The Coolest Japanese Cars Coming Out In 2022
- Published in Auto Moto
- Read more...
In this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Senior Editor, Green, John Beltz Snyder and Road Test Editor Zac Palmer for the final episode of 2020. They've been driving some interesting cars, including the Nissan GT-R, the new Nissan Armada, a Mercedes-Benz GLA and a pair of new-gen Kia Sorentos. They talk a bit about an interesting new EV called the Ace from Alpha Motor Corporation. Finally, the trio takes turns talking about their favorite cars they drove this year. Enjoy, and we'll be back with more episodes in 2021.
NHK has learned that Japan's transport ministry and a railway operator have drawn up a proposal allowing people arriving from overseas to use the train to leave Narita Airport near Tokyo.
The government is currently asking arrivals from abroad to avoid using public transportation and instead arrange their own vehicles to leave the airport, even if they test negative for the coronavirus.
Honda has become the first carmaker in America to allow dealers to list non-certified used cars on its official website. It's gradually rolling out the program across the nation in a bid to lure younger buyers into showrooms.
As of writing, dealers can list vehicles from their inventory of certified pre-owned cars on HondaCertified.com, a platform which lets users search for a used Honda based on a number of parameters, including the model, its mileage, and its distance from a given ZIP code. Non-certified used cars will appear on the same platform, Roadshow reported, which sounds confusing but it's less so than operating two separate websites.
With its 573-horsepower hybrid powertrain and 0-60 time of 2.9 seconds, there's no doubt that the Acura NSX is an impressive machine. As its production numbers and pricing adjustments attest, however, it's not a big seller. And this month, Acura's high-end coupe has a larger monetary discount than any other vehicle in America.
Buyers of the 2020 Acura NSX are scoring an average cut of $19,659 off the car's $159,530 sticker price. That equals a 12.3% savings for an average transaction price of $139,871. That's still a hefty chunk of change, but it's a reasonable sum for a vehicle with the NSX's performance chops.
Autonomous or self-driving cars appear to be something we can look forward to in the future, but in case you didn’t know, there are actually different levels to autonomy. For the most part, a lot of self-driving cars being developed today and are on the streets, like those made by Tesla, are considered a level 2.
These cars can drive by themselves, but will still require a human behind the wheel. They can steer, brake, and accelerate on their own as well. However, level 3 is where it gets interesting and is a goal that companies are working towards, and it is also something that Honda hopes they’ll be the first to achieve in terms of mass production.
While some carmakers appeal to dog lovers, Nissan is going all-in with cats, at least in Japan. The Yokohama-based company is teaming up with a chain of cat cafés across the country to promote the Nissan Dayz kei car.
If you're not familiar with cat cafés, they're essentially a coffee shop in which you sip your latte while surrounded by dozens of cats. It's supposed to deliver all the companionship and fun of cats without, you know, actually owning them. The concept began in Taiwan, blew up in Japan, and has made its way to the U.S. as well.
Toyota has been for years one of the biggest OEM supporters of SEMA, the aftermarket advocacy group and show organizer. The SEMA Show has been canceled this year (because 2020) but that doesn't mean the parade of wildly customized cars has ceased. Instead, it's moved to an online format called SEMA 360, giving companies a chance to show off the project cars they've spent all year building.
These days, a customized Toyota is much more likely to be a lifted truck than a slammed Celica or MR2. Capitalizing on the popularity of overlanding, or living out of a self-sustained off-roader, Toyota has created a supercharged Tacoma capable of 370 horsepower and 330 pound-feet of torque.
One of the longest running and most famous nameplates in Nissan's history is that of the Z car. It has been with us since 1969 nearly continuously, and with only occasional missteps. Only a couple Nissans can match it for history and notoriety, such as the Skyline sedans and coupes, and the Patrol SUVs. The Z is also getting a much needed successor in the near future, previewed by the Z Proto. As such, it seemed like a good time to take a look back at the different generations that got us to today.
The first Z arrived in 1969 as the Fairlady Z in Japan, and the 240Z in the U.S. The Japanese name picked up from the roadsters Nissan built in the 1960s under the Fairlady name, the later versions of which were sold in the U.S. as the Datsun Roadster. The American name came from the 2.4-liter single overhead cam inline-six under the hood. It made 148 horsepower and 152 pound-feet of torque and was mated to a manual transmission. It had fully independent suspension with struts at each end. Disc brakes at the front and drums at the rear would bring it to a stop. Over the years, Nissan increased the displacement of the U.S. cars to compensate for power-sapping emissions equipment, leading to the 260Z and 280Z with 2.6-liter and 2.8-liter versions of the straight-six. Larger bumpers appeared on these later models, too, to meet U.S. safety regulations. Nissan also added a lengthened 2+2 model later in this car's lifecycle.
Autoblog may receive a share from purchases made via links on this page. Pricing and availability are subject to change.
The crossover between gearheads and gamers is growing every day. Professional race car drivers develop their chops digitally before ever stepping foot onto certain tracks thanks to racing simulators like iRacing. Entertainers like T-Pain are simultaneously diving into both automotive and gaming ventures. We even see the overlap firsthand on our very own livestreams, where car enthusiasts of all ages from around the world join us to talk about not only their favorite cars, but also their favorite racing and driving games. Because of all the hype, we wanted to create a place on Autoblog to talk about the gaming news of the week, and how it might relate to the automotive world (and for any parents out there, we'll try to help you make sense of some of the madness.) Enter: Autoblog's Gaming Roundup. Let's dive in.
TOKYO — Ryota Kawamata hadn't driven for more than a decade, but as Japan's COVID-19 crisis worsened in May, his employer near Tokyo rented him a car so he wouldn't have to use public transport.
The 32-year old engineer, pictured above, now wants to buy his own car despite describing himself as a "poor driver."