The original Daihatsu Copen was a decent enough kei car. By the time it was introduced in 2002, the Bubble Era craziness that spawned the Mazda AZ-1, Honda Beat, and Suzuki Cappuccino had faded. Those were legit kei sports cars and the front-wheel-drive Copen more of a cute cruiser. Now, Daihatsu has revealed a concept called the Vision Copen that transforms it into a droolworthy Miata-fighter. Continue reading
Daihatsu Vision Copen is gloriously retro and rear-wheel-drive
Posted in Tokyo Motor Show
Tagged concepts, copen, daihatsu, me:MO, Osanpo, Tokyo Motor Shoiw, Uniform
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QotW: What’s your favorite Japanese truck?
Today, October 9, is Truck Day in Japan. Like many such days, the occasion is a pun on the word toraku, which means “truck” in Japanese. The syllables to and raku are alternate pronunciations of 10 and 9, respectively. While the holiday was started by the Japan Trucking Association, established in 1954 to promote the interests of cargo haulers, it’s not a stretch to include pickups, kei trucks, vans, and other workhorses from Japan’s long history of trucks.
What’s your favorite Japanese truck?
The most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “Do you give your cars names and, if so, what are they?“. Continue reading
Toyota Baby Lunar Cruiser takes FJ40 heritage to other worlds
If you had to take one production vehicle on an extraterrestrial expedition, the Toyota Land Cruiser would be a pretty solid pick. The designers at CALTY, Toyota’s southern California studio, seem to agree. As part of their 50th anniversary celebration, they’ve dreamed up the Baby Lunar Cruiser, an off-road vehicle inspired by the FJ40 that’s meant for exploring non-Earth lands. Continue reading
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Tagged Baby Lunar Cruiser, calty, fj40, land cruiser, Lunar Cruiser, toyota
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Never before seen Toyota concepts mark 50 years of first southern California design studio
This week marks the 50th anniversary of the founding of CALTY Design Research, Toyota’s southern California design studio. Today, almost every non-US auto company has a studio in this mecca of car culture, but Toyota was the first. To mark the occasion, Toyota has released some images of CALTY-developed concept cars that have never before been shown to the public. Continue reading
Toyota GR86 meets its Initial D and MF Ghost predecessors in new ad
Toyota has teamed up with the creator of Initial D and MF Ghost again in a new ad. The spot features the new GR86, the old 86, and the really old AE86 on a late night touge run while a eurobeat soundtrack blares in the background. The release of this commercial is timed to coincide with the recent launch of the MF Ghost anime series and even features a foreword by author Shuichi Shigeno. Continue reading
Toyota Tacoma with FJ60 Land Cruiser face is Flex Auto’s first USDM offering
Last year we reported that Flex Auto was opening its first US office. The Japanese company is known for grafting old school noses onto modern Toyota vehicles, mostly classic Land Cruisers and HiAce vans. Upon opening their first American branch, they got busy working that same magic on a USDM truck, the Toyota Tacoma. Continue reading
QotW: Do you give your cars names and, if so, what are they?
Today, October 2, is National Name Your Car Day. According to National Day Calendar it was created by a TV personality named John Pertzborn from St. Louis in 1990. No one gives a name to their fridge or clothes dryer, but cars are unique among machines. They carry us to and from important life events. They’re our sanctuaries where we can sing and cry and shout in way we wouldn’t in front of others. We’re sad when we we have to let them go. We see them as trusty companions with distinct personalities. Cars are our sidekicks, our comrades, our confidants.
Do you give your cars names and, if so, what are they?
The most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What would you put in a Mitsubishi theme park?“. Continue reading
JCCS Preview: A Toyota Celica Supra is the first ever JCCS “Event Car”
The Japanese Classic Car Show has always had great memorabilia, from dash plaques to T-shirts to stickers. This year the JCCS crew have come up with something truly special, their first “event car”. It’s a 1982 Toyota Supra in TRD USA racing tricolor, and it’s a beaut. Continue reading
JCCS Preview: Sam Mitani’s Red Mist book signing
Are you revved up for the 2023 Japanese Classic Car Show yet? If you’re going, we have a special announcement that you might be interested in. Sam Mitani, former International Editor of Road & Track, will be a the JNC booth for a book signing of his new novel, Red Mist.
Sam will be at our booth from 11am-12pm, There will be a very limited number of paperback copies of Red Mist at the event, but you can also bring your own. Look for a booth with a red awning and Japanese Nostalgic Car flags.
The 2023 JCCS takes place Saturday, October 7, from 9am to 3pm at Marina Green Park in Long Beach, California. Hope to see you there!
Initial D sequel anime MF Ghost debuts next week
If you’ve been jonesing for some automotive anime action, your time has come. MF Ghost, the long awaited follow-up to Initial D, will make its debut this coming Sunday. Like its predecessor, it follows the tale of an unlikely racing hero, who takes down far more powerful cars in a Toyota 86. This time, rather than an AE86, it’s the first-generation Toyota 86 (aka Scion FR-S). Continue reading
Honda City modernized for Tokyo Motor Show and it comes with a small bike
The Tokyo Motor Show is about to kick off, and Honda is first to the gates with a retro-modern concept. The Sustaina-C looks like a modern Honda City, and it was even revealed with a new bike, the Honda Pocket, which may or may not be foldable. Could it be the next City and Motocompo duo? Continue reading
QotW: What would you put in a Mitsubishi theme park?
