Japan Car News: Supra Concept, Nissan 240SX DeathKart, Nissan Pao in Texas and more!

Wake up, Japanese Car Fans! You have got to see the news from the Land of the Rising Sun this week. We’ve got some scorching hot new models making appearances in Switzerland, some super tuners racing this Saturday to get your blood pumping, a mean-looking Thunderdome-ready Nissan 240SX, a cute classic Nissan that most of us would love to own as a conversation piece, and Nissan's quirky Pao.

New Toyota Supra Concept is RED HOT, as are its two Sister Designs

Toyota unveiled big plans to bring sexy back to Toyota’s sports and tuner line of cars with their Supra Concept, and stated that this absolutely insane sportster will make its debut in October of this year at the Geneva Auto Show. The new Supra is part of a trio of hot new sports edition designs that includes their new Toyota S-FR and a Corolla GTI concepts. The new Supra is being co-developed with BMW modeled on the upcoming Z5’s rear-wheel-drive chassis and platform, but Japan fans can expect to see Toyota dropping their standard 255-hp turbo 2.0-liter I4 engine design with an option for their monstrous 340-hp turbo 3.0-liter V6 with an 8-speed manual dual-clutch automatic transmission.

The eco-conscious need not fret that they will be excluded from the fun though, as a 2.5-liter hybrid Supra is planned for the lineup within a year of launch in late 2018. This concept is the latest in a series of efforts by Japan’s biggest automaker to offer a stronger sports car range that includes small, medium, and large cars. They also plan to offer a coupe for sports car purists called the S-FR II. A super lightweight coupe with funky looks and a 130-hp naturally aspirated 1.5 liter inline-four, the S-FR II evokes imagery and of classic Toyota MR2 spiders and similar sporty coupes of yesteryear with updated looks.

Saving the best for last, Toyota rounds out their sexy new lineup with a GTI version of the 12th-gen Corolla that is due out later this year. A four door hatch with a 250-hp 2.-liter turbo four and custom tuned suspension, this Corolla clearly wants Volkswagen’s GTI crown, and if concept art and specs are anything to go by Volkswagen had better step up up their game.

Michael Shank Racing’s INSANE 2017 Acura NSX GT3 Duo Raced at Rolex 24 This Weekend

While not every automotive racing fan is a follower of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, this year is the year to tune in to FOX at 2.pm. ET on Saturday January 28th and check out the events thanks to the Inclusion of two ridiculously tricked out 2017 Acura NSX GT3s that will be making their appearance in Daytona this weekend. These NSXs will be going head to head with the best Porsche, Mercedes, and Ferrari GT Daytona class cars January 28th and 29th, and Michael Shank Racing has got some serious Japanese mojo on the rise for their competition this weekend. While GT Daytona class cars aren’t the fastest group competing this weekend, they definitely have the most competition on the world stage. Limitations include Continental only tires and top speed cannot exceed 180mph and 500hp. This presents a unique problem for the new NSXs, which come standard at 573hp, so they need to be stepped down a bit in terms of performance right from the start. Then there is the complex dance of design aero, weight, ride height, etc. to maximize performance without exceeding IMSA class rules for GTDs. Also, this year’s Rolex 24 marks the first time that the new NSXs will compete, so expectations and anticipation are both sky high to see what these Japanese powerhouses can deliver at the track, as well as whether or not Michael Shank Racing can hang onto their championship title from last year’s Rolex 24.

Fortunately, both NSXs will have its most seasoned veteran drivers behind the wheel. Look for cars no. 93 and no. 86 in the starting grid, and for full 23 hour coverage of the race, check out coverage on Fox Sports 1 and Fox Sports 2 this weekend starting at 2:00 p.m. Januiary 28th. We cannot wait to see how these new Acura’s perform against the best the world has to offer for the GT Daytona class.

Speed Warhouse ‘91 Nissan 240SX DeathKart is Thunderdome Ready

Fans of JDM cars are already familiar with the iconic Nissan 240SX, and Australian tuners already know the power and class that the 240SX brings to the drift tuner scene to this day. That’s why when we saw this completely JACKED 240SX pulling some seriously fat burnouts and donuts in an empty lot online, we had to know more.

