JDM Cars

eBay listings

2008-06-10T17:58:00.001-07:00

oh yeah I wanted to talk about one more thing. I have been including a lot of these useful e-mail listings throughout my blogs and websites. These listings have to do with Nissan related topics. also there may be some cool Datsun stuff too. here on this page you can see some widgets that show listings from eBay. I know that many of you out there are car fans so I thought you may find this interesting. Be sure to take a look at some of the cool stuff on eBay. I am always amazed at what I find their. I have seen some of the rarest cars in Japan listed on eBay. Whether it is that Japanese micro car or Nissan skyline or perhaps a Toyota supra. take a look today and see what you might find.

Visit the forum at www.nissangtrblog.com

Nissan GTR blog, the new page.

2008-06-10T17:50:00.000-07:00

hello everybody. Well I've been posting like crazy on all my blogs and it's been a lot of fun. Particularly because I have this new software to turn speech into text, so I've been crazy with adding content to all my sites and blogs. What better way to build traffic in interest in whatever interest you. Technology should be embraced and used not feared and ignored. Anyway I'm getting a bit off topic here. I just wanted to convince some of my readers to visit my new landing page. Here is the address please don't forget. Nissangtrblog.com
if you're at all interested in diecast model car's you will see tons of listings there. They are all just for the Nissan skyline GTR model. Anyway go ahead and check it out and if you have any comments for this blog post and let me know. PS, my skyline has been running fine and holding up very well. Even though it is a 1991 Nissan skyline GTR it still drives like a brand-new car. Last week however I had a slight problem with the car. The rear trunk latch was broken for some reason. But anyway for 200 bucks I was able to fix it at the local Nissan dealership. They were very helpful to me and the bill only came to $200. Some may consider this a large chunk of money, but I believe time is money so I'm not back to upset with the bill. When you own a 15-year-old car or should I say 17-year-old car by now, you can expect some problems. Anything made by man is not perfect. Well I'm rambling on here but I hope you can enjoy all of my new content that will be emerging all over the web. A lot of it for the Nissan skyline GTR. Anyway have a nice day and I will talk to you soon.

Join the Forum!! http://nissangtrblog.com/

2008-01-03T12:33:00.001-08:00

Please, join my forum to create a vibrant community passionate about all things JDM. Post anything you like. Items for sale, shop tips, anything. Don't be shy!
http://nissangtrblog.com/

2007-12-13T18:37:00.001-08:00

Watch the latest videos on YouTube.com

My fav japanese mag, Nostalgic Hero!

2007-12-06T12:00:00.001-08:00

Check out Nostalgic Hero if you love vintage Japanese cars. It's tits, lol.
You may have noticed that I have started calling all my Vlogs, PA's room. That is just a working title. If I find something more catchy, I will rename it. But for now, it's PA's Room.

John Lean

2007-11-09T12:58:00.001-08:00

A great illustration from John Lean. Visit his website at
http://www.johnlean.com/
Fantastic designs for T-Shits.

2007-10-18T12:13:00.000-07:00

A very informative blog about cars. Traffic rank 2,248
http://www.autoblog.com/

Dunville Oct 2007

2007-10-15T14:44:00.001-07:00

Many cars on the track at Dunnville. Ferrari, Nissan Skylines, RX-7, and Subaru.

Ferrari and Mini at Dunnville.

2007-10-15T14:38:00.001-07:00

The Ferrari and Mini. The two non-Japanese cars at the event.

Opel Manta

2007-10-15T14:34:00.001-07:00

A little odd, there were two old Opel Manta's at Dunnville.

Ferrari at Dunnville

2007-10-15T14:16:00.001-07:00

Not only Japanese and JDM cars were at the event. There was one Ferrari, and a mini cooper.

Nissan 240sx at Dunnville, 2007.

2007-10-15T14:04:00.001-07:00

A modified Black Nissan 240sx at Dunnville, Ontario. Nice Chrome parts.

Honda S2000 VTEC

2007-10-15T13:09:00.001-07:00

A view of the Honda S2000 engine bay.

Honda S2000

2007-10-15T12:58:00.001-07:00

A VTEC Honda S2000 at the Track day in Dunnville, Ontario, Oct 14th, 2007. The event was organized by a Subaru group but there were all types of cars there. Notice the nice, stock Skyline GTR in the Background.

"No Fun!" from the sex pistols.

