Car History 4U - History of Japanese Motor Car / Automobile Manufacturers History of Japanese Motor Car / Automobile Manufacturers 8.11 Japan 8.11.1. The First Cars In 1898 a French Panhard-Levassor car is believed to be the first car introduced into Japan. A sketch drawn by Georges Ferdinand Bigot, who witnessed the car being driven by a French trader on 2 February, exists. The ten-seater, 25 hp steam-powered, Yamaba is possibly the first car made in Japan. It was built in 1904 by Torao Yamaba to transport his large family. One report indicates that a total of four Yamaba cars were made. In 1907 the Automobile Trading Company produced a 1.85 litre, petrol powered, car called the Takuri. Twelve were made. Between about 1910 and 1911 the Kunisue Automobile Works produced a 2 cylinder, 5hp Tourer car. How many? A 4 cylinder 16 hp luxury sedan was produced jointly by Kunisue and the Tokyo Motor Vehicle Works between 1911 and 1912.

Not more than 50 were made. Was the car called the “Tokyo”? What cc? A prototype car was produced by the Otha Company in 1922. Production models were produced between 1934 and1957. Models include the 736 cc Phaeton and the 23 hp, 903 cc, Otha P.A. How many of each were produced? Info on any others models required. Between 1924 and 1927 the Otomo car was produced by Junya Tokowawa. The car was powered by an air cooled 944 cc engine. How many, what hp? 8.11.2. Daihatsu The Daihatsu Motor Company came into being in 1951. The company was originally called the Hatsudoki Seizo Company which was founded in 1907 and initially produced internal combustion engines. In 1930 the company produced a three-wheeled trike. The first car, a three-wheeled car called the “Bee”, was built by Daihatsu in 1958.

Cooperation with Toyota started in 1967, with Toyota taking a controlling interest in 1999. Between 1963 and 1970 the company produced about 120,000 Compagno models, including a 41 hp 797 cc sedan (1963-67), the Spider 800 cabriolet/convertible (1965-67) and a 55 hp 958 cc sedan & convertible (1965-70). The company started production of the Charade model in 1977. Four generations of this model were produced; the 50 hp 993 cc G10 (1977-83), the three-cylinder 1 litre G11 (1983-87), the G100 (1987-1994) and the G200 (1994-2000), including a 1.5 litre sedan version. How many Charade cars were produced? 8.11.3.

Datsun In 1911 Masujiro Hasimoto, with the help of three investors (the first initials of their family names were D.A.T.), formed the Kwaishinsha Motor Car Works. Note: In Japanese DAT (Datto) means “running hare” or “hare in flight”. By 1912 he had built an experimental car which was followed in March 1914 by a prototype for the 4-cylinder 2,000 cc DAT 31; a model that was produced in 1915. Did production of the 31 cease in 1916? The five-seater, 15 hp (11kW) 4-cylinder 2,300 cc, DAT 41 model was launched in 1916 and remained in production until 1925. Was a 20 hp version also available? How many made? The 31 and 41 models were hand made; only the magneto, wheels and tyres were not made in Japan.

The name was changed to Kwaishinsha Motorcar Company in 1918, and then, in 1925, to DAT Motorcar Co. Note: One report states that Kwaishinsha Motors changed their name in 1917 to DAT Motor Vehicle Co. In 1923, the year the big earthquake struck Japan, the company produced the Type 51 Torpedo model. Were they made until 1926? How many? What engine size, etc? Car production ceased in 1926 when the DAT Motorcar Company merged with Jitsuyo Jidosha Seizo to form the DAT Automobile Manufacturing Company. See Section 8.11.6 (Jitsuyo Jidosha Seizo). Note: Jitsuyo Jidosha Co., Ltd. was established in 1919 to manufacture cars designed by the American engineer William Gorham. In 1931 the DAT Company built a two-seater car, the Type 10, which was smaller than their previous Type 51 Torpedo model, calling it “Datson” (son of DAT).

It had a 495cc 10hp 4 cylinder engine. A four-seater version, the Type 11, was also produced in 1931. How many Type 10 and 11 models were made and between which dates? These two models, which came in three body styles; roadster, tourer and sedan, had a top speed of 35mph (56km/h). Production of the Phaeton model began in 1932. It had a 495cc 10hp 4 cylinder engine. By 1934 Nissan had taken over the company and, because “son” can also mean “loss” in Japanese, changed the name to Datsun. 8.11.4. Honda The Honda Motor Company was formed in 1948 by Soichiro Honda to produce motorcycles. In June 1963 Honda produced their first four-wheeled vehicle, the T360, a small 356 cc pick-up truck.

