At a surprise press conference October 12 in Japan, Toyota and Suzuki announced that they are in talks about a potential partnership. The announcement was puzzling to industry watchers, but if such a tie-up comes to fruition, we will essentially have three factions of automakers in Japan. Are we on the way to a Japanese Big Three? Continue reading
Nissan Australia does some pretty cool stuff Down Undah, things we can only dream of in the States. For example, they take the Altima racing, but instead of cheesy stunts punking normal schlubs, the Aussies turn them into actual race cars by converting them to RWD and shoving 668-horsepower 5.6-liter V8s under the bonnet. Then they put vintage Skyline liveries on them. Continue reading
In the Venn diagram of automotive cultures, there are some that simply have no overlaps. Even a few short years ago, the idea that the moneyed, Euro-centric world of Formula One would collide with the underground, largely disdained world of bosozoku would be unthinkable. Yet here, in 2016, we have two F1 drivers who have just gotten an image upgrade by driving a Skyline Japan zokusha. Continue reading
American racing driver Tony Adamowicz (above, third from left) has passed away at the age of 75. Over an accomplished career, he drove just about every type of car imaginable in every type of race imaginable. From Dodge Challengers in Trans-Am to Greenwood Corvettes at Daytona to Ferraris at Le Mans, Adamowicz truly lived up to his nickname, Tony A2Z. As this Autoweek (which Adamowicz wrote for) article recounts, he even came in second in the 1971 Cannonball Run driving a Chevy van crammed with 55-gallon fuel drums, finishing just 20 minutes behind Dan Gurney in a Ferrari.
Beginning in the late 70s, though, and through the twilight years of his career, Adamowicz delivered several historic wins for Nissan’s US efforts. Continue reading
Hot Wheels designer Jun Imai has revealed the next recolor of the Datsun Fairlady 2000 on Instagram. We love the industrial green color chosen for this release (with black JNC inkan on the front fender) but what will get collectors and customizers excited is the new wheel design. It may be hard to see from the photo, but it’s a widened, deep-dish steelie with a little bit of a stretch on the tires. We’ll have more detailed photos when we receive our samples.
You would think that some of the most indestructable machines built by humankind would be plentiful. Well, yes, but not in show-like condition. Ironically, because Toyota trucks work so damn well they’re used, abused, and then used some more, and vehicles like that don’t tend to stay very shiny for car shows. Nevertheless, some gems managed to survive lo these many years — like Cabe Toyota’s 30-Series 4WD and FJ Cruiser — and JCCS brought out some of the best. Continue reading
During last night’s presidential debate, the internet was lit afire when an audience member named Kenneth Bone from Labadie, Missouri stood up to ask Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump a question. Perhaps it was his trenchant query about energy policy and jobs that captured America’s attention.
Haha, who are we kidding? It was some combination of his bright red sweater, generally genial affect, and incredible rock/porn star name. Immediately speculation began on exactly who this ray of sunshine was in the most forehead-slapping election season in American history. Well, we have the scoop on the real Ken Bone. Continue reading
With the designers at Hot Wheels going all out with the J-tin, we have been pondering what will come next. Our minds wander all over the board, from racing pedigree to everyday workhorses like a Daihatsu Midget or the Suzuki Cervo like we saw at the Paris Motor Show.
What JNC needs the Hot Wheels treatment?
What say you, dear reader? 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 brochure had the most exciting lifestyle promise?” Continue reading
Perhaps drawn by the 510 gods that brought John Morton’s BRE racer all the way from Nashville, this year’s JCCS had a surprisingly plentiful turnout of Nissan’s OG sports sedan. While Nissan’s racer was one of the biggest hits of the show, parked there alongside its modern counterparts in a pair of R35 GT-R GT3 cars, many privately owned examples shined for their own reasons. Continue reading
Just a friendly JNC reminder. Touge 80s registration ends tomorrow, October 7, at 11:59 pm Pacific Time. All you need to know about the event can be found at this link.
There’s nothing like watching vintage Skylines in action on Japan’s expressways, especially when one of them is a replica of the 1972 Tokyo Motor Show kenmeri race car. Continue reading
In Part 02 of our grand tour through central Japan, we experienced some of the best touge roads the country has to offer. After making it as far west as Matsue City, we decided to head back home to Chiba via a southerly route. Continue reading
So the very-close-to-production prototype of the Honda Civic Type R was unveiled at the Paris Motor Show last week. And, from what Honda has told us, it’s actually coming to the US this time. There’s absolutely no doubt that the the car is going to be supernaturally competent at defying the laws of physics, but is it worthy of the Type R name? Continue reading
One of the most revered nameplates in the automotive world today is Skyline, but nearly fifty years ago, it was unknown on this side of the Pacific as Nissan was building up their brand in the US. Instead, the Z and 510 were the ones leading the charge and revolutionizing the definition of what a performance car could be. Continue reading
Imagine, heading out to the local dealership to find your new chariot. Sure, you can take a look around the lot, but you’ve got a lot to think about, and many makes to check out. You grab a brochure to thumb through later to help your decision. Are you swayed by the beauty in the swimsuit enticing you to join the party by buying a Mitsubishi Minicab? Or the promise of a neon nightlife with the Daihatsu Mira TR? Maybe unleashing the inner wild monster with an Isuzu Amigo?
What JNC brochure had the most exciting lifestyle promise?
What say you, dear reader? 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 most creative automotive storage solution?” Continue reading
To most of the media at the Paris Motor Show going on right now, the Suzuki Ignis is probably just a small but practical compact crossover. What few probably realize is that its one of the best incarnations of Japanese retro design on the market right now. Continue reading
Eleven years ago when the Forza franchise originally launched there was an AE86, an R32 GT-R and that was about it for JNCs. Over the last decade, however, more and more have been added to the game. Over the weekend, the franchise’s latest entry in their open world spin off, Forza Horizon 3, was released to early access players and I can happily report that hooning a Subaru Brumby (Australian for BRAT) through the Outback is just as fun as it sounds. Continue reading
Mazda’s official JCCS display was a touching tribute to one of Japan’s late, great racing legends. And if Yoshimi Katayama was looking down from the afterlife, he surely would have been beaming over the private entries as well. There were some familiar faces, but many new ones too. Continue reading
This year’s JCCS was truly a special event for many reasons, but here’s another one: the numerous and diverse number of Skylines that showed up. Nearly every generation of post-Prince Skyline could be seen, and for a car that was never sold in the US that’s pretty amazing. But that’s not even the really amazing part. What really made this collection memorable was the sheer diversity in styles, representing the breadth Japan’s deep automotive culture. Continue reading
We’ve been going to the Japanese Classic Car Show for over a decade, but this year was undoubtedly the best one yet. In its twelfth year, the JCCS, which took place this weekend at the Queen Mary in Long Beach, California, has grown into a truly world-class event. Continue reading
