Tag Archives: mazda

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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Japan Automotive Hall of Fame welcomes Nissan 510 Bluebird, Mitsubishi Pajero, Mazda 787B, and more

The Japan Automotive Hall of Fame has announced the inductees that will honored in its Historic & Heritage Vehicles category. The vehicles chosen have each determined to have contributed to the development of Japan’s automobile industry and car culture, and … Continue reading

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Mazda Iconic SP concept blends Miata and RX-7 into future rotary sports car

The Japan Mobility Show (formerly known as the Tokyo Motor Show) is happening today, and Mazda is kicking things off with a bang. The Mazda Iconic SP concept presages what the future might hold for its sports car lineage. Problem … Continue reading

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Mazda teases next-gen Miata’s rear end

As we near the event formerly known as the Tokyo Motor Show (now rebranded as Japan Mobility Show), Japan’s carmakers are releasing teasers of what they’ll be showing off. It’s Mazda’s turn, and they’ve announced that the theme for the … 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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Datsun Fairlady, Skyline, Miata star in High Card anime

There’s a new anime series out that looks to feature some cool classic cars. We haven’t actually seen High Card, but the trailer and opening credits include a healthy dose of automotive mayhem. The plot sounds completely cuckoo-bananas ridiculous, but … Continue reading

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Tokyo Landscapes circa 1971

In 1971 NHK went around Tokyo documenting scenes of everyday life. The footage shows a vibrant city full of hope and possibility. From children checking out at Mazinger Z toys in a Ginza department store to advertisements for Bruce Lee’s … Continue reading

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Enkei Al’Vita brings back an aluminum “steelie” that brought back an actual 1950s steelie

Enkei has revived a classic wheel design that looks like a steelie but is actually cast aluminum. The original Enkei Al’Life debuted in 1990 with the same “looks like steel but lighter” concept. The remake is called the Al’Vita, appropriately, … 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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Mazda RX-792P quad-rotor race car, one of three built, is for sale

Mazda’s quad-rotor racing engine is the stuff of legend. It propelled the 787B to a win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans proved Mazda’s rotary engine in the crucible of motorsport. Mazda only ever put triple-rotor engines in road … Continue reading

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Mazda is mass producing rotary engines for the first time in over a decade

On June 21, 2012 Mazda shut down rotary engine production at its Ujina No.1 plant in Hiroshima. A day later, on June 22, the RX-8, the last production car in the world to have a rotary engine, ended production as … Continue reading

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Former Nissan, Mazda and Mitsubishi showroom, the San’ai Dream Center in Ginza, will be demolished after 60 years

Another famous Tokyo building with ties to Japan’s automotive history is on the chopping block. It was announced earlier this year that the San’ai Dream Center is scheduled to be demolished. For 60 years it has been a landmark in … 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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Mazda Rotary cars on display in Ginza, circa 1971

The curved glass San’ai Dream Center in Ginza has been a major advertising platform in Tokyo for decades. The building at times has been home to the Nissan Gallery, worn a Mitsubishi triple-diamond logo and, in 1971, hyped Mazda’s latest … Continue reading

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The seventh-gen Mazda Familia wagon only existed as a Ford

Talk about a genre of car that’s gone completely extinct. The compact wagon used to be a staple of American roadways, but first wagons vanished and now compacts are gone. The charm and sheer functionality of compact wagons is unmatched, … Continue reading

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Toyota Camry vs Mazda 626 in 1983: History keeps on repeating

Motorweek was just two years old in 1983 when it decided to do a four-way test of five-door family hatchbacks. It’s not a format that stuck around — we’re talking about both the show’s comparo and the body style — … Continue reading

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A Mazda 929 makes a great stealth luxo-cruiser, and it comes in stick

Its cool to want an 80s Japanese car now, but here’s a deep cut that’ll separate the wheat from the hipsters. The first-gen Mazda 929 was Hiroshima’s version of a big luxury sedan, not unlike a Toyota Cressida. Both were … Continue reading

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Liberty Walk cars star in boy band music video inspired by racing games

Exile Tribe is apparently a boy band in Japan with a whopping 16 members. In their latest music video, for a song called “The Rampage / 16 Boosterz”, the singers gather 16 of Liberty Walk’s most famous cars. Then they … Continue reading

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Yukihiro Takahashi’s ads for Mazda, Daihatsu, Toyota Cresta and MR2

The seminal electronica band Yellow Magic Orchestra lost one of its founders, drummer and vocalist Yukihiro Takahashi earlier this year. Last week we remembered the band’s keyboardist Ryuichi Sakamoto’s Nissan commercials; now it’s Takahashi’s turn, and he was even more … Continue reading

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Japanese automakers jointly built five EV concepts for the Tokyo Motor Show 50 years ago

The conventional wisdom is that Japanese automakers are dragging their feet when it comes to EVs. It’s kind of a reductive statement that doesn’t take into account the fact that most are simultaneously exploring many zero-carbon propulsion systems, or that … Continue reading

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