QotW: What will my 3-year-old’s first car be?

Posted on May 22, 2023 by Ben Hsu

My son is three. I’ve always had dreams about passing down my AE86 to him someday. But by the time he turns 16 in 2035, a car built in 1986 will be nearly 50 years old. That would be like me, who came of age in the 90s heyday, inheriting a car from the 1940s when I got my license. And I can tell you that I had zero interest in a pontoon-fendered streamliner at 16. I’m hoping that my son will transfer his love for Hot Wheels into love for real cars, and that he’ll have one that teaches him the joy and art of driving in a fun and safe way. If gasoline and human-driven cars have not been outlawed by then…

What will my 3-year-old’s first car be?

The most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “Should being celebrity-adjacent add to a car’s value?“. Continue reading →

Posted in Question of the Week | 22 Comments

See you at Toyotafest 2023!

Posted on May 19, 2023 by Dan Hsu

We will be seeing you at Toyotafest 2023 this Saturday, May 20. Just look for the red JNC pop-up canopy or our tan Land Cruiser. Gates open from 9am to 3pm at Marina Green Park, 386 E. Shoreline Dr., Long Beach, CA 90803. All Toyota, Lexus, and Scion cars are welcome.

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Subaru Leone vs Subaru Leone pursuit in 1978’s Double Clutch

Posted on May 18, 2023 by Matt De Mangos

We wouldn’t call the car chase in the 1978 movie Double Clutch one of the all-time greats, but it’s definitely the only Subaru Leone vs. Subaru Leone car chase ever committed to film. We posted a shorter version of this clip back in 2009 but that one has since disappeared into the internet’s black hole of ones and zeroes. Here’s a longer version of the chase. Continue reading →

Posted in Film/TV | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

The Toyota MR2 strikes again in Eurovision 2023 and synth-laden music video

Posted on May 17, 2023 by Steve Chang

The AW11 Toyota MR2 has long been the car of choice for electronica-influenced bands. Maybe it’s something about the angular wedge shape and flip-up headlights that make it the go-to. Last week we posted about one of the most memorable scenes from 90s Japanese TV in which two MR2-driving lovers stop in the middle of Shibuya Crossing to make out. Commenters Mick and Greyfox then alerted us to the fact that A-dubs had been heavily favored by the Australian nu-metal band Voyager, most recently in the 2023 Eurovision contest. Continue reading →

Posted in Tune Up | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

Japanese cars of the golden era courtesy of the Shizuoka Prefecture archives

Posted on May 16, 2023 by Matt De Mangos

The Shizuoka Prefectural government has an amazing video archive, as it turns out. Footage from the 1950s to the 1970s include a number of short films about public works projects, including the construction of roads. These clips are chock-full of vehicles from Suzuki kei cars to Hino trucks, long before they were classics. They’re well worth a watch, and you might even catch the random Hakosuka Skyline just driving by like it’s no big deal. Continue reading →

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QotW: Should being celebrity-adjacent add to a car’s value?

Posted on May 15, 2023 by Ben Hsu

As you may have heard, an R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R that appeared in one of The Fast and the Furious movies has sold for $1,357,000. Specifically, Paul Walker drove it in the fourth installment of the series. With an East Bear body kit, 19-inch Volk RE30s, and a simple Bayside Blue paint job it’s definitely one of the cleaner cars to appear in the franchise. But the price of regular-spec R34 GT-Rs hover at about $250,000. Is this car really worth the premium? Similarly, the Supra from the original The Fast and the Furious sold for $550,000, about triple the top sale price of a regular A80 Supra Turbo.

Should being celebrity-adjacent add to a car’s value?