At first look the make and mode of this car is unclear, though that may have something to do with the Browning M2A2 heavy machine gun that is swivel mounted in the passenger seat. The possibility that someone had boosted this car from set storage from one of the Max Max movies occurred to us too, but as it turns out this mean machine is actually kept inside Speed Warhouse in Pennsylvania and has no current plans to be used in military or off road adventures, though it is an homage the classic Australian film series starring Mel Gibson.

With no big screen debut planned for what is dubbed the “DeathKart”, this creation is the brainchild of longtime drift car fan Mike Perez. A tire shredding, mayhem inducing brainchild made of twisted metal, bent tubing, and Japanese parts. Owner Mike Perez has been a fan of drift tuning and drifting since he was 16 years old, and DeathKart is built from the original S13 240SX that he learned how to drift in. The car has seen many incarnations before its current menacing version, including spending many years as a Gentleman Street Club car, and has supported every imaginable motor the chassis could accommodate.

The current DeathKart incarnation has a 1J turbocharged 2.5L with a Precision 6262 turbo that clocks in at around 550-hp channeled through a rear-wheel drive power train. The DeathKart was not originally intended for its current purpose however, but rather was the result of salvaging this S13 from its unfortunate collision with a spun-vehicle. As Mike began to part this car out and pull panels off, he continued to drive it sans-parts and was suddenly inspired to turn it into the unique vehicle it is today. It’s still a drifting beast, but it’s got a far more primal look thanks to Mike’s modifications over the years, and it definitely stands out as one of the jaw-droppingly cool 240SX modifications ever created.

This Wonderful Nissan Pao is one Texan’s Daily Driver

Some say that Texas is not just a place in the U.S., but a state of mind, even a lifestyle. Many cars over the years have been graced with trim levels based on Texas place names, but not a one has ever been a tiny retro Japanese hatchback. However, a recent discovery by Reddit user DBudders at the U of T, Tyler campus shows that a rare Japanese bird indeed exists in all its robin’s egg blue-colored plumaged glory.

So what’s the big deal about the Nissan Pao? I am so glad you asked. First of all, despite its size and engine dimensions, the Pao is not a kei car, though many have incorrectly categorized it as such. These tiny Japanese wonders were part of a quartet of retro-flavored Nissans that included the Figaro roadster, S-Cargo van, and the Be-1 hatchback built between 1989 and 1991. Equipped standard with a 1.0 liter inline-four engine and a 5-speed manual transmission, this diminutive 2-door has more in common with the Nissan Micra than it does with its classic progenitors, and right-side drive was mandatory due to their Japan-only market when they were first built.

How a Nissan Pao ended up in Texas is a complete mystery to most, but it clearly would make an excellent daily driver for a thrifty college student provided it doesn’t meet its end crushed beneath the wheels of a Ford F-350 King Ranch due to a parking mishap. Nissan Pao’s have been fully legal to own and operate in the U.S. due to the so-called “25-year rule”, so the determined with some means and knowhow can have one imported, and turnover for these super-compacts is already surprisingly high, which makes us wonder if the owner had this particular example imported, or if they purchased it from a third party domestically. Check this one out via the link above, it is definitely a unique car worth seeing, and those interested in importing these should contact us.

Nissan GT-R Creates World’s Largest Country Map of India

Breaking a record of a different kind this week, Nissan carved out an approximate map of the India over Sambhar Lake in Rajasthan to celebrate its 68th Republic Day . Maneuvering over the soft soil of a dry section of the lakebed, the 2017 Nissan GT-R’s map outline was clearly visible when captured by overhead camera drones. Pro rally driver Rahul Kanthraj makes the challenging task look like childsplay, running many laps guided by GPS to create an accurate outline. The map measures just over 3 km in length and is 2.8 km in width, covering a total outline periphery of about 14.7 km. Observers from the Limca Book of Records were present to verify the world record attempt, and the GT-R will be entered in the 2018 edition once they have certified their accomplishment.