The 531 cc S500 sports car was Honda’s first production car and 1,363 were made from October 1963 to September 1964. The car weighed only 1,500 lb (680 kg) and had a top speed of 80 mph (129 kph). The S360 roadster model was developed in 1962 but it did not enter production. The small front wheel drive, 354 cc, 2-door sedan Honda N360 was produced from March 1967 to 1970. In 1969 the company introduced the more powerful 599 cc N600, the first Honda car to be officially imported into the United States. The N600 had a top speed of 81 mph (130 kph) and was produced until 1972. A N1300 model was also available from 1968 until 1972. In July 1972 Honda introduced the Civic as a two-door coupe, followed by a three-door hatchback two months later.

Both versions had a 1,169 cc transverse engine and front-wheel drive. By 1979 a 4-door sedan and 5-door hatchback version were available. By 2005 over 16.5 million Honda Civics had been produced. The world’s sixth best selling car. The eighth generation Honda Civic was introduced in 2006, with engines of up to 2 litres available. The Accord model was first produced by Honda in 1976 as a 68 hp two-door hatchback, with a four-door sedan added in 1979. The third generation sedan models produced between 1985 and 1989 included the striking “flip-up" headlights. In 2002 Honda introduced the seventh generation Accord offering a 4-door sedan and a 2-door coupe, with 2.4 and 3.0 litre engines. In addition to Japan, the Accord has been manufactured in China, India, Malaysia, Mexico, Pakistan, Thailand and the United States (where it was the top selling Japanese car from 1982 to 1997).

In 1986, Honda started production of the 151 hp Acura Legend. This was followed in 1987 by the Prelude, the first passenger car in the world equipped with four-wheel steering technology. Models produced in 2007 include the Jazz, CR-V, FR-V, Civic, Accord, Fit, Odyssey and the S2000. 8.11.5. Isuzu In 1918 the Ishikawajima Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. started building British Wolseley cars under licence, producing the first car, the A9 model, in 1922. By 1933 the company’s name had changed to Automobile Industries Co., later producing the Sumida and Chiyoda cars. When were these two cars made? Info on them required, hp, max speed, etc. The company’s name was changed to Isuzu in 1949. From 1953 to (When? 1963?) Isuzu assembled the British Hillman Minx car.

Between 1963 and 1973 the company produced a car of their own design; the Bellet sedan, plus the 2-door GT coup version which was launched in 1964. 1.3, 1.5, 1.6, 1.8 & 2.0 litre engines were available. 170,737 Bellet models were produced. Check this total. The Bellet was replaced by the 4-door Florian model in 1967. By 1983, when production ended, 145,836 had been manufactured. From 1974 to 2000 five generations of the Gemini range of cars were produced and sold under a variety of names, including Domani, Impulse, I-Mark, Piazza, Sunburst, Spectrum, Stylus, in several different countries. Production of the Aska model started in 1983 and ended in 2002 when Isuzu ceased producing cars. In 2003 the company produced 16 million diesel engines. 8.11.6.

Jitsuyo Jidosha Seizo In 1918 William Gorham, an American, designed an 880 cc 7.2 hp (5.4 kW), two-cylinder three-wheeler. The prototype was produced in 1918. The Jitsuyo Jidosha Seizo Company was established in 1919 to manufacture Gorham’s three-wheeled cars, production of which started in 1920. How many were built and for how long? Till 1922? Using the same 880 cc engine, a four-wheeler version was produced between 1922 and 1923. The “Gorham 4-Wheeler” used a tiller steering system. The car’s name was changed to “Lila” in about 1923. How many were built? Gorham’s wife was called Lila. In 1923 the company produced the Lila JC model. It was fitted with a four-cylinder, air cooled, 850 cc 10 hp (7.5 kW) engine. How many were built and for how long?

