Quest Fulfilled: The 20-Year Journey to Acquire a Nissan Gazelle
Did you know that the sibling of the Nissan S110 "Silvia" was the "Gazelle"? Here is the story of the owner, Mr. Sarutani, who has been searching for a turbo model of such a Gazelle for 20 years and finally obtained it. What kind of car is this model that he has admired since he was in junior high school?
Interview with STI’s New President: The BRZ Developer’s New Role at STI
Mr. Hiromi Tamou, the new president of STI, is a key person in the development of the first-generation BRZ. In this interview, we asked him what he would like to do at STI in his new position. He is a car enthusiast who says, "The response to the steering wheel is what is important," so we have high expectations for new developments.
Spirit of Microcars: A Deep Dive into the World of Mitsuoka K-3 Enthusiasts
As they say, "The Germans invented the car, the French turned it into a business, and the British play with it", and in the field of cars, Britain has long been a major hobby nation. One of the unique British car hobby cultures is the 'kit car' genre. So when you hear the word 'kit car', you first think of the UK, the home of the genre, but of course it is not exclusive to that country. In Japan, Mitsuoka Motor, well-known for its small cars, also sold kit cars.
Revving Up Commutes: A Rare Glimpse into the Honda ‘Life Light Van’
The Life Light Van is a derivative model of the Honda Life. This light van model is a rare vehicle with very few units produced. The owner, who uses such a Life Light Van for commuting, also owns several other Honda 360cc vehicles. What kind of a luxurious old car life is this?
Commitment of Enthusiasts: Crafting the Ideal Ride in a GR86
Mr. Onozaki chose the GR86 as his base vehicle for drifting. He chose the GR86 as his base vehicle for drifting because there were not many people driving them around. Not wanting to be seen with anyone else is an important point when purchasing a car. I chose red as the body color because I thought there would be less chance of wearing the same color as others. The customization is also very serious.
Creativity of Craftsmanship: Transforming an AP Trike Into a Military Marvel
In May 2024, all tricycles called "AP Trike" made in China gathered at a certain place in Saitama Prefecture. Among them, this time we focus on one owned by Mr. Sugihara, the founder of the meeting, who took advantage of the fact that it is a small and simple vehicle to customize it with a rich individuality. He had customized it with the theme of "Self-Defense Forces specifications.
The Customization Chronicles: Transforming a Jimny Sierra into a Personal Masterpiece
Ms. "KOTO" switched from a Daihatsu Copen to a 2023 Suzuki Jimny Sierra. After much deliberation about the economics of choice between the "Jimny" kei-car and the "Jimny Sierra" passenger car, she chose the Jimny Sierra as her beloved car, focusing on its visual appeal. Here is a car full of originality with customization in progress.
Power of Black: Crafting a Unified, Bold Look for the GR86
The Toyota "GR" themed morning meeting at A PIT Autobacs Shinonome was held early in the morning on August 18, 2024. Among the unique GR vehicles gathered, we spotted one car that stood out from the crowd: a GR86 clad in a KUHL RACING body kit.
Temptation of Tuning: How a BNR32 Became a 750PS Beast
"Garage Active" is the only specialty store in Kyushu that proposes unique style GT-R customization such as chassis and twin chassis. The shop is a one-stop shop that meets users' needs with hard tuning, full restoration, and other services based on its many years of drag racing experience. We introduce some of the GT-R owners who share the company's originality in machine design. The man featured this time is Mr. Koyama, who purchased an R32 "Skyline GT-R" two years after new and has maintained its two-digit license plate number.
Value of Presence: Why Owning a GT-R Means More Than Driving It
"Garage Active" is the only specialty store in Kyushu that offers unique style GT-R customization such as chassis and twin chassis. The shop is a one-stop shop that meets users' needs with hard tuning, full restoration, and other services based on years of drag racing experience. We introduce a GT-R owner who shares the company's originality in machine design. This time, we will introduce Mr. Motokawa's R34 "Skyline GT-R", who has been a Nissan fan ever since he got his driver's license.
Art of Reinvention: How a Nissan Designer Brought Retro Cars to Life
The theme of the "GFGS CARLIFE IN YAHIKO Vol. 1" event held on June 9, 2024, in Yahiko-mura, Niigata Prefecture was "cute cars made in the 1980s to 2010s that are used for everyday practical purposes. Among the many Nissan pike cars gathered at the event, we interviewed the owner of the "Be-1," a pioneer in this field. He was, in fact, a person involved in the development of this model.
Journey of Customization: 30 Years with a Datsun 510 Bluebird
In 2024, we checked out a vehicle of interest at the Kanazawa Classic Car Meeting held at the Japan Automobile Museum in Komatsu City, Ishikawa Prefecture on Sunday, July 28. This time we will introduce the owner of a 1971 Datsun 510 "Bluebird 1800SSS" customized to rally specifications. What are the details of the customization that he has done to recreate the rally car that he had longed to own when it was new?
Mystique of the TE47: A Two-Year Production and Its Legacy
On July 28, 2012, I checked out a vehicle of interest at the Kanazawa Classic Car Meeting held at the Japan Automobile Museum in Komatsu City, Ishikawa Prefecture. This time, we found a beautiful second-generation Toyota TE47 "Sprinter Trueno," which is rarely seen even at old car events, so we talked to the owner. It seems that maintaining this rare model is very difficult?
Taming of Power: Ferrari’s SF90 XX Spider on the Streets of France
Based on the Ferrari SF90, the top range of catalog models, the "Circuit Model" can also be driven on public roads. We test-drove its open-top model, the "SF90 XX Spider," on public roads in France. How does this limited edition model, which has been developed with the ultimate in circuit performance, perform on public roads?
Freedom of Versatility: The Ideal Daily Porsche 911 Dakar
We tested the Porsche 911 Dakar, which has been tailored to be a "rally car" with its increased ride height and special suspension, over a long distance from Tokyo to Kyoto. With its high minimum ground clearance, it is easy to drive in town, and its driving performance is on par with the standard model.
Sophistication of Space: Lexus LM’s Latest 3-Row Addition
The long-awaited three-row, six-passenger "Version L" has been added to the Lexus LM luxury minivan. Developed with an emphasis on creating a relaxing interior environment that respects the personal touch of the occupants, Version L will be priced at 15 million yen, 5 million yen less than the "Executive" version.
