One of the biggest topics at the Japan Mobility Show is the shocking Toyota Century Coupe. The massive fastback upends over half a century (no pun intended) of tradition, in which Toyota’s flagship sedan was just that — a sedan. But the Century wasn’t just any four-door. It was dignified, elegant, understated, and packed with nods to Japanese culture. At least the Century Coupe is one of those things. Continue reading
Mazda unveils a turbo rotary ‘coupe’ and a cute hatch in Tokyo
Mazda’s stand at the Japan Mobility Show never disappoints, with breathtaking concepts like the RX-Vision taking center stage. This year, Mazda’s show cars tell a tale of two futures. The small Vision X-Compact hatchback shows commitment to a segment that is all but gone in the US but still has market share in Japan, while the Vision X-Coupe is a look at what a rotary-powered blueprint for the future might be. Continue reading
The Honda Super-One Prototype is a Bulldog-inspired EV
Honda never explicitly states it, but its latest EV concept takes a lot of inspiration from the 1983 Honda City Turbo II. With its aggressive stance, flared blister fenders, and asymmetric grille, the nods are unmistakable. It even comes in a similar silver hue as the hero color of the original. Continue reading
Toyota builds twin-turbo FJ60 Land Cruiser thanks to modern Tundra engine swap
SEMA builds tend to be over the top, but when everyone has a kandy-colored, lifted, widebodied Frankenstein one way to stand out from the crowd is with an absolutely bone stock-appearing classic. That’s what Toyota did with this plain-Jane FJ60 on which even the paint is an un-SEMA-like grayscale. Of course, since it’s SEMA there has to be some crazy mods, and under the hood of the Turbo Trail Cruiser is a forced-induction engine from a modern Tundra. Continue reading
QotW: What is your ideal Honda Civic build?
Today, October 27, it National Civics Day, an occasion to learn about how our govenrment, in theory, should work. But let’s not forget the Honda Civic. To the everyman, it’s affordable, efficient, and reliable, but to those in the know it’s also an insanely good performance car brimming with F1 technology, infinitely modifiable and a blank canvas for any vehicular purpose one can imagine. Parts interchange like Legos and the aftermarket selection is endless. Or, they’re just as honest and fun when restored to OEM perfection.
What is your ideal Honda Civic build?
The most entertaining comment by next week will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What other forms of Japanese craftsmanship do you hold in high regard?“. Continue reading
Yamaha e-bike concept pays homage to its first motorcycle
Yamaha has revealed what it’s bringing to the Japan Mobility Show later this month. Among the 16 motorcycles, three-wheelers, and motorized wheelchairs is a beautiful electric bicycle called the Y-00B. It was inspired by the 1955 Yamaha YA-1, the company’s very first product, and created to celebrate the company’s 70th anniversary. Continue reading
Century to become its own hyper-luxury marque in Toyota empire
When Toyota teased its upcoming Gazoo Racing GT3, eagle-eyed viewers noticed that the Century phoenix joined Toyota’s other major brands — Toyota, Lexus, GR, and Daihatsu — with a standalone logo in the lineup. Turns out that Toyota is indeed spinning off Century into its own ultra-luxury marque. It’s part of ToMoCo’s “Five Brand Project” that will launch an “above-Lexus” family of cars. Continue reading
The Infiniti Q45’s active suspension was too complex for its own good
When Nissan launched the Infiniti marque in 1991, it gave the company a chance to showcase all the technology it had been developing for the Japanese home market. The advancements would have made the Nissans too expensive for cost-sensitive buyers in America, Infiniti opened up a world of possibilities. For the flagship Q45, Infiniti introduced the world’s first full-active suspension at a cost of $4000, or $9500 in 2025 dollars). Continue reading
Toyota’s ‘baby’ Land Cruiser FJ revealed as mini body-on-frame SUV
Since at least 2022 Toyota has been teasing the idea of a mini SUV that draws on the Land Cruiser’s rich heritage. Now that vehicle has arrived, revealed in full ahead of the Japan Mobility Show at the end of the month. It’s called the Toyota Land Cruiser FJ, reviving the old chassis code-turned-model name last seen on the FJ Cruiser. Continue reading
QotW: What other forms of Japanese craftsmanship do you hold in high regard?
We suspect that one of the reasons you are here on a site about Japanese cars is because you appreciate how finely crafted they are. Attention to detail, thoughtful designs and innovations, and long-lasting quality are all hallmarks of Japan’s long tradition of making things. Today, October 20, is Long-Lasting Company Day, in which Japan celebrates shinise, or companies that have existed for 100 years or more. Japan has the most shinise of any country in the world, over 33,000 of them. And according to a study of companies older than 200 years, Japan leads the world with 15 percent of them. There are lots of Japanese goods other than cars to appreciate, whether it’s food, video games, carpentry, or any number of things.
What other forms of Japanese craftsmanship do you hold in high regard?
