Did the coverage of the mobs of E70 Corollas at the Team_Nostalgic meet in Chicago last year get you hungry to own one yourself? Might as well buy one clean enough to make Akio Toyoda himself weak at the knees while you’re at it then. Continue reading
2,000 employees at Honda’s Marysville, Ohio plant were evacuated just after 11:00 am local time today due to a bomb threat. Everything is fine, and no one was hurt, and business as usual has since been resumed. A note saying that the plant would “blow up today” was found and management thought it credible enough to evacuate everyone. Police are investigating, but have not revealed further details. What do you think the note-leaver was upset about? Continue reading
Last Thursday, the Japanese government passed a law allowing the raising of the national speed limit for the first time. Ever since the opening of Japan’s first highway, the Meishin Expressway, in 1963 the speed limit has been pegged at 100 kph (approximately 62 mph). The new laws will lift that cap to 120 kph (approximately 75 mph) on select expressways. Continue reading
We are very proud to announce that Mazda will be bringing three of its cars out from their heritage collection for a 200-mile drive in this year’s JNC Touge California. The vintage rally takes place this Saturday, April 2, and earlier this month the folks at Mazda prepped a 1978 GLC, 1975 REPU, and 1985 RX-7 GSL-SE for the event. Continue reading
For 2016, the official poster for the JNC Touge California features two landmark cars that will run the 200-mile vintage car rally this weekend.
To honor title sponsor Mazda, we are highlighting a rare 1974 Mazda RX-4 Hardtop Coupé. A similar car will be driven this Saturday by Armando Licon and navigator Chris Green. Also depicted on the poster is a yellow 1972 Datsun 240Z with a G-nose. This is similar to the very car once owned by Yutaka “Mr K” Katayama, which will also drive this weekend with Kenny Ueda and navigator Jose Dominguez at the helm.
Participants will receive this 18 x 24-inch poster in the gift bag. After the event, posters will be available in the JNC Shop.
Last week Toyota threw a party in New York celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Corolla. This is a copy of the video that was playing on loop on TVs during the event. KE10, TE37, TE51, AL10, AE86, and a bunch of FF sedans are all represented, though it’s missing a good number of generations as well. Continue reading
The charms of this 1985 Nissan 300ZX are many. It appears to have every box on the options menu checked. It’s got the proper transmission. It’s a turbo and not a 2+2. It seems to have been very well preserved. And it has just 24,443 miles. Continue reading
If there’s one thing new JNCers hate, it’s when old JNCers tell stories of how, back in the day, [insert rare model name here] could be had all day long for $500. Or how [insert rare part here] were so plentiful people would send them to the junkyard by the crateful. Those stories are cause nothing but pain. But guess what? Now we’re going to ask you for them.
What’s your most brutal tale of JNC price inflation?
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, “If you could only drive one car for the rest of your life, what would it be?” Continue reading
Day 05 in Nagasaki marked an unusual one, as it was the only day of our entire journey in which no driving was planned at all. Nagasaki is one of Japan’s major port cities and a historic one, and worth a tour if you find yourself there. Because all major Japanese cities have a ultra-efficient public transportation systems, we buttoned up the Isuzu 117 in a carousel parking garage and proceeded on foot. Continue reading
In honor of the Corolla’s 50th anniversary, Toyota has posted a photo of their CEO in a TE71. “My used 4th generation Corolla 1600 GT was like a best friend to me. I shared my youth with it! That car showed me the joy of driving. It represented freedom, fun and first forays in the business world,” Toyoda said. “Not only did my Corolla influence me and my own path, but this vehicle — supported by fans and customers —helped transform Toyota as a company around the world.” This is a twin-cam 2T-G powered sedan that was never sold in the US. He is also apparently partial to TE27s. Akio Toyoda is the man.
Like the title says, Acura unveiled an NSX powered purely by the back wheels and which threw out the electric motors, batteries, and other hybrid gear. The bad news is, if you buy one, the only place you can drive it is in an FIA GT3 race. Continue reading
The world may be rushing headlong towards domination by blundering crossovers and autonomous hybrids, but there’s still hope for a light, impractical, rear-wheel-drive sports car. Proof of that came today when the ND Mazda Miata won two of the five World Car of the Year awards. Continue reading
Though once its defining form, the Honda Civic has abandoned hatchbacks for at least a decade now. At the NY Auto Show today, Honda announced it was bringing hatches back. Oh, and manual transmissions too. Continue reading
In November 1966 the Toyota Corolla went on sale in Japan. That makes 2016 the 50th anniversary of the humble little runabout that’s been everything from a family hauler to a balls-out drifter to a rally racer. To kick off a year-long celebration, Toyota threw a party at the New York Auto Show and invited a few classics along. Continue reading
We got our first glimpse of the 2017 Toyota 86 at the New York Auto Show today, and we were wrong. When Toyota first released images of the facelifted neo-hachiroku, we implied that the “86” badges, once displayed prominently on the fender inserts, was gone. In fact, there are more than ever. Continue reading
“It is the dream of Nissan,” says Hiroshi Tamura, product chief of Nissan’s sports cars and NISMO head honcho, about his GT-R. The automaker is in New York to debut an update of the halo car of not just the company itself, but all of Japan. That’s why the storied company has brought together all generations of their homeland’s most beloved car. Continue reading
We’re live at the New York Auto Show, where Mazda just unveiled the 2017 MX-5 Miata RF. The “RF” stands for retractable fastback, and it’s pretty much the next best thing to a bona fide Miata coupe. The top has a targa setting, but the back window can be retracted as well. See for yourself in the video after jump. More details to come! Continue reading
In about an an hour, Nissan will unveil the 2017 GT-R at the New York Auto Show. Here’s an exclusive preview from the setup day yesterday. Some of these cars came from Nissan’s Zama collection, and are the first time they have been shown in the US. Continue reading
As the CEOs of Japan’s car companies each try to top the next by promising to return to their glory days of automaking, Nissan is left without a champion. Enthusiasts cry out for the lack of an affordable Miata, 86 or S660 fighter, claiming the once storied firm has lost its way, and go back to drooling over Datsuns. What everyone seems to forget, however, is that Nissan has an utterly dominant, supercar-killing heritage model that sets both the world and the loins of fanboys on fire every time its three-letter name is uttered: GT-R. Continue reading
The Honda Civic is adored by Honda lovers of all ages, especially the 1988-2000 EF, EG and EK generations. They’re loved not in the way Toyota guys idolize the AE86, but rather in the way that Mini guys adore the original Austin Mini Cooper, almost as if that was the only offering from Honda. Continue reading