2007-10-11T19:44:00.000-07:00

No love! Just kidding. It's kind fresh in that 70's kinda way. The wheels are strangely cool. It's an interesting shade of red too. And the black stripes are a nice touch.

From

http://www.datsunrestore.com/datsun_gallery.html

Now thats done right!

2007-10-11T19:35:00.000-07:00

The 74 Silvia. Wow, in Japan it was a beauty, in America, a beast.

From

http://www.overclockers.com.au/wiki/Silvia_History

10 most unloved JDM's

2007-10-11T19:28:00.000-07:00

4. To be continued
3.1979-80 Mazda 323. Bland and uninspired.
2.1979 Toyota Cressida. Tried to be American luxury, but during this era, even Americans didn't know what luxury was.
1.1974-79 200sx/Silvia. Like a alien spaceship, it was just weird. I want one. Really!

Most unloved Japanese car ever!

2007-10-11T19:24:00.000-07:00

Awww, the sad little 200sx. It's Japanese counterpart was much more handsome, but when it came to America with it's over sized bumpers, it put the U in ugly. from

http://www.datsuns.com/200sx/index.htm

Hondas, honda, hondas, too many Honda's!!

2007-09-28T16:15:00.001-07:00

How many custom Honda's does the world need. All these young punks with their Honda's, please, give us a break......sign

Amercan JDM?

2007-09-28T16:11:00.001-07:00

American companies are trying hard to cut into the JDM/custom craze. This GM looks pretty fresh, but I wouldn't want one. Anyway, the custom craze is open to any makers. I love to see the completion.

Toyota Rush

2007-09-28T15:42:00.001-07:00

I wonder if fans of the band "Rush" would want to drive this one? I don't think they are going to sell this one in Canada. At least not with the same name.

Video Game-GranTurismo

2007-09-28T13:46:00.001-07:00

I have played this game from version one until version four. Great game with too many cars to mention. It is very Japan centric as most of the cars are pure JDM. I have never played the HD version, but I may own it one day. My only criticism of the game is the fact that you can't really crash. I also like the Burnout series (the game is entirely based on crashing) , so I would love to see Grand Turismo with crashing programed into the game.
From http://www.granturismoworld.com/ & http://www.cheatcodeschamp.com

A MUST read! Do they have no Shame!?!

2007-09-26T11:35:00.000-07:00

This is a must read for anybody interested in the Chinese Automotive market! See http://gemssty.com/2006/10/29/top-10-copycat-cars/
I was shocked! Look at some of these copycat cars and Logos. Do they have no shame? I thought the Japanese were bad in the 50's and 60's, but this is ridicules.

Look alikes? Daihatsu Kopen & Audi TT

2007-09-26T09:08:00.001-07:00

From http://www.ima-g.com/ & http://www.canadiandriver.com/ Who can deny these two upside down tubs don't look alike.

A race near Ottawa.

2007-09-23T10:53:00.001-07:00

An Acura and Celica.

Honda Prelude

2007-09-23T10:51:00.000-07:00

The rear end is totaly home made!

Honda Prelude

2007-09-23T10:50:00.001-07:00

Honda Prelude demolition race.

Honda Acura

2007-09-23T10:47:00.001-07:00

Demolition race cars. A Honda Acura. Toyota actually owns Hino, not Honda.

Honda Accord

2007-09-23T10:45:00.001-07:00

A Honda, Demolition race car. Anybody can take part in this kind of Racing.

2007-09-23T10:42:00.001-07:00

I love this Design, The new Toyota Land Cruiser. Just as impressive as a Hummer.

Mazda RX-8

2007-09-23T10:41:00.001-07:00

Mazda RX-8

2007-09-23T10:40:00.001-07:00

Mazda R360 T-Shirts

2007-09-22T10:53:00.000-07:00

I was so inspired buy the R-360, I made these T-shirts.

Mazda R360 Commercial

2007-09-22T10:47:00.000-07:00

Leave it to Youtube. Without them, I would never be able to dig up history like this!

Mazda R360 Commercial

2007-09-22T10:44:00.000-07:00

Very cool, a Showa era commercial for the Mazda R360.

Subaru R360 Restoration project

2007-09-22T10:40:00.000-07:00

A funny video of a guy driving his half restored Subaru 360.

Subaru 360 back to life!

2007-09-22T10:31:00.000-07:00

Even back in the day, Japanese cars were reliable.

