Shiotsu Autotrade - President’s Blog

Japanese Mini-Trucks also known as Kei-trucks are normally used as work trucks in Japan. But these days some Drift enthusiasts are modifying these truks for Drifting. So do not be surprised if you see a Japanese Minitruck competing with Nissan Skyline sports car in a Drift Event.

Well, there is always some excitement for those who want to try something different. And if you watch this video, you will definitely agree that it is indeed fun to watch these trucks doing challenging course at top speed in drifting events.

Though we do not deal with modified mini-trucks for Drifting, we can definitely supply new or used mini-trucks for other purposes.

Technorati Tags: Japanese, Mini-Trucks, Kei-trucks, Japan, Drift, Drifting, Nissan, Skyline

According to consumer reports recently rated six sedans in the upscale segment. Three Japanese cars , Infinity G35 from Nissan, Lexus ES 350 from Toyota and Nissan mixima found their way among the top. At the top of the list,comes the Infinity G35 ,with a combination of sporty performance, best luxury and handling.
INFINITY G35: The rear-wheel-drive journey version,it has got a 3.5 liter V6 engine which delivers 306 horse power, it comes with optional sunroof and power adjustable steering wheel. The quick ,agile and sporty sedan delivered 19 mpg in mixed highway and city driving on premium fuel. The all wheel drive G35X costs about $2000 more than the version tested which costed $35,140.Though a slight loss of fuel economy was reported in the G35X version.

LEXUS ES350: The lexus ES350 is lavish in contrast with the sporty infinity.The ES350 provides a big luxury car feel and refinement in a trim package.The 3.5 liter ,272 horse power V6 version tested was smooth,delivered quick acceration and a good 23 mpg overall on premium fuel. The few negatives for this sedan are limited rear-seat head-room and rearward visibility;the handling is sound ,not sporty.The ES350 tested cost $41289 and come with optional navigational system,cooled seats and power -adjustable steering column.

NISSAN MAXIMA; The 3.5 liter v6 255 horse powered 3.5SL version tested has a roomy interior,logical quick acceleration. However,the ride is not all that great;steering wheel pulls hard under acceleration and handling is not agile.The tested maxima 3.5SL has optional stability control, sunroof ,memory seats,and power-adjustable steering column,and cost $ 33,715.

LINCOLN MKZ,BUICK LUCERNA CXS and SAAB 9-5 were the other cars that ranked below the japanese cars in the upscale sedan segment.
The Buick lucerna cxs is a full-size car sold by the buick division of general motors that repalced the park avenue and the lesabre in 2006.
If you don`t need sportiness or opulence in your car,consider high-end V6 versions of Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. These family sedans are equally good in performance and amenities while costing much less.

Technorati Tags: Japanese cars, Infinity G35, Lexus ES 350, Nissan mixima, sedan, Honda Accord, Toyota Camry

Nissan introduced the new 12th generation Skyline yesterday in Japan. In Japan, the name Skyline has a history which dates all the way back to 1957, when the first Nissan Prince Skyline was introduced. Since then, Nissan has introduced steady parade of Skyline models through the decades. Skyline is more than just those sports models. The name has graced family sedans, coupes, wagons, and hatchbacks as well as said power-mad GTs, giving it a prominent spot in Japan’s automobile industry. Skyline models have been sold in the US since 2003 by the name Infinity.

The 12th generation Skyline features all-new exterior and interior designs, the next generation FR-L platform and newly developed VQ35HR V6 engine.  The concept ”attraction, sophistication and high-performance driving” was behind the development of the new skyline model.

Retail price of the new Skyline will be from 2,793,000 yen  to 3,801,000 yen nationwide. Nissan expects to sell atleast 1,000 units of this new car per month. The new line-up comes in a choice of seven body colors including three all-new colors – Blade Silver, Stratosphere Blue, and Crimson Red.

The new Nissan Skyline 3.5 liter V6 version generates 315 horsepower and 36.5kgm of torque while the 2.5 liter V6 version generates 225 horsepower with 26.8kgm of torque. Drivers will have the choice of a five-speed automatic with adaptive shift control, allowing the driver to be in full control of the power generated by the new engine.

Nissan’s engineers focused on three key areas – superior balance of driving performance, accommodating increased engine power,  and comfort as well as environmental friendliness and safety. The Skyline is a certified super low emission vehicle (SU-LEV ), with a significant 75% reduction in Nitrogen Oxide and Non-Methane Hydrocarbon emissions compared to 2005 Japanese emission regulations.

Technorati Tags: Nissan, Skyline, Japan, sports, automobile, car, Japanese

When it comes to Japanese Sports cars, people normally think of Mitsubishi’s Evolution, Subaru WRX STI, Nissan’s reborn Z,  Mazda RX-8 and MX-5 (Miata). These are today’s best sports and performance cars come from the land of rising sun, Japanese auto makers may not have have 50 or 100 years of great performance models to draw on, but the ones they’ve made in the last 40 years or so are now immensly popular among collectors.

Here are some popular sports cars from Japan

Third-Generation Mazda RX-7  It is a serious sports car from Mazda with 255-horsepower, twin-turbo engine. In Japan, Mazda sold the RX-7 through its Efini brand as the Efini RX-7. It is an outright, no-compromise sports car by Japanese standards. It features an aerodynamic, futuristic-looking body design.  All 3rd Generation RX-7s (1993-present) are twin sequential turbo, twin rotor 13B-REW engines. The RX-7 is considered as a popular choice in import drag racing.

Honda Acura NSX  2005 was the final model year for Honda’s fabulous mid-engine exotic, which first came to market in 1991. When the NSX was introduced back in 1991, Honda was at the peak of its glory days in Formula 1. So everyone could have expected from the engine supplier of the Formula 1 champion a great car. It has a high-tech aluminum body/chassis structure, a high-winding V-6, sound ergonomics, and quality and reliability that Italian car enthusiasts can only dream about. Many of them have been extensively modified and/or driven hard; but find a well-maintained, mid-1990s manual-transmission-equipped example, and you’ll have a capable exotic you can drive every day. The most important thing about the NSX is that it is surely a supercar but, still, it is as friendly to drive as you surely wouldn’t expect from a supercar. To make it simpler, the NSX is as exciting and fast as a Ferrari and as friendly as a Civic.

Toyota MR2  The Toyota MR2 was a two-seat, mid-engined, rear wheel drive sports car produced by Toyota from 1984 to 2005, in three different design series. The-second generation MR2 was often called the Baby Ferrari 308. The third-generation car, which just went out of production, combined an open-roadster body with a mid-engine layout. Both are cool, fun to drive, and destined to become recognized by enthusiast collectors. Toyota’s reliability and legendary build quality are a plus, and parts are still plentiful. With its mid/rear engine and small size, the MR2 is often compared to more exotic sports cars.

If you wish to import used sports and performance cars from Japan, we would be glad to help you.

Technorati Tags: Japanese, Sports cars, Nissan, Mazda, performance cars, Japan, Honda, Toyota