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classic ad watch
This is apparently one of the famous "Ken and Mary" Skyline ads, which were so popular in Japan that the car was actually known as the Kenmari. And hey, you can see why! Check out Mary's kinda-now-kinda-wow headband, which shows that she's tuned in. And Ken's hair... well, we can see where James May got the inspiration for his own look. We lust for that beautiful blue Nissan in a big way, though the sight of the automatic shifter comes as something of a disappointment.
Sensitive Hippies In Japan Prefer The 1972 Nissan Skyline!
This is apparently one of the famous "Ken and Mary" Skyline ads, which were so popular in Japan that the car was actually known as the Kenmari. And hey, you can see why! Check out Mary's kinda-now-kinda-wow headband, which shows that she's tuned in. And Ken's hair... well, we can see where James May got the inspiration for his own look. We lust for that beautiful blue Nissan in a big way, though the sight of the automatic shifter comes as something of a disappointment.
2008 corvette s-limited
Corvette S-Limited: When Did Pep Boys Turn Japanese?
For the very special price of $75,329 (¥7,980,000) GM's willing to give you what they're calling the Chevrolet Corvette S-Limited. Sure, it looks a lot like a regular 'Vette, but it's spec'd out with mesh inserts, a set of special wheels, a lip spoiler and with only 30 of them being offered (15 in black, 15 in white), it sounds like a sure winner to us. Heck, we're about to hop a flight over to Japan so we can get one right this instant. Can you tell how super awesome excited we are for the chance to buy a limited edition of the number one best super car from America? Well, that could be because we're actually not at all excited at the prospect of purchasing a special edition Corvette that looks like the only thing special about it is it's been given the Pep Boy "#4" kit. More »
classic ad watch
1969 Honda 1300
The Coupe 9 version of the Honda 1300 now resides in the Jalopnik Fantasy Garage (as well as in Junkman's garage), but the standard 1300 sedan was a pretty interesting car as well. You got an air-cooled engine with four carbs and dry-sump oil system sending 100 horses to the front wheels and styling that must have made Soichiro proud (though maybe he wasn't so proud of this headache-inducing TV ad).
The 
kei car
You Want A Tiny, Weird Japanese Truck? No Problem!
Kei cars are pretty cool, but what about Kei trucks? Have you envied the Japanese their ability to buy pocket-size 4x4 trucks that can go anywhere and carry decent loads while doing so? If you're willing to sacrifice street legality and stick to off-road use, it turns out you can buy late-model kei trucks for non-insane prices right here in North America. We're totally lusting after that VW Transporter-style Suzuki Carry. Thanks to Teargas for the tip! [Gung Ho Trucks]
choose your eternity
The low-miles AMC beat the NASA-built Fairmont in the Electrocutioner Edition Choose Your Eternity poll, though the Fairmont did make a respectable showing. Today we're jumping back into a pool of flaming gasoline, because there's no telling how much longer the smell of incompletely burned hydrocarbons will hover around our garages. After seeing a Datsun 610 in the junkyard and then the '78 Toyota brochures over at Japanese Nostalgic Car (thanks, SOS10), we decided to find a couple of Japanese cars built before they'd discovered focus groups (and airtight quality control) over there.
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Project Car Hell, Co-Prosperity Sphere Edition: Nissan Fairlady Or Mazda Luce?
The low-miles AMC beat the NASA-built Fairmont in the Electrocutioner Edition Choose Your Eternity poll, though the Fairmont did make a respectable showing. Today we're jumping back into a pool of flaming gasoline, because there's no telling how much longer the smell of incompletely burned hydrocarbons will hover around our garages. After seeing a Datsun 610 in the junkyard and then the '78 Toyota brochures over at Japanese Nostalgic Car (thanks, SOS10), we decided to find a couple of Japanese cars built before they'd discovered focus groups (and airtight quality control) over there.More »
classic ad watch
1987 Citroën BX Goes Through, Not Over, Japanese Mountains
We've got a shipping container with a vaguely familiar actress at the wheel of a Citroën BX in Japan. The container opens, the car smashes through a gate, and then it plows through a sand dune. We'd expect it to emerge with all the paint sanded off, but instead it emerges unscathed, heading directly for the ocean. Citroëns in Japan- what could go wrong?
alternative energy
Mazda Hydrogen Van Approved For Testing Despite Lack Of Wings And Fluorescent Dragons
After successfully building a Hydrogen RX-8, Mazda has moved on to converting their Premacy van to run on the futuristic fuel. Powered by a newer version of their hydrogen rotary engine, the new vehicle gets a 40% increase in power, an increased range and now approval to test on public streets in Japan. Though we like the idea of hydrogen-fueled, rotary-powered van, we're a little disappointed that it didn't get the full dekotora treatment. A lip spoiler extending eight feet out in front of the van would clearly capture the public's imagination. Press release below the jump. More »
classic ad watch
Forget That Crass Mitsubishi Debonair In The 1971 Toyota Crown
The old Toyota Crown was all about the luxury, and it's pretty clear from this classic ad who the Crown's target market was back in 1971 Japan: stoic businessmen who wished to take their giggly young mistresses to the beach. We're disappointed that the Crown in this ad lacks the Super Saloon's curtains and trunk-mounted Cool Box, but you can see that it wafts along in utter silence. Well, except for the caterwauling of the schmaltzy singer.
official car pundit drinking game
Official Car Pundit Drinking Game: Early In The Morning Edition
I'll be on NPR's The Bryant Park Project tomorrow morning at 8:00 AM talking about whether Japanese automakers create more environmentally friendly cars than American automakers. My answer will be a resounding no. Feel free to play along with some early morning shots of mimosa and some new rules in the comments below. If all of this sounds unfamiliar to you, read through this for the gist of it. [Bryant Park Project]
question of the day
Are American Cars Getting Better Or Are Japanese Cars Getting Worse?
