QotW: What once uncool family car is now desirable?

Posted on February 13, 2023 by Ben Hsu

On February 13, 1997 the original Subaru Forester debuted in Japan. It was just another AWD wagon marketed as an SUV from Fuji Heavy Industries, bigger than an Impreza but smaller than the Legacy. In the era of Jeep Cherokees and Ford Explorers, its design evoked a scaled down ladder-frame SUV. With its big chrome grille and white-letter tires, it almost looked like one of those kei cars with the nose of a classic grafted on. Decades later, though, Foresters have a unlikely but legitimate enthusiast following. Their nimble handling, wagon profile, and parts interchangeability with other Subarus have earned it a dedicated following, alongside other generation-one crossovers like the original Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. Who woulda thunk?

What once uncool family car is now desirable?

The most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What would your dream garage build include?“. Continue reading →

Posted in Question of the Week | 10 Comments

1994 Mitsubishi Galant was once a compelling alternative to the Honda Accord

Posted on February 10, 2023 by Ben Hsu

Poor Mitsubishi. It’s fallen so far but in 1994 it was riding high. So high, in fact, that Motorweek introduced the seventh-generation Galant by saying, “Mitsubishi is a company on the move.” Not only that, but the sedan was an actual contender against cars like the Honda Accord. Can you imagine if Mitsubishi hadn’t imploded, what kind of turbocharged family sedan would have at our disposal now? Continue reading →

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Happy B210 Day from JNC

Posted on February 10, 2023 by Dan Hsu

The third-generation Nissan Sunny debuted in Japan in 1973, making this year the 50th anniversary of the B210. Nissan sold nearly 900,000 of these bad boys. A good portion of them were sold in the US, where it was called simply the Datsun B210. It arrived for the 1974 model year, just in time for the sudden concern in fuel economy following the oil crisis and helped firm up Nissan’s footing in the market. Happy B210 Day from JNC!

Posted in Holidays | 3 Comments

TRD still offers old school desktop wallpapers of Toyota art by Masahisa Higuchi

Posted on February 9, 2023 by Ben Hsu

Are wallpapers still a thing? Japanese websites used to issue loads of them. Now it’s a dying art. We were surprised to learn that TRD still offers a few, though given the subject matter it’s likely these have been hanging out on the internet for a while. Nevertheless, it’s always good to have some A70 Supra art. Continue reading →

Posted in News | 4 Comments

This Toyota AE86 gets 40 mpg with its original gasoline engine

Posted on February 8, 2023 by Steve Chang

There has been a lot of buzz about the pair of alternative energy AE86s that Toyota unveiled at the Tokyo Auto Salon. However, even before Akio Toyoda‘s big reveal there’s been other efforts at making an environmentally friendly AE86. Specifically, the what creator Yoshinori Kamata calls the ECO-Hachi, which gets an astounding 42 mpg. Continue reading →

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Nissan and Renault are finally on equal footing

Posted on February 7, 2023 by Ben Hsu

After decades of unhappiness in an unequal partnership, Nissan and Renault have rewritten the rules of their alliance. The two giants will now each hold an equal stake of 15 percent in the other, with Renault reducing their share down from 43 percent. Nissan, however, was the larger company, with more global sales and name recognition. The mismatch had been the source of much friction between the two companies, which came to a head with the arrest of former CEO Carlos Ghosn. Continue reading →

Posted in News | Tagged | 3 Comments

QotW: What would your dream garage build include?

Posted on February 6, 2023 by Ben Hsu

We’ve asked about dream garages filled with your most wanted cars, but not about the garage itself. What kind of home with your cars live in? We’re not talking a Jay Leno-style museum for 100 cars, but something more reasonable. Something that a reasonable enthusiast could actually set up, and that won’t have your neighbors calling city inspectors to pull your building permits. So far I’ve been maintaining my fleet with hand tools and floor jacks, but it would be nice to have a lift, a set of air tools and compressor, maybe even 220-volt wiring to try my hand at metalwork and fabrication. I’d like a storage rack for several sets of wheels and tires, and shelves for my many spare parts and Tamiya kits. Oh, and of course space for several real cars.

What would your dream garage build include?

The most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What’s your favorite JNC shout-out in a song lyric?“. Continue reading →

Posted in Question of the Week | 11 Comments

Abandoned Japanese cars of the Fukushima nuclear exclusion zone

Posted on February 3, 2023 by Steve Chang

The Fukushima plant meltdown following the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami of 2011 was one of the worst nuclear disasters in history. Today, there’s an area of about 143 square miles that’s still part of the nuclear exclusion zone deemed unsafe for humans to live in. That hasn’t stopped urban explorers from passing through and documenting some of the vehicular ruins that exist within. Continue reading →

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Will Nissan’s 80s retro-futuristic roadster be the first fun-to-drive EV?

Posted on February 2, 2023 by Ben Hsu

The Nissan Max-Out concept doesn’t take any cues from previous Nissan models, but it’s aesthetic is decidedly retro. There’s a lot of 80s contour grid patterns and neon colors, and the entire presentation evokes an Out Run-type video game that never was. Best of all, it’s a two-seat roadster. Continue reading →

Posted in News | Tagged , , | 18 Comments

Happy TA22 Day from JNC

Posted on February 2, 2023 by Dan Hsu

Please excuse this terrible angle of this shot, taken hastily in the parking lot of the 2011 New Year Meeting, back when that was still a thing. The key part of this Celica is the wild rear spoiler, anyway, which adds a dash of outlaw flare onto this otherwise textbook build. Happy TA22 Day from JNC!