Subaru 360

2007-09-22T10:18:00.001-07:00

Check out the
http://www.microcarmuseum.com
for tons of information on Micro cars.

This is the legendary Subaru 360. It was to Japan what the Volkwagon beetle was to Germany. It was the car that got the nation on wheels. The first models in the late fifties had ugly little headlights but over time the design was refined until the line ended in the early seventies. They even played around with a version that had racing stripes. Some were even sold in America! Truly a Japanese classic.

Mazda R360

2007-09-22T10:02:00.001-07:00

Check out http://www.microcar.org/ a very cool club/website/magazine about tiny cars.

This is the Mazda R360. After the Subaru 360 that came out in 1958, this was one of the many "people's cars" that got the nation on wheels. Keijidosha cars from this era used to be 360cc by law. That is a smaller engine size than most motorcycles in North America! Slowly over time, Kei cars grew in size. Next was 550cc and then 660cc.
I feel this design is very modern, yet quirky. You might even say it hints towards the Nissan 240Z design ques, but that would be a stretch for some. Anyway, I feel this is a jewel in the story of Japanese automotive design.

Nissan Cherry X-1 Rear

2007-09-22T09:55:00.001-07:00

Nissan was very fond of round lights in this period. I really needed to show a rear view of this car to show off it nice proportion and stance.
See http://www.enthuno-mori.at-server.com/nissan/20031220nissan/ for more

1971 Nissan Cherry X-1

2007-09-22T09:43:00.001-07:00

This car is known as the Cherry X-1 or日産チェリーＸ－1 in Japanese. As far a I know, this car was never sold outside of Japan. Today the car is fairly collectible in Japan and can get a decent price, over $10,000 if in good condition. I really like the rear half of this car. It is a very original design as it is not a sedan, yet not a station wagon. I guess they would call it a sporty fastback, but it looks more functional than sporty to me. The two tone white on green add a nice touch too.

Check out http://www.enthuno-mori.at-server.com/nissan/20031220nissan/
if you are interested to see more photo's of this car.

The Nissan Figaro

2007-09-20T15:13:00.001-07:00

The Figaro reminds me of that first car every child draws. Two simple curves. Why not? It works, it's cute. The Figaro is very rare as only 20,000 were build. In the mid 80's until the early 90's, Nissan experimented with a lot of these quirky, low production number cars. Others were the Pao, the Bee and the S-Cargo. Recently, Toyota has been doing something similar with their Will series. They try to tie product and vehicle design into the same package. Check out the Will cars if you get a chance. This car is selling at http://www.japanoid.com/

Good luck to Japanoid.com!!

2007-09-20T15:04:00.001-07:00

I wish Japanoid the best of luck. I was watching their video's on Youtube and completely agree with their philosophy. You make a statement by the car you drive. If you drive a SUV, some would say you are selfish, egotistical, and not concerned about the environment. But if you drive a Kei car, some may say you want to drive a funky, cute car that is gentle on the environment. Leave it to the Japanese. They are way ahead in this department. Who ever said small can't be cool. Take that Hummer. Vist the website at http://www.japanoid.com/

Japanoid

2007-09-20T13:25:00.001-07:00

More Kei's on CTV

2007-09-20T13:21:00.001-07:00

Kei Cars in Canada!

2007-09-20T13:20:00.001-07:00

Daihatsu rear

2007-09-19T19:00:00.001-07:00

A handsome, sub-B class car as they are known

Daihatsu and Toyota

2007-09-19T18:58:00.001-07:00

A joint Daihatsu/Toyota project. As you may notice, the plate says Akita. This was taken on my 2006 trip.

Suzuki rear

2007-09-19T18:57:00.001-07:00

Suzuki Kei

2007-09-19T18:55:00.001-07:00

A suzuki kei car. Nice, simple design theme.

Toyota mini van

2007-09-19T18:53:00.001-07:00

Mini vans like this are popular in Japan. Interior room is always a priority.

Micro Trucks in North America. "Keitora"　ケイトラ

2007-09-19T16:58:00.000-07:00

Micro trucks (Kei Trucks) are also sold in America. They are not road legal in the USA, but they make great farm/hunting vehicles. Like the one in the picture. In Canada, they can be street legal if they are 15 years or older.
An interesting side note, in Japan, these vehicle are called "Keitora" for short.
If you want to find out more about sellers of these trucks check out http://www.best-used-tractors.com/mini_truck.html for more information.