The most entertaining comment by next week will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What’s the best tow vehicle?“. Continue reading
Toyota’s motor show video unites owners from around the globe
Not to be outdone by its subsidiary Daihatsu, Toyota has its own compilation video for the Japan Mobility Show. With the tagline “To You. Toyota”, the video depicts a vast variety of Toyota cars and trucks in all walks of life. From AE86 to Yaris, Prius to Land Cruiser, the video shows just how embedded the Toyota brand is in the livelihoods of people around the globe. Continue reading
Posted in Japan Mobility Show
Tagged a70, A80, ae86, corolla, fj cruiser, hiace, hilux, Japan Mobility Show, land cruiser, supra, toyota
1 Comment
Nissan CEO discusses Silvia revival, IDx concept
Nissan CEO Ivan Espinosa recently gave an interview and mentioned two model names that may be of particular interest to enthusiasts. The first was the the Silvia, which Espinosa has a special passion for and wants to bring back. The second was the IDx concept, a compact FR coupe that ignited a fervor across the internet when it debuted but never came to fruition. Continue reading
Posted in News
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Daihatsu’s ‘greatest hits’ animation proves good things come in small packages
Daihatsu will soon show its Midget X concept at the Japan Mobility Show, a throwback to the 1957 Midget that was the company’s first blockbuster success. With it comes a new campaign that highlights the company’s greatest hits, done in a jaunty animated style with a catchy original song. As a kei car specialist, Daihatsu is reaffirming its commitment to small cars that are useful and fun. Daihatsumei sounds like 偉大な発明 (idaina hatsumei), which means “great inventions” in Japanese. Continue reading
Posted in Japan Mobility Show
Tagged charade, copen, daihatsu, hijet, midget, mira, Tanto
5 Comments
Forget the Century coupe and six-wheeled Lexus LS, peep the Daihatsu Midget concept
It’s almost time for the Tokyo Motor Show Japan Mobility Show, and Toyota is first out of the gates with a buffet of unhinged concept cars. And yes, the coupe based on the Century SUV or Lexus LS reborn as a six-wheeled van is sure to grab all the headlines, but we at JNC ask instead that you check out the lovable Daihatsu Midget reboot concept instead. Continue reading
Posted in Japan Mobility Show
Tagged century, daihatsu, Japan Mobility Show, lexus, midget, toyota
2 Comments
QotW: What’s the best tow vehicle?
We hope your cars are always running under their own power, but once in a while you’ll need to haul it. Whether it’s trailering a race car to a track, taking a classic car to a show, or bringing home a new project, anyone who dabbles in older automobiles will at some point need a tow vehicle. Fortunately for JNC owners Japanese cars are typically lightweight, so that opens up a lot of options for trucks and SUVs with lower towing capacities that may be JNCs themselves.
What’s the best tow vehicle?
The most entertaining comment by next week will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What are your gasoline filling routines?“. Continue reading
What is this Toyota teaser teasing, a flagship sports car?
Toyota has put up a mysterious teaser that promises a big reveal on October 13 at 1:00 pm local time. The image shows the logos of all the company’s main brands: Toyota, Lexus, Century, Gazoo Racing, and Daihatsu. On the Toyota website there’s a countdown timer that says:
The sign at Fuji Speedway has changed.
On the left, 2000GT
Next to it, LFA
Next to that… ?
It sure seems like they’re hinting at a sports car that can carry on the tradition of super-high end flagships. Continue reading
Nissan designer Hiren Patel talks about his classic Pathfinder
With the news of Nissan Design America’s closing, we wanted to consider the earliest and arguably the most iconic vehicle to emerge from the studio: the WD21 Nissan Pathfinder. As it happens, we once stumbled upon this exact car at the parking lot of Nissan Design America. We were there to review the new Nissan Z, but learned that the Pathy belonged to Hiren Patel, a Senior Design Manager at NDA who was responsible for the new Frontier pickup, among many other projects at Nissan. Continue reading
Sam Mitani’s ‘Keys to the Empire’ finishes the automotive spy trilogy with a bang
The third and final installment of former Road & Track International editor Sam Mitani’s car-themed thrillers is Keys to the Empire. The trilogy began in 2018 with The Prototype, continued in 2023 with Red Mist, and draws to a close with Mitani’s latest novel.
Keys to the Empire continues in the universe established in the two previous books, though it works as a standalone story as well. Characters from the first two novels appear in Keys, but the protagonist is a new deadly assassin.
Dalton Lang was an elite agent in China’s Ministry of State Security before defecting to the United States. He’s called out of retirement when people close to him are hunted by unknown assailants. Is it the MSS, the yakuza, or corrupt LAPD detectives? The search for answers takes Lang, in the finest Mitani tradition, on a globe-trotting adventure with cars at its center. Continue reading
Japan’s new Prime Minister is a Toyota Supra owner
In 2022 we wrote about Japanese politician Sanae Takaichi and her beloved A70 Toyota Supra. At the time, she had lost her bid to become the next Prime Minister, but over the weekend she was elected to head Japan’s ruling party. In Japan’s parliamentary system that means she’s almost certain to become the nation’s first female Prime Minister, and car enthusiasts across the country are excited to have one of their own as the new leader. Continue reading
QotW: What are your gasoline filling routines?
Today, October 6, is Oil Day in Japan, marking an occasion for average citizens to think about the many petroleum-based products used in every day life. The date was chosen because the numbers 1, 0, and 6 can be rearranged to form O (0), I (1), and L/R (6). It also happens to be the anniversary of the first global oil crisis, which led to long lines a fuel pumps around the world and began on October 6, 1973.
Some owners have an almost religious dedication to their brand of service station. Personally I prefer Costco since it usually has the best price for a Top Tier fuel — though that’s hovering around $4.30 a gallon in southern California — but if the lines are long I’ll go elsewhere. I’m not brand loyal but only Top Tier juice goes into my JNCs. Other than that, I don’t have any hard rules except for a healthy dose of ethanol stabilizer and a full tank in cars that are sitting.
What are your gasoline filling routines?
The most entertaining comment by next week will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “Which JNC looks most proper in red?“. Continue reading
