If you know of or would like to publicize an event, send us a tip at feedback(at)japanesenostalgiccar.com
This week:
Yesterday we showed you some genuine nostalgics from Subaru and Honda. Toyota has been known to bring old school cars to SEMA in the past, but this year they cooked up a bunch of new cars with old school flavor. Continue reading
The floor of the Las Vegas Convention Center is much sparser than it has been in recent years, but SEMA 2009 is still several times the size of some Central American nations. We were heartened to see more and more OEM automakers getting in touch with their roots. Continue reading
With all the news of the Tokyo Motor Show last week, we thought we’d start a contest to see who can recognize this concept (Hint: It was never built). The winner will receive a Wonda Choro-Q Hakosuka Skyline GT-R (sans coffee) from our outing to Japan last spring. By the way, we still have the Import Bible T-shirt Contest going on until November 12.
UPDATE: New contest rules apply, so send your answers to the feedback address at the very bottom of the page (literally, the very bottom, below the comments) with the subject “JNC CONTEST” and we’ll pick a winner out of all the correct answers at random. Contest ends 11:59 Pacific Time Nov 5.
Another photo after the jump. Continue reading
Did you know that the Grim Reaper’s own personal ride is a sinister S30 Z? JNCer edz280zx was somehow able to both see it and live to draw about it. Have a happy All Hallows’ Eve, everyone! Stay safe and don’t OD on chocolate!
Here are some random clips from 80s Japanese cop show Abunai Deka, starring the R31 Nissan Skyline before they switched to the F31 Nissan Leopard / Infiniti M30. We’re not sure what’s happening but there is senseless tire squealing. Continue reading
We’ve seen low mileage Celica Liftbacks before (both yellow, oddly enough), but this is the first Coupe. According to the seller, this 1974 Toyota Celica had just one owner for the first 34 years of its life. When he passed, the current seller acquired it in the estate sale with the plans of making it a “hot rod,” whatever that means. Continue reading
Toyota in 2007 had a special display outside the main hall to celebrate their half-century mark, and in 2006 a bunch of their vintage trucks. Last year, Toyo Tires displayed Roy de Guzman’s 1972 Hakosuka and House of Kolor had a wicked Subaru Sambar. Next week we’ll be scouring the more than 2 million square feet of exhibit space to see what companies have brought out for us nostalgiaficionados this year. Word on the street is that Subaru will have a nice surprise, so if you happen to make it to SEMA, be sure to stop by their booth!
If you know of or would like to publicize an event, send us a tip at feedback(at)japanesenostalgiccar.com
This week:
Pop quiz: what is the coolest thing in the universe? The answer, it may surprise you to know, is Giga Pudding. Unfortunately, the gelatinous delicacy is only available in Japan. But, JNCer ohcanada_00 has come to the rescue with the next best thing — Giga Pudding stickers! We just received ours in the mail today and slapped it onto the JNC Wagon. Now we can dream of custardy goodness whenever we drive. Jealous? Order your own from ohcanada_00!
It’s the late 70s and the public is clamoring for smaller, efficient cars. Sadly, your portfolio consists of a series of monster land barges where even the smallest offering is several times the size of a Honda Civic. What’s the best way to regain market share? Continue reading
As if Toyotaku weren’t already miffed enough that the long-awaited return of the AE86 was packin’ a Subaru 2.0L boxer under its sloping hood, here’s a little salt for that wound: it appears that the top line version of the Toyota FT-86 will actually be a Subaru. Continue reading
After all this time we still get questions about the JNC logo. Specifically, the teardrop-shaped leaf in the upper right hand corner.
To explain, we must first describe the Wakaba Mark for beginning drivers. The Japanese government requires that new license holders display the green and yellow symbol on their cars during the first year of driving. In other words, it’s a blaring noob warning for seasoned roadgoers. Stateside, you’ve probably seen them fastened askance on tuned Civics and S13s.
So when we were coming up with ideas for the JNC logo, we chose to incorporate its counterpart, the Koreisha Mark, or elderly driver’s mark. After all, we were talking about old school cars! Display of this emblem is required when a driver reaches 75 years old, or age 70 if you have any conditions that may impair your driving.
Each mark comes in two styles: a suction cup type meant for the rear window, and a magnet type to stick on the hood. The Koreisha Mark has been in use since 1997, but recently the Japanese government has been considering a redesign. Continue reading
There was one last old school car from the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show and we’re talking old old school. The triple diamond mafia calls the 1917 Mitsubishi Model A the first production car built in Japan — if by production you mean 22 units, including pre-production ones, screwed together by workers in the company’s shipyards. Continue reading
We didn’t supply you with a Friday Video this week but Nissan has come to the rescue with a tribute to 40 years of the Datsun 240Z. Enjoy!
We’ve talked enough about retro themed cars at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show, so here are some actual vintage cars from the event. Makuhari Messe has two main halls, where Japan’s automakers reveal to the world their next supercars and latest motorcycles.
But away from the glitz there’s a quiet arena that showcases the history of the Tokyo Motor Show itself. That means a selection of interesting vehicles that once occupied slowly rotating pedestals, like this Mazda RX-500. Continue reading
If you know of or would like to publicize an event, send us a tip at feedback(at)japanesenostalgiccar.com
This weekend:
As far as Tokyo Motor Show news goes, it could be hard to top Toyota‘s heartstopper Lexus LFA from yesterday. Honda, however, may kill you with cuteness instead. We told you about the Honda EV-N Concept and resurrected CR-X recently, and now more details have come forth. Continue reading
The media days of the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show are in full swing and you know what that means. The Toyota FT-Hachiroku Concept has been photographed and nitpicked ad infinitum. It’s a familiar drill by now: AE86 revival, lightweight RWD coupe, Subaru 2.0 boxer, metallic monkey-butt red.
But perhaps Toyota has been feeling guilty for neglecting the enthusiast market for so long. That would explain why it’s bestowing us with the simultaneous debut of the long-awaited supercar known as the Lexus LFA. No more pulled punches for the Big T, baby! The new supercar heralds the company’s take-no-prisoners charge towards the head of the automotive kingdom, a segment Toyota has not visited in 44 years. Continue reading
Hey gang, David from Import Bible has a new T-shirt design with another old school design. This time, its the S30 Fairlady Z, and he is generously offering one free to a lucky JNC reader!
This contest will be a brain-free one, just a simple random drawing. Just email the feedback address at the bottom of this page with the subject “IMPORT BIBLE CONTEST.” The contest will end 11:59pm Pacific Time, Nov. 12, 2009. You can see the rest of the Import Bible line here. Good luck!