Nostalgic hero

2007-09-19T15:01:00.001-07:00

Nostalgic hero is a great magazine if you are into classic Japanese cars. Here is the company that publishes the magazine. http://www.geibunsha.co.jp/teiki/mo_nh.html
I do not know if they will ship outside of Japan (as is the case with most Japanese companies), but I am sure you can find an issue on ebay. I have four issues myself, so contact me if you want to buy one.

Here is an interesting article from Japanoid.com

2007-09-07T13:32:00.000-07:00

Stop the 25 year rule!
Transport Canada is thinking about changing the vehicle import law from 15 years to 25 years old, help us send them a message; THIS IS A BAD IDEA.
According to current law, Canadian citizens can import any vehicle outside North America that was manufactured 15 years ago or older. American citizens can also import vehicles to the US, but they have to be 25 years or older. Pressure is building for Canada to change our law to match the United States, 25 years. This change in law would unfairly limit Canadian consumers and destroy many small businesses. Imported vehicles are safe, environmentally friendly, cost effective, and in such low numbers they pose no threat to the Canadian public.
Transport Canada claims that since these vehicles are not manufactured to American Standards, they don't belong on Canadian roads. While this is true for some imported vehicles, the origin of nearly all imports is Japan, Germany and the UK; not exactly countries known to be unsafe. All three of these countries rank in the top 10 for road safety; while Canada and the US rank 11th and 25th respectively, Germany (#8) Japan (#6) and the UK (#2) do a much better job. According to 2002 statistics, 9.3 Canadian drivers died for every 100,000. In the United States this number is 14.9; not a system we should align with. And although Transport Canada claims Canadian and American standards are better than the 52 countries who are part of the World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations, most experts fiercely disagree. Ask a Swede (#1) or the Dutch (#3), heck even the Swiss (#5) are in that club.
Please share!
digg_url = 'http://www.japanoid.com/petition.php';
digg_bgcolor = '#f0f0f0';
digg_skin = '';

Send a letter to Transport CanadaPostal Code:
Did you know?
In British Colombia motorcycles are exempt from carbon emissions tests. Most motorcycles in BC are above 750cc. Kei cars are not exempt in BC but their engines are 660cc and smaller.

It can be claimed that imported cars are in fact safer than their domestic counterparts of the same age.
A majority of these foreign imports are arriving from Japan. Besides the recognized quality of Japanese cars, domestic use 15 year old Japanese cars are amazingly well maintained. The Japanese don't fool around with safety; they force every car on the road to pass a strict inspection every two years. This system of Japanese inspection standards called the "Shaken", tests brakes, emissions, shocks, tires, body condition, everything. As a result, the most popular imports are much safer than vehicles sold in North America 15 years ago, which don't have mandatory inspections.
Find out more about the Shaken
Besides, Canadians who import 15 year old cars don't exactly bring these vehicles in and drive away. Upon entry, importers pay custom duties and tax, go through agricultural inspections, modifications inspections, provincial inspections and in BC, emissions testing. Any and all maintenance, repairs or modifications have to be made before a vehicle is granted approval for road use. More often than not, new headlights, tires, reflectors, catalytic converters, and day-time running lights are added to these vehicles, making them compliant to Canadian standards to the very last detail.
Find out more about Federal and Provincial Vehicle Compliance
Canadians buying these vehicles are looking for a healthy alternative.
A majority of the cars imported are fuel efficient or Bio-diesel ready. Diesel Toyota Lancruisers, Mitsubishi Delicas, VW Sycros and Jettas are often readily converted to Bio-Diesel. There is no real domestic alternative to these multi-passenger four wheel drives. Additionally, many Canadians prefer the smaller set, the Kei Cars with 660cc engines. Kei cars get an average of 5.8l/100kms, which if sold new would qualify for an ecoRebate from the Canadian Government. And although Transport Canada claims that older vehicles and smaller engines don't always mean fewer pollutants, California's Smogcheck Program exempts diesels and engines under 800cc. In addition, Kei Cars save space on our crowded roads and public spaces. And unlike their hybrid counterparts, take much less energy to manufacture and dispose because of their small size and simple materials.

