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Idly mulling this over the other day in my head and I couldn't think of one. The closest I came was the old Datsun 280zx but that's just a Capri copy so it doesn't count.
I'm not talking expensive supercars here, but real classics that people can buy and use
Think VW Beete, Golf GTi, Citroen DS, original Fiat 500, Morris Minor, Mini, Ford RS2000, Volvo P180(?) Lancia Delta Integrale, Alfa Spider...
Even when you get to supercars there's nothing Japanese I can think of that's truly desirable.
Which is odd, because if you think motorbikes there's loads of proper classic and desirable Jap bikes - RC30, CB400/4, original Fireblade and GSXRs etc.
So. Are there any? Hmmmm
MX5
I thought of the MX5 too, and that's my favourite Jap car, I love them, but classic? Nope.
Still in production for a start and its just a modern copy of an old Brit sportscar like an MGB or Spitfire.
Again, as much as I love them, the new Fiat 500 will never be a classic because its just a modern copy
Type R - quite a following...
DrP
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Which is odd, because if you think motorbikes there's loads of proper classic and desirable Jap bikes - RC30, CB400/4, original Fireblade and GSXRs etc.
Why are these bikes acceptable and the Toyota GT2000 not?
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Honda Civic 😉
Suburua [ spelling - not my bag mind
Honda 800 or whatever it's called?
240z?
Nissan Figaro?
(One of these is a joke)
Nissan Skyline, got to be an eighties classic no?
Toyota Supra and MR2 are classics aren't they?
Not much before the eighties that's true... ...isn't classic a bit of a subjective thing anyway?
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Nissan Micra
Driven by relics from every corner of the UK
Honda S800 probably fits the bill as what we traditionally consider to be a classic car. But early Celicas and Skylines are well regarded too. The Z cars also.
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Toyota GT2000
I'm not saying its not, but I've never even heard of one or seen one.
sorry double post 😳
Mark 1 MX5 - reinvented the affordable soft top which was good to drive, and designed while we were still churning out those dreadful MG's.
[i]Idly mulling this over the other day in my head and I couldn't think of one. The closest I came was the old Datsun 280zx but that's just a Capri copy so it doesn't count.
[/i]
240Z surely, the 260/280's were just bloated versions aimed at the US.
What about that little Honda roadster, forget its name/number?
WTF is that blue thing?
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The Flying Pug?
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A very American looking Japanese classic
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PT Cruiser meets Suziki Jimny.....
DrP
Well DC5 maybe? Nissan ZX? I think they make useable cars more than classics and in the old days looks were a secondary consideration. Original Swift?
240Z surely, the 260/280's were just bloated versions aimed at the US.
I Might have got the number wrong. They wee quite popular in the early 80s anyway.
🙂
Nice cars I'm sure.
See, rarity and expense do not necessarily make a classic: See Beetle and Mini
The closest Jap car to those is the Toyota Corolla, yes?
PeterPoddy - Member
WTF is that blue thing?
The Nissan Skyline? Awesome looking car, I do loves me a Skyline/GTR
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Honda Civic CRX VTEC:
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Essentially, F1 engine technology in a hatchback. Max power output at 7600rpm!
[i]Still in production for a start [/i]
I don't see why that matters.
A very American looking Japanese classic
Which automatically disqualifies it as its just a copy.
And a Sunny ZX coupe???? On of the top 5 ugliest crappest cars ever made? Are you MAD? 🙂
Skyline, nuff said...
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I read the post title and immediately thought "240Z".
Original MR2 was a possibility.
[url= http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4142/4883147094_6ebacacd2b.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/fredriksaetre/4883147094/ ]Honda NSX[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/fredriksaetre/ ]Fredrik Saetre[/url], on Flickr
I don't see why that matters.
I do.
In the 70's, My Auntie had one of those Datsun
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Yep Honda NSX.
I'm not saying its not, but I've never even heard of one or seen one.
Not a Bond fan then.
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[/img]You Only Live Twice.
NSX. Supercar. Not much to look at. Never sold well. Never developed or improved that much. Simply not desirable.
Fast, powerful, good even? Oh yes. Classic? Nahh.
I'm not saying its not, but I've never even heard of one or seen one.
The Japanese, as a habit/culture, don't keep old stuff. I remember watching a classic car rally on telly years ago and a Japanese team were racing an S800 made entirely of new spare parts - every panel nut and bolt - as there were no old S800s there to use.
