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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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