Transport Canada and the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators (CCMTA) also claim that Canadian drivers are incapable of operating Right Hand Drive (RHD) vehicles safely.
This claim has no evidence to back it up. Japan and England drive on the left side of the road and thus manufacture RHD Vehicles. However, Japanese and British citizens have the freedom to import vehicles from Left Hand Drive (LHD) countries like Canada and the US. Ford, Mercedes, Chrysler, and General Motors left hand drive vehicles can be bought new in Japan without any question. Vehicles imported to Japan do not have to meet Japanese Safety Standards, only emissions regulations. The Japanese do not pay more for insurance; are not required to take additional tests and are not subject any other form of prejudice for choosing a foreign vehicle. The Japanese even provide LHD toll-booths to facilitate LHD vehicles. If Canadian authorities feel the Canadian driver is not as competent as the Japanese or British driver, they should provide us with the basis for this belief. Some attribute our Canadian policies to pure protectionism.
Find out more abotu LHD vs. RHD
Transport Canada instituted the 15 year old import law in 1986 for the benefit of car collectors collecting American muscle cars.
Today many Canadians are taking advantage of this law to import environmentally friendly vehicles from places like Japan and Germany. Given the current concerns with global warming and the movement towards freer trade, it is difficult to understand why Transport Canada wants to change the law to 25 years. Just like back in 1986 the number of imported cars on Canadian roads is extremely low. Out of the more than 18 Million cars in Canada there are no more than 73,000 cars that fall under the 15 year import rule; this is only 0.004% of cars on the road. And many are driven only on weekends or off-road. Clearly not a threat to the motoring public.
As their owners will tell you, imported cars provide for a need in the marketplace that currently does not exist. Imported vehicles are safe and on average, more environmentally friendly and cost effective than domestic vehicles. Changing the 15 year import law now would be a big mistake and send the wrong message on the environment and free trade. Not only would it negatively impact choice for the car collector, many small businesses across Canada would be destroyed. Keeping the current law is in the best interest of all Canadians. Please Stop the 25 year import law change.
To find out more:Visit the Canadian Association of Vehicle Importers CAVI.ca
Or Send an Email to Transport Canada and tell them how you feel
Printer friendly version of this page.

2007-09-05T21:26:00.001-07:00

Daihatsu Midget

2007-09-05T21:22:00.001-07:00

Summer 2006
Electric car in Toyota's showroom.

2007-09-05T21:18:00.001-07:00

A Honda S600 or S800. Can you believe this thing is chain drive. That's Honda the "bike" maker for you, before they became the "auto" maker.

2007-09-05T21:13:00.001-07:00

Summer 2006, Odaiba.
Toyota Crown. Can we say American taste? I think so. I always laugh to myself when I see the reversed chrome motif over the rear wheels. They try to be different, but......

2007-09-05T21:08:00.001-07:00

As far as I have seen, this is the most expensive JDM classic out there. These cars go for around a quarter of a million dollars!

2007-09-05T21:04:00.001-07:00

Summer 2006
Still sweet. A 300ZX near Toyosu Station.

2007-09-05T21:02:00.001-07:00

A show car design in Odaiba.

2007-09-05T20:52:00.001-07:00

Summer 2006.
A cool pedal car design at Toyota's showroom in Odaiba. I bet the Toyota designers had fun with these. It looks like these ones are being serviced.

Electric Car

2007-08-30T08:51:00.001-07:00

Electric one man car. Looks a little silly to drive, but wonderful for the environment I am sure. Still, this model is a rare site in Japan. Photo taken rear Waseda station.

2007-08-30T08:49:00.001-07:00

Mitsubishi/Nissan Kei Van. Designed and first produced by Mitsubishi, this model is now produced under licence by Nissan as well. This shows the trend of how Japanese car manufacturers are working together.

2007-08-30T08:47:00.001-07:00

Honda Kei. An incredibly unique and characteristic front end. Photo taken near Iidabashi station. Summer 2007.

3 Ultimate Japanese Automakers

2007-08-30T08:45:00.001-07:00

The Honda Kei Spike

3 Ultimate Japanese Automakers

by: Matthew C. Keegan

Japan has been producing automobiles for almost as long as America, to the surprise of some. As the American automobile industry has changed, so has Japan’s. To this day, however, Japan still has the highest concentration of automakers of any country on earth: nine to be exact. Three, however, are real standouts producing not only high quality vehicles but reaching well beyond Japan to all corners of the planet. Let’s take a look at the top three and how they are impacting the North American market.