Almost every car they make is to a greater or lesser extent derivative of other designs, they ape European models or the ape American ones, but thats simply because they are a small country hosting mass market car manufacturers- they export most of the cars they make to other markets. So they design to those foreign markets and foreign tastes. There are the odd small run exceptions to that that are domestic market only like the Nissan Cube mentioned on another thread, which is uniquely Japanese, or the Mitsubishi offroad people carrier thing I forget the name of. The latter is very specific to the japanese market - it evokes driving off road, whilst stuck in a constant traffic jam. They've never been officially exported to europe as they're not really safe enough to drive in a country where you might go round a bend in third gear or above. But those cars are typically japanese in appeal - travelling as a group, not actually moving very quickly, fantasising about being somewhere else.
The 240 might have been copying something a bit higher up the image scale than a Capri
Ferrari 275
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Datsun
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+ another for NSX
PT Cruiser meets Suziki Jimny.....
actually.... the Jimny - predates the Landrover doesn't it?
+1 for Toyota 2000GT, beautiful thing.
What about the NSX?
There aren't many, granted.
I think that's because the typical car we they as a classic is 60s or before...were there many Jap imports then?
Not a Bond fan then.
Not hugely but generally yes I am
See, that's the point. I could name most cars used by Bond at some point, even the 2CV, because they are noteworthy and memorable. Which is where the Japanese fail.
B A Nana - Yeah, that's the one I was thinking of. Good looking car.
240Z
Integra type R
MX5 (I love mine but the mk1 did rip off Lotus)
Skyline
Supra
Don't you just love threads when the OP asks a question and then ignores or refutes all the answers...
Ones definition of 'classic' can be set narrow enough that nothing will conform, should such an outcome be the desired one.
Mark 1 MX5 - reinvented the affordable soft top which was good to drive, and designed while we were still churning out those dreadful MG's.
Mk1 was '89, B production finished 10 years earlier. MGF was 6 years later, unfortunately by the time they made it work with the TF the damage had been done and no one wanted one. I can imagine a MK1 MX5 being a future classic, but I can't imagine may being restored, just the good current ones retaining their value and being kept on the road.
The reason for no classic Jap cars is Japanese law makes them almost impossible, hence the grey import market of Jap cars (eunos, bongo etc). And the classic market's geared towards brit built stuff as the tooling (or stockpile of spares) still exists to make new parts. And the Japs did family cars an rep-mobiles who's going to put money into restoring a Mk1 civic? At least you can stick a 2.0 duratec straight in a Mk1 fiesta!
Motorbikes are different, the engines on anything 4t later than the mid 80's may as well be sealed, there's little you can do short of valve clearences or a megabucks re-build. There's no bodywork to rot. So any amature can buy the bike they wanted as a teenager (or the way the markets going, any old crap that was crap at the time and hasn't aged well, but an RC30's unafordable) take it appart, clean it, re-assemble and call it a restored classic.
240Z.
Not a Capri copy, was made for a completely different market (ie was performance driven, not a styling exercise.) Just because a model didn't really feature in this country doesn't exclude it form being a classic.
Could also argue a case for NSX, MR2 mk1, RX3, and original Skyline GTR, amongst others. Depends on your criteria of classic though, Popular Classics features a lot of what I'd label as crap British products.
The 240 might have been copying something a bit higher up the image scale than a Capri
Good god. Oh dear. Yes, you're right.
maccruiskeen - Member
I'm not saying its not, but I've never even heard of one or seen one.
The Japanese, as a habit/culture, don't keep old stuff. I remember watching a classic car rally on telly years ago and a Japanese team were racing an S800 made entirely of new spare parts - every panel nut and bolt - as there were no old S800s there to use.
Almost every car they make is to a greater or lesser extent derivative of other designs, they ape European models or the ape American ones, but thats simply because they are a small country hosting mass market car manufacturer- they export most of the cars they make to other markets. So they design to those foreign markets and foreign tastes. There are the odd small run exceptions to that that are domestic market only like the Nissan Cube mentioned on another thread, which is uniquely Japanese, or the Mitsubishi offroad people carrier thing I forget the name of. The latter is very specific to the japanese market - it evokes driving off road, whilst stuck in a constant traffic jam. They've never been officially exported to europe as they're not really safe enough to drive in a country where you might go round a bend in third gear or above. But those cars are typically japanese in appeal - travelling as a group, not actually moving very quickly, fantasising about being somewhere else.
POSTED 3 MINUTES AGO # REPORT-POST
Yep. Nail on head I think
Oddly there's loads of current Japanese cars I'd put right at the top of my list when we next change. If I can't have an Alfa, that is... 🙂
What criteria makes a classic? Age? Desirability?
Toyota corolla ae86, kp60/1/2 starlets, kp30
ra or ta Celica?
Datsun 510
Honda s800
Hino
Etc etc.
The old Celica Fastbacks are considered to be classics.
Look, I even found a pic on a website called oldclassiccar.co.uk
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My FTO was a modern classic in my mind, I loved it. It was 16 years old when I replaced it and not a thing went wrong with it. Trouble was it was starting to cost to keep the thing maintained....
