Tag Archives: honda

MINICARS: Rio Red will be the first color of Hot Wheels’ EF Honda CRX

We’ve been pretty excited at the prospect of a second-generation Honda CRX ever since Hot Wheels released a teaser pic. That photo was in black and white, though, but now we can reveal the first color that will adorn the … Continue reading

Posted in Hot Wheels | Tagged , , | 9 Comments

EVENTS: Petersen Museum Cruise-in, Part 01

Last weekend the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles hosted their annual cruise-in for Japanese cars. J-tin of all eras and styles flocked to the museum’s parking structure at the corner of Fairfax and Wilshire Boulevards on a sweltering LA … Continue reading

Posted in events | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

MINICARS: Subaru SVX and Sambar, Honda S2000, Nissan trucks join Matchbox lineup in 2019

The annual Matchbox convention took place last weekend in Albuquerque, New Mexico. This is where the diecast brand has traditionally revealed the new cars to appear in next year’s lineup. As it turns out, in 2019 there will be several … Continue reading

Posted in minicars | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

EVENTS: Radwood NorCal 2018, the Greatest Hits

Among the many examples of 80s and 90s Japanese cars that populated Radwood NorCal this year, there were a few that really stood out to us. We hesitate to call them the best; except for the actual “Best Of” voted … Continue reading

Posted in events | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

JNC THEATER: JNCspotting in the Stranger Things Season 3 trailer

Halloween is arguably my favorite holiday, and not because I give out candy until all of the children of my neighborhood are in a diabetic coma, but because my favorite Netflix series debuts its new season. Netflix UK & Ireland … Continue reading

Posted in JNC Theater | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

EVENTS: Radwood NorCal 2018

The Radwood phenomenon is spreading faster than hairspray-induced polyester fire. The celebration of 80s and 90s autodom is now on its fourth show in just two years, and the organizers tell us it was the biggest one yet. We attended … Continue reading

Posted in events | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

VIDEO: Honda RA301 at Goodwood Festival of Speed

Fifty years ago, Honda introduced the RA301 race car at the 1968 Spanish Grand Prix. It hailed from the first generation of Honda’s Formula One efforts, and was powered by a 3.0-liter V12 in an aluminum body. The original car … Continue reading

Posted in motorsport | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

MINICARS: Hot Wheels second-gen Honda CRX teased

The designers at Hot Wheels recently revealed a teaser image of the next JNC to make it to their minicar lineup. It is the unmistakable silhouette of the second-generation Honda CRX. Unlike the first-gen CRX, this one appears to mostly … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

NEWS: Honda is coming out with a retro motorcycle too

With Kawasaki’s recent debut of a K1-inspired retro motorcycle, Honda is not about to neglect its own rich two-wheeled history. Internet sleuthing has turned up a Honda patent filing with Japan’s intellectual property administration that reveals what could be a revival of the legendary Honda CBX. 

Posted in Motorcycles | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

EVENTS: All-Toyotafest 2018, Part 06 — Trucks & Vans

We’ve arrived at the final dispatch from Toyotafest, and in this installment we look at the trucks, SUVs, and vans that graced the show. Everyone loves Celicas and Supras but these unsung heroes are an undeniable part of Toyota’s success (and perhaps just … Continue reading

Posted in events | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

KIDNEY, ANYONE? The actual Honda Today from You’re Under Arrest is for sale

Today, we have a very special Today. Specifically, it’s a Honda Today painted like the star car of the You’re Under Arrest series. Even more specifically, it’s the actual Honda Today used in the live-action adaptation of Kosuke Fujishima’s popular manga.

Posted in for sale | Tagged , , , | 11 Comments

NEWS: Honda is bringing Cubs and Monkeys to the US

We were pretty torn up when Honda announced in April 2017 that it would discontinue its Monkey motorcycle by the end of the summer, especially when it was the 50th anniversary of the 50cc mini-bike. The reason given was that it was too hard … Continue reading

Posted in Motorcycles | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments

GALLERIES: The Petersen Automotive Museum opens an unprecedented exhibit honoring Japanese cars

Perhaps it is only fitting that the Petersen Automotive Museum is now located in what was once the only Seibu department store in the US. Where rows of Japanese home goods resided in 1962, today in 2018 stands this hemisphere’s most comprehensive museum … Continue reading

Posted in museums | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 30 Comments

VIDEO: How to pronounce Japanese carmaker names properly

A couple of years ago we were at a dinner with several journalists and a Mazda executive. At the other end of the table, a debate broke out about whether the proper pronunciation of the Hiroshima carmaker was the standard issue “MAHZ-dah” or the Australian-accented “MAAZZ-dah.” … Continue reading

Posted in Learning Japanese | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

EVENTS: Get a discount code to The Petersen Automotive Museum’s unprecedented Japanese car exhibit

This week the Petersen Automotive Museum is opening three unprecedented exhibits featuring classic Japanese cars. Although the Petersen has exhibited classic J-tin in the past, this is the first time nostalgics have taken such a prominent position in the museum’s … Continue reading

Posted in events | Tagged , , , , | 9 Comments

50 YEAR CLUB: Hot Wheels celebrates half a century of toy cars

Fifty years ago today, the world was introduced to what just might be the most influential cars ever made. The automotive world was forever changed on May 18, 1968 when Mattel introduced the Hot Wheels brand of toy cars to … Continue reading

Posted in 50 Year Club, Hot Wheels, minicars | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

VIDEO: Look at all the great driver’s cars you could get in 1991

At the height of the Bubble Era, every Japanese carmaker had a driver’s car. We’re not talking about high dollar sports cars like the NSX or Supra, either. In this Best Motoring video from 1991, a lineup of enthusiasts’ machines, sometimes … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

TUNE UP: Instead of your typical rap video cars, “This is America” is filled with Toyotas and Hondas

In case you were under a rock all weekend, you probably know Childish Gambino’s video for “This Is America” debuted on Saturday and has already garnered over 18 million views. The work is fraught with commentary on violence and slavery, but … Continue reading

Posted in Tune Up | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Consider the Following: First-generation Acura Integra

With the prices of the most popular JNC models entering unattainable status for many younger enthusiasts, it’s time to highlight another painfully overlooked yet still affordable (for now) model. Welcome to another Consider the Following installment, in which we ponder the original DA1-4 … Continue reading

Posted in Consider the Following | Tagged , , | 17 Comments

VIDEO: Soichiro Honda’s rousing speech explains “Why we Race”

Honda has released a video called “Why we Race.” The title is taken from an impassioned speech founder Soichiro Honda himself back in the day. Honda’s actual words is played over archival footage of Honda’s racing successes (and failures) from bikes at … Continue reading

Posted in Video | Tagged , , , , | 9 Comments