A new Nissan Pathfinder will be revealed later this week, and we’re going to make a prediction. It will have retro design cues taken from the first-generation. It’s not a complete shot in the dark, but it’s close. In this case, we have no insider information; just some circumstantial evidence. Continue reading
QotW: What should Toyota do with the Celica name?
Last week we learned that Toyota has filed for a trademark for the Celica name. As readers have pointed out, the most likely reason is that they just want to hang onto the name to prevent others from using it. Sorry for the second Toyota QotW in a row, but what if you called the shots at ToMoCo? Would you build an all-new sports coupe? Use the name on an existing car? Turn it into an SUV? Let’s say you have free reign to alter the entire lineup. Bonus points for reality.
What should Toyota do with the Celica name?
The most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What should Toyota do with the Land Cruiser?” Continue reading
VIDEO: Here’s a Nissan 240SX that doesn’t go sideways
This should be a fun one. You utter the words “Nissan 240SX” to anyone even marginally knowledgeable about cars today, and the first thing they’ll think is “drift missile.” But when the S14 debuted in 1995, that wasn’t even remotely the case. This review was aired in June 1994, a full year before Initial D began its 18-year run. Continue reading
This collection of 1,200 motorcycles proves it’s better to hoard bikes than cars
It would probably be inaccurate to call Brad Boyle’s warehouse of motorcycles a collection. It’s more of an obsession. Boyle owns 1,200 motorcycles, and estimates that 300 to 400 of them are Hondas. When you’re asked how many Hondas you have and the count can be off by 100, you might have too many. Continue reading
The Toyopet SA was Toyota’s first post-war passenger car
Introduced in 1947, the Toyopet SA was Toyota’s first all-new post-war passenger car design. It was advanced for a Japanese car of its time, but due to limitations on automobile production and Japan’s market conditions at the time, only 215 were built. The Toyota Automobile Museum has probably the nicest remaining example in existence, and it actually runs. Continue reading
BIKES: After 43 years, it’s the end of the road for the Yamaha SR400
After over four decades of production, the Yamaha SR series is coming to an end. These days, Japanese motorcycle manufacturers are rapidly churning out throwback bikes that hearken back to their heydays, but the Yamaha SR400 and SR500 actually existed in that heyday. It’s progressed largely unchanged for over four decades, cementing its position as an icon of the Yamaha brand. Continue reading
Toyota has filed for a trademark of the Celica name
Toyota has filed for a ownership of the name “Celica” with the US Patent and Trademark Office. While this might indicate nothing more than a desire to hold on to the rights to that name, there’s been some speculation that Toyota could bring the model back. Continue reading
QotW: What should Toyota do with the Land Cruiser?
Even though true off-road vehicles are seeing a massive surge in popularity right now, Toyota has opted to axe the Land Cruiser, its oldest continuous nameplate, in the US after this year. It almost defies logic, and while it can be argued that the current LC is too luxurious and expensive, four-wheeling and overlanding — and now COVID-inspired getaways — are among the hottest automotive trends right now. American automakers Ford, Jeep, and Chevy have all revived once-canceled models like the Bronco, Gladiator, and Blazer. The Big T has an opportunity here.
What should Toyota do with the Land Cruiser?
The most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What makes a good car company heritage collection?” Continue reading
Let’s turn our Bride racing seats into rocking chairs, since we’re all old now
If you’re into Nihon steel, it’s hard not to feel like an old geezer these days. The cars we grew up with are now being lauded and collected as classics, and their parts are getting ever scarcer. Many of us probably don’t have the the physical ability or the will to wrench for 48 hours straight on a cold garage floor subsisting on nothing but instant ramen anymore. So, why not live into it by getting the newly released Bride racing seat rocking chair? Continue reading
TAS2021: HKS’s new Advanced Heritage engine brings supercar tech to the RB26
Renowned tuning house HKS has unveiled a new complete engine solution to bring your 90s-era Nissan straight-six into the modern age. Called the Advanced Heritage concept, it takes Nissan’s tried-and-true RB26 and adds a bunch of modern technologies to improve efficiency and performance. Amazingly, HKS claims that this new setup can push out a reliable 600 horsepower while maintaining an incredible 20 km/l — or 47 mpg! — fuel economy, all while meeting Japan’s latest emissions standards. Continue reading
This is the most detailed Seibu Keisatsu DR30 Skyline model ever released
The DR30 Skyline from the television series Seibu Keisatsu is the latest car to undergo transformation into a super-detailed 1:8-scale subscription model. When all is said and done, it’ll take almost two years and ¥200,000 (about $1,930) to complete the model. That may seem like a lot, but it’ll be the most accurate replica of this famous cop car that money can buy. Continue reading
What will become of the Toyota Land Cruiser?