This isn't my FTO BTW, haven't got any photos to hand.
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How about the Suzuki SJ410/413/Samurai?
MK1 MR2 is a classic shirley???
Mitsubishi Pajero Evo
Depends on your definition of classic though.
Some of the rally bred stuff deserves classic status.
The Scooby and the Evo basically pioneered a new type of car.
The focus and attention to detail that went into the design and production of these cars is staggering.
The ultimate expression probably being the Subaru 22B
Think the OP needs to decide what he's referring to as a classic.
An MX5 can't be a classic because its still in production but a Golf GTi can? A new MX5 is a totally revised car to the original, the same as a new GTI is nothing like a Mk1.
Original MX5 is a definite classic as are the early Datsun Zs. I agree with the Skyline theme as well.
How about the early Celicas? Definite classic material there.
If an original FireBlade can be a classic so can any of the cars above.
Don't forget the RX-7.
Don't think the Evo & Imprezza were an entirely new concept, think Escort Mexico, Sunbeam Lotus, Mini Cooper etc. Still classics though, as are all of the above.
Excellent thread, more please.
PTR - MemberMitsubishi Pajero Evo
I think anyone with the cojones to name or even drive a car called Pajero deserves a special level of recognition.
NSX was a bit too much of a Ferrari wannabe to be a classic imo, even if Senna "did the handling". Shame though as I still lust after them.
RX-7 might just be bonkers enough without the Skyline/GTR chav appeal
those cars are British though aren't they?The Scooby and the Evo basically pioneered a new type of car.
The 2 from my motoring history...
Corolla GT coupe (AE86). Rear wheel drive, 125BHP from a twin cam 16v engine, disks all round, 5 link live axle, weight under a tonne. Basically similar specs to a kit car, much better that the euro hot hatches of the same era. Fantastic to drive
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Celica Supra 2.8. A bit too much power for it's handling. Lotus tuned suspension and shared quite a few parts with the Lotus Excel and Esprit. Digital dash was very Knight Rider, too
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those cars are British though aren't they?
How's that then?
I think the obvious have been overlooked.
The Subaru Impreza & the Mitsubishi Lancer EVO things..
Both took world rallying by storm & if not now will be classics in their own right at some point.
edit so already mentioned, but I dissagree with the copycat sentiments.
original land cruiser
impreza turbo
lancer evo
This.
Very rare, great to drive, fantastic technology for the time.
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How about the Suzuki SJ410/413/Samurai?
In all seriousness I think that's the best suggestion so far. They have quite a following in the off road circles, they have a boxy utilitarian style and and ugly cuteness.
Yep. Agreed. 🙂
I think some of the Impreza fans might be forgetting this
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Classic rice rockets are big here in Oz, guess we got plenty more of them then you brits did. Massive 'fast fours and rotaries' scene modernising/restoring old Mazdas (RX2, RX3, RX4, RX5, RX7 particularly), Toyotas (KE Corollas, Celica, Supra), Datsuns/Nissans (z cars, skylines) just to make a few. High on my list of dream cars is a tricked out RX2 coupe, would love a 2012 GTR as well (a theoretically possible dream supercar as opposed to a Euro option)
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[quote=cheburashka ]
Service revolver and bottle whisky for you.
@thisisnotaspoon - quite correct, but as the MG finished production as late as 1980 and the MX5 concept started in the early 80's its a fair point to say the MX5 reinvented a dead sector.
DC2 Integra Type-R
Ahh the noise at 8000rpm was unbelieveable.
Easily the most fun car i have ever owned and the only car i have owned that i miss. I keep my eyes peeled in the hope of finding a good one to stick away in the garage.
Lexus LFA, another of the great engines (sadly i have not owned one of these)
Glitchy suicide bump
Re MX5's.
Mk1 defo classic. Mk2 well you could argue its good, but not as good as the Mk1. Mk3 just some modern day intepretation of the classic Mk1, and it fails misserably.
MK1 MR2 is a classic shirley???
+1
I will own one one day. I will, I tell thee.
Both took world rallying by storm & if not now will be classics in their own right at some point.
But they'll always be overshadowed by the Audi Quattro (being the original) an the evocative Delta Integrale.
NSX was no Ferrari wannabe.
Anyone could drive it, it handled properly and was reliable.
About as far from a Ferrari as possible 😀
And pretty much everything has been done before - the Japanese are just better at doing it cheaper and better than everyone else.
RX7.
Always had a soft spot for the Datsun 180B SSS Coupé
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Rare as rocking horse shit!
vinnyeh - Member
those cars are British though aren't they?
How's that then?
Subaru made cars that looked like ProDrive rally cars that looked like subarus 🙂