Until 1926? A four door (1924) and a roadster version (when?) that used the JC model’s chassis and 850 cc engine were also produced. How many of each type were built and for how long? Until 1926? The Jitsuyo Jidosha Seizo Company merged with the DAT Motorcar Company in 1926 to form the DAT Automobile Manufacturing Company. See Section 8.11.3 (Datsun). 8.11.7. Mazda In 1960 the Toyo Koygo Company produced its first car, an 836 lb, 380 kg lightweight “keicar” called the Mazda R360. The 16 hp (12 kW) 356 cc two-seater car had a top speed of about 52 mph (84 kph). The car was produced over a 6 year period. A four seater version was introduced in 1962 followed by a convertible in 1964.

During the 1960s the company launched five further cars, including the Cosmo Sports, 110S model. A total of 1,519 of these hand made 110S cars were produced from 1967 to 1972. It was the first car to be fitted with a 2-rotor Wankel rotary engine. Three further generations of cars bearing the Cosmo name were also produced by the company between 1975-80, 1981-90 and 1990-95. By 1963 the company had produced its one millionth vehicle (cars & trucks) and its five millionth by 1972. During the 1970s twelve different car models were launched, followed by a further 12 during the 1980s and 15 in the 1990s. In 1984 the company changed its name to the Mazda Motor Corporation. Between 1978 and 2002 Mazda produced a sports car called the RX-7.

A total of 811,634 of these cars, which were fitted with the Wankel rotary engine, were produced. A 3-rotor Wankel engine, capable of producing 550 hp (410 kW), could be fitted to the third Generation RX-7 1992-2002 models in place of the standard 2-rotor engine. The third generation RX-7 model had a top speed of over 200 mph (320 kph). Cars produced in 2008 include the Mazda 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, Verisa, MX-5, MX-7, rotary engined RX-8 and the RX-9. 8.11.8. Mitsubishi In 1917 the Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Company produced the seven-seater, 35 hp (26 kW) 2.8 litre, Model A. The car had a top speed of 20 mph (32 kph).

By 1922, when production ceased, 22 of these hand built cars, which were based on Fiat’s Tipo 3 model, had been built. The first motor vehicle diesel engine developed in Japan, the 6.7 litre 69 hp (51 kW) 450AD model, was produced by the company in 1931. 450AD or 445AD? In 1934 the company, now renamed Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, started development of the PX33, a prototype 4-wheel drive sedan for military use. Four models were built, plus a version under development that was being fitted with the 450AD diesel engine when the project was cancelled in 1937. From 1951 to 1954 Mitsubishi’s regional East Japan Heavy-Industries Company imported Kaiser Motor’s Henry J model. The American car, which was supplied in kit form, had a 68 hp (51 kW) engine. Or was it 80 hp?

Between 1960 and 1965 Mitsubishi produced the 500 model (1960), the two-stroke 359 cc, front engine Minica kei car (1962) and four Colt models, the 600 (1962), the 1000 (1963), plus the 800 and 1500 (1965). The 20 hp (15 kW) 500 model was manufactured by Shin Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. The 493 cc, rear-engined, vehicle was the first car produced in Japan after WW2. Production ceased in 1962. The Mitsubishi Motors Corporation was formed on 22 April 1970. More recent Colt models include the Plus (2004), C2C (2005), Ralliant Version-R (2005) and in 2006, the MIEV, which used electric motors at each wheel. The first in a range of Galant cars was produced from 1969 to 1973.

In 1971 they became the first Mitsubishi cars to be sold in the United States where they were called the ‘Dodge Colt’. A ninth generation Galant, which was also called the Grunder, was launched in 2004. In 1998 the company introduced the seventh generation, 657 cc, Minica kei car. A 5-door hatchback model, the 659 cc Mitsubishi “i,” was launched in 2006. In addition to Japan, Mitsubishi vehicles have been manufactured in Australia, Netherlands, Philippines, Thailand and the United States. 8.11.9. Nissan In 1928, Yoshisuke Aikawa formed Nippon Industries, which during the early 1930s became abbreviated to “Nissan”. In 1931, Aikawa gained control of DAT Motors and in 1933 Nissan’s Tobata Casting's automobile parts department was merged with DAT Motors. On 1 June 1934 a new subsidiary of Tobata Castings was established which was called the Nissan Motor Company.

