In a 30-minute press conference in Yokohama this morning, Nissan announced a new licensing partnership with Lego. The first car to appear in the collaboration will be the GT-R NISMO, which will appear in the Lego Speed Champion series. In fact, it will help kick off a new format in the Lego Speed Champions line, which will now feature more detail and pieces than before. Continue reading
QotW: What job well done are you thankful for?
Japan obviously doesn’t celebrate the same Thanksgiving Day as the US, but there’s a very similar holiday in Japan that occurs on November 23 each year. Labor Thanksgiving Day, or Kinrōkanshanohi, has its roots in a harvest festival, but in modern times honors workers and their role in society. Though many JNCers are do-it-yourselfers, there are always things we need help with, whether it’s from a tradesman, a good buddy, or the creator of some obscure part with which your project would otherwise be incomplete.
What job well done are you thankful for?
The most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What should be inducted into the Japan Automotive Hall of Fame next?” Continue reading
Happy Evolution Day from JNC
We don’t think Charles Darwin had flying Mitsubishis in mind when he published On the Origin of Species in 1859, but nevertheless, here we are, 160 years later, to celebrate Evolution Day. All our ancestors were running across the savanna at one point in time or another. Some were just faster than others.
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VIDEO: The Toyota Land Cruiser helped build Australia
Toyota Australia is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, and the company is celebrating the brand’s early years in the country. The back story starts with the Snowy Mountains Scheme, Australia’s largest construction project. With seven power stations, 16 large dams, and 140 miles of tunnels, it took 25 years to complete. Toyota’s involvement began in 1958, about midway through its construction, when Leslie Theiss, owner of the company tasked with building the massive infrastructure project, privately imported 12 Land Cruisers to use on site. Continue reading
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VIDEO: The Mitsubishi Galant GSX offered AWD in a sporty sedan package
Everyone remembers the Eclipse GSX, Mitsubishi’s wildly popular sports coupe. Everyone also remembers the Galant VR-4, their rally-bred, turbocharged, AWD sedan. Before that arrived, however, Mitsubishi also offered a car that we almost forgot existed: the Galant GSX. Continue reading
VIDEO: Nissan gets the whole family together to celebrate 50 years of GT-R and Z
As regular JNC readers know, 2019 marks the 50th anniversary of the Nissan GT-R and the Nissan Fairlady Z. The GT-R debuted on February 21, 1969 and the Fairlady Z debuted on October 18, 1969. Nissan has released two videos honoring these iconic models, showing every generation taking to the track. Continue reading
PIXELATED: Toyota Returns To Video Games in Forza Horizon 4
It’s official. Hot on the heels of a return to Hot Wheels’ lineup, Toyota is coming back to video games on December 12th with an update to Forza Horizon 4. After reportedly pulling their licensing out of video games that “promote street racing,” Toyota has reversed course and are beginning to allow video game companies to use their cars again. What is equally important about this news, however, is what car they chose to start with. Continue reading
New cell phone carrier commercial features Datsun 240Z
A new commercial for cellphone carrier Boost Mobile features a nice, lightly modified Datsun sports car. The rest of the spot features music, a lot of sweet moves, and someone maybe named Pitbull? We don’t know, we’re old, like that guy quietly polishing his 240Z. Continue reading
MINICARS: Return of the Hot Wheels Supra
The Supra is back, and we aren’t talking about the A90. Instead, we’re referring to the the sleek A80 Hot Wheels casting. It, along with all other Toyota castings, from the popular toy lineup, has taken a hiatus but now it’s making a return, and we think this is great news for both Hot Wheels and Toyota. Continue reading
VIDEO: Honda’s early F1 years, told in manga form
Honda periodically releases videos that tell its history in manga form. The latest is about Honda’s early years competing in Formula One. In 1964, just two years after Honda produced its first cars, it formed an team to take on the world’s best. As history shows, Honda did emerge victorious in 1965, but getting there was a tremendous uphill battle. Continue reading
QotW: What should be inducted into the Japan Automotive Hall of Fame next?
There are actually surprisingly few cars in the Japan Automotive Hall of Fame. The Mazda Roadster/Miata was just inducted, and the Toyota Corolla was welcomed last year, but the list is still pretty short. There can be many reasons for a car to deserve a spot. A pure and consistent sports car like the Mazda is appealing to enthusiasts, but the Corolla has put more people on the road than any other model in history. The JAHoF takes motorcycles, commercial vehicles and notable individuals too. What would you nominate, and why?
What should be inducted into the Japan Automotive Hall of Fame next?
