Tag Archives: sw20

EVENTS: All-Toyotafest 2018, Part 03 — Transversely Mounted

Posted on June 8, 2018 by Dan Hsu

Though many enthusiasts bemoan Toyota’s transition, starting in the mid-1980s, to a mostly front-wheel-drive lineup, this shouldn’t be the case. Sure, the Cressidas and Supras carried the RWD torch, but Toyota built many fun-to-drive models with transversely mounted engines too, and those … Continue reading →

Posted in events | Tagged A80, A90, aw11, celica, Celica All-Trac, Corolla FX-16, gt-four, mr2, st165, st185, st205, sw20, T160, T180, T200, toyota, toyotafest, ZZW30 | 8 Comments

EVENTS: 2018 New Year Meeting, Part 03 — Seventies and Eighties

Posted on March 6, 2018 by Ricky Silverio

Our first two installments of the 2018 New Year Meeting featured cars from 1960s Japan. Those beautifully crafted machines from the early days of country’s motorization served a specific purpose, but the 1970s is when the modification culture became truly widespread.

Posted in events | Tagged 117, 230, 240rs, 300zx, a20, advan, Autolook, b110, b310, bluebird, c10, c110, cedric, celica, civic, corolla levin, e30, fc3s, fronte, gloria, Hakosuka, honda, isuzu, kenmeri, kp47, mazda, minica, Minica Skipper, mitsubishi, mr2, new year meeting, nissan, r30, r32, s110, silvia, skyline, starlet, sunny, suzuki, sw20, te27, TE55, toyota, ts cup, U12, wagons, z32 | 7 Comments

KIDNEY, ANYONE? 4,400-mile Toyota MR2 Turbo

Posted on January 26, 2018 by Ben Hsu

If you wanted a brand new second-generation Toyota MR2 Turbo back in the day but foolishly did not buy one, this could be your one shot at redemption. Offered for sale in Canal Winchester, Ohio, is quite possibly the country’s lowest-mile all-original … Continue reading →

Posted in for sale | Tagged kidney anyone, mr2, sw20, toyota | 9 Comments

EVENTS: Radwood 2 – Electric Boogaloo

Posted on December 6, 2017 by Ben Hsu

From the moment co-organizer Art Cervantes told us the name of the event, we knew it would be incredible. Radwood. It was a car show exclusively for 80s and 90s machines. Like Goodwood but, you know, rad.

Posted in events | Tagged 240sx, 300zx, 4runner, 80-series, 929, a60, a70, A80, acura, ae86, aw11, brat, CBR900RR, celica, charade, chaser, civic, Civic EF, Civic EG, corolla, corona, cr-v, cressida, crx, daihatsu, delica, Dodge Raider, e70, eclipse, fc3s, fd3s, fj60, fj62, galant, Galant VR-4, honda, infiniti, integra, KA4, KA7, land cruiser, legend, lexus, Lexus LS, mazda, miata, Miata NA, Mighty Max, mitsubishi, montero, motocompo, mr2, MX-3, mx-5, N60, nissan, nsx, pajero, prelude, Q45, r33, r34, Radwood, rx-7, s13, sa22, skyline, subaru, supra, sw20, x70, x80, z31, z32 | 11 Comments

KIDNEY, ANYONE? 34k-mile 1991 Toyota MR2 Turbo

Posted on September 1, 2017 by Ben Hsu

At this year’s Toyotafest we were saw an increase in stock (or stock appearing) and period correct examples of the second-generation MR2. Gone were the Invader body kits and intake snorkels from the Tuner Era heyday. Clearly, the unmolested SW20 is something collectable, … Continue reading →

Posted in for sale | Tagged kidney anyone, mr2, sw20, toyota | 13 Comments

VIDEO: Do any of these Toyotas remind you of the new Camry?

Posted on July 12, 2017 by Ben Hsu

Toyota is launching the 2018 Camry in Japan, and pulling out their greatest hits to do so. The newest Camry commercial begins with images of the MR2, Soarer, Altezza, Celica and Supra, a stick-shift X70, and many more — all set … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged a60, altezza, aristo, aw11, camry, celica, mr2, soarer, supra, sw20, toyota, x60 | 25 Comments

EVENTS: All-Toyotafest 2017, Part 03 — Fun to Drive

Posted on May 11, 2017 by Ben Hsu

“Fun to Drive” was the tagline of Toyota Japan for much of the 1980s, and it was absolutely true. Toyota once had a whole portfolio of stylish, slingable cars that were also — and this is a key component of fun … Continue reading →

