Krazy Kars from Japan! (caution: lots of pics)

[BlaRo]

Man. I used to think I knew a lot about Japanese cars, but I'm starting to doubt myself.

So I'm in Japan right now, and I love it here, it's terrific! Especially the cars! After being in China for a month and seeing endless mid-80's VWs, I'm so amused by the small kei cars next to the comical-looking vans and the crazy stuff in between, including a few exotics. Naturally, I've been taking pictures. Here's a slightly chronological list of all the cars I've seen so far:


BMW M3 and Nissan Elgrand in the airport parking lot.


What the Hell is This, Part 1


What the Hell is This, Part 2


What the Hell is This, Part 3


Subaru Forester STi. I want one.


Here, I got lost and was roaming the streets with my dad looking for our hotel, when I suddenly came across a 300ZX! It's next to some strange Mitsubishi product.


Toyota Alphard van. Coolest. Car. Ever. I think I'll buy one and bring it to the States to scare the hell out of everybody. Hell, they make a hybrid version! How sweet is that?


Nissan Cube. They're immensely popular here, I've seen like 12 of them every day. They're coming to America too soon to scare Midwesterners.


Jaguar XK8 and Nissan Elgrand (second coolest car ever). I saw a few XJ's which was surprising, but only one XK.


Daihatsu Move Custom. Cute.


Subaru Impreza WRX STi. The bug-eyed version was always my favorite. Maybe it's just a WRX and not the STi, but either way it was hot.


Suzuki Enjoy. What kind of name is "Enjoy"?


What the Hell is This, Part 4


This R33 Skyline was cool, even though it's just a GTS and not the Godzilla GTR. I saw about 4 of them in an hour, at night when all the cool kids go out and show off. 8)


Daihatsu Sonica at a train station. I grabbed about 6 dozen brochures.


Rear view. If you look at it from the side, it looks like the designers were playing with the clay model then randomly sliced the back off accidentally, then said, "eh, screw it, that'll do". Wierd.


Subaru SVX.


What the Hell is This, Part 5


Daihatsu Copens for rent.


Movie poster for Cars. I thought it was neat.

So far, I've also seen:
1 Nissan Skyline R34
3 Nissan Skyline R33 GTR
2 Toyota Supra MK2
3 Nissan Z32 300ZX
1 Datsun 240Z
1 Mazda FD RX-7
1 Mazda FC RX-7
1 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 6 Tommi Makkinen Edition
2 BMW M3
1 Porsche 911 Carrera S
2 Nissan S15 Nismo Silvia
3 Audi TT
3 Original Mini
2 New Mini Cooper

I love Japan now.

[Magnet]

What the Hell is This, Part 1 : Nissan Moco

What the Hell is This, Part 2 : Suzuki MR Wagon II

What the Hell is This, Part 3 : Late 90's Mitsubishi Minica

It's next to some strange Mitsubishi product. : Looks like a Mitsubishi T-Box

What the Hell is This, Part 4 : Subaru Vivio Bistro??

What the Hell is This, Part 5 : Daihatsu Opti Classic

Oh, and the Skyline is a R33 8)

[Skoshi]

Sweet cars over there.

Oh and BTW, that Skyline GTS looks more like an R33 to me and the rally driver is Mäkinen, only one k in there

[BlitzR]

Are you going to visit that huge Toyota complex while your over there?

[jayhawk]

I would love to have a Copen for a weekend car.

[flyingfridge]

Originally Posted by BlaRo

This R32 Skyline was cool, even though it's just a GTS and not the Godzilla GTR. I saw about 4 of them in an hour, at night when all the cool kids go out and show off. 8)

Sorry to pick you up on this mate, but that's an R33. (just realised Magnet and Skoshi beat me to it) It's not a GTS either, that's a GTS25T, I'm betting by the body kit that it's an M-Spec, although a lot of them had the M-Spec kit thrown on afterwards anyway. Even though Godzilla is it's big brother it's a truly great car in it's own right. Under the hood is an RB25DET (2.5 litre single turbo) that pumps out about 186kw. which is plenty to have some good fun. Of course like any RB, very easy to tweak that up. My mate here has one, got it's a fast car. I'm hoping to get it's R34 younger brother (GT-T) in the next year or 2.

Yes, I'm a Skyline Anorak.

