Japanese Nostalgic Car

The cars that yank hardest at our heartstrings are typically specialty machines — thrilling sports cars, rugged ladder-frame trucks, adorable kei jidosha, and such. However, there are legions of once-common grocery getters that are now rare and sought-after. And, possibly offering a purer driving experience than a modern by-wire box. What’s the ’57 Bel Air of the J-tin generation? For the purposes of this question we’ll exclude performance variants, so Corollas are fine but AE86s are not allowed.

What’s the greatest “normal” JNC?

The most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What cars bookended your favorite era of Japanese cars?” Continue reading →

There’s a lot of talk these days about whether we have passed the golden age of the automobile, and what the future of transport will bring. While technological improvements in safety, efficiency, and performance are hard to argue with, many of us hold on to an irrational love for cars of a certain era. What is that era for you? One could argue that the best period in Japanese motoring began in 1967 with the debut of cars like the Toyota 2000GT, Mazda Cosmo Sport, and Datsun Fairlady 2000. From there, it was a steady rise in automotive excellence moving hand in hand with Japan’s skyrocketing economy. The closing bookend is a bit harder to pin down, but 2003 seems like a pretty good stopping point. By then, cars like the 350Z, RX-8, and S2000 had been released, but it seemed like denouement.

What cars bookended your favorite era of Japanese cars?

The most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “Where’s the greatest place for Japanese cars outside of Japan?” Continue reading →

All week we will be featuring videos from this year’s virtual Japanese Classic Car Show. Though JCCS 2020 is online only this year due to that whole pandemic thing, they are allowing entries from all over the world. Which brings up an interesting question. What countries or regions are the best for vintage Japanese cars (other than Japan, naturally)? Our neighbors to the north, Canada, have access to an incredible array of imports due to more relaxed import laws. Australia and New Zealand have insane access to Japanese goods due to their proximity. The UK and Ireland seem to really prize authenticity and period correctness. In some areas of southeast Asia and South America, these cars are still daily driven.

Where’s the greatest place for Japanese cars outside of Japan?

The most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What stupid question have you always wanted to ask about Japanese cars?” Continue reading →