One of the the oldest Nissans in the USA is currently for sale. Nissan established a foothold in the US market one year after Toyota in 1957, and this 1958 Datsun 1000 would have been among the first sold. It might not look like much, but its build date is what’s historically significant here, and we can’t remember ever seeing one in such good condition. Continue reading
Barbie does indeed have some ‘JDM’ cars in her garage
A couple of weeks ago we wondered what “JDM” car Barbie would drive if she wasn’t in a Corvette. Turns out this chick has more cars than Jay Leno. We learned more than we ever wanted to know about her car collection, which includes a ton of weird made-up vehicles but also some that are actually cool. As a dad who doesn’t want to give his daughter unrealistic car toys, it was a deep rabbit hole to fall into. Continue reading
QotW: What’s your saddest story of saying goodbye to a car?
Today, August 14, is Japan’s official End-of-Life Vehicle Recycling Day. This is because the numbers 8-1-4 can be read ha-i-sha, or “scrapped car”. While Japan is pretty good about recycling disused cars, they’re probably a bit more trigger-happy when it comes to disposing of cars in the first place, compared to the US. In any case, everyone’s got an automotive sob story about a car which met its demise, whether too early or at the right time but in a still painful way.
What’s your saddest story of saying goodbye to a car?
The most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What was the most important machine ever invented?”. Continue reading
Posted in Question of the Week
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Watch Honda co-founder Takeo Fujisawa’s induction into the Automotive Hall of Fame
Soichiro Honda’s name may have been on the buildings, but Takeo Fujisawa was just as important a figure in making Honda the global powerhouse it is today. As brilliant as Soichiro Honda was as an engineer, Fujisawa was equally talented as a salesman. This year Fujisawa was posthumously inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame in Dearborn, Michigan. Continue reading
Watch the R32 Nissan Skyline dominate the Japan Touring Car Championship
Between coverage of the latest variants of the Nissan Z and Skyline, we’re pretty NISMO’ed out. Instead, let’s return to NISMO’s heyday, when the R32 Skyline GT-R first appeared on the scene. It had been nearly 20 years since the GT-R name had been put on a Skyline, and no one knew yet what an absolute monster the R32 would be on the track. In its inaugural year it decimated the formerly dominant Ford Sierra RS500, the A70 Toyota Supra Turbo A, and E30 BMW M3. Continue reading
Posted in motorsport
Tagged jtcc, Kazuyoshi Hoshino, masahiro hasemi, NISMO, nissan, r32, skyline, Skyline GT-R, Toshio Suzuki
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Nissan Skyline NISMO debuts to celebrate 60th anniversary of Prince Skyline S54
Not content to launch just a Z NISMO, Nissan has also released a Skyline NISMO in Japan. Nissan Motorsports hasn’t touched a new Skyline since the GT-R was split off into its own model, and this marks the first time the Skyline has seen an official NISMO Skyline since the R34 Z-Tune. The model was created in part to honor 60 years since the first hotted up Skyline – the Prince S54A-1, predecessor to the Nissan Skyline GT-R — stepped onto the scene. Appropriately, the launch event held in Japan had the legendary sports sedan on stage. Continue reading
Posted in Next Version
Tagged Kazuyoshi Hoshino, NISMO, nissan, prince, s54, skyline, V37
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Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40 or cake?
The “Is it cake?” trend is a couple of years old now, but people still can’t get enough of ultra-realistic desserts. For the launch of the J250 Land Cruiser, Toyota had a 1/10-scale FJ40 cake made to commemorate the occasion. It also happened to be the 72nd anniversary of the Land Cruiser, but luckily the cake wasn’t stabbed with 72 candles. Continue reading
Nissan Z haunted by ghosts of Z-cars past on a sleepless night
We’ve seen the formula before. A commercial for the Nissan Z brings out generations of older Z-cars to support the new one. Not a single word is uttered in the whole ad and the narrative couldn’t be simpler. A man goes out for a late-night drive to clear his head. But the visuals in this new spot give off a Blade Runner feel that’s kind of cool. Continue reading
QotW: What was the most important machine ever invented?
Today is Machinery Day in Japan. The holiday was established by the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers to consider how machines can be created responsibly to benefit society, as well as to spur interest in the field of mechanical engineering. If you think about it, the whole of human achievement is one unbroken chain of using crude tools to make ever more advanced ones. Even the most state-of-the-art microchip owes its existence to someone banging a couple of rocks together. In honor of this holiday we’re going with an ultra-meta question this week. We’re presuming that if you’re interested in cars, you’re likely interested in other mechanical objects as well. Answers don’t have to be automotive in nature, though they certainly can be.