Originally Posted by jayhawk

I would love to have a Copen for a weekend car.

..............................Why?... I really hope that was the comic relief in this thread...

[jayhawk]

Why nota Copen? Cheap, tossable and its a convertible. I could care less what society thinks of it or me; because that car is not offered here I would buy a Mazda MX-5 (Miata).

[GraemeH]

Where in Japan are you? How do you find getting about, what with, i presume, not speaking/reading Japanese?

I'd love to go one day.

[cvrefugee]

And you say my car looks weird?

[mautzel]

Could No. 4 be a Mitsuoka?

Lol I used to be as fascinated as you are at the moment ten years ago when I was visiting Canada and seeing U.S cars on streets in large numbers for the very first time.

[thedguy]

Nissan Cube. They're immensely popular here, I've seen like 12 of them every day. They're coming to America too soon to scare Midwesterners.

The Toyota/Scion xB hardly made an impact here in the midwest, when I left California, they couldn't produce them fast enough. I'm sure it'll be the same with the Cube, which is sad really cause I kinda like both cars.

BTW, why are you in Japan and China?

[Blind_Io]

The xB is still popular out here in California - it was designed with the hippy-dippy Californians in mind and it shows. You never see these in Salt Lake City.

[UMass]

I just returned from Japan and S.Korea! I had to reactivate my account here.
Love the Toyota Alphard Hybrid it was our transport vehicle in Tokyo and the Crown was impressive.
I also love the Cube more so than the Xb.
I have you stopped by the Nissan showroom in Ginza?

[Kebab gud]

Originally Posted by mautzel

Lol I used to be as fascinated as you are at the moment ten years ago when I was visiting Canada and seeing U.S cars on streets in large numbers for the very first time.

really? first time i went to the US all i saw where plastic FEW cars with 150hp V6s and 180hp V8s ......

[NexTourer]

That Toyota Picnic (Spacio?) behind the SVX looks like the gen 1.5 Sienna

[andyhui01]

I agree with you Blar0, the Toyota Alphard and Nissan Elgrand are the coolest cars, they are unbelievebly popular in Hong Kong. Look out for the brand new Toyota Estima, (A smaller, shorter version of the Alphard), really nice car, my dad will is really close to buying that

[flyingfridge]

Originally Posted by jayhawk

Why nota Copen? Cheap, tossable and its a convertible. I could care less what society thinks of it or me; because that car is not offered here I would buy a Mazda MX-5 (Miata).

Aside from the society jokes Copen flaws are: More chassis flex than a 1920s oxen cart, less power than a 1920s oxen cart. Tossable? No, if you tried to toss a Copen you'd end up with the rear opposed to the front. That's if you could actually get up enough speed to toss the thing. It'd be more of a limp-wristed shove. They're a poser car only.

[Magnet]

Originally Posted by mautzel

Could No. 4 be a Mitsuoka?

Lol I used to be as fascinated as you are at the moment ten years ago when I was visiting Canada and seeing U.S cars on streets in large numbers for the very first time.

Not sure about that. Mitsuoka usually use Nissan Micra/March cars as the basis for small cars, and that has the door frames off either a Daihatsu, Subaru or something else.

I was thinking it could be an Autech, Copel or Mitsuoka but they never really produced anything like that before.

[bobo_1314]

Originally Posted by GraemeH

Where in Japan are you? How do you find getting about, what with, i presume, not speaking/reading Japanese?

I'd love to go one day.

Looks like he's in the Tokyo area, I see the license plates are from Tokyo (one's from Shinagawa and the other from Adachi)

[BlaRo]

Thanks for correcting me on the Skyline. It was late last night, that's my excuse.

I'm in Shirahama right now; all these were seen in and around Tokyo, and the last three were at the Shirahama train station. I do plan on visiting a bunch of car museums: Toyota, Mitsubishi, Mazda, and Nissan should keep me busy enough.

And GraemeH: how do I deal with not knowing the language? Do what anybody does when faced with foreign people: talk slowly and loudly! "DO...YOU...KNOW...WHERE...THE...BATHROOM...IS??!!!"
Kidding, but most people understand a bit of English, and I can get answers out of them if I ask long enough. Jack Bauer does the same thing too.

And flyingfridge: you drove one? Damn, there goes my dreams; I want a Copen too!