Tag Archives: 323
The 1987 Mazda 323 was good, but not enough
The turbocharged 1986 Mazda 626 GT debuted to rave reviews but how was its little brother, the 323? In 1987 Motorweek tested North America’s version of the BF Mazda Familia in both hatchback and wagon body styles. Mazda’s successor to … Continue reading
VIDEO: The Mazda 323 Protegé LX was good, but not Honda Civic good
Poor Mazda. Even though they typically make great cars that should sell far better than they actually do. This was even true in the late 80s, when the well-reviewed sixth-generation BF 323 was completely overshadowed by, as Motorweek found, by … Continue reading
Happy 323 Day from JNC
Picking up on this week’s near-extinct normal cars theme, when was the last time you saw a Mazda 323 in the wild? These were practical but loveable cars in their day, equivalent to a Toyota Corolla or Honda Civic. And … Continue reading
100 YEAR CLUB: Mazda, Part 02
Mazda turned 100 years old earlier this year, and to mark this very special occasion we went in search of what makes this small Hiroshima carmaker so unique. In the previous installment of our retrospective, we examined Mazda’s origin story … Continue reading
Posted in 100 Year Club
Tagged 323, 626, 717C, capella, familia, le mans, mazda, mazdaspeed, rx-3, rx-7, sa22c, savanna, wrc
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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.
Posted in Art Corner
Tagged 3-wheel truck, 323, 787b, cosmo sport, familia, Familia BD, le mans, mazda, mazda 3, Miata NA, mx-5, r360, Type-DA
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Happy Familia Day from JNC
Being cooped up at home under COVID-19 quarantine is a great way to spend some quality time with your family. It’s fitting, then, that today is Familia Day, also known as 323 Day. Be sure to tell your loved ones … Continue reading
NEWS: Mazda restores a BD Familia hatchback
In 2015 Mazda launched an in-house restoration program of a 1967 Cosmo Sport. With a key goal of providing its younger employees with a connection to the company’s heritage, it resulted in the world’s most definitive restoration of an L10A … Continue reading
Happy 323 Day from JNC
The first Japanese car to win a Group A WRC race wasn’t a Subaru. It wasn’t a Mitsubishi, either, or a Toyota. It was a Mazda. On Valentine’s Day 1987, the humble Mazda 323 4WD (known as the Mazda 323 … Continue reading
BACKROADS: 1988 was Mazda’s Year of the Turbo
It’s an old trope among JNC enthusiasts in North America: we never get the good stuff like they do in Japan. From the obvious to the obscure — the Skylines, the City Turbo, the AZ-1 — the list never ends. But … Continue reading
BACKROADS: Mazda’s Great Little Car
As we gear up for the next annual Touge California in the hills of Southern California, we are reminded of the cars that came with us last year. We had a truly eclectic mix ranging from built track beasts to pristine grand tourers — and … Continue reading
VIDEO: James May goes to Japan
In the latest episode of James May’s Cars of the People, the former Top Gear host travels to Japan and drives some JNCs. Specifically, he gets behind the wheel of a Mazda Familia (aka 323) hatchback in its hometown of Hiroshima, … Continue reading
ART CORNER: The superdeformed model kits of Ryu Asada
Most of you know the name Ryu Asada from his work at Mattel designing hit diecast cars. The talented and creative veteran of both the Matchbox and Hot Wheels brands as penned some truly memorable castings, including JNC favorites like the Honda CRX, EF Civic, ’90 Acura NSX, and ’72 … Continue reading
Posted in Art Corner
Tagged 323, city, familia, Gunze, hilux, honda, hot wheels, mazda, model kits, motocompo, nissan, r30, Ryu Asada, skyline, superdeformed, toyota
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EVENTS: 2014 Nostalgic2Days, Part 02
Welcome to Part 02 of our Nostalgic2Days coverage, as we make our way across the Pacifico Convention Center on Yokohama’s historic waterfront. In this installment we’ll see the displays kyuusha tuning houses, some of the famous cars that have graced Nostalgic … Continue reading
Posted in events
Tagged 110s, 323, 510, a20, a60, autech, beat, Biko Works, bluebird, c10, c110, c130, capella, celica, corona, cosmo sport, crown, datsun, Datsun Type 15, fairlady roadster, fairlady z, familia, Hakosuka, honda, kenmeri, laurel, mazda, nissan, nos2days, prince, publica, Red Megaphone, rt40, rx-2, s30, skyline, stelvio, supra, toyopet, toyota
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EVENTS: Vintage Auto Salon, Part 03 – Bayline Cruisers
For the third and final installment of our Vintage Auto Salon coverage, we take a look at cars that aren’t necessarily the rarest or the sportiest. Instead, this motley crew is comprised of bone stock survivors, tough trucks, and wicked … Continue reading
EVENTS: Classic Japan 2012, Part 02: Totally Awesome 80s
In Part 02, Adam Laws continues his coverage of Classic Japan 2012 from Melbourne, Down Under. —Dan Our second installment of Classic Japan coverage from Australia is focused on some quintessential 80’s classics. Bring on the boxes! 1986 saw the … Continue reading
Posted in events, honda, mazda, nissan, suzuki, toyota
Tagged 1uz, 200sx, 323, 323 gt-x, 4age, 929, ae86, aw11, city, city cabriolet, corolla, cressida, cresta, datsun, familia, fj60, fx-16, honda, ken watanabe, land cruiser, levin, luce, mark II, mazda, mighty boy, mr2, mx73, nissan, r31, rs watanabe, s12, silvia, skyline, sprinter, superlite, suzuki, toyota, trueno, x70
16 Comments
QotW: What do you want from Japanese Santa Claus?
Well it’s that time of year again, when we gather with our loved ones, reflect on the last 12 months, perhaps drink some hot cocoa, and tear into colorfully wrapped boxes like feral dogs on a holiday ham. And if … Continue reading
Posted in mazda, Question of the Week, toyota
Tagged 2000gt, 323, demio, mazda, mazda 2, mf10, protege, QotW, Question of the Week, toyota
45 Comments
EVENTS: The Bayline Gathering, Part 04
Our final installment of the Bayline Gathering kicks off with one of the Bay Area’s infamous Bluebirds that are not 510s. Remember the Appliance-shod 710 from Part 03? This tsurikawa strappin’ Datsun 610 is his partner in crime. Despite the mismatched Longchamps and MKIs it exudes shakotan cool.
Posted in events, mazda, mitsubishi, nissan, toyota, wagons
Tagged 240z, 260z, 280z, 323, 510, 610, a60, ae86, auto bahn, b110, Bayline Gathering, bluebird, capella, celica, colt, corolla, daruma, datsun, diane krey-welsey, dodge, e70, familia, fb, galant, Historic Japanese Car Gathering, hot wheels, kouki, levin, ma61, mary, mazda, mitsubishi, nissan, ra21, ra22, rx-2, rx-7, sa22, sa22c, savanna, sprinter, ssr mesh, sunny, superlite, supra, ta22, te71, te72, toyota, trueno, wagon, work equip 03, zenki
29 Comments
Merry Christmas from JNC!
May your travels be safe and stockings filled with rare JDM parts. And may they arrive by Mazda Bongo, a rear-engined van that is retro-futuristic in a Jetsonian kind of way. The year of Mazda’s 90th Anniversary is almost over, and the … Continue reading
The Mazda Family Tree, 1960-Present
In honor of Mazda’s 90th Anniversary, here’s the complete genealogy of every Mazda from 1960 to present day. Three-wheeled pickups from the early days are absent, but those were commercial vehicles. This family tree contains all the passenger cars, stretching … Continue reading