Toyota – As the largest of all Japanese automakers, Toyota ranks only second to General Motors in global production. Toyota vehicles were first introduced to the North American market in the 1960s and were, at the time, widely panned by critics as being too small and inferior in quality. By the late 1970s, Toyota quality levels began to exceed the industry standard. Today, some consider Toyota the benchmark by which all car lines are judged; the company’s Lexus line of luxury vehicles and Scion brand of youth oriented vehicles are also leaders in their respective classes.

Honda – The only thing Honda lacks versus Toyota is size. Still, when you compare Honda vehicles with comparable Toyota models, Honda holds its own. The first Honda, a Civic, was introduced to the North American market in 1971 and was soon followed by the Accord as well as the Prelude. Routinely, the Accord battles Toyota’s Camry for the top spot in U.S. car sales year in and year out, while the Honda Odyssey battles the Toyota Sienna for the highest quality minivan [Chrysler’s minivans still are the best sellers]. Acura is Honda’s luxury car division which has also competed successfully with Toyota’s Lexus line up.

Nissan – Toyota and Honda are the only two fully independent Japanese automakers left in the world today as Nissan has since ceded control to Renault, France’s largest automaker. The first Nissans to hit the North American market did so in the 1960s under the Datsun model name. By the early 1980s the Datsun name was jettisoned in favor of Nissan and today the Nissan name is equated with some of the highest quality cars on the road. In the late 1980s Nissan launched the Infiniti division, a maker of luxurious cars that routinely battles with the likes of BMW, Lexus, Acura, Cadillac, and Mercedes as a top provider of opulent vehicles.

So, there you have it. Three top Japanese brands that have made a name for themselves. You may not own a Toyota, a Honda, or a Nissan, but you have to give credit where credit is due: all three automakers are proven leaders in a highly competitive and every changing industry.

About The Author

Matthew C. Keegan writes for The Parts Bin where you can find the following quality parts at discount prices:
Toyota Parts: [http://www.thepartsbin.com/toyota_parts.html]
Nissan Parts: [http://www.thepartsbin.com/nissan_parts.html]
Acura Parts: [http://www.thepartsbin.com/acura_parts.html]

2007-08-30T08:43:00.001-07:00

Suzuki Kei. Similar in style to the Wagon R, this design emphasises the strong vertical theme.

2007-08-30T08:41:00.001-07:00

Daihatsu Kei Van

2007-08-30T08:38:00.001-07:00

Italian 3 wheeler

Kei Truck

2007-08-30T08:34:00.001-07:00

2007-08-30T08:32:00.001-07:00

Izusu Truck

2007-08-30T07:48:00.001-07:00

What a shame. A brand new Mitsubishi that has been Damaged.

2007-08-30T07:45:00.001-07:00

A new mini besides a old Soba resaurant.

2007-08-30T07:43:00.001-07:00

A Nissan Wagon.

9 Japanese Automakers

2007-08-30T07:41:00.001-07:00

The Toyota Estima with a new face.

9 Japanese Automakers

by: Matthew C. Keegan

Japanese built and designed cars have flooded the North American market for over forty years now. Over time, many nameplates have come and gone, but Japanese cars continue to gain market share and acceptance with a growing number of motorists attracted to their high quality and durability. There are nine Japanese automobile manufacturing companies in existence. Can you name them? Let’s take a look at the list:

Toyota – The second largest automaker in the world is Toyota, maker of the Camry, the Corolla, and a host of SUVs, trucks, passenger cars, and a van. Toyota’s Lexus division produces luxury cars, while its Scion division manufactures youth oriented vehicles.

Honda – The Accord and the Civic are Honda’s two most well known models, followed by the Odyssey minivan, the Ridgeline truck, the Element, and several other passenger vehicles. Acura is the name given to Honda’s luxury car division.

Nissan – Drive a Datsun and then decide. Up until the early 1980s, Nissan’s North American nameplate was Datsun, but was switched to Nissan to give it a more global name. The Sentra, Maxima, and Pathfinder are amongst the division’s best selling vehicles. Infiniti is Nissan’s luxury car division. Renault Motors of France owns a controlling interest in Nissan.

Mitsubishi – Originally imported exclusively by Chrysler, Mitsubishi began to sell cars under its own name in the 1980s. Top selling models include the Lancer, the Eclipse, and the Montero. DaimlerChrysler owns a chunk of the company.

Mazda – The Tribute, Miata, and the “6” are some of the most well known Mazda models. The Mazda 6’s platform also powers several Ford Motor Company cars including the Mercury Milan. Ford owns an important stake in the company.