The most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “Who taught you about cars?“. Continue reading →

Posted in Question of the Week | Tagged | 12 Comments

Nissan Crossing Ginza: Hakosuka GT-R, Pulsar EXA, and a kei car with a piano in it

Posted on May 12, 2023 by Ben Hsu

The Nissan Crossing showroom in Ginza, Tokyo currently has an odd collection of cars on display. It’s typical for vehicles rotate in and out of the showroom from Nissan’s Zama warehouse for a few weeks at a time. More often than not though, they’re the latest models and concepts, which is why the eclectic mix currently on display is such a treat. Continue reading →

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Lovers kissing in Toyota MR2s is one of Japan’s most memorable TV scenes

Posted on May 11, 2023 by Ben Hsu

So you thought the scene in Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift where Sung Kang drifts through the crowd at Shibuya Crossing was the most famous car-related clip to take place there? Well how about the time when two lovers just parked their Toyota MR2s in the middle of the world’s busiest crosswalk and started making out? The scene from the Japanese TV series You’re My Favorite in the World surpasses the drift, and there wasn’t even any CGI involved. Continue reading →

Posted in Film/TV | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

The Toyota Automobile Museum has acquired a Celica XX, successor to a debated speed record

Posted on May 10, 2023 by Ben Hsu

The Toyota Automobile Museum in Japan has a new acquisition, a 1983 Celica XX. We know it stateside as the second-generation Celica Supra but technically speaking this is a GA61, which is considerably different than the MA61 we got in the US. It’s a bit surprising that the museum only recently added one to their collection and the specific trim level is a bit odd. Perhaps, though, it’s a roundabout way of avoiding an overt quarrel with Nissan. Continue reading →

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Happy 510 Day from JNC

Posted on May 10, 2023 by Dan Hsu

Let’s celebrate the one of the most iconic Japanese cars ever built, the Nissan Bluebird 510. SSS stands for Super Sports Sedan, but perhaps one of those S could be sleeper, especially if you option it out in grandpa spec with pea green paint and vinyl roof. No one will ever suspect a thing. Happy 510 Day from JNC!

Posted in Holidays | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

Toyota Camry vs Mazda 626 in 1983: History keeps on repeating

Posted on May 9, 2023 by Steve Chang

Motorweek was just two years old in 1983 when it decided to do a four-way test of five-door family hatchbacks. It’s not a format that stuck around — we’re talking about both the show’s comparo and the body style — but it does provide a glimpse into the weird automotive landscape that was the early years of the Reagan administration. Also weird: despite many generations that have passed between these family haulers and their descendants, each one has a personality that still reflects their company of origin. Continue reading →

Posted in News | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

QotW: Who taught you about cars?

Posted on May 8, 2023 by Steve Chang

Teacher Appreciation Week starts today, May 8, but these unsung heroes aren’t just found in the classroom. Many of us had a relative, friend, or internet resource who fed our curiosity about cars, automotive history, or wrenching. Or perhaps you’re one of the talented few who learned on your own, in which case you have yourself to thank. In any case, we though it would be a good time to honor those who got us started on the road to car enthusiasm.

Who taught you about cars?

The most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What Japanese car would you drive in a post-apocalyptic wasteland?“. Continue reading →

Posted in Question of the Week | Tagged | 9 Comments

Fight 1/8 scale crime with this gull-winged Nissan Fairlady 280Z from Seibu Keisatsu

Posted on May 5, 2023 by Steve Chang

Last year Hachette released an ultra-detailed model of the DR30 Nissan Skyline from Seibu Keisatsu, Japan’s most popular 80s cop show. Now they’ve followed up with the only logical move, a 1/8 scale model of the show’s Super Z, based on an S130 Nissan Fairlady 280Z. Like the car used on screen, it features some not-so-factory bits like gull-wing doors, tear gas guns on the hood, and a control panel-filled cabin. Oh, it’ll measure almost two feet long, take two years to complete, and cost you over $1,600. Continue reading →

Posted in bosozoku, Model Kits, News | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

The Honda Legend is Han Solo’s preferred transport on this remote backwater planet