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 last car you will ever own?” Continue reading
Japanese Classic Car Show 2019, Part 09: Trucks, Vans, and Wagons
We have arrived at what could be our favorite part of JCCS, the vans, trucks, SUVs, and wagons. And now, in addition to seeing amazing US-market builds of such cars, their Japan-market counterparts are flooding in. No longer are the importers solely focusing on GT-Rs and Figaros. Here are the best Japanese haulers of JCCS. Continue reading
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Tagged 510, 521, 620, Blizzard, bluebird, corolla, corona, crown, daihatsu, datsun, dodge, e30, fj40, forte, H100, hiace, hilux, honda, J60, J80, jccs, land cruiser, Life StepVan, mazda, mitsubishi, montero, n10, N20, N30, nissan, pajero, Pajero Evolution, repu, s130, stout, t80, Taft, toyota, trucks, vans, wagons
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NEWS: NA Mazda Roadster, Mitsubishi Model A inducted into Japan Automotive Hall of Fame
The 2019 inductees for the Japan Automotive Hall of Fame have been announced. The ceremony took place earlier this month, welcoming four historically significant vehicles and three important individuals for their impact and contributions to Japan’s automotive industry. Continue reading
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Tagged B1500, B360, carol, elf, eunos roadster, isuzu, japan automotive hall of fame, k360, kawasaki, Kawasaki Z1, kei, KZ1300, mazda, miata, mitsubishi, mitsubishi model a, motorcycles, MX5, r360, Silver Pigeon, SR400, t2000, yamaha
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SEMA 2019: Honda had the best booth of the show, and there was even a Chevy in it
There used to be tons of Japanese manufacturers at SEMA. One by one, Mitsubishi, Subaru, Mazda, and Lexus have all pulled out. And in a year that marked the 50th anniversary of Nissan’s two most beloved models and the second coming of the Toyota Supra, it was little ol’ Honda that had the best display. Their booth was stacked with cool vehicles old and new, two-wheeled and four. Continue reading
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Tagged acura, cb160, civic, EM1, honda, Honda N-Series, Monkey 125, NA1, nsx, s800, super cub, Type S Concept
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SEMA SPOTLIGHT: Daniel Wu’s show-stopping Honda S800
Even with countless companies spending big bucks, it’s hard to find anything truly stunning at SEMA anymore. The race to outdo each other and grab eyeballs, has resulted in some high-dollar builds, but when everything is extreme, nothing is. It’s been years since we were shocked, in a good way, and this year it was all due to Daniel Wu’s 1968 Honda Sports 800. Continue reading
2019 Japanese Classic Car Show, Part 08 — 90s Kids
With 90s cars now eligible for JCCS it is suddenly quite obvious that the cars of the Tuner Era are have arrived at JCCS. This coincides with the Youngtimer movement in the collector car community as a whole catching steam. Many of the cars we once saw gracing the covers of the old print media magazines back in the day, and with most having had the life driven out of them, are now rubbing elbows with the chrome bumper royalty we typically think of when we think of “classics.” Continue reading
SEMA 2019: Finally, you can get an inexpensive ultra-wide bosozoku tire in the US
One of the most unexpected treats of the SEMA Show was the surprise appearance of Banzai Sports’ Bluebird SSS Sanitora. We first spotted this eye-catching ute at the Tokyo Auto Salon in 2018 and were extremely taken by it. Half 510, half Sunny Truck, it’s a seamless combination of US and Japanese styles. Continue reading
VIDEO: Behold the now-extinct B11 Nissan Sentra hatchback
The B12 Nissan Sentra didn’t really make shockwaves in the American car market, but according to Motorweek, it was once the best-selling import in the US. Not only that, but the car review program actually named the Sentra their top pick in a comparison of compacts. But even though it sold in apparently large numbers, 1985-1990 Sentra, especially the 3-door hatchback model, is all but extinct. Continue reading
QotW: What’s the last car you will ever own?
This week’s QotW can be read any number of ways. Our younger readers will likely witness the dusk of the traditional human-driven car in their lifetimes, or at least the end of the internal combustion engine. Older ones are paring down their collections and thinking about how to pass what they have on to posterity. Sometimes though, it’s hard to let go. What will be the car that you drive till your dying day (or until the robots take over), and why?
What’s the last car you will ever own?
The most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “Share with us your JNC selling stories.” Continue reading
SEMA 2019, Part 04: More Nihon Steel
It’s really hard to capture everything at a show as big as SEMA, but here are a few more slabs of Nihon Steel we found lurking around. There was everything from slammed sleds to off-road heroes, sometimes both in the same car (you’ll see what we mean). Here’s more J-tin for your eyeballs. Continue reading
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Tagged 370z, acura, civic, Civic EG, cressida, eclipse, fc3s, fj40, fj62, Frontier, honda, hot wheels, J200, J60, J70, J80, jimny, Kicks, land cruiser, mark II, mazda, mitsubishi, N260, nissan, nsx, rally, Rocket Bunny, rx-7, rx-8, s13, sema, silvia, subaru, suzuki, tacoma, Titan, toyota, WRX STI, x80, z34
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