Posted in events | Tagged a20, aw11, barikan, celica, corona, kp61, mr2, ST160, ST180, starlet, sw20, t40, t80, toyota, toyotafest, Toyotafest 2017 | 16 Comments

EVENTS: 2017 All-Toyotafest 2017, Part 01 — New Digs

Posted on May 9, 2017 by Ben Hsu

Like RAV4 sales numbers, the number of cars at Toyotafest is ever-expanding. Now in its 22nd year, the country’s most comprehensive Toyota, Lexus and Scion car show has outgrown its home at the Queen Mary. This year, organizers from the Toyota Owners and Restorers Club … Continue reading →

Posted in events | Tagged 4runner, a20, a40, a60, ae86, avalon, aw11, camry, Camry Coupe, celica, Colin Project, corolla, corolla levin, corona, cressida, e70, e90, focus racing, ke10, lexus, Lexus GS, Lexus LC, Lexus LS, Lexus RC, longchamp xr-4, mr2, s190, scion, Scion xB, star sharks, sunchaser, sw20, t80, toyota, Toyota Van, toyotafest, Toyotafest 2017, UCF20, UCF30, x30, XV10 | 7 Comments

JNC THEATER: Long before Fast & Furious, there was Jackie Chan’s Thunderbolt

Posted on November 23, 2016 by Ryan Senensky

For many, 2001’s The Fast and the Furious was perhaps a seminal moment in US tuning history. Hollywood movies’ star cars failed to reflect the reality of America’s mall parking lots on a Friday night, but suddenly F&F came about and brought Japanese cars to … Continue reading →

Posted in JNC Theater | Tagged 3000GT, civic, Civic Ferio, fd3s, fto, gt-r, gto, honda, jackie chan, lancer evolution, mazda, mitsubishi, mr2, nissan, pajero, r32, rx-7, skyline, sw20, Thunderbolt | 16 Comments

EVENTS: AE86 Nights 9th Anniversary

Posted on June 7, 2016 by Ben Hsu

What started as a small gathering of enthusiasts of the last RWD Corolla eight years ago has grown into a gathering that attracts hundreds of cars from all over southern California. It all started with the beloved Hachiroku, and the types of … Continue reading →

Posted in events | Tagged 280zx, 610, 810, a20, a40, a60, a70, ae86, aw11, celica, Chevy Nova, civic, corolla, corolla levin, cressida, datsun, e20, e70, e80, ef, fj cruiser, fj60, FRS, hilux, honda, impreza, land cruiser, maxima, mazda, miata, mr2, MX5, NA Miata, nissan, s130, sa22, scion, sprinter trueno, subaru, supra, sw20, ta22, te27, toyota, van, wagons, x60, x70 | 10 Comments

EVENTS: 2016 All-Toyotafest, Part 01 — A preview of what’s to come

Posted on May 10, 2016 by Ricky Silverio

Now in its 21st year, the All-Toyotafest has become quite possibly the most popular Japanese car show in southern California. How popular? Online registration for the 2016 gathering — all 450 spots — sold out just eight hours after going … Continue reading →

Posted in events | Tagged avalon, camry, celica, corolla, corona, e20, mr2, prius, Pronard, rt40, scion, sw20, T200, t80, te27, toyota, toyotafest, xb, XV10, xv30, XV40, XV50 | 12 Comments

GRAND TOURING: Driving across Japan in a JNC, Day 08

Posted on April 17, 2016 by David Lovett

In the previous installment of our cross-Japan trip, we began the northeasterly journey back home, but on a different route that would hug the southern coast of Japan. As such, we’d voyage from Kyushu to Shikoku, two of the four islands that … Continue reading →

Posted in Grand Touring | Tagged 117, 280zx, all-trac, b120, celica, Celica GT-Four, corona, daihatsu, datsun, fairlady z, Fellow, ferry, Grand Touring, isuzu, kei, mitsubishi, Mitsubishi Jeep, mr2, nissan, r30, s130, s30, sanitora, skyline, st165, sunny truck, sw20, T120, toyota | 6 Comments

EVENTS: 2015 All-Toyotafest, Part 03

Posted on May 15, 2015 by Ben Hsu

In the final installment of our 2015 Toyotafest coverage, we take a look at two types of vehicles Toyota is known for — its compact, rear-wheel-drive sport coupes and its famously indestructible workhorse trucks. The former once dominated the company’s lineup and the latter still … Continue reading →

Posted in events | Tagged a20, a60, a70, ae86, aw11, corolla, crown, e20, fj40, fj60, hilux, land cruiser, mr2, Spinter Trueno, sports 800, supra, sw20, tercel, toyota, toyota celica speedster, toyotafest, W30 | 14 Comments