There's some debate as to whether selling cars is a zero sum game, but there's generally a certain quantity of people looking for mid-sized cars, sports cars, compact cars, et cetera. With that as a given, relative rankings become important as people look to buy new cars. Lately, America has been doing better when compared to what seemed like a Japanese juggernaut. Just today J.D. Power & Assoc. announced the initial quality results and two American cars, the 2008 Chevy Malibu and Ford Fusion, were in the top three. More »
gadgets
Robotic Teddy Bear Navigation System Points, Nags, Thrills Japanese
iXs Research Corporation has unveiled a truly creepy GPS navigation system. Rather than having a standard LCD display screen/audio output that shows and tells directions, the system consists of a one-foot-tall teddy bear that not only speaks directions, but also points in the general vicinity in which you need to go. The fun doesn't stop there, either: Little Master Ruxpin also includes an alcohol detection sensor. If the teddy catches a whiff of your three-martini lunch, that's grounds for incessant nagging, plush-toy style. Finally, expect a loud "Watch out!" upon quickly braking or accelerating. More »
car shows
We used to dream about bringing over a full-zoot Mitsubishi Debonair from Japan, but that was before we met this '72 Toyota Crown Super Saloon in the flesh at the Motoring J Style show last Saturday. The window curtains and super-luxurious interior are impressive enough, but then you open the trunk and find a factory-installed refrigerator! Imagine being the owner of a chain of mob-connected Tokyo strip clubs back in '72, being driven around in your Super Saloon while your kneecap-breaking heavies follow in a Corona Mark II! The owner of this Crown brought it over from Japan a couple years ago, and we're already pestering the Gawker Overlords to buy us one as our Official Jalopnik Staff car (sure, the Overlords ignored our entreaties when we demanded the '38 Peugeot 302, but we're not giving up!)
Curtains And A Refrigerator: 1972 Toyota Crown Super Saloon
We used to dream about bringing over a full-zoot Mitsubishi Debonair from Japan, but that was before we met this '72 Toyota Crown Super Saloon in the flesh at the Motoring J Style show last Saturday. The window curtains and super-luxurious interior are impressive enough, but then you open the trunk and find a factory-installed refrigerator! Imagine being the owner of a chain of mob-connected Tokyo strip clubs back in '72, being driven around in your Super Saloon while your kneecap-breaking heavies follow in a Corona Mark II! The owner of this Crown brought it over from Japan a couple years ago, and we're already pestering the Gawker Overlords to buy us one as our Official Jalopnik Staff car (sure, the Overlords ignored our entreaties when we demanded the '38 Peugeot 302, but we're not giving up!)
car shows
It does our hearts good to see Japanese cars from the days before most of the weirdness got focus-grouped out of Nippon's automakers. That's why I was eager to head over to Vallejo for the Motoring J Style show on Saturday and check out what DSwig and his crew had put together this year. The unseasonable rain made life miserable for the drift guys, but it was good news for me- cloudy skies make for easy car photography. We'll be taking a closer look at a few of these cars later in the week, but for now let's get an overview of some vintage and not-so-vintage Japanese iron.
Bluebirds, Fairladies, Colts, And Crowns At The Motoring J Style Show
It does our hearts good to see Japanese cars from the days before most of the weirdness got focus-grouped out of Nippon's automakers. That's why I was eager to head over to Vallejo for the Motoring J Style show on Saturday and check out what DSwig and his crew had put together this year. The unseasonable rain made life miserable for the drift guys, but it was good news for me- cloudy skies make for easy car photography. We'll be taking a closer look at a few of these cars later in the week, but for now let's get an overview of some vintage and not-so-vintage Japanese iron. 
offbeat news
Japan Thief Uses Ingenious GPS Plan To Steal Cars
You know, we should not be condoning stealing cars, but the route Mitsuhisa Kobayashi used to nab eight different cars was a pretty smart one. A fact that is already telling of his character, Kobayashi has two ex-wives—both of which he instructed to rent cars. He then made copies of the keys and planted GPS tracking devices, similar to this one, on the car. The ex-wives returned the cars and Kobayashi simply waited for them to be rented again and got away with the vehicles. His reasoning behind stealing the vehicles was pretty simple, as well:I wanted to drive my favorite cars. I sold the other five cars on the Internet.With copycat criminals running rampant, it may be time for car rental agencies to invest in a little protection. [Daily Yomiuri Online] (Image via Getty)
novelties
Crazy Japanese Interchanges Look Crazier From Underneath
Google Earth does a mighty fine job showing the essence of crazy interchanges, but if you really want to know how ridiculous interchanges can be, check out the underneath view. These interchanges don't come from China, but rather the neighbor of Japan. Ken Ohyama is the man that has captured some of Japan's most efficient traffic clusterfucks. Not only do you get to see the underside of these engineering marvels, but Ohyama is pretty damn good photographer, as well. Check out the gallery below with some of his select works or follow the link to see the entire Flickr set.[Flickr Photoset via Pink Tentacle]
car shows
Our Thirst For Vintage Japanese Iron To Be Slaked At Motoring J Style Show
We've been running into the Motoring J Style guys at the last few 24 Hours of LeMons races (their MR2 finished 3rd out of 90 at the most recent event), and they've got us all fired up about checking out some serious Japanese machinery at their big show in Vallejo this Saturday (as an added bonus, they've invited all 24 Hours of Lemons racers to bring their cars to the show). I'll be heading out to the show with Black Metal V8olvo teammate WhatWouldJesseDo in his '66 Datsun, and we hope to see the Jalopnik readership represented there. [Motoring J Style]
novelties
