Tag Archives: toyota

QotW: What’s the best sequel?

Rarely is the follow-up better than the original, but when it is, it’s not just slightly better — it blows the original away. That is why we ask: What’s the best sequel? We just spent a weekend at 86Fest, so … Continue reading

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Jay Leno tours the Nissan Zama Warehouse, gets dirt on potential S30 successor for Nissan’s 80th Anniversary

Jay Leno is in Japan. What comes of this trip should be interesting, but for now, watch as he tours the Nissan DNA Garage. UPDATE: Leno goes to Toyota and drives the Lexus LFA Spyder as well! 

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Marty McFly’s Back to the Future Toyota Pickup getting a restoration

While plebeians consider the DeLorean the “cool car” from Back to the Future, JNCers know that the real gem from the series was the jet black 1985 Toyota 4×4 Pickup that Marty McFly owned in his new-and-improved future. Now an outfit called Time … Continue reading

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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

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EVENTS: 2012 Japanese Classic Car Show, Part 04: Luxury & GT

By the mid-70s Japanese automakers had their sights firmly set on comfortable long-distance runners that could eat up highway miles. They were often luxurious too — well, more luxurious than a Datsun 510 at least — and built for the new … Continue reading

Posted in events, honda, mazda, mitsubishi, nissan, toyota | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

EVENTS: 2012 Japanese Classic Car Show, Part 02: Sedans

In Part 02 of our coverage of the 2012 Japanese Classic Car Show we examine the fabulous four-doors that graced the Queen Mary lawn. 

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Friday Video: Celica Panic!

After seeing a prototype of Jun Imai’s latest design in the flesh at JCCS last weekend, we’ve had nothing but Celica on the brain all week here at JNC.

Posted in Friday Video, toyota, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 13 Comments

EVENTS: 2012 Japanese Classic Car Show, Part 01: Debuts

The 2012 Japanese Classic Car Show has come and gone, and this year’s was the hottest one yet. We mean that literally, as it was an unseasonably scorching 100-plus degree day, rare even for SoCal in September, but that didn’t … Continue reading

Posted in datsun, events, honda, jccs, mazda, mazda rx-7, mitsubishi, nissan, suzuki, toyota, Toys, Uncategorized, wagon | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 22 Comments

Grand Touring: The Kii Peninsula via the newly opened Shin-Tomei Expressway

Earlier this year the first section of the Shin-Tomei Expressway opened for traffic, marking a new era for Japan’s highway system. Naturally we went exploring, taking this newest road to one of the oldest inhabited regions of Japan, the Kii Peninsula.

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

MINICARS: Hot Wheels X JNC Toyota AE86 Corolla

The beans have been spilled. Those of you who came by the Japanese Nostalgic Car booth at JCCS on Saturday were treated to a very special surprise — the Hot Wheels Toyota Corolla AE86 new for 2013. We are very proud to once … Continue reading

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QotW: What made you fall in love with Japanese nostalgic cars?

This past weekend one of my oldest friends, whom I’ve known since the eighth grade, came to his first JCCS (more on that later). After his baptism by fire into the world of nostalgics, he immediately went home and began scouring … Continue reading

Posted in minicars, mitsubishi, nissan, Question of the Week, toyota, wagons | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 50 Comments

JCCS Preview: Meet Hot Wheels’ Jun Imai at the JNC Booth

As regular JNCers know we’re huge, giddy fans of Jun Imai, Hot Wheels designer extraordinaire. This weekend at JCCS, we will be positively honored to have at our booth the man who created such diecast cars as the Datsun 510, Toyota AE86, hakosuka and kenmeri Skylines, Mazda RX-7, Mad Manga, … Continue reading

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MINICARS: 2013 Hot Wheels 1970 Toyota Celica revealed

Toyotaku, your offerings to the diecast gods have paid off. This is the first official photo of the Hot Wheels 1970 Toyota Celica. We saw a prototype of this car a few months ago, but had been sworn to secrecy … Continue reading

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The beautiful Box Art and history of Aoshima model kits

Step inside any Japanese hobby store and you’re bound to be dazzled by both the beauty and abundance of Aoshima box art. Their highly detailed plastic model kits have been around for decades, and in many cases have done a … Continue reading

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EVENTS: Announcing Melbourne’s Classic Japan 2012

Today we have a guest post from Adam Laws of the Toyota Car Club of Australia (Victoria), organizer of a 200-plus car show in Melbourne. Check out his announcement and, below that, some photos of unique Aussie nostalgics from last … Continue reading

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Shaken preparation at Sports Car Service of Yokohama

Nestled in the sleepy, semi-rural outskirts of Yokohama is Sports Car Service, specializing in the repair and maintenance of nostalgic cars. Recently a friend needed to get an old rotary prepped for shaken, Japan’s roadworthiness inspection, and we tagged along to … Continue reading

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EVENTS: Mooneyes Mania Cruise Bluebird-Corona Day, Part 03

We’re devoting the third and last installment of our Mooneyes Mania Cruise‘s Bluebird-Corona Day coverage to just one car. Why? Because the Toyota Corona teased in Part 01 is utterly steeped period correct modifications from the early 1970s. 

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EVENTS: 2012 Nisei Showoff, Part 01

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

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Tomica Limited Vintage A60 Toyota Celica 1600GT-R

A60 Toyota Celica coupes have been surging in popularity lately, and why not? It’s RWD, still affordable, and styled with that 80s angularity we love so dearly. They’re like the AE86‘s big brother, but a lot easier to find on craigslist in … Continue reading

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Initial D Fifth Stage to premiere November 9

Hang on to your e-brakes because the hit anime Initial D returns November 9. What was originally lost in translation and reported as a reboot is actually a restart, continuing the series where it left off six years ago.

Posted in toyota, Video Games | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 25 Comments