Tag Archives: subaru

All around the world, it’s a happy 8/6 Day

It’s amazing how one affordable little car can bring the world together. Around the globe August 6th has become the de facto worldwide holy day for honoring the Toyota AE86. 2012’s 8/6 Day will forever be remembered because it’s the … Continue reading

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QotW: What’s the best Japanese car commercial from the West?

The Japanese are known for offbeat, zany or downright insane car commercials, but clearly not all of them would translate to western audiences. International marketing departments have their own way of luring you into the showroom, so we ask: What’s the … Continue reading

Posted in honda, minicars, Question of the Week, subaru | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 37 Comments

EVENTS: 2012 Mooneyes Street Car Nationals, Part 03: Wagons

There’s a special place in the Japanese heart for wagons. Sure, they’re loved in America now, but over there in Japan they were always cool. At the Mooneyes Street Car Nationals, where sports cars and two-doors are the exception, not the rule, … Continue reading

Posted in events, mazda, nissan, subaru, toyota, wagons | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

JNC Toyota RWD & Z Heritage shirts available in the shop

JNC‘s 2012 Z Generations and Toyota RWD shirts are now available online. Actually, they have been for a while and eagle-eyed JNCer’s have been getting them, but we neglected to make an official announcement. Z Generations debuted at the Z-Car West Coast … Continue reading

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Grand Touring: A Weekend in Nagano Prefecture

Eight-and-a-half feet of reliable snowfall blankets the mountains of Nagano Prefecture each winter, transforming quaint and quiet towns into temporary getaways for Tokyo-ites. When the snows disappear so do the downhill skiers and onsen soakers, but local FJ40 Land Cruisers stay to witness the spring thaw. … Continue reading

Posted in Grand Touring, honda, mazda, mitsubishi, nissan, subaru, toyota | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Subaru Philosophy blog launches

Fuji Heavy Industries recently launched the Subaru Philosophy blog, and although it has only two posts so far things look promising. The first describes the origins of the company name and the logo (spoiler alert: the Pleiades constellation), while the … Continue reading

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Lexus LFA engineer Chiharu Tamura drives a Subaru 360

Chiharu Tamura may be a hero to many for his work as Deputy Chief Engineer of the Lexus LFA. To us, it’s because he drives a 1968 Subaru 360. Not even 27 of these 20PS kei jidosha would equal a single LFA’s output, … Continue reading

Posted in subaru, toyota | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Question of the Week: What is the most overrated nostalgic car?

We’ve asked what the most underrated nostalgic was, but we neglected to find its flip side.  Thus we ask you this week. What is the most overrated nostalgic car? The one car which we had high expectations for — because of … Continue reading

Posted in manga, minicars, nissan, Question of the Week | Tagged , , , , , , , | 39 Comments

Friday Video: The development of the Toyobaru Neo-hachiroku

As we gear up for Toyotafest this weekend, watch this promotional video in which engineers describe incredible feats of packaging that made the Subaru BRZ and neo-hachiroku twins smaller than a Scion tC. This is the Steve Jobs-level passion for and/or obsession … Continue reading

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MINICARS: Hot Wheels Subaru BRAT & A60 Toyota Supra leaked

At a current bid of $8,100 is yesterday’s Kidney Car a bit too rich for your blood? Perhaps then a Hot Wheels Subaru BRAT would be kinder to your wallet. Though slated for later this year, renderings have been leaked … Continue reading

Posted in minicars, subaru, toyota | Tagged , , , , , , , | 21 Comments

Kidney, Anyone? 44,000-mile 1979 Subaru BRAT

Here in SoCal, the one marque of nostalgic we rarely see is Subaru. There just wasn’t much need for 4WD passenger vehicles in the perpetually sunny climes of Los Angeles. Subaru BRATs occasionally show up in junkyards — and judging … Continue reading

Posted in for sale, subaru | Tagged , , , | 26 Comments

Nissan design chief hints at return of Silvia or lightweight Fairlady Z

Over the weekend design chief Shiro Nakamura told the Sydney Morning Herald that Nissan is looking to downsize its sports cars. “I much prefer smaller sports car,” he was quoted as saying. “It is the time to look at [smaller engines]. … Continue reading

Posted in nissan, toyota | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Question of the Week: What is Japan’s proudest marque?

The winner of last week’s QotW, “What 1987 car will be the next classic?” by a slim margin is Isaac with his short-but-simple answer, “’87 Mazda RX-7 Turbo II.” They were criticized in-period for looking too much like a Porsche 944, but … Continue reading

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Nostalgic Hero selects Top 20 Japanese Classics

The 150th volume of Nostalgic Hero just hit the stands as a special edition in which the editors pick the Top 20 Nostalgic Cars of 2012. Back in 2007 they issued a Top 50 list, and some have risen, some have fallen. … Continue reading

Posted in honda, isuzu, mazda, mitsubishi, nissan, subaru, suzuki, toyota | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 38 Comments

EVENTS: 2012 New Year Meeting

This year’s New Year Meeting was a bit less exciting as a large number of cars were repeats from previous shows, but hey, it’s Japan and there’s tons of vintage steel.  

Posted in events, isuzu, mazda, mitsubishi, nissan, prince, subaru, toyota | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 20 Comments

Friday Video: Subaru commercials want your heartstrings tugged

ToMoCo has plenty of FR heritage to capitalize on as they gear up for the Toyota 86 launch, but what about its Subaru BRZ twin? Instead of drifting XT coupes we get a  disowned son reuniting with his father over a … Continue reading

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Wednesday Wall: Racing Toyotas from TRD

As the Toyota 86 inches closer to its Japanese debut the Aichi mothership is releasing a slew of propaganda. The latest is a series of TRD wallpapers beautifully illustrated by Masahisa Higuchi. They depict the neo-hachiroku and its racing forebears, including the … Continue reading

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Your gallery of Superdeformed Nostalgics is here

In case you were wondering where you could get your favorite nostalgic drawn in superdeformed anime style, your prayers have been answered. This unnamed master of Choro-Q style illustrations is a master of the form. Peep the gallery and video … Continue reading

Posted in honda, isuzu, mazda, mitsubishi, nissan, prince, subaru, suzuki, toyota | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Early Japanese classics among top emerging collectibles says Hagerty

With all the automotive madness whipped up by the Arizona auctions week, let’s take a look at how it affects the nostalgic car scene. First, collector car insurance company Hagerty issued a press release identifying three “segments represent[ing] a group … Continue reading

Posted in honda, kei, nissan, subaru, toyota, wagons | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 18 Comments

The Story of Ronald Reagan’s Subaru BRAT

Here’s proof that Subies aren’t all driven by tree-hugging bleeding hearts. At least one was driven by a tax-slashing, commie-hating Reagan-style capitalist — Ronald Reagan himself. We mentioned the Gipper’s Subaru BRAT a couple of years ago, but now Benjamin Preston of Petersen’s 4Wheel … Continue reading

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