Datsun models produced between 1935 and 1937 include the 722 cc 14 hp Type 14 (1935), the 722 cc 16 hp Type 15 Phaeton and Type 16 (1936) and the 17 hp Type 17 (1937). The Type 14, 15 and 16 models had a top speed of 80 mph (128 kph). The 3,600 cc 85 hp Nissan 70, an American Graham-Paige car built under licence, was produced in 1937. In 1942 the company produced the 1,468 cc 35 hp Nissan 50. In 1937 Nissan produced 15,000 cars. By 1938 the company were producing the Model 70 Phaeton. In 1947 the Datsun DA model was the first car produced by Nissan after WW2. It used the same engine as the pre-war Datsun Type 17.

Datsun models produced in the early 1950s include the 860cc 20hp DB Deluxe (1951), the DB-2 Thrift Sedan (1952) which was a 4 door version of the DB Deluxe and the Deluxe (1954). In 1955 they started production of the 2-door A 110 model. A 4-door version was sold as the Convar. The 1,498 cc Datsun/Austin Cambridge A50 was produced in 1956. In 1966 Nissan merged with the Prince Motor Company (see Section 8.11.10 ). Production of Prince’s existing Skyline and Gloria range of cars continued. Peak production of the Skyline model was between 1972 and 1977, when over 670,500 were made. Production of the twelvth generation Skyline started in 2006; the 4-door V36 sedan. The first Nissan Cedric, the "30" series, was produced between 1960 and 1961.

It had a 1488 cc engine, with an optional 1,883 cc version. The Cedric name was dropped from most of the 230 series export versions that were produced from 1971 to 1975, the exported car being called the 200C, 220C, 240C, 260C, and Gloria. The Cedric series came to an end in 2004, replaced by the Nissan Fuga. In 1966 Nissan launched the Sunny series, which was exported as the Datsun 1000. Two body styles were available, a two-door sedan (B10) and a van/station wagon (VB10). A second generation Sunny, also known as the Datsun 1200, was launched in 1970. A station wagon and a coupe version were added to the range. Later versions were called the Tsuru in Mexico and the Sentra in the United States. The Sunny name has also been used on other models, such as the export version of the Nissan Pulsar.

Production of the 2,393 cc 240Z model began in 1969; a car that had a top speed of 125 mph (200 kph). Nearly 173,000 had been made when production ceased in 1973. Nissan ceased using the Datsun name in 1983. By 2006 Nissan had produced nearly 16.5 million vehicles carrying the Sunny name. The Sunny model was still being produced for the African and American markets in 2006. Production for the Japanese market ended in 2004, the Sunny being replaced by the Nissan Tiida. Other cars produced by Nissan include the Micra/March, Bluebird, Primera, Altima and Almera. See Section 8.11.3 (Datsun) 8.11.10. Prince Motor Company Shortly after the end of WW2 the Nakaima and Tachikawa Aircraft Companies were merged to become part of the large Fuji Sangyo organisation. In about 1947 Fuji Sangyo decided to develop an electric car which became known as the “Tama”.

Note: In Japanese ‘Tama’ means ghost, spirit, soul. Production started sometime between 1949 and 1952. Exactly when? Three versions of the Tama were produced; the E4S-47 and the “Junior” (both 4-seaters) and the 5-seater “Senior”. The car, which weighed 2,425 lbs (1,102 kilos) used lead acid batteries, had a range of about 60 miles (96 klm) and a top speed of 22 mph (35 kph). Double check these figures. In 1950 Fuji Sangyo was re-organised into 12 smaller parts; one being the Fuji Precision Machine Company (FPMC). Two years later, in 1952, the Tama Motors Company was formed as part of FPMC. In 1955 it was renamed the Prince Motor Company and production of the Tama ceased. Did production of the Tama end in 1955? The company started to develop a petrol powered car in about 1955.

The 1,482 cc, 60 hp (45 kW), Skyline ALS1-1 model was introduced in April 1957. Both coupe and sedan versions were available. Between 1957 and 1963 nearly 34,000 were made. A second generation Skyline model, the 70 hp S50 was produced from 1963 to 1967, when it was replaced by the 88 hp, 1500 cc S57. In 1961 the company introduced the BLSIP-2 series Prince Gloria model. The 1.9 litre, 80 hp (60 kW) car was a luxury version of the Skyline. Production ended in 1962. The S40-E Series Gloria was produced between 1961 and 1966. It was the first Prince car to be fitted with a 6-cylinder engine. A 2.5 litre version, the S41 was also produced. In 1966 the Prince Motor Company merged with the Nissan Motor Company.

