Rejoice, Subarites, for it is the 60th birthday of your beloved parent company. Fuji Heavy Industries was founded on July 15, 1953, formed when five former companies of the disbanded Nakajima Aircraft Company. The new logo showed five smaller stars behind a larger one, a symbol that graces the nose of every Subaru car. Continue reading
VIDEO: Teruhisa Inoue’s B110 Sunny
Teruhisa Inoue owns the world’s most famous B110 Sunny. Here is a video of it. Continue reading
The return of Intelligent Sport” and a introducing a new member of the JNC family
By the time Nobuaki Katayama began work on the original Lexus IS, he was already a rock star within Toyota. He’d chief engineered all-time greats like the Lexus SC and JZA80 Supra and, in his younger days, worked on the legendary AE86. He’d put in five years in the trenches of Toyota’s European motorsports program and in his spare time, according to company lore, was often seen behind the wheel, tail out, on rally stages.
As the so-called enthusiast’s Lexus, the IS 300 had a lot of weight to shoulder. The world was waiting for the still-young brand to prove it wasn’t just a wannabe. You see, Lexus wasn’t just the flagship marque for Toyota. It was, and still is, the flagship marque for all of Japan. With the third-gen IS dropping worldwide, it’s time to look back on Katayama’s legacy, and see whether the latest incarnation is a worthy successor. Continue reading
KIDNEY, ANYONE? 13,000-mile Honda CRX
It’s impossible to find an unmolested Honda CRX, you say? Make that almost impossible, because a unicorn just showed up in El Cajon, California. It has zero things in common with the Toyota Century Ben just posted, except for its astounding odometer reading. Continue reading
KIDNEY, ANYONE? 20,000-mile 1981 Toyota Century
If a Crown is just too common and a 2000GT too small for your old school flossin’ needs, here’s your chance to destroy all comers with a 1981 Toyota Century. The ultimate Japanese VIP sled is now for sale on Las Vegas craigslist $15,000, tagged, titled and ready to roll on US roads. Continue reading
NEWS: The 2014 Datsun GO is here
Nissan is now a three-marque company. The revived Datsun brand was launched in Gurgoan, India today to much fanfare at a theater called the Kingdom of Dreams. The new car, christened the Datsun GO, took its name from the DAT GO, Nissan’s — or the company that became Nissan, rather — first car built 99 years ago. Continue reading
QotW: What’s the most Japanese non-Japanese car?
Japan is a land of unbelievably cool motoring culture, a place you can see cars you’d never in a million years see elsewhere. Sure, you have your standard hakosuka Skylines and funky kei jidosha, but there are other cars the Japanese just seem to gravitate towards, so much so that you don’t really see them anywhere else.
What’s the most Japanese non-Japanese car?
We’ve always like the platypus stylings of the Lotus Europa. But it wasn’t until our first New Year Meeting in Tokyo that we got rocked by more Europas in one spot than we’d ever seen in life, ever. Not only were they plentiful, but the Japanese had decked them out in uniquely Japanese tuning styles — slammed, big wings, and with deep barrels like SSRs or Hayashis. So awesome.
There are other cars Japanese are mysteriously drawn to. The Ford Mustang II even had a Tomica version, but you won’t find a ’65 fastback or ’70 Boss 302 in their lineup. The 1970-74 Plymouth Barracuda, third-generation Dodge Ram Van and Chevy Astro also qualify.
What say you, dear reader? As always, the most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a toy. Click through to see the winner of the last QotW, “What’s the greatest front-wheel-drive JNC?” Continue reading
NEWS: Prepare yourself for the new Datsun
In a few hours the world will have a new Datsun. Leading up to the unveiling in India, Nissan has been teasing older Datsuns from the Heritage Collection in Zama. Continue reading
MINICARS: The 1/18 cars of your dreams are now for sale
A few months ago this slammed Toyota 2000GT spread like a gasoline fire across Teh Interwebz. Many thought it was real. Of course, 2000GTs are so rare that anyone who’d really shakotan one would simultaneously be considered a god among men and Satan himself. Continue reading
VIDEO: Honda celebrates 50 years of auto manufacture with “50th Museum” advert
Hot on the heels of “Hands” comes another Honda commercial, this time celebrating 50 years of automobiles. Starting with the T360 truck, the ad takes us on a virtual journey through an imaginary museum of Honda’s automotive greats, including the N360, Civic, City, Integra, StepWgn, Fit, CR-Z and finally the N-One kei car. Continue reading
VIDEO: Brian Karasawa’s 1977 Toyota Celica Fastback by Electric Federal
In a new video called “Japan’s Forgotten Fastback,” Electric Federal gets up close and personal with our friend Brian Karasawa‘s and his gorgeous 1977 Toyota Celica Liftback. Of course, JNCers and anyone who’s been to Toyotafest or JCCS knows that the RA29, and Brian’s gorgeous one in particular, is anything but easily forgotten. With a port-and-polished 20R/22R hybrid putting out 185 horses, it’s sound is even more unforgettable. Watch the video below. Continue reading
VIDEO: Honda celebrates 65th birthday with “Hands” advert
To celebrate its 65th birthday, Honda has created another insanely watchable commercial showcasing its long history of motorized products. In “Hands,” a single nut became everything from a Super Cub to an NSX to ASIMO the robot. It is the latest in Honda’s grand tradition of artful spots ranging from the clever “Cog” to the heartrending “Impossible Dream.” Watch the full video below. Continue reading
QotW: What’s the greatest front-wheel-drive JNC?
