QotW: What’s the best way to make progress on your project car?

There are many hurdles to moving forward on a big project. In the past year, my wife and I bought a house, moved, and had a baby. I waited a long time to have my own garage space but now that I do, I’ve barely touched it. The space became a temporary storage facility as we were getting settled in the house, and then it just kind of stayed that way. However, this weekend I ordered something that will hopefully change all that: a shed. When it arrives, we will have a space to throw all the extra paint, tiles, garden tools, and other stuff that we never use but can’t seem to throw out. Whether it’s keeping a clean workspace, finding a babysitter, building a workbench, canceling your Netflix subscription, or something else:

What’s the best way to make progress on your project car?

The most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “Do you have any fond memories of the Lexus GS?Continue reading

Posted in Question of the Week | Tagged , , | 11 Comments

VIDEO: And now for your viewing pleasure, Hakosuka drift!

We were quite taken by this Hakosuka when we came across it in 2016, even though it might just be one of the rattiest examples to set a wheel into a car show. But, there’s a reason for its battle-scarred appearance — it’s a drift car. Continue reading

Posted in Video | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Happy TE51 Day from JNC

One of the oddest Corolla body styles must have been the SR-5 Liftback, or what hipsters today would call a shooting brake. Essentially, it’s a wagon, but sporty because it has two doors. I still see one in my neighborhood here in LA every once in a while, and it puts a smile on my face every time. Also, is anyone else in the mood for pistachio ice cream? Happy TE51 Day from JNC!

Posted in Holidays | Tagged , , , , | 7 Comments

Toyotafest 2020 has been canceled, but you can still get these 50th anniversary of the Celica T-Shirts

We are sad to report that Toyotafest 2020 has been canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. The show, originally scheduled for June 6, was to be the 25th annual Toyotafest, a momentous occasion to be sure. So, while quarter-century celebration can be postponed till 2021, the planned celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Celica can’t. Continue reading

Posted in Reminder | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

ART CORNER: Ease your quarantine blues with an official Mazda coloring book

Automakers continue to find new ways to help us deal with being stuck at home during the coronavirus outbreak. Mazda’s latest scheme to help us kill some time is a downloadable coloring book that features seven of their landmark cars. Continue reading

Posted in Art Corner | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

VIDEO: Every Honda S-car, driving

Every iteration of Honda’s S-series cars has been a hoot to drive. In a newly released video, the Honda Collection Hall in at Twin Ring Motegi compiles runs by each of their S roadsters around the narrow footpath behind the museum. The video starts with the original S500 and S600 before moving onto the S800, S2000 and S660. Continue reading

Posted in Video | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Watch all six episodes of Honda’s history as told by manga

Honda has re-released its full six-part cartoon history video series, told with manga panels. The series is based on the m the Shogakukan manga series about company founder Soichiro Honda. Though Honda has released the videos piecemeal before, the old ones have all been taken down. Now, you can binge-watch all six at once. Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Check out Isuzu City, the mind-blowing miniature town that is Japan’s largest diorama

Goodbye forever, readers. We at JNC have decided to move to a place in Japan where there are plenty of nostalgic cars, clean streets, and barely any traffic. It’s Isuzu City, population 3,300, located inside the Isuzu Plaza museum in Fujisawa. The town measures just 12 meters wide, but despite its size it’s Japan’s largest diorama and there’s plenty to see. Continue reading

Posted in minicars | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

There was a Subaru 360 on The Sopranos, youse guys

Last week we asked what show had the best background JNCs. I had no idea at the time that I would find one of Japan’s iconic kei cars on HBO’s groundbreaking Y2K-era mobster drama, The Sopranos. Continue reading

Posted in JNC Theater | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

QotW: Do you have any fond memories of the Lexus GS?

We learned Friday that Lexus has killed off the GS name. It had been rumored for a while, and at the same time models like the ES are getting big enough to step on the GS’s toes. Plus, there’s that whole decline of the sedan and rise of the crossover thing. We can’t help feel a pang of sadness about its demise. It was always the cool middle child of the Lexus lineup; more elegant than the IS, not as ojisan as the LS. We know there will be some who say it makes economic sense for Toyota, but still:

Do you have any fond memories of the Lexus GS?

The most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What’s a great movie or TV show for background JNC spotting?Continue reading

Posted in Question of the Week | Tagged , , | 12 Comments

The Lexus GS is no more.

