Though there’s not a lot to write about here, just that the good stewards at Japanese Nostalgic Car (a must-read for the JDM obsessed) have provided a wealth of succulent photos from the recent Bangkok Nostalgic Car Show. The stunning Skyline GT-R in our lead photo is just a taste of what lies within the huge gallery below; sure to please any fan of vintage Japanese metal, or fender-mounted side-view mirrors. Indulge and then tell us which is your favorite, in comments.
While we like to think of ourselves as pretty adventurous car people, we’ve got nothing on this group of Japanese mold-breakers. Who’d have thought that motorsport and dentistry could blend so artfully? Answer: the Japanese of course.
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The miniaturization of high technology is something that the Japanese are known and revered for. At the forefront of these efforts are tiny video experts RF System Lab, which has built a camera that is literally the size (and shape) of a Tylenol capsule.
While RF may specialize in the optic needs of the medical industry, the company is also responsible for this, slightly larger RC-12 mini wireless camera. The unit is not only of tiny dimensions but it’s also able to fit inside a snug waterproof housing, for all of your underwater spy cam needs. RF portrays its RC-12 being hauled around by a tiny RC car and a similarly sized toy submarine, though it’s unclear if these methods of transport are included with the camera or just helpful suggestions.
Check out some pictures of the RC-12 camera in our gallery below and tell us what use you could find for it (above board please), in comments.
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While we’re fans of the sporting practicality that Honda’s five-passenger Fit has been offering to Americans for the last few years, we’re not sure that we’d be quite so happy with the package if we had to share it with three additional friends.
That’s what Honda seems to be proposing, if French web site Le Blog Auto can be believed, with these scans of a new Fit variant called the Freed, stretched to accommodate as many as eight passengers. The Freed will apparently be powered by a 1.5-liter four making 118 horsepower and hooked up to a CVT transmission.
Have a look at the potential Freed in our gallery below.
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If you are a race car driver, it is good to be fast. If you want to be a winning race car driver you need to be fast and smart. Danica Patrick’s win at Twin Ring Motegi track this weekend was the result of being fast enough to stay with the leaders and smart enough to beat them with better fuel tactics.
When Andretti-Green crew chief Kyle Moyer and Patrick agreed to take on more fuel under yellow with 51 laps remaining they were betting the race would run clean and green to the finish. Everyone else hoped for one more yellow or calculated no one, including the #7 Motorola Honda, could make it all the way without at least a splash and go.
As the race wound down and that last important caution flag never came, the leaders had to pit for fuel, moving Patrick up from eighth in the field to second behind Helio Castroneves. Though the Penske machine had been one of the other two cars to stop for extra fuel back at the yellow on lap 142, Patrick had made better use of her supply and swept by Castroneves before he slowed for the pits. Running strong, and 5.8 seconds out in front, Danica Patrick made history in the world of motorsports when she took the checkers in Japan today.
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A good example of such is this gray market 1994 R32 Skyline GTR for sale on eBay Motors. The JDM Skyline has found its way all the way to Diberville, Mississippi, while staying in more or less stock condition (seller claims that an aftermarket exhaust is the biggest modification). The owner says that the meaty 2.6-liter twin-turbo inline-six is in fine working condition, and has never been over-boosted, which makes us both happy and sad.
Certainly a head-turner for the Gran Turismo set, the winner of this auction will most likely have the coolest Japanese muscle car on the block, unless their block happens to be on the Ginza line. Nice license plate too.
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Swedish furniture retailer IKEA has found a novel way to introduce itself to the residents of its newest location, Kobe, Japan.
IKEA has taken over the Kobe Portliner Monorail; creating a kind of involuntary moving showroom for those commuting to Port Island, the home of the retailer’s newest store. The train has been enlivened with brightly printed fabrics covering the seats, and curtains hanging on the once bare windows. IKEA made sure that even those down on the streets would get the message of the new store, by covering the train’s exterior in a livery reminiscent of more IKEA products.
Check out some images of the train, inside and out, in our gallery below.
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While powerful older rear-wheel-drive sports sedans are certainly the vehicle of choice for most of Japan’s street drifters, this video helps to prove that four wheels, an engine, and a bit of can-do spirit are all that is really required. Watch as an older Toyota Previa (actually a JDM Estima) is thrown around in an exquisite example of minivan control.
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Arguably Japan’s strangest super car, the Mitsuoka Orochi, seems ready to spread its snake-like weirdness to the wide world. The reported left-hand-drive version of the car is said to be nearing completion, and company officials are short-listing a number of markets to receive the NSX-based car.
Qatar will be one of the first non-Japanese locals to see an Orochi on the roads. It was apparently an auto enthusiast from that country who first approached Mitsuoka about a possible LHD version. Not surprisingly two other wealthy country from the Middle East, The United Arab Emirates and Jordan, are also targets for Orochi sales, as well as Thailand. It seems the U.S. is out of the running for this one, pity.
Inflamed American Orochi enthusiasts are encouraged to sooth their wounds with our Mitsuoka gallery below.
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We suppose there really is no end to gameshow ideas when it comes to Japanese culture. Perhaps what is most inspiring is how it really doesn’t take incredible feats of mankind to create interesting drama — just a little theme music, some graphics, an audience, and an excited announcer. You could even create a great show about…parking.
Datsun’s 510 may have been considered sporty in its heyday, but American consumers were never truly able to see the car in its most powerful form - sold elsewhere around the globe as the Nissan Bluebird SSS. If you’re still sulking about that, fret not - a pristine 1970 example is up for grabs on eBay Motors.
If the fender-mounted mirrors didn’t give it away, this was an original Japanese-market car, so you’ll have to practice your left-handed shift technique. You’ll have an extra gear to practice with, too; the owner’s swapped in a five-speed gearbox, as well as fitting a larger sway bar and modified springs in the name of speed and steering.
With only 35,000 miles on the odometer, this Bluebird is in remarkable condition, sporting the original mono AM setup and seat covers. If you’re truly worried about originality, the OEM transmission and suspension parts are provided, allowing the SSS to be returned to stock with little work. That said, we think the car still looks stock, and that five-speed helps squeeze the most from that 100-horsepower 1.6-liter I-4. This SSS would be a fun ride as-is.
The automaker has released a new Japanese driving guide specifically for women drivers, which purports to erase “all your fears about driving.” The pamphlet-sized guide contains instructions on how to do such everyday chores as pumping gas, transporting children and pets, and how to park. The guide also advises aging female drivers about fuel saving, environmental awareness, and safety.
While most women we know would find such a pamphlet remarkably insulting, Honda claims that it just has the best interest of women at heart, saying in a statement, “We would like to let all women know how to drive safely. We would like to minimize accidents of women drivers.” When asked if its guide implied that women were inferior drivers, a spokesperson replied, “We don’t think so. There are some specific cases of women drivers, and we focus on those cases.”
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