Posted in Holidays | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

At least the Mazda Miata will be forever

Posted on February 1, 2023 by Ben Hsu

Mazda’s all-SUV lineup might be demoralizing to some, but there is hope. They still make the Miata and, according to Mazda execs, the Miata will exist as long as the company does. It may not always have four cylinders or a purely gasoline engine, but it will continue to bring driving joy to the masses in one form or another. Continue reading →

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Mazda CX-90: How Mazda laid out the roadmap for a glorious enthusiasts’ future, then threw it away

Posted on January 31, 2023 by Ben Hsu

Many years ago a little bird at Mazda told us that the firm was working on a rear-wheel-drive sedan to be powered by a straight-six. We were stoked. On paper it was the ideal configuration — an inherently balanced engine on an inherently balanced chassis. And from the same people that built the RX-7, gave us the ND Miata, and made the CX-5 a better dance partner than a front-biased crossover has any right to be. I immediately began making plans to someday put this FR6 in my driveway. Unfortunately, time has a funny way of messing with your best-laid plans. Continue reading →

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QotW: What’s your favorite JNC shout-out in a song lyric?

Posted on January 30, 2023 by Ben Hsu

The Mazda MPV made its Japanese debut on January 30, 1990. Eagle-eyed observers might note that this date is two years after it debuted in the U.S. With available seating for 8 and 4WD, it was a unique conscription into the minivan wars, but no one could have predicted that it would become a hip-hop icon. As it happens, our friend Brett Berk just wrote the definitive story on MPVs in rap for an upcoming issue of Road & Track, referencing plenty of lyrics from plenty of artists.

What’s your favorite JNC shout-out in a song lyric?

The most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “How do you scratch your car itch in the dead of winter?“. Continue reading →

Posted in Question of the Week | Tagged | 17 Comments

Toyota launches Refresh Program for “classic” 86/BRZ

Posted on January 27, 2023 by Steve Chang

We’re used to Japanese carmakers launching restoration and heritage programs these days, but here’s something we didn’t expect. Toyota is launching a factory refresh program for the first-generation Toyota 86. The announcement came from the Tokyo Auto Salon and the program rolls out nationwide in Japan this year. Continue reading →

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Akio Toyoda steps down as president and CEO: His legacy at Toyota and his successor

Posted on January 26, 2023 by Ben Hsu

It is often said that Akio Toyoda likes surprises. The Toyota president and CEO is fond of racing, and is one of the few corporate leaders who will eagerly don a helmet and climb behind the wheel of his company’s competition machines. However, he often wouldn’t announce his participation in a race until the day of. Well, Toyoda-san has done it again. Today, the grandson of founder Sakichi Toyoda, announced he is stepping down as CEO of Toyota Motor Corp. Continue reading →

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Toyota Land Cruiser 70 might get re-released in Japan

Posted on January 25, 2023 by Ben Hsu

One of the rumors coming from the Tokyo Auto Salon is that the Land Cruiser 70-series might, once again, get a re-release in Japan. Though the workhorse is still being sold in Australia and some areas of South America, it hasn’t been available in Japan since 2015 when it briefly returned to the market for 12 months. Thanks to its no-nonsense, go-anywhere ruggedness in a decidedly un-luxurious package, the 70-series is widely considered to be the truest spiritual successor to the original Land Cruiser.  Continue reading →

Posted in News, Tokyo Auto Salon | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Mitsubishi vintage WRC and Dakar footage posted in massive video dump

Posted on January 24, 2023 by Steve Chang

Well this was unexpected. Just when you thought Mitsubishi was content selling Mirages and Eclipse Crosses, they unleash a bunch of footage from when the company still had guts. Though short, each video features raw clips of Lancers, Starions, Galant VR-4s, Evos and Pajeros tearing through dirt, sand, and snow. All are unencumbered by music, just pure engine sounds. Take a look, they might just be enough to make you un-forget an utterly forgettable brand. Continue reading →

Posted in motorsport | Tagged | 4 Comments

QotW: How do you scratch your car itch in the dead of winter?

Posted on January 23, 2023 by Ben Hsu

It’s been a tough winter for much of the country and with weather reports predicting another snowstorm in the northeast, it doesn’t seem like it’s letting up any time soon. That means icy highways, weather too frigid to spend any amount of time in the garage with, and dreaded road salt for much of the nation. It can be hard to satisfy your automotive jones for these gloomy months.

How do you scratch your car itch in the dead of winter?

The most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “How do you get bad smells out of your car?“. Continue reading →

Posted in Question of the Week | Tagged | 20 Comments

Happy Year of the Rabbit from JNC

Posted on January 22, 2023 by Dan Hsu

Long before there were turbocharged boxers and AWD rally monsters coming out of Subaru, there was the Fuji Rabbit. Built from 1946-68, Japan’s first mass-produced scooter helped motorize the post-war citizenry. The sculpted body was made with the know-how of Nakajima Aircraft’s (Fuji Heavy Industries’ predecessor) airplane designers, and the wheels were taken straight from the tail of a Nakajima bomber. The Rabbit continued to develop during its lifespan on the market, adding features like electric starters and polyethylene body panels. After giving the populace mobility and the economic boom that followed, sales began to slow in the late 60s as scooters were replaced by cars. Happy Lunar New Year from JNC.

Posted in Holidays | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Happy Sanitora Day from JNC

Posted on January 20, 2023 by Dan Hsu

Fun fact: Did you know that there are some Sunny Trucks that did not have Hakosuka front ends? It’s true, and they actually look quite good that way. It’s okay not to follow trends on Instagram, people. So today, on 1/20, let’s celebrate the real B120. Happy Sanitora Day from JNC!

Posted in Holidays | Tagged , , | 3 Comments