Light weight combined with a front-engined, rear-wheel-drive architecture is a potent combination. It is the very reason why many of us love JNCs in the first place. Sometimes, however, our love for FR cars can give the appearance that we dislike front-wheel-drive. Nothing could be further from the truth!
What’s the greatest front-wheel-drive JNC?
Of all the Japanese automakers, Honda is the most stubbornly nose-biased. Imagine the utter dominance they’d luxuriate in if their phenomenal engines and chassis dynamics had been applied to FR platforms beyond the S-series roadsters. The mind boggles. Instead, Hondas have proven to be incredible performers throughout the decades, regardless of which wheels motivate the car.
What say you, dear reader? As always, the most entertaining or inspiring comment by next Monday will receive a toy. Click through to see the winner of the last QotW, “What’s the best second JNC for your garage?” Continue reading
GRAND TOURING: The Ise Peninsula, Part 02
In Part 01 of our journey to the Ise Peninsula, we crossed Ise Bay by ferry. While our navi plotted the quickest route to our next destination via a number of linking bypasses and expressways, we chose a twisting road designated a “Sky-Line” on the map instead. Named the Ise Shima Sky-Line, it was to hold some of the best views, challenging corners, and heavy climbs of this trip. Continue reading
Posted in Grand Touring
Tagged 230, cedric, century, cr-v, Grand Touring, honda, Ise Peninsula, Ise Shima Sky-Line, life, nissan, toyota
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MINICARS: Happy Independence Day from JNC!
Happy July 4th from JNC! Each year, the Aichi Prefecture-based supermarket chain APiTA teams up with Japanese toy car manufacturer Tomica for a series of limited edition cars.
Similar to when Hot Wheels teams up with say, Kroger, these cars come with exclusive colors and themes. Past themes have included nostalgic police cars and classic race cars. For 2013, the entire series will consist of one model, the Toyota 2000GT, decked out in various national flags.
The first in the series is Ol’ Glory, the stars and stripes, which has just been released and is on the market now. Next comes Brazil. So if you’ve ever wanted to own the most American 2000GT ever made, here’s your chance. Happy Independence Day, JNCers!
NEWS: 2013 Japanese Classic Car Show registration now open!
It’s hard to believe that 2013 is half over. That means it’s time to start preparing for the 9th Annual Japanese Classic Car Show.
The premiere event for nostalgic cars in North America will take place September 28, on the lawn of Queen Mary Park in Long Beach, California.
Registration is first come, first serve and spaces are limited, so be sure to secure your spot today.
For coverage of last year’s JCCS, click here.
NEWS: The Toyota Camry — 30 years old, 10 million cars sold
The Camry. Much derided punching bag for self-respecting car enthusiasts. Scapegoat for all the world’s automotive ills, its clueless drivers, and the decline of automotive culture as we know it. Where would we be without it? Continue reading
NEWS: 2014 Datsun K2 revealed in sketch form
We are two weeks from the July 15th reveal of the revived Datsun brand. If you squint real hard you might be able to see a similarity between the old hamburger logo, except that the red rising sun has now been turned into a blue orb enclosed in chrome. There’s even a bit of B210 honeycomb in the new grille, but that’s where the similarities end. Continue reading
QotW: What’s the best second JNC for your garage?
So you’ve got your dream JNC sitting pretty in your garage. Your holy grail. Your 2000GT, street fighter 240Z, Fuji GC RX-3 replica, whatever. What do you get next, a SR20-swapped Datsun 510 for daily duty? A bosozoku Mark II sled? A FJ40 in case of zombie apocalypse?
What’s the best second JNC for your garage?
If you can’t decide, allow us to proffer a solution: the exact same car that you already have. That way you can modify one guilt free while knowing you have a numbers matching gem tucked away for posterity. OCD, yes. But your grandkids will thank you.
What say you, dear reader? As always, the most entertaining or inspiring comment by next Monday will receive a toy. Click through to see the winner of the last QotW, “What new cars on the market are the most JNC?” Continue reading
GRAND TOURING: The Ise Peninsula, Part 01
Our destination for this tour was Mie Prefecture, some 250 miles southwest of Tokyo on the far side of Ise-wan (the same wan in Wangan, meaning “bay”). Known for its ancient craft ceramics and as the birthplace of the ninja, Mie is rife with history and culture, but we also hoped for the usual automotive diversions. Continue reading
Posted in Grand Touring, nissan, toyota
Tagged 312, c10, copen, crown, daihatsu, Grand Touring, Hakosuka, hiace, Ise Peninsula, s120, skyline, toyota, vanning
16 Comments
