RE: Turning Japanese: PH Blog
Discussion
Being of Gran Turismo upbringing I finally have realised that these sorts of cars are what I've been wanting for so long. So for me it will be all the cars listed below plus my other great love being 60's/70's American muscle. The differences between them keeps me smiling as much as the good points for each.
My lottery win list;
R32 & R33 GTR's
RX-7
JZA70 Supra (was the first can I had in Gran Turismo)
GTO
Legacy GTB
Honda NSX
Corrola AE86 (how could I forget this from the anime Initial D)
Toyota Chaser
Going to keep adding others that I obsess over
Nissan 300ZX
My lottery win list;
R32 & R33 GTR's
RX-7
JZA70 Supra (was the first can I had in Gran Turismo)
GTO
Legacy GTB
Honda NSX
Corrola AE86 (how could I forget this from the anime Initial D)
Toyota Chaser
Going to keep adding others that I obsess over
Nissan 300ZX
Edited by TommoAE86 on Wednesday 23 July 13:55
Edited by TommoAE86 on Wednesday 23 July 13:59
Stock 99+ series 8 cars best with the cooling/turbo/brake upgrades. Mine is still standard, dyno'd at 310bhp and only weighs 1250kg. The interior is a bit rattly, stereo rubbish and 18-20mpg are the downsides.
Mine has been a daily driver for 7 years with just regular servicing to keep it going. I'd have no idea what to replace it with, everything seems so big and heavy these days.
Interesting take on Japanese cars. I think the Japanese badges are never going to attract the kind of people that buy AMG/M cars or Porsches just to impress the neighbours and have no interest in cars or motorsport.
Dream Japanese 90's garage would be something like:
Evo 6 TME
Honda S2000 (My current steed)
Honda NSX Type R
Honda EK9 Type R
Nissan R32 GTR
Nissan S13 200SX
Subaru Impreza 22b
Later cars are still interesting:
Honda FD2 Type R
Toyoburu BRZ/GT86
Nissan R35 GTR
Dream Japanese 90's garage would be something like:
Evo 6 TME
Honda S2000 (My current steed)
Honda NSX Type R
Honda EK9 Type R
Nissan R32 GTR
Nissan S13 200SX
Subaru Impreza 22b
Later cars are still interesting:
Honda FD2 Type R
Toyoburu BRZ/GT86
Nissan R35 GTR
strummerville said:
Beefmeister said:
Hoorah! An excuse to post a pic of my old RX-7!
One of the best styled Japanese cars ever, in my opinion. How reliable are the engines in them?
Well look at how unreliable the RX8 engine is. Stick a couple of decades on and a couple of turbos and that should give you an idea.
Have ticked off a few of them but still have a hankering for others.
Ticked off..
EK9
180SX
R33
Ex Had an S14a so kinda ticked...
Want...
Supra
R34
NSX
DC2
DC5
R32
240Z
KGC10
I'm sure there is a few others but that will do for now. Not all that fussed on Evo's and scoobys. RX7's look fantastic but I've never had a massive hankering to own one.
Ticked off..
EK9
180SX
R33
Ex Had an S14a so kinda ticked...
Want...
Supra
R34
NSX
DC2
DC5
R32
240Z
KGC10
I'm sure there is a few others but that will do for now. Not all that fussed on Evo's and scoobys. RX7's look fantastic but I've never had a massive hankering to own one.
forzaminardi said:
A RX7 and a NSX would definitely be on my lottery shopping list too.
Touching on the point re: the social and cultural nature of different nations and the cars they build and consume, I have to agree that the Japanese seem the most egalitarian and appreciate cars most for their fundamental virtues rather than brand appeal, price, status etc. I don't make any wider claims for my car being better or worse than any other, but I do love it very much for its performance, its character, its functional qualities and engineering pedigree without being bothered by the fact "it's only a Honda" or "it's almost 10 years old" or "you should have got a TT instead". I bought it for what it is, not what it isn't, and reflecting on what might replace it in the future, I'm a bit stumped as to me the current alternatives offering a vaguely similarly interesting package are more about making a statement about one's credit limit, about consuming a prestigious brand, rather than just enjoying a good car. Admittedly that's as much my own bias as anything else, but the fact remains - many people see a German performance car as more of a phallic extension or status symbol, whereas they see a Japanese performance car as simply an interesting car.
