Tag Archives: yutaka katayama
MOTORSPORT: How the Datsun 510 revolutionized sedan racing in America
The Datsun 240Z is rightfully remembered as Nissan’s most competitive sports car, for sweeping 10 out of 10 National SCCA C-Production Championships between 1970 and 1979. However, the humble Datsun 510, initially expected to be nothing more than an econobox … Continue reading
Posted in motorsport
Tagged 510, Bob Sharp Racing, brock racing enterprises, datsun, imsa, john morton, nissan, scca, Walt Maas, yutaka katayama
13 Comments
Happy Holidays from JNC
The black and white shot of Mr K standing with his personal G-nose 240Z in front of the old Datsun USA headquarters in Gardena, California is one of the most famous pictures of his car. Rarely mentioned, however, is the … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged 240z, 240Z/260Z/280Z, datsun, nissan, s30 z, yutaka katayama
2 Comments
50 YEAR CLUB: Nissan Fairlady Z / Datsun 240Z
Fifty years ago today at The Pierre hotel in New York City, the automotive world was forever changed when Nissan unveiled the Datsun 240Z. The occasion was the car’s international press launch, where Western journalists got to see the game-changing … Continue reading
Posted in 50 Year Club
Tagged 240z, 240Z/260Z/280Z, datsun, fairlady z, nissan, s30 z, Yoshihiko Matsuo, yutaka katayama
18 Comments
NY Auto Show: A gallery of classic Z-cars
The GT-R’s incredible 50th anniversary display may have taken center stage at the New York Auto Show, but the Z’s half-century birthday did not go uncelebrated. Nissan also brought out several historic Z models from its US collection, and also … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged 240Z/260Z/280Z, 280zx, 300zx, 370z, new york auto show, nissan, s130, s30 z, yutaka katayama, z31, z32, z34
6 Comments
MOTORSPORT: The best display of Nissan race cars ever assembled in North America
Never before has a Japanese carmaker been the featured marque at the Monterey Historics. That is, until this year, when Nissan received the honor. As a result, collectors, racers, and Nissan themselves have brought together a truly epic assembly of … Continue reading
Posted in motorsport
Tagged 240Z/260Z/280Z, 300zx, 510, adam carolla, bluebird, bob sharp, bre, datsun, fairlady roadster, gt-r, GT-R50, GTP-ZX, imsa, john morton, le mans, nissan, paul newman, peter brock, r35, R390 GT1, s30 z, yutaka katayama, z31, z32
13 Comments
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
Posted in Touge California
Tagged 240z, datsun, luce, mazda, mr k, nissan, rx-4, Touge California, yutaka katayama
10 Comments
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
Posted in events, jccs
Tagged 240z, 280z, bre, datsun, john morton, mr k, nissan, s30 z, yutaka katayama
15 Comments
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
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged 240z, 260z, 280z, Cars & Coffee, datsun, fairlady z, mr k, nissan, s130, s30, yutaka katayama, z31, z32
14 Comments
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
Posted in Question of the Week
Tagged datsun, fairlady roadster, motorsport, mr k, nissan, QotW, Question of the Week, yutaka katayama
36 Comments
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
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
Posted in events, honda, mazda, mitsubishi, nissan, toyota
Tagged 2000gt, 240z, 260z, 280z, aw11, chrysler, conquest, crx, datsun, fairlady roadster, fairlady z, fb, fc, fc3s, g-nose, mazda, mitsubishi, mr k, mr2, nissan, rx-7, s30, sa22, sports 800, starion, starquest, toyota, yotahachi, yutaka katayama
16 Comments
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
Posted in events, nissan
Tagged 240z, 260z, 280z, 510, datsun, japanese classic car show, jccs, mr k, nissan, yutaka katayama
6 Comments
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
Posted in motorsports, nissan
Tagged 210, bluebird, datsun, fuji-go, mobilgas trial, motorsports, mr k, nissan, rally, sakura-go, yutaka katayama
5 Comments
