Features
Meet the Man Behind Gran Turismo’s Amazing Jazz Soundtrack
The iconic racing game Gran Turismo introduced much to the world. The series’s huge popularity made heroes of many cars, from the unsuspecting Suzuki Cappuccino to the mighty Nissan Skyline GT-R. And GT’s now-iconic menu music, composed by Isamu Ohira,…
How America Inspired the Toyota Land Cruiser—And Embraced It
The Japanese have a strange affinity for Americana. When American GIs exited the country following World War II, for example, the Japanese adopted and preserved American blue-jean and white-t-shirt culture as their own. These days, if you want the best…
Toyota’s Most Successful Race Engine Is One You’ve Never Heard Of
Toyota has built a ton of great engines. Enthusiasts evangelize the 4A-GE used in the AE86 Corolla and original MR2, the 1UZ V-8 found in so many trucks, and the tuner’s favorite, the Supra Turbo’s 2JZ-GTE straight-six. But one alphanumeric…
Meet the Toyota Cavalier. Yes, the Toyota Cavalier.
American cars have never been extremely popular in Japan, where domestic brands rule with an iron fist. The "why" of that fact is a matter of perspective, a reflection of the outlooks, governments, and indeed the cultures of each nation.…
I’m Building My Own Hybrid Sports Car. The First Mockup Is Finally Done
Determining the correct order of operations for any project can be difficult, but especially this one. There’s just so much to do, and first steps are the hardest to take. The last time we spoke, this project hadn’t really left…
Senna, Monaco, and the Roar of a Honda V-12
Among the last places on earth you’d expect to find the screaming V-12 stuff of legend, Tacoma, Washington is among them. It’s not a bad place, just an unlikely one, thousands of miles from the nearest permanent F1 circuit, sat…
We Remember That Blue Civic Si
The blue Si. You know exactly which Civic I’m talking about. Two doors. Seven-spoke wheels. VTEC badges. Subtle body mods. To this high schooler, the EM-generation Civic Si was more desirable than any hot hatch or American muscle car of…