →

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VIDEO: Japan’s best drivers compete in Japan’s slowest car

Posted on January 5, 2017 by Ben Hsu

The brilliant thing about Best Motoring is that one day you get an epic AE86 track battle, and the next day you get antics rivaling 2002-era Top Gear in silliness. Take this 1996 episode, for example. Daihatsu had just resurrected the Midget II delivery truck, a bug-eyed, 31-horsepower kei pickup offered mostly in green. Still, it was quite a technological leap from the Midget I, which had only three wheels. Best Motoring then raided the local Daihatsu dealer and put Japan’s top drivers in a flock of them. Continue reading →

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VIDEO: Racing Beat at the 24 Hours of Daytona

Posted on January 4, 2017 by Dave Yuan

The passing of Racing Beat cofounder Jim Mederer dealt a blow to the community of rotary and Mazda enthusiasts. In remembering the accomplishments of Jim and his shop over the years, we were reminded of the magnitude of their contribution to the racing legacy of the RX-7, Mazda, and Japanese cars in North America. How cool would it be to witness a piece of that legacy in action? Continue reading →

Posted in motorsport | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

VIDEO: The ultimate AE86 track battle

Posted on January 3, 2017 by Ben Hsu

In 2005, to commemorate volume number 86, Hot Version invited Japan’s top AE86 to Tsukuba Circuit to lay down some lap times. This era was the peak of innovation for AE86 tuning with the TRD N2 Corolla Levin, driven by Keiichi Tsuchiya, as perhaps the poster child of peak Hachiroku modding.  Continue reading →

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RIP Jim Mederer, 1942 — 2016

Posted on January 2, 2017 by Dave Yuan

2016 may be over, but we’re sad to report that on its way out an already tough year has claimed yet another luminary from us. Jim Mederer, co-founder of the renowned Mazda tuning house Racing Beat, passed away on December 27th after a long battle with cancer. Continue reading →

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QotW: What’s your JNC New Year resolution?

Posted on January 2, 2017 by Ben Hsu

Shogatsu, or New Year, is the most important holiday of the Japanese calendar, as important as Christmas in the US. It’s a chance to get a fresh new start on life, which perhaps means finally getting around to that project. In which case, we wish you an auspicious 2017!

What’s your JNC New Year resolution?

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 part of 2016 are you most eager to forget?”  Continue reading →

Posted in Question of the Week | Tagged | 11 Comments

50 YEAR CLUB: Fuji Speedway

Posted on December 31, 2016 by Ben Hsu

In a year of momentous anniversaries for Japanese automotive institutions, one stands above all others in shaping the cars we love. Fuji Speedway, which opened in 1966 and turned 50 this year, has been the birthplace of countless legends, whether made of steel or of flesh.  Continue reading →

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Sayonara, 2016. Happy New Year from JNC

Posted on December 31, 2016 by Kevin San

あけましておめでとうございます。

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

25 YEAR CLUB: Subaru SVX

Posted on December 30, 2016 by Ryan Senensky

“We made the SVX from our hearts,” said Nobumasa Saeki, general manager of Subaru’s engineering division 25 years ago, in a booklet published at the model’s release. “It is the kind of car that we wanted to drive. It was the kind of car we wanted. It was what we wanted a car to be. As engineers, as drivers, we built this car based on our own true feelings.”  Continue reading →

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100 YEAR CLUB: Isuzu Motors

Posted on December 29, 2016 by Ben Hsu

What’s Japan’s oldest automaker? Like most questions, the answer isn’t necessarily a simple one, but there’s one thing that we can guarantee. It’s not Toyota, Nissan, Mazda, or any of the marques you might expect. One candidate, however, is Isuzu, founded in 1916, making it 100 years old this year.  Continue reading →

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MINICARS: All the Japanese cars in the 2017 Hot Wheels mainline

Posted on December 29, 2016 by Ricky Silverio

Mattel has released the complete 2017 Hot Wheels mainline list, and it includes plenty of things for collectors of Japanese cars to get excited about. Old castings make a return, while new ones continue the trend. Here’s a complete rundown on what J-tin aficionados should look out for. Continue reading →

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