We have a bit of left over news from 2020 that we just couldn’t bring ourselves to write about in an already dark year. Toyota will discontinue the US market Land Cruiser would after 2021. It’s something that has been rumored for a while, but the company finally issued a buried confirmation on December 24, just in time for Christmas. Ugh. Continue reading
QotW: What makes a good car company heritage collection?
On January 18, 2009 General Motors, auctioned off about 200 cars from its heritage collection, desperate for cash during the throes of the global financial crisis. Enthusiasts expressed dismay, but many of the cars were SEMA builds or movie cars that didn’t seem to add much to the collection. Others, however, were more valuable, like a 1969 COPO Camaro ZL-1 (a top-spec performance model and one of 69 built). Realistically, it’d be close to impossible for a company to store everything, so what should it keep? One of every model made? Just the important ones? Pivotal concept cars? If you were in charge, how would you call the shots?
What makes a good car company heritage collection?
The most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What’s the best Japanese car not made in Japan?” Continue reading
TAS2021: Here come Daihatsu’s Tokyo Auto Salon cars
Daihatsu has officially taken the wraps off their 2021 Tokyo Auto Salon builds. We saw mock-ups of them last month, but now videos of the finished cars can be seen in motion, complete with jaunty music. This is probably the most we’ll get to see of them, too, because the Tokyo Auto Salon is canceled this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. Instead, everything will be virtual. Continue reading
The GT-R50 Test Car looks like it came straight out of Star Wars
We will admit that the first thing to catch our eyes in these photos of the GT-R50 Test Car that’s now on display at Nissan’s Ginza showroom is the cases full of scale GT-R models. But, after looking at those our eyes were drawn to the GT-R50’s Empire-chic black and white paint job. There’s something alluring about the myth of the Test Car. Continue reading
Production Nissan 400Z discovered in patent filing
Ever since seeing the Nissan Z Proto, we’ve been wondering if the production version will stay true to the concept. Well, that question has been answered because Nissan’s patent filings for the Z35 have just been discovered. And, we are happy to report, it is one of the rare instances where the production version looks very similar to the concept. Continue reading
KIDNEY, ANYONE? Zexel Group N R32 Nissan Skyline GT-R
The Zexel livery should be a familiar one for any GT-R fan. Whether you saw it race in the 90s or encountered it in Gran Turismo, the cars are part of the BNR32’s racing lore. Now, one of them is for sale for $237,000, shipping from Europe not included. Continue reading
This tale of Toyota Starlet restoration is just the kind of story we need right now
When he was just eight years old, Josh Brooks’ father told him he’d be driving a Toyota Starlet someday. His family had always owned Toyotas, and Josh’s dad drove an AE86 Corolla and had campaigned Starlets in National Autograss, a form of dirt-track racing in the UK. Though the senior Brooks probably meant for his son to continue that the family tradition, Josh instead ended up finding his own KP62 Starlet in a way every car enthusiast dreams of. Continue reading
Subaru of America has added a first-gen Legacy Wagon to their collection of classics
Subaru of America has just purchased a 1990 Legacy AWD Wagon to their collection. Judging from its beautiful condition, you would never guess that the car has almost 216,000 miles on the odometer. And, it’s stick! It has a lot going for it but it may not the holy grail of first-gen Legacy Wagons, depending on what you value in a museum piece. Continue reading
QotW: What’s the best Japanese car not made in Japan?
On this day in 1980, Honda announced it would become the first Japanese automaker to build a factory in the US. In 1982, the first car to emerge from the completed Ohio plant would be a second-gen Accord sedan, a car that could dodge trade tariffs, shipping costs, and UAW outrage all at the same time. It opened the floodgates for other carmakers, and today we have marques whose lineups barely have any Japan-built cars in them — and thus a wide variety of non-Japanese built Japanese cars to choose from. For the purposes of this question, feel free to answer according to your own country.
What’s the best Japanese car not made in Japan?
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 from 1996?“ Continue reading
