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
KIDNEY, ANYONE? A trio of Honda S600s, some assembly required
Er, how many kidneys does a human body have? Whatever it is we hope you’ve got enough, cause hidden gems are surfacing left and right this week. Hot on the heels of yesterday’s unmolested FC RX-7 comes a trio of Honda S600s in Temple City, California. Continue reading
KIDNEY, ANYONE? 46,000mi unmolested Mazda RX-7 Turbo II
It’s getting increasingly difficult to find a bone stock FC3S Turbo. Peruse craigslist and you’ll find all the blown apex seals and drift-damaged body panels you can hoard, or an endless parade of motor-less shells whose forced-induction 13Bs have been plucked for other projects.
Once in a while, however, a time capsule of a 1987 Mazda RX-7 Turbo II with 46,000 original miles does emerge from its hidden from its underground bunker. Continue reading
EVENTS: 2013 Nissan Jam, Part 02 — Rare Gems
One of our proudest accomplishments for the inaugural Nissan Jam was the ability to gather a truly diverse set of rare Nissans that you can’t see anywhere else. In Part 01 we looked at the SoCal Standards, stalwart machines that no Nissan show would be complete without. In Part 02, we’ll visit the rarest gems that filled the venue, and — this is how spoiled we are in SoCal — that doesn’t include the hakosuka Skylines. Continue reading
QotW: What new cars on the market are the most JNC?
Japanese automakers are in a bit of a slump. Sure, there’s the fleet-footed Scion FR-S/Subaru BRZ twins, the fire-breathing Nissan GT-R, and the rough-and-tough FJ Cruiser. But is there a car you can buy new today that offers the equivalent of what Japanese cars of sixties, seventies and eighties did? In other words:
What new car on the market is the most JNC?
You can define JNC-ness in any way you want — great design, practicality, user-friendliness, affordable sportiness. Our pick is the Mazda 6/Atenza, which combines sharp styling with excellent driving dynamics and puts it in an utterly utilitarian family sedan/wagon package. A package, by the way, that blows away everything else in its class, including the established giants (in this case, the Accord and Camry) and yet is completely overlooked.
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, “When is it okay to buy an automatic transmission?” Continue reading
EVENTS: 2013 Nissan Jam, Part 01 — SoCal Standards
It may surprise you to learn that SoCal, epicenter of car culture that it is, lacks a dedicated all-Nissan show. Oh sure, there’s plenty of club shindigs, marque-specific events, and informal meets, but nothing on the order of a Toyotafest for the hard core Nissan or Datsun fanatic. That is, until the Nissan Jam. Continue reading
MINICARS: A Tungsten Trio of Skylines
JNC contributor Mark “ScaleMaster” Jones has created some amazing Hot Wheels cars with the liveries we wish they came with. But not everyone has the wherewithal to go to that level of detail. So I asked Mark to make a simple tutorial where all you need is mostly paint and a bit of elbow grease. Enjoy — Ricky
This set of three Hot Wheels Skylines will be re-done in an established classic scheme. You can follow along and make your own if you wish, as the steps to make these simple repainted customs will be explained and illustrated with photos. Perfect for a (I hesitate to use the term “toy”) car you might have sitting on a shelf that you desire a little more personality from. Continue reading
Posted in minicars, nissan
7 Comments
VIDEO: Another Old Nissan Spotted on Cartoon Network
A couple of months ago we were alerted to the presence of a hakosuka Skyline in an episode of Cartoon Network’s Adventure Time. It appears that the artists are back with another nostalgic Nissan, this time in the form of a Datsun 510. Continue reading
Posted in nissan, Video
Tagged 510, bluebird, cartoon network, datsun, monsters university, nissan
4 Comments
