Tag Archives: lexus

Bose’s jumping “Magic Carpet” Lexus LS400 is now a parts donor

Remember the “leaping Lexus” developed by Bose? Back in 2004 the audio electronics company revealed an active suspension system and installed it on a first-gen Lexus LS400. The results were extraordinary. The car exhibited zero body roll, even under heavy … Continue reading

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That time Pop Tarts went hard with tuner culture

The tuner scene had been flourishing for years by the time Y2K rolled around, but it still wasn’t mainstream. Even after the success of the The Fast and the Furious in 2001, non-car people didn’t get why you’d tune a … Continue reading

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The Lexus GS400 was a “barnstorming performance sedan”

The arrival of the second-generation Lexus GS turned up the heat on 1998’s luxury sedan market. Lexus was still young, less than a decade old, but the LS held down the unflappable luxury sedan corner, the SC had the beautiful … Continue reading

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Matchbox 2025 lineup gains Acura Integra Type R, Mitsubishi Pajero, Mazda RX-3, and more

Collectors of Japanese diecast cars will have a lot to look forward to in the Matchbox lineup of 2025. Last weekend Matchbox’s annual convention was held in Albuquerque, New Mexico and the hosts from Mattel previewed next year’s lineup. There … Continue reading

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Toyotafest 2024 — Get an exclusive coupon code for a discount on admission

The 2024 All-Toyotafest will be here shortly, and we have a lot of announcements to make. First, JNC is partnering with the organizers of Toyotafest, TORC, the Toyota Owners and Restorers Club, to offer a coupon code for all attendees. … Continue reading

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Toyota 4Runner’s sixth generation answers one big question about the new Land Cruiser

Ever since the Toyota Land Cruiser nameplate was revived last August, we at JNC have been a bit flummoxed about it. Though it wore the legendary name, it didn’t feel like a real Land Cruiser. It just felt off somehow, … Continue reading

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Japan Automotive Hall of Fame honors Lexus founder, Honda F1 engineer, pioneers of four-wheel-steering

The Japan Automotive Hall of Fame has named four individuals to be inducted into their ranks. Each has been chosen for their contributions to Japan’s automotive industry. As with the four cars that were announced this year, there are names … Continue reading

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Jay-Z’s Lexus GS300 on display at Brooklyn Public Library

Patrons of the Brooklyn Public Library in New York will notice an unexpected new addition to the lawn: a mid-90s Japanese luxury sedan. The two-tone Lexus GS300 is part of a new exhibit honoring hip-hop legend Jay-Z, who often rapped … Continue reading

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Sam Mitani’s Red Mist packs action and espionage with Japanese cars

In his second novel, former International Editor for Road & Track magazine Sam Mitani continues to blend gripping action and international intrigue with fast cars, most of which are Japanese. It’s not hard to understand why. Almost 30 years ago … Continue reading

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Barbie does indeed have some ‘JDM’ cars in her garage

A couple of weeks ago we wondered what “JDM” car Barbie would drive if she wasn’t in a Corvette. Turns out this chick has more cars than Jay Leno. We learned more than we ever wanted to know about her … Continue reading

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A Quiet Greatness is a gorgeous, must-have book about Japanese cars

As much as Japanese cars have permeated automotive culture, they’ve been lacking in one important aspect: the coffee table book. Walk into any bookstore (if you can still find them in your town), and you’ll see gorgeous volumes on Italian, … Continue reading

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The ten most expensive Japanese cars sold on Bring a Trailer

Auction site Bring a Trailer is celebrating its 100,000 listing, and it’s a special one. The milestone car is the company’s own 1973 Datsun 240Z. Maintained by Z Car Garage of San Jose, California and fitted with a Rebello 2.7-liter … Continue reading

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Shoichiro Toyoda, the Toyota president who built a global powerhouse, 1925 – 2023

Shoichiro Toyoda, the influential president of Toyota who captained the company during its growth into a worldwide phenomenon, passed away on February 14. The official cause, according to a Toyota press release, was heart failure. “Dr. Toyoda,” as he was … Continue reading

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Akio Toyoda steps down as president and CEO: His legacy at Toyota and his successor

It is often said that Akio Toyoda likes surprises. The Toyota president and CEO is fond of racing, and is one of the few corporate leaders who will eagerly don a helmet and climb behind the wheel of his company’s … Continue reading

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Toyota is saving the manuals for its next Lexus sports car

Of all companies, Toyota just might be the one to save the manuals. The future may look bleak for many enthusiast-oriented automotive technologies, but Toyota has just revealed that it is indeed working on a manual transmission for an upcoming … Continue reading

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VIDEO: The Lexus SC presented buyers with a difficult dilemma

The Lexus SC is probably, to this day, still one of Toyota’s best-looking cars. It was the Supra you could take to the opera, built upon the same chassis that spawned the legendary JZA80, but grander, more civilized, and fitted … Continue reading

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Nissan Skyline tops Japanese survey about dream cars

Monday, September 19, was Respect for the Aged Day in Japan. To mark the occasion Kinto, a car sharing service, held a survey to ask drivers of three generations about their motoring habits, including what their dream cars were when … Continue reading

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In its 26th year, Toyotafest is still going strong — a brief history of TORC, the Toyota Owners and Restorers Club

We’ve been attending Toyotafest every year since JNC started in 2006, and it’s consistently one of our favorite events. Last year was the 25th Toyotafest, which means the show itself is now old enough to wear historic plates, buy collector … Continue reading

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Next-gen roundup: Supra gets a stick, Z goes racing, Miata has staying power

Conventional wisdom states that performance and sports cars are a dying breed. But, if we take a closer look at what’s stirring in Japan right now, that couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, there hasn’t been this much … Continue reading

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Japanese Classic Car Show 2021, Part 01

To close out 2021, a year where things were finally opening up again, we’re going back to the Japanese Classic Car Show. After a hiatus in 2020 due to the pandemic, JCCS was back in full form. Perhaps trying to … Continue reading

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