In 1983, the third-generation Nissan Z, the Z31, did something that looked almost unthinkable at the time: it abandoned the…
Classic & Iconic Cars
Classic, unusual and historically important cars from Japan and around the world. We revisit why certain models became legends, why others disappeared, and why some forgotten cars deserve another look.
Why Did the De Tomaso Pantera Use a Ford V8? Inside Its Dogleg ZF 5-Speed
For Japanese readers who remember the late-1970s supercar boom, the De Tomaso Pantera always occupied a slightly odd corner of…
Why Did the Porsche Cayman Become the 718? From Four Cylinders to a 911 GT3 Engine
If you look at Porsche as a brand hierarchy, the 911 sits at the center and the Cayman belongs somewhere…
Was the Datsun 240Z a Jaguar E-Type Copy? Why Nissan Built It
Look at an early Datsun 240Z and it is hard not to think of the European sports cars of the…
Did the Porsche Boxster Help Save Porsche? How the 986 Shared Parts with the 911
With the 968, Porsche kept refining the 944 formula. With the Boxster, it did almost the opposite. Instead of creating…
Supercar Looks, Starlet Underpinnings: How Did Toyota Sell the Sera for ¥1.6 Million?
In 1990, Toyota launched one of those cars that seemed to make no sense at first glance. The Sera had…
Why Did the Porsche 968 Sell So Poorly? The Final Transaxle Porsche
Make the 944 newer, faster and more refined, and surely it should sell even better. That would be the obvious…
Why Was the DOME Zero Never Sold? The Supercar That Built DOME
For Japanese car fans who grew up during the late-1970s supercar boom, the DOME Zero is one of those shapes…
Why Was the Isuzu 117 Coupé Mixed In with Supercars? Japan’s Bottle-Cap Mystery
If you grew up in Japan during the 1970s supercar boom, there is a good chance you remember turning over…