In 1923 there were about 65,000 cars in Japan, most of which were taxis. In 1953 Hino Motors started manufacturing Renault 4CV cars under licence. The company built its own car, the Countess 900, in 1961. The car had an 893 cc, rear-mounted 35 hp (26kW) engine. Two 1300 models introduced in 1964 had a 1,251 cc engine that developed 60 hp/44 kW (Sedan) or 70 hp/51 KW (coupe). In 1966 the company was taken over by Toyota and Hino ceased producing cars in 1967. Between 1957 and 1961 Mikasa built a sedan, a station wagon and a convertible. All three models were fitted with air cooled 2-cylinder 20 hp (15 kW) engines.

The major producers of cars in Japan in 2005 were (figures in millions): Toyota 1.22M, Honda 1.21M, Suzuki 0.92M, Mazda 0.8M, Mitsubishi 0.55M and Daihatsu 0.54M. For additional historical and general information about cars in Japan see the links listed in the Car Manufacturers Website section. 8.11.14. Other Japanese Car Producers Dome-O, Fuji, Hope, Idemitsu, Isaka, Koei, Kurogone, Meihatsu, Mitaka, Mitsu, Nikken, Nippon, Ohmiya, Sanko, Showa, Suminoe, Tachikwaw and Yanase. 8.11.15. Japanese Car Web Sites Earlydatsun.com View Full Screen ADVERTISEMENT Today, the Japanese car industry is so tightly interwoven with the fabric of American automotive culture that it's almost impossible to separate it. But going into the 1960s, practically no American wanted or trusted Japanese products outside of the transistor radio and Honda Cub 50 motorcycle.

So the Japanese industry had to fight to prove itself in this country, and it did so by turning out affordable products that, even if they lacked excitement, were durable and economical to operate. By the 1970s Honda, Mazda, Nissan and Toyota were pushing the product envelope with machines that dared to be entertaining alongside the now well-known virtues of Japanese cars. Throw in a couple of traumatic fuel shortages caused by OPEC oil embargoes, and by 1980 Japanese carmakers were entrenched in America. By the 1990s, they were building many of their cars here in the United States. These are the 100 greatest Japanese cars of all time. But we admit we're biased in favor of cars that have had a significant impact here in North America — either in sales or in defining the car culture. That doesn't mean there aren't any cars on this list that were sold only in Japan (there's no way we'd leave off Nissan's mighty Skyline GT-Rs, for instance) but we considered all the cars primarily in the context of our market.

The mere knowledge that the GT-R existed was enough for it to rock our world, even if we weren't allowed to buy one from Nissan until 2009. Naturally, every entry here can be debated; that's the reason behind these lists. There is, after all, no shame in being provocative. At least when it comes to writing long lists on the Internet. 100. 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata: The next evolution of the Miata promises to be leap forward in style and ability. Call this one a pick based on hope and faith. 99. 1967 Mazda Cosmo: Japanese-market GT coupe that was the first two-rotor rotary-powered car. Predates the RX-7 by more than a decade and only about 1,500 were built. 98. 2011 Nissan Leaf : It's the best-selling all-electric car ever made. And it's a consistently good one, too. 97. 1999 Honda Insight: Toyota's Prius hogs all the glory, but it's the two-sea teardrop-shaped Insight that showed how a hybrid could be sweet to drive and own. 96.

1965 Toyota Sports 800: Sleek, tiny and fun with power from a 790cc two-cylinder flat engine. It was Toyota's first sports car. Only sold in Japan. 95. 2000 Toyota Altezza: Rugged, sharp-handling car sold in America as the Lexus IS 300. Deserves to be remembered for more than its taillights. 94. 2003 Infiniti G35 Coupe: The two-door version of Infiniti's smallish car is stylish and quick thanks to its VQ-Series V6. Murder it out in flat black. 93. 2002 Acura RSX Type-S: Follow up to the beloved Integra in America, the RSX lacked that car's delicacy and replaced it with toughness and easier-going 2.0-liter engines. 92. 2002 Honda Integra Type-R: The Integra name continued on in the car known as the RSX in America. Great handling and 200 horsepower. 91. 1972 Toyota Corolla SR5: A five-speed manual transmission is added to the Corolla to create the first SR5.

It turns out that the Corolla could be fun. 90. 1988 Toyota Celica All-Trac: Add a turbo and all-wheel drive to the Celica to create a rally-ready, 190-hp beast. World Rally champ in 1990. 89. 1990 Toyota Celica All-Trac: Basis for the WRC champions in 1992, 1993 and 1994. Enough said. 88. 1993 Honda Civic Coupe: North America's two-door Civic coupe becomes the standard platform for sport-compact lunacy for a full decade. A tough car that was also easy to tweak. 87. 1973 Nissan Skyline GT-R: The often-overlooked KGPC110 version of the Skyline GT-R. There was 160 hp from its inline-6. Only 197 were built, making it the rarest GT-R. 86. 2004 Mazda 3: Known in Japan as the Axela (because, why not?), the Mazda 3 has never been a sales leader. But there's no other compact car that drives as well or feels more substantial.

It's the car every other compact must be judged against. 85. 1988 Honda Prelude Si: Today 135 hp seems modest, but the injected 2.0-liter four combined with four-wheel steering to produce Honda's best handling car of the 1980s. 84. 1992 Honda Prelude Si VTEC: Honda's VTEC system migrates over from the NSX to create the 190-hp Prelude Si in a new, slightly weird body. It's still a brilliant car to drive. 83. 1991 Infiniti Q45: The first product from Nissan's luxury division is this large, but driver-oriented, luxury sedan with a 278-hp, 4.5-liter V8 under its hood. Active suspension was an option. 82. 1991 Toyota MR2 Turbo: It wasn't quite a budget-priced NSX, but the second-generation midengine MR2 Turbo had 200 hp aboard. Entertaining in every way, and practical in almost no way. 81.

1991 Nissan Sentra SE-R: A plain box filled with the brilliant SR20DE 2.0-liter four rated at 140 hp. The sort of great, affordable car that makes you love cars forever. 80. 1999 Mazda MX-5 Miata: The second-generation Miata gets fixed headlights, a revised chassis and a slight bump in power for its 1.8-liter engine. Now a great used car buy. 79. 2006 Mazda MX-5 Miata: A slightly boxier but even sharper-handling version of the Miata. A 170-hp 2.0-liter four is now standard. And it's still ridiculously fun. 78. 1985 Honda Civic CRX Si: The egg-shaped two-seat version of the Civic fortified with a fuel-injected engine making 91 hp. Everything a small car should be and not an ounce more. 77. 1958 Toyota Toyopet: Opening its first store in an old Rambler dealership in Hollywood, California, on October 31, 1957, Toyota stocks it with two $2,300 Toyopet Crown sedans.

Everything snowballs from there. 76. 1986 Acura Integra: Honda takes the risk of opening a luxury division with this Civic derivative in three- and five-door form and the larger Legend sedan. The risk pays off. 75. 1982 Mitsubishi Starion Turbo: Mitsubishi enters the American market led by this rear-drive GT coupe powered by a 145-hp, turbocharged version of its 2.6-liter four. In '86 the ESI-R version grew fender flares and 16-inch wheels and power rose to 176 hp. 74. 1964 Honda S600: While the S500 is the first production Honda, it is its successor, the vastly superior S600 roadster, that set Honda's path. It's still, ahem, nifty. 73. 1967 Toyota Century Limousine: Big and indulgent, the first-generation Century would stay in production 30 years. It's the V8-powered Century and 2000GT sports car introduced almost at the same time that emboldened Toyota to move beyond economy cars. 72.

1917 Mitsubishi Model A: It's Japan's first production car and that kind of matters. Based on the Fiat Tipo 3 and powered by a 2.8-liter four. 71. 1986 Mazda 323 GTX: All-wheel drive and a turbocharged, 132-hp 1.6-liter engine in a dinky box, the 323 GTX was the first Japanese rally beast. It didn't make it to America until 1988. 70. 1991 Subaru SVX: A big, spacey coupe with a 3.3-liter flat-6 under its Giugiaro-designed nose feeding all four wheels. It was ahead of its time and we're still waiting for its time to come. 69. 1990 Nissan 300ZX Twin Turbo: After two generations of tubby cruiser Z-cars, the "Z32" hits the world with blistering performance and an amazing appearance. The 300-hp Twin Turbo wasn't just world-class, it was world-beating. 68. 2009 Nissan 370Z: So good that it's often taken for granted today.

Today's Z uses a 3.7-liter, 332-hp version of the VQ-Series V6, giving it performance that required adding turbos back in the 1990s. 67. 1986 Mazda RX-7 Turbo: The second-generation RX-7 isn't as beloved as the first, but it was a better car with all-independent suspension and a turbo option. It's now a used sports car bargain. 66. 1989 Nissan 240SX: The legendary Silvia in its original "S13" form. An easygoing commuter car when it's bone-stock, but the S13's rear-drive chassis has proven both robust and almost infinitely tunable. A car that's ridiculously easy to drive sideways... and every other which way. 65. 1989 Nissan Maxima: Flat-out gorgeous, this slick "four-door sports car" elevated expectations about what a Japanese sedan could offer serious drivers. Early versions had a 160-hp 3.0-liter V6; later versions had 190 horses. 64.

1995 Nissan Maxima: The first car to use Nissan's now ubiquitous VQ-Series V6, it was rated at 190 hp with exceptional torque production. And the engine would grow in power over this car's production life. 63. 1992 Lexus SC 300/400: A revision of the Toyota Soarer, the SC 300 had a 3.0-liter straight-6, while the SC 400 got Lexus' 4.0-liter V8. Brilliantly built, indomitable in how it drove, it's a great luxury GT coupe. 62. 2007 Mazdaspeed 3: Put a 263-hp, turbocharged 2.3-liter four into the Mazda 3? Good idea. Fast and always composed, it's one of Mazda's all-time best. 61. 1997 Honda Civic Type-R: Never sold in America, the first Civic Type-R used a 1.6-liter engine spinning to 185 hp. A Momo steering wheel and Recaro seats were also part of this three-door's package. 60.

1990 Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX: It had the 4G63 turbocharged 2.0-liter engine and all-wheel drive before the Evo did. The sweet product of the misbegotten Diamond Star joint venture in Illinois also produced the almost undifferentiated Eagle Talon and Plymouth Laser. 59. 2007 Honda Civic Type-R: Japan only, but so tasty it built a legend over here, too. A robust 222 hp from its 2.0-liter K-Series four powered this four-door sedan. 58. 1979 Toyota Pickup 4x4: Toyota adds four-wheel drive to its ludicrously popular truck to produce an instant icon of California teen life. And a great off-road machine. 57. 1999 Honda Civic Si: Finally Honda offers the popular two-door coupe body with a high-performance 1.6-liter B16 DOHC engine making 160 hp. Instantly popular, most examples are quickly destroyed with misbegotten modifications. 56.

1992 Acura Integra GS-R: The first high-performance variation of the Integra with the 1.7-liter, 160-hp VTEC engine that screamed to an 8,000-rpm redline. 55. 1984 Toyota Corolla Sedan: The Corolla goes front-drive for the first time and becomes even more popular than before. Soon practically all Japanese small sedans would be built this way. 54. 2002 Nissan Altima: The also-ran Altima becomes a serious player in its third generation. Moving to the new "FF-L" platform optimized for North American market conditions, this Altima earned critical praise and became a true alternative to the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. 53. 2016 or 2017 Acura NSX: It's going to be a hybrid. It's going to be fast. It's going to be made in Ohio. It's got to be awesome. 52. 1978 Toyota Celica: The second-generation Celica is great-looking and still rear-drive. But more importantly, it was styled at Toyota's Calty studio in California. Toyota is becoming more and more American.

51. 2000 Honda S2000: The classic sports roadster rebuilt around an advanced, super-stiff structure and high-winding, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with a roughly 9,000-rpm redline. An update for the 2004 model year increased engine size to 2.2-liters and knocked the redline down to about 8,000 rpm with better low-end torque delivery. The S2000 chassis was balanced, while its drivetrain thrived on abuse. 50. 1995 Subaru Legacy Outback: Subaru had long searched for an identity in America and finally found it with the first Outback wagon. It's sort of a proto-crossover and it's become a Subaru mainstay. 49. 1983 Honda Prelude: The second-generation Prelude was a much better car than the first and vastly prettier. The big change was an all-new chassis that featured a double-wishbone front suspension that would become a distinctive Honda engineering element through the 1980s and '90s. 48.

1969 Nissan Skyline GT-R: Compared to the turbo monster GT-Rs that would come later, the first GT