Japanese Nostalgic Car

Today, April 7, is Tire Gauge Day in Japan. It was established by Asahi Sangyo, a tire gauge manufacturer established in 1946, to remind people of the importance of keeping your car tires properly inflated. My craziest story doesn’t involve the tires on my own car, but that of a tractor-trailer wheel-and-tire combo that came bounding over the highway median one day while I was taking my 66,000-mile factory 5-speed ’97 Lexus SC300 out for a drive one day. It was bouncing at least 15 feet in the air headed right toward me. I swerved two lanes and the truck tire, which typically weighs 110-120 pounds, obliterated the front of Prius that was behind me.

What’s your craziest tire-related story?

The most entertaining comment by next week will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “Gun to your head, which crossover would you drive for the rest of your life?“. Continue reading →

The body style wars were bloody, but a clear victor has emerged. Sedans are dead; the crossover reigns supreme. Future generations will sing the praises of Mazda CX-5s and Acura MDXes the way we applaud ‘Speed 6s and Integras. Resistance is futile. But before you’re absorbed into the collective, the overlords will grant you one reprieve. You get to choose the crossover you drive for the rest of your miserable little existence, or perish. No body-on-frame SUVs, no vans, no wagons.

Gun to your head, which crossover would you drive for the rest of your life?

The most entertaining comment by next week will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “When a marque dies, do its classics lose their luster or become more legendary?“. Continue reading →

What happens when a marque dies? Not that we have anything particular on the mind; it’s just a random topic that came up around the JNC water cooler the other day. Some of us believe that the lack of connection to a living company means that people will eventually lose interest in the brand’s cars, even the classics. Others believe that the certainty those classics will never be revived or supported makes them even more sought-after. Which side are you on?

When a marque dies, do its classics lose their luster or become more legendary?

The most entertaining comment by next week will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What’s your favorite automotive manga or comic?“. Continue reading →

Today, March 17, is the anniversary of Japan’s first weekly manga, Shukan Shonen Magazine. Launched in 1959 and published each Wednesday, the book kicked off the trend of serialized comics for boys, and spawned stories such as Shuichi Shigeno’s Bari Bari Densetsu. The format would be copied by other magazines, which led to seminal works like Initial D,Wangan Midnight, Circuit Wolf and more. These tales would go on to influence generations of car enthusiasts around the world.

What’s your favorite automotive manga or comic?

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