Tag Archives: mr k
EVENTS: 2016 Nissan Jam, Part 03 — Editors’ Choice
We’ve saved the best for last in our 2016 Nissan Jam coverage. It wasn’t easy choosing our favorites, but the cars in this post, for one reason or another, caught the eyes of the JNC staff that attended the show.
Official 2016 JNC Touge California poster
For 2016, the official poster for the JNC Touge California features two landmark cars that will run the 200-mile vintage car rally this weekend. To honor title sponsor Mazda, we are highlighting a rare 1974 Mazda RX-4 Hardtop Coupé. A similar car will be … Continue reading
JCCS 2015: A tribute to legendary figures in Z-Car history
When it debuted in 1969, the S30 Z promptly redefined the sports car, tearing down any remaining barriers, psychological or otherwise, to owning a Japanese car. It became the first piece of Nihon steel you could own with pride in America, which set the Z … Continue reading
EVENTS: Cars & Coffee Nashville, a tribute to Mr K
As most of you know, Nissan USA’s headquarters is located in Nashville, Tennessee. This past Sunday the local Cars & Coffee event, held near the main offices, was a tribute to a man pivotal in building Nissan’s American presence, Yutaka Katayama, the … Continue reading
MOTORSPORT: Mr K and the rise of Nissan racing
Yutaka Katayama, who passed away last month, was unlike most executives. There was more than just spreadsheets and sales statistics to him; he was a true motoring enthusiast. Although this is exactly the type of automotive executive enthusiasts in the outside … Continue reading
QotW: What’s your biggest JNC regret?
You hear these stories all the time: “I should’ve never sold that car.” “One day it was gone and the owner said he sold it for scrap.” “I bought a Chrysler Sebring.” Life is full of regrets, and cars are a … Continue reading
Mr K designed this Tokyo Motor Show logo
With the news of Mr K’s passing this week, we thought it might be a good time to reflect on his accomplishments, both in and outside of Nissan. Yutaka Katayama’s work extended far beyond the walls of Nissan Motor Corporation, and benefitted the Japanese … Continue reading
VIDEO: The Life and Times of Mr K
Last September, on the occasion of Yutaka Katayama’s 105th birthday, Nissan produced a series of videos honoring the influential former executive. The sad news came out of Tokyo today that Mr K had passed away on Thursday, but as you can … Continue reading
RIP Yutaka “Mr K” Katayama, 1909-2015
Yutaka Katayama, beloved former Nissan executive and noted sports car enthusiast, passed away Thursday at the age of 105. Known as “Mr K” and respected and adored by legions of Nissan owners, Katayama was responsible for many of the early successes of … Continue reading
THE VAULT: That time Mr. K met Barbara Eden
Yutaka “Mr K” Katayama was a celebrity in his own right, but mostly in the automotive world of die-hard Nissan nut jobs. Barbara Eden, on the other hand (for those under the age of 25), was the Zooey Deschanel of … Continue reading
EVENTS: 2013 Japanese Classic Car Show, Part 01 – Debuts and Historic Cars
With the Japanese Classic Car Show closing in on a decade, the theme of its 9th holding could be summed up in one word: More. More cars, more rarity, more stock survivors, more booths, more people, and more staggering Nihon … Continue reading
EVENTS: 2012 Japanese Classic Car Show, Part 05: Sports Cars
You want Zs? You got Zs. We begin Part 05 of our 2012 JCCS coverage with the seminal Japanese sports car, the one that forever changed perceptions of what it meant to be “J-tin” and swept America by storm. Here … Continue reading
JCCS Preview: Happy 103rd Birthday to Mr. K
This Saturday, September 15, is not only going to be the 8th Annual Japanese Classic Car Show in Long Beach, but Mr. K‘s 103rd birthday as well! That’s right, Yutaka Katayama was born way back on September 15, 1909, around the … Continue reading
Fuji-go and Sakura-go Ride Again
53 years ago, Nissan sent a pair of Datsun 210 sedans to compete in what was known as the “World’s Cruelest Rally.” The 1958 Around-Australia Mobilgas Trial was a tortuous, 19-day circumnavigation around the continent, over mostly unpaved roads. Named … Continue reading
"Datsun/Nissan: The American Story" Exhibit Opens at San Diego Auto Museum
If you’re going to be in southern California this summer, be sure to stop by the San Diego Automotive Museum for an exhibit called “Datsun/Nissan: The American Story.” In addition to classic Datsun and Nissan cars, there will be tons of … Continue reading
Mr. K Talks Z-Cars: Yutaka Katayama opines on the Nissan 370Z, Toyota FT-86, Datsun 200SX, toy ponies, and the future of driving. Full article at Racer.com.
"Crazy Nobe" Wakatsuki, First Datsun Importer, Dies at 81
As we all know, Nissan officially came to the US in 1960. But you’ve probably seen a small number of Datsuns built before then lurking around in barns and collections. Where did they come from? The answer is a man … Continue reading
Mr. K's 100th Birthday Party at the Datsun Heritage Museum
As we mentioned last week, the Datsun Heritage Museum observed Mr. K’s 100th birthday on September 19. A Datsun-only car show was held in Katayama-san’s honor, and here are the photos. Lest we be found guilty of portraying Zs and … Continue reading