Subaru – Think all wheel drive and you may just think Subaru. The Forester, Outback, and Legacy are all top selling Subaru models. Fuji Heavy Industries [FHI] owns Subaru; General Motors has a 20 percent stake in FHI.

Suzuki – 20% owned by General Motors, Suzuki is as noted for producing cars as it is for manufacturing motorcycles. The Grand Vitara is one of its most noted models.

Isuzu – Did someone say General Motors? Again, GM owns a stake in Isuzu. At one time Isuzu imported cars to the US, but those days are over. Currently, Isuzu has a miniscule presence and the two vehicles they do sell – the Ascender SUV and I Series pick ups – are simply rebadged GMC vehicles.

Daihatsu – The Charade and Rocky were two models introduced by Daihatsu when the car company started selling vehicles in North America in 1988; four years later its North American operations were closed. In 1999, Toyota assumed controlling interest over the company.

So, there you have it: there are nine Japanese automakers, two of which are still independent. Much like the American market further consolidation is likely with nameplates disappearing entirely just like the Packard, Hudson, Oldsmobile, Plymouth, and a host of other North American nameplates have driven off into the history books.

About The Author

Matthew C. Keegan

Matt Keegan is a contributing writer for the Auto Parts Warehouse where we sell discount Acura parts: [http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/acura~rep.html]; Mazda parts: [http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/mazda~rep.html]; and Toyota parts: [http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/toyota~rep.html].

Will car by Toyota

2007-08-30T07:38:00.001-07:00

The very rare and unique Will car. This was the second Will car produced. As you can see, the design is really pushing the envelope. Other Japanese companies are taking part in this project as well. Panasonic among others makes Will products for the home. Both Nissan and Toyota have been very progressive in the area of low production speciality cars.

2007-08-30T07:35:00.001-07:00

A Nissan 300zx in a parking lot. Unique parking system.

2007-08-30T07:32:00.001-07:00

A neat custom Silvia. Nice paint job.

Japanese domestic market cars

2007-08-28T16:45:00.001-07:00

JDM Cars

Here is a list of interesting JDM (Japanese domestic market) cars. In my time living in japan, I have had the chance to photogrpah many.

Daihatsu Midget

2007-08-28T15:46:00.001-07:00

The Daihatsu Midget was produced from 1957 until 1972. I feel, the design is very modern and attractive given the era this vehicle was first produced in. This photo was taken in the Odaiba, history Garage.

Parked cars

2007-08-28T15:12:00.001-07:00

A typical scene showing how they park cars in Japan. Very space efficient.

JDM Cars

eBay listings

Nissan GTR blog, the new page.

Join the Forum!! http://nissangtrblog.com/

My fav japanese mag, Nostalgic Hero!

John Lean

Dunville Oct 2007

Ferrari and Mini at Dunnville.

Opel Manta

Ferrari at Dunnville

Nissan 240sx at Dunnville, 2007.

Honda S2000 VTEC

Honda S2000

"No Fun!" from the sex pistols.

Now thats done right!

10 most unloved JDM's

Most unloved Japanese car ever!

Hondas, honda, hondas, too many Honda's!!

Amercan JDM?

Toyota Rush

Video Game-GranTurismo

A MUST read! Do they have no Shame!?!

Look alikes? Daihatsu Kopen & Audi TT

A race near Ottawa.

Honda Prelude

Honda Prelude

Honda Acura

Honda Accord

Mazda RX-8

Mazda RX-8

Mazda R360 T-Shirts

Mazda R360 Commercial

Mazda R360 Commercial

Subaru R360 Restoration project

Subaru 360 back to life!

Subaru 360

Mazda R360

Nissan Cherry X-1 Rear

1971 Nissan Cherry X-1

The Nissan Figaro

Good luck to Japanoid.com!!

Japanoid

More Kei's on CTV

Kei Cars in Canada!

Daihatsu rear

Daihatsu and Toyota

Suzuki rear

Suzuki Kei

Toyota mini van

Micro Trucks in North America. "Keitora" ケイトラ

Nostalgic hero

Here is an interesting article from Japanoid.com

Electric Car

3 Ultimate Japanese Automakers

Kei Truck

9 Japanese Automakers

Will car by Toyota

Japanese domestic market cars

Daihatsu Midget

Parked cars

Micro Trucks in North America. "Keitora"　ケイトラ