We recently learned that Mitsubishi is opening a theme park in Japan. While not automotive-themed, we do hope that they include at least some nods to their automotive division’s long history. Why not include a Pajero jungle cruise, Lancer Evolution roller coaster, or Mirage bumper cars? The possibilities are endless. For some reason, the Mitsubishi Group mothership has put you in charge of developing Mitsubishi-land.
What would you put in a Mitsubishi theme park?
The most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What automatic transmission JNC makes a great driver’s car?“. Continue reading
Toyota celebrates 40 years of AE86 with GR86 anniversary edition
The iconic Toyota AE86 was introduced to the world in 1983 in Japan, making this year the 40th anniversary of the beloved classic. So it was only fitting that Toyota mark the occasion by releasing a tribute edition of the GR86. While the package is mostly cosmetic, there are many nods to the Corolla Levin and Sprinter Trueno that inspired it. Continue reading
Posted in Next Version
Tagged ae86, corolla, corolla levin, GR86, sprinter, sprinter trueno, toyota
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Yokohama Advan erasers remove marks instead of leaving them
A lot of the merch that automotive companies make is pretty generic. I mean, is there really anything special about a Toyota-branded water bottle or a Nissan ball-point pen? Every once in a while, though, an absolutely genius idea results in the perfect promotional item. Such is the case with Yokohama’s Advan tread-pattern erasers. Continue reading
Mitsubishi won’t build a Lancer Evolution but it will build a Disneyland-sized theme park in Japan
As car enthusiasts we desperately want Mitsubishi to show some sign of life, preferably by building a Lancer Evolution XI or even a new Pajero/Montero. Then we read about how instead of lending a helping hand to its car division, it’s building a gigantic theme park in Japan that will rival Tokyo Disneyland in size. The proposal was announced by the city of Yokohama last week. Continue reading
The Mazda RWD straight-six sports sedan might not be dead yet
Hallelujah! The on-again, off-again Mazda FR straight-six sports sedan might not be completely dead yet. A new report out of Japan says that Hiroshima might be proceeding with the project, which was slated to be the next Mazda 6. Last we heard, it had been shelved in favor of SUVs, but it looks like the SUVs might just be its savior. Continue reading
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Jay-Z’s Lexus GS300 on display at Brooklyn Public Library
Patrons of the Brooklyn Public Library in New York will notice an unexpected new addition to the lawn: a mid-90s Japanese luxury sedan. The two-tone Lexus GS300 is part of a new exhibit honoring hip-hop legend Jay-Z, who often rapped about his “off-white Lexus” in which he got his career start. The car’s is part of an exhibit called “The Book of HOV” chronicling Jay-Z’s work, and its presence an official partnership with Lexus USA. Continue reading
QotW: What automatic transmission JNC makes a great driver’s car?
My wife knows how to drive a manual, but isn’t confident and doesn’t want to deal with it in traffic. Right now she sees driving as mostly an unavoidable chore, but my hope is that if we start off with a few weekend canyon drives and autocross events, she’ll begin to enjoy driving for its own sake. Once she feels more comfortable behind the wheel, perhaps she’ll graduate to a manual. She might never, and that’s okay. But that’s why the car we pick, a 25-year-or-older JNC, should be able to stand on its own as an automatic. The best scenario would be one that was never offered in a manual from the factory, thus avoiding any regrets for not getting the stick version.
What automatic transmission JNC makes a great driver’s car?
The most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What’s in your ideal classic and daily two-car garage?“. Continue reading
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American Honda Collection Hall officially opens at Honda HQ in Torrance, California
In Japan carmakers proudly display their wares at their company headquarters, but that’s not always the case for their American subsidiaries. For years, Honda kept their US heritage collection in a warehouse — a nice one — but one that wasn’t truly accessible by the public. Back in July that warehouse quietly closed for good, and on September 12 reopened the official American Honda Collection Hall at its US headquarters building in Torrance, California. Continue reading
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Tagged Accord 1G, acura, American Honda Collection, ATC90, CA78, cb160, cb750, CBR600F2, CBR900RR, CBX1000 Super Sport, Civic 1G, Civic EA, CL77 Scrambler, CR-V 1g, CR750, CRX EF, Cuby, EM1, Express, generators, Gold Wing, honda, Honda N-Series, imsa, Indycar, Insight 1g, Integra 1G, Integra DC, Integra Type R DC2, lawn mower, Legend 1G, MBB5, mdx, NR750, nsx, Prelude 3g, Prelude BB6, RC30, RC51, Rune, s2000, S500/S600/S800, scca, super cub, VF750F Interceptor
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Honda Motocompo revived as Motocompacto electric foldable bike
Honda has revived its foldable Motocompo city bike for the modern era. It’s called the Motocompacto, as trademark filing in 2020 revealed, and it’s a little bike that folds into a tidy rectangle. This time around, it’s electric. The original was paired with the Japan-market Honda City hatchback, but the new one is a standalone product you can buy on its own. It’s still designed to fit in the trunk of a car, though not a specific one, but the best part is that you can buy one at a Honda or Acura dealership the US. Continue reading