Posted on May 4, 2023 by Steve Chang

The Millennium Falcon might be a fast ship, but when Han Solo visits a primitive Outer Rim world that has yet to develop repulsor technology the galactic smuggler needs to blend in with the locals. That’s why he chooses the second-generation Honda Legend, a ground-based transport luxurious enough for rescued princesses, spacious enough for a Wookie, and quick enough to make a run to Kessel, WV in 12 parsecs. Its 3.2-liter V6 may not be able to make the jump into hyperspace, but it’s still remarkably smooth and speedy for something that burns dead plants. Continue reading →

Posted in cm | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

Japan’s oldest domestic bus is now on display at a Nagoya museum

Posted on May 3, 2023 by Steve Chang

Japan’s oldest surviving domestic bus is part of a new exhibit at the JR Tokai Maglev & Railway Museum in Nagoya. In fact, it’s so significant that it was the first bus to be designated as an important cultural asset by the National Council for Cultural Affairs. Called the Japan National Railways Bus No.1, it began service in 1930. Continue reading →

Posted in museums | Tagged , | 5 Comments

Gran Turismo trailer has Nissans galore, but also glaring omissions

Posted on May 2, 2023 by Ben Hsu

The new Gran Turismo movie trailer was released earlier today, giving us a first look at what to expect when it arrives in theaters in August. In a heavily car-themed story like this one, it’s always interesting to see what cars appear on screen. Given that the story follows real-life racer Jann Mardenborough’s rise through the Nissan GT Academy, it’s no surprise that tons of hamburger badged cars appear in the trailer. However, there are some quite surprising absences as well. Continue reading →

Posted in Film/TV | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

A Mazda 929 makes a great stealth luxo-cruiser, and it comes in stick

Posted on May 2, 2023 by Ben Hsu

Its cool to want an 80s Japanese car now, but here’s a deep cut that’ll separate the wheat from the hipsters. The first-gen Mazda 929 was Hiroshima’s version of a big luxury sedan, not unlike a Toyota Cressida. Both were pre-premium brand launch placeholders while offering just as much opulence. When it debuted in 1988 the 929 was most commonly compared to the Acura Legend. The only difference is Lexus materialized, while Mazda’s Amati fizzled. Continue reading →

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QotW: What Japanese car would you drive in a post-apocalyptic wasteland?

Posted on May 1, 2023 by Steve Chang

A teaser trailer just dropped for Twisted Metal, a new series based on the 90s PlayStation game about automotive combat. The most surprising part isn’t that Sony is trying to build a franchise around a fairly obscure 20-year-old video game, but that the star car looks like it’s going to be a bugeye Subaru WRX. Did Hollywood run out of Dodge Challengers or something? The show looks like it’s going to take place in a post-apocalyptic America with a distinct lack of XB Falcons, so a nimble, rally-bred AWD with machine guns is honestly a pretty good choice.

What Japanese car would you drive in a post-apocalyptic wasteland?

The most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “Why do you own a classic car?“. Continue reading →

Posted in Question of the Week | Tagged , | 16 Comments

Liberty Walk cars star in boy band music video inspired by racing games

Posted on April 28, 2023 by Steve Chang

Exile Tribe is apparently a boy band in Japan with a whopping 16 members. In their latest music video, for a song called “The Rampage / 16 Boosterz”, the singers gather 16 of Liberty Walk’s most famous cars. Then they “race” them around a track in what appears to be inspired by classic racing games like “Auto Modellista”. Continue reading →

Posted in Tune Up | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Nissan restores 1940s fire engine for Tokyo Fire Department

Posted on April 27, 2023 by Ben Hsu

An 82-year-old Nissan fire engine belonging to the Tokyo Fire Department has been restored. The fire department had been storing the vehicle for several years before reaching out to Nissan for help with the overhaul. A special team at Nissan accepted the challenge and spent about two years on the project, and the result was revealed Wednesday. Continue reading →

Posted in Emergency Vehicles | Tagged , | 4 Comments