Tag Archives: sw20
Ex-race car driver and Japan National Diet member Junko Mihara just had her car stolen
Japan is a famously safe nation, but car thefts have been on the rise. Among the most popular targets are high-end Toyotas like the Alphard, Land Cruiser, and Lexus LX. The thefts have even struck some of the highest-ranking people … Continue reading
Toyota MR2 reportedly returning at the expense of mid-engine GR Yaris
A rumor out of Japan says that not only is Toyota reviving the MR2, but that it will have a purely gasoline-powered engine. In fact, the mid-engined runabout is likely to be the last combustion-only Toyota sports car ever made. … Continue reading
Lovers kissing in Toyota MR2s is one of Japan’s most memorable TV scenes
So you thought the scene in Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift where Sung Kang drifts through the crowd at Shibuya Crossing was the most famous car-related clip to take place there? Well how about the time when two lovers just … 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
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
VIDEO: Drifting in America has come a long way since 1998
Drifting was still a little-known underground activity in the United States back in 1998. However, that didn’t stop some of Japan’s most famous drift racers and judges from visiting southern California to see what the nascent scene was all about. … Continue reading
2021 All-Toyotafest, Part 01 — Starlet, Corolla, Celica, MR2
After a year and a half of no major car shows, it was good to be back. The 2021 Toyotafest picked back up right where 2019 left off, although a few changes had to be made due to the pandemic. … Continue reading
VIDEO: There will probably never be a car like the SW20 MR2 again
The Toyota MR2 was one of those rare Japanese cars that evolved constantly throughout its life. There were five distinct revisions, called Type I through Type V, made to hone the small mid-engined runabout into a better driver’s car. We … Continue reading
VIDEO: Watch an epic battle of 90s sports cars
In a race that looks like a real-life Gran Turismo battle, the best of 1990s sports cars duke it out in this 1995 episode of Best Motoring. The field is a who’s who of Bubble Era machinery, including a Supra … Continue reading
Bake some quarantine treats with these car-shaped cookie cutters
We know being trapped at home can be boring, and not all of us can use this time in the garage. Luckily, here’s another JNC-themed way to liven up the quarantine and possibly occupy any kids that are climbing the … Continue reading
EVENTS: Radwood NorCal 2019
Just a week after my colleagues were at SpoCom in SoCal, Radwood returned to its ancestral home in NorCal. The traveling show of 80s and 90s nostalgia started in the Bay Area in 2017, and has been expanding rapidly. There … Continue reading
EVENTS: All-Toyotafest 2019, Part 02 — Fun Fours
This year’s Toyotafest was headlined by the many generations of Supra in support of the A90’s debut. With all the focus on the new six-cylinder sports car, let’s not forget that Toyota has built plenty of fun fours. More and … Continue reading
MOTORSPORT: Kaori Okamoto — actor, businesswoman, race car driver
To say that Kaori Okamoto was multi-talented would be an understatement. Known today primarily as an actor, Okamoto in her long career has also been an author, entrepreneur, and yes, a race car driver. Okamoto wasn’t just your typical celebrity … Continue reading