What was the most important machine ever invented?
The most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What car would Barbie drive if she went ‘JDM’?“. Continue reading
Posted in Question of the Week
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Why the Nissan Z NISMO comes in automatic only
Zed-heads were all excited about the Z NISMO until it came out and it was confirmed that the only transmission option would be an automatic. That understandably caused dismay among enthusiasts, and made it the first Z in NISMO history that wasn’t definitively more desirable than its non-NISMO version. We spoke to some Nissan representatives to try to understand why this was the case. Continue reading
Hardest core Toyota Land Cruiser returns to Japan
It’s almost eerie how similar this week’s Toyota’s Land Cruiser launch has mirrored Nissan’s Z NISMO launch. Both made a big splash with the global announcement for an iconic nameplate, both had stylistic nods to heritage, and both then quietly released what is arguably the best variant for Japan. In the case of the Land Cruiser, that option is the revival of the 70-series Land Cruiser in Japan. Continue reading
Nissan Fairlady Z officially gets a third nose option in Japan, inspired by Z432-R
The big news on the Z front this week has been the unveiling of the Nissan Z NISMO. However, at the same time Americans were getting a view of the tuned Z and its more aggressive face, in Japan a third nose option was officially announced. It’s called the Nissan Fairlady Z Customized Edition, and in addition to the front end the package comes with enough accoutrements to build an homage to the 1969 Fairlady Z432-R. Continue reading
New Toyota Land Cruiser debuts with retro styling and back-to-basics hardware
After a long wait, the next-generation Toyota Land Cruiser is finally here. The iconic truck returns for 2024 with a smaller body than the outgoing model, as well as a number of retro styling cues reminiscent of past models. Interestingly, there are two headlight designs, each referencing different models from Land Cruiser history. Continue reading
Watch the new Toyota Land Cruiser debut live
It’s a week of Japanese icons. First Nissan introduced the Z NISMO, now Toyota is following a day later with the new Land Cruiser. Both are very much key to each company’s identity. We will have more coverage of the Land Cruiser later tonight, but if you can’t wait, you can watch the live reveal here at 6:00pm Pacific Time. Continue reading
Nissan Z NISMO arrives with more power and new G-nose, but automatic only
The new Nissan Z has been a welcome addition to today’s bleak automotive landscape. It hasn’t quite taken off, due in part to naysayers’ complaints about the carryover chassis and interior. We found those complaints to be a bit pedantic, as the Z is a faithful successor to the original S30, a sports car that packs a ton of fun into an affordable package you can use every day. Unfortunately, we expect the grumbling to continue with the launch of the new Z NISMO. Continue reading
QotW: What car would Barbie drive if she went “JDM”?
Ads for Barbie‘s live-action film are everywhere, and her 1956 Corvette seemingly plays a significant part. It makes sense, as the movie has massive GM product placement (the Blazer, Hummer EV, and Suburban also feature heavily). But for her next ride, what if she were to venture down the hall at Mattel to the Hot Wheels design area, where JDM cars are all the rage?
What car would Barbie drive if she went “JDM”?
The most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What should the next-gen Nissan Skyline really be?“. Continue reading
Yamaha launches retro-colored motocross bikes in honor of YZ250’s 50th anniversary
The Yamaha YZ250 is has been in production in one form or another for 50 years. That makes it among the longest production runs of any motorcycle ever built, and definitely the longest-running dirtbike. To celebrate this incredible streak, Yamaha is launching a series of YZ motocross bikes with retro livery. Continue reading
Cutaway Nissan RB30 made out of Lego actually spins
The creativity that people can manage with a pile of plastic bricks never ceases to amaze. The most recent Lego marvel we’ve come across is a completely operational Nissan RB30 engine. Powered by an electric motor, the approximately 1:3 scale straight-six has a moving crankshaft, pistons, turbo and a valvetrain that all moves in sync. Continue reading
Next-gen Toyota Land Cruiser to take styling cues from classic FJ62
Toyota has issued another teaser for the 2024 Land Cruiser. It’s our first look at its supposedly retro nose, and to drive the point home Toyota has paired it with a classic FJ62 lurking in the background. While the similarities aren’t strong, the trucks seem positioned to emphasize the grille and blocky headlight design inspired by the late-80s predecessor. Continue reading
Honda developed a plush S600 to soothe babies with real engine sounds
Every parent knows that there’s one surefire way to get a kid to sleep. Put them in a car and go for a drive. There’s something about the motion and sound that’s extremely calming for a baby. Honda’s research has revealed another theory, and they’ve used it to create an adorable plush S600 that plays actual engine sounds to help soothe our little ones. Continue reading
Posted in minicars
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