Yes this is something I have witnessed and agree with. There is a massive difference between a car enthusiast and someone that just likes posh badges to impress people. I like that you don't seem to get that with Japanese cars. Touching on the point re: the social and cultural nature of different nations and the cars they build and consume, I have to agree that the Japanese seem the most egalitarian and appreciate cars most for their fundamental virtues rather than brand appeal, price, status etc. I don't make any wider claims for my car being better or worse than any other, but I do love it very much for its performance, its character, its functional qualities and engineering pedigree without being bothered by the fact "it's only a Honda" or "it's almost 10 years old" or "you should have got a TT instead". I bought it for what it is, not what it isn't, and reflecting on what might replace it in the future, I'm a bit stumped as to me the current alternatives offering a vaguely similarly interesting package are more about making a statement about one's credit limit, about consuming a prestigious brand, rather than just enjoying a good car. Admittedly that's as much my own bias as anything else, but the fact remains - many people see a German performance car as more of a phallic extension or status symbol, whereas they see a Japanese performance car as simply an interesting car.
Great post and thread, a gran turismo kid myself. My friend owns i believe to be one of the fastest N/A Ek9's in the uk, especially around knockhill. Built by AME's Dan Turner it really is one hell of a machine. The sound it makes as it approaches 10,000 rpm, and that's coming from a guy that owns a radical. I love it. I hope to get another passenger ride in it soon, especially after reading through this.
britsportscars said:
Interesting take on Japanese cars. I think the Japanese badges are never going to attract the kind of people that buy AMG/M cars or Porsches just to impress the neighbours and have no interest in cars or motorsport.
Dream Japanese 90's garage would be something like:
Evo 6 TME
Honda S2000 (My current steed)
Honda NSX Type R
Honda EK9 Type R
Nissan R32 GTR
Nissan S13 200SX
Subaru Impreza 22b
Later cars are still interesting:
Honda FD2 Type R
Toyoburu BRZ/GT86
Nissan R35 GTR
Noting your current steed.....try an Impreza.....I know it's turbo charged but it just feels like VTEC lower down the rev range! Dream Japanese 90's garage would be something like:
Evo 6 TME
Honda S2000 (My current steed)
Honda NSX Type R
Honda EK9 Type R
Nissan R32 GTR
Nissan S13 200SX
Subaru Impreza 22b
Later cars are still interesting:
Honda FD2 Type R
Toyoburu BRZ/GT86
Nissan R35 GTR
As a kid of the nineties because these cars weren't available in this country that made them rarer and seem more exotic. The tuning potential was another factor. Nineties magazines told stories of car owners and tuners with money to burn that had made cars faster than a Mclaren F1 or an F355 with 400-1000hp.
This made cars like the Supra and Skyline some of my nineties dream cars. With time I learned that over about 200hp a litre is almost impossible in most cars without using race fuel but it's a nice myth.
It helped that I grew up playing Gran Turismo and this was the only 'proper' racing game on the PS1. No 'exotic' cars meant the best cars were ridiculously tuned Japanese turbo cars.
The Supra is probably my favourite because of the power potential without needing an engine and/or gearbox rebuild. Few cars can make two times their original power output on the standard parts and still be reliable even fewer can make over three times their original power output without the engine exploding! Also it's probably the nicest looking nineties Japanese sportscar along with the Rx-7 and NSX.
I drove a standard Supra Turbo and they are a bit disappointing. In todays world filled with 200+hp hatches and 300+hp saloons I think you really need a nicely modded one to 'get' what they are capable of.
This made cars like the Supra and Skyline some of my nineties dream cars. With time I learned that over about 200hp a litre is almost impossible in most cars without using race fuel but it's a nice myth.
It helped that I grew up playing Gran Turismo and this was the only 'proper' racing game on the PS1. No 'exotic' cars meant the best cars were ridiculously tuned Japanese turbo cars. The Supra is probably my favourite because of the power potential without needing an engine and/or gearbox rebuild. Few cars can make two times their original power output on the standard parts and still be reliable even fewer can make over three times their original power output without the engine exploding! Also it's probably the nicest looking nineties Japanese sportscar along with the Rx-7 and NSX.
I drove a standard Supra Turbo and they are a bit disappointing. In todays world filled with 200+hp hatches and 300+hp saloons I think you really need a nicely modded one to 'get' what they are capable of.
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