Lexus has announced it is ending the GS nameplate. The Grand Sedan is no more. Sales for the luxury sedan have been slow as people move towards crossovers instead. It also spells doom for the wonderful 467-horsepower, naturally aspirated, V8-powered GS F sports sedan. Pour some 5W-30 out for the fallen. Continue reading

Posted in News | Tagged , | 11 Comments

You can get the old Suzuki Jimny’s graphics on a new Suzuki Jimny

Not only is the Suzuki Jimny is one of the hottest new cars you can buy in Japan right  now, but it’s one that’s ripe for modification. From functional off-road equipment to appearance packages, there’s tons of options available in the aftermarket. As it happens, Suzuki offers some of their own accessories, including two packages that make your brand new Jimny look like its predecessor from the 80s and 90s. Continue reading

Posted in Next Version | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

ART CORNER: Here’s some classic Mazdas you can build out of paper

Carmakers have been coming up with creative ways to keep us occupied during the time of corona. The latest is Mazda’s recent release of papercraft cars marking its 100th anniversary. Specifically, they are the white and red Mazda R360 Coupé and ND Roadster used to commemorate a whole slate of 100th Anniversary Edition cars, but Mazda also has several more paper classics on hand. Continue reading

Posted in Art Corner | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

CONCEPT CARS: 1991 Honda EP-X

Here at JNC, we have an Earth Day tradition where we dig deep into the memory banks to highlight an environmentally themed, often bizarre concept. This time around, we’d like to draw your attention to the alien-looking 1991 Honda EP-X. Continue reading

Posted in concepts | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

VIDEO: More of the Daihatsu museum in a virtual tour

Daihatsu has uploaded more videos continuing the virtual tour of curiously named Humobility World, the company’s museum in Osaka. In part one, we saw the earliest Daihatsu products, a 5,842-pound diesel engine that’s likely the heaviest thing in Humobility World, and the Daihatsu-go three-wheeled truck. In these newly uploaded clips, we get to see some actual cars. Continue reading

Posted in Galleries | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

QotW: What’s a great movie or TV show for background JNC spotting?

While we’re all continuing to shelter from home, it’s a great time to catch up on movies. Going back to watch some of the classics, it can be amazing to see some of the JNCs populating the backgrounds. Take the above scene in the original Back to the Future, for example. The idyllic town of Hill Valley circa 1985 is absolutely packed with mint condition JNCs — B210, Civic, Tercel, Celica, B110, 240Z, Toyota Van, and so on — and that’s not even counting the Toyota pickup that is featured front and center as Marty’s dream car. Forget 1955, we’d love a time machine to take us there.

What’s a great movie or TV show for background JNC spotting?

The most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “Daily, Garage, Sell — Flagship Sedans Edition.Continue reading

Posted in Question of the Week | Tagged | 19 Comments

PIXELATED: The A70 Supra is available in Forza Horizon 4 this week only

A couple of months ago we reported that Forza Horizon 4 is finally getting Toyota back in the game. With the exception of the A80 Supra, these cars are available only by completing weekly challenges. So far the roster has included the AE86, 2000GT, and now the A70 Toyota Supra. Continue reading

Posted in Video Games | Tagged , , , , | 12 Comments

ART CORNER: Stave off coronavirus boredom with an official Nissan coloring book

The time of coronavirus can be scary and boring, but being forced to quarantine can spawn creativity as well. Case in point. Nissan employees have been working from home for weeks now, and the quarantining designers have used some of that time to create a downloadable coloring book for the rest of us. Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Mazda RWD rotary hybrid patent discovered

News about Japanese sports cars just keep on coming this week. First there was the RWD straight-six Mazda 6, then some rumors about the new Nissan Z. Now, there’s been some discoveries about a Mazda rotary-powered hybrid mounted in a longitudinally in a rear-drive layout based on some unearthed patent filings. Continue reading

Posted in News | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Good guy Mazda will change oil and wash cars of health care workers, even if they don’t own a Mazda

Health care workers are fighting the good fight on the front lines right now, putting themselves at risk so that the rest of us don’t get sick. To support them, Mazda has announced that they will change their oil and wash their cars for free, a generous move on its own, but even better in this case because the health care workers don’t even have to own a Mazda. Continue reading

Posted in News | Tagged | 1 Comment