ART CORNER: Fujimi’s Touge Series Box Illustrations

Posted on August 1, 2014 by Dave Yuan

Long after earning driver’s licenses and pinkslips to our rides, some of us still find ourselves mired in plastic model cars. Perhaps it reflects the constraint suffered by many of us on budget, space, or sanity (of ourselves and/or family … Continue reading →

Posted in Art Corner | Tagged 2000gt, a60, a70, ae86, chaser, civic, corolla, cr-x, cresta, ef, fairlady z, fc3s, Fujimi, honda, integra, levin, mark II, mazda, mitsubishi, mr2, r31, r32, rx-7, s13, s14, silvia, skyline, soarer, sprinter, starion, supra, sw20, te27, touge, toyota, trueno, x70, z10, z20, z31 | 4 Comments

EVENTS: 2014 All-Toyotafest, Part 04 — Museum Pieces

Posted on May 21, 2014 by Ben Hsu

For our final installment of Toyotafest coverage, we bring you the museum-worthy cars that put meaning to the word classic. Whether its racing provenance, rarity, pop culture status or just a stupendously fantastic specimen, these are the cars that are should be exhibited and preserved as inspiration … Continue reading →

Posted in events | Tagged 2000gt, a20, a40, ae86, back to the future, celica, corolla, dan gurney, events, fj80, hilux, Ivan Ironman Stewart, jza80, land cruiser, levin, lexus, Lexus CCS-R, lfa, mr2, N50, sprinter, supra, sw20, te27, toyota, toyotafest, trueno, van | 14 Comments

EVENTS: 2014 All-Toyotafest Part 02 — The Sports Coupes

Posted on May 15, 2014 by Ben Hsu

This year Toyotafest fell on a very special occasion — President and CEO Akio Toyoda‘s 58th birthday. Since taking the helm of his great-grandfather’s company in 2009, Toyoda-san has vowed to bring the wakudoki back. What’s wakudoki? “A palpable, heart-pounding sense of excitement,” says Toyota. … Continue reading →

Posted in events | Tagged a20, a40, ae86, aw11, celica, corolla, e70, events, fr-s, hachiroku, mr2, nisei, scion, sunchaser, sw20, te27, toyota, toyotafest | 15 Comments

EVENTS: 2012 Nisei Showoff, Part 01

Posted on August 15, 2012 by Dan Hsu

Held in the historic Little Tokyo district of Los Angeles, Nisei Week is an annual festival for Japanese Americans dating back to 1934. The Nisei Showoff custom car show, launched during the height of the import tuning craze, is now … Continue reading →

Posted in events | Tagged 200sx, 510, 520, 521, 610, 620 nissan, ae86, bluebird, bre, brz, corolla, cressida, datsun, fr-s, gt 86, hachiroku, hilux, jaf, kp61, levin, mr2, mx83, s110, scion, silvia, sprinter, starlet, subaru, sw20, te27, tosco, toyota, toyota 86, trueno, x80 | 15 Comments

EVENTS: 2012 All-Toyotafest, Part 04

Posted on May 17, 2012 by Dan Hsu

We’ll let Patrick Ng‘s gorgeous TE27 kick off the fourth and final installment of our 17th Annual All-Toyotafest coverage. This tasty mango began life as a 1973 SR-5, an ultra-rare US-spec version of the Corolla Levin, with metal flares and all straight from the factory but … Continue reading →

Posted in events, toyota, trucks, vip, wagons | Tagged 2012 All-Toyotafest, 4runner, 5-axis, a60, ae83, august, aw11, barikan, camry, celica, corolla, corona, e70, estima, feroce, five axis design, fj40, fj45, fr-s, gt 86, hilux, junction produce, kp61, land cruiser, levin, liftback, ma61, mr2, n1, pickup, previa, ra21, ra22, ra28, ra29, riverge, riverside, rs watanabe, rt40, rt52, s-5, scion, soarer, sprinter, sr-5, ssr, star shark, starlet, stout, supra, sw20, t40, te27, te72, tom's, tosco, toyota, toyota 86, toyotafest, trd, trueno, v10, vip, watanabe, work wheels, z10 | 16 Comments

Toyota MR2 Back from the Dead?

Posted on November 26, 2009 by Ben Hsu

Good grief, Charlie Brown! There are many things to be thankful for this Thanksgiving, but Toyotaku may have just received the greatest gift of all. Japan’s Best Car magazine is reporting that an affordable, mid-engined sports car might be in … Continue reading →

Posted in toyota | Tagged akio toyoda, aw11, ft-86, lexus, lfa, mr2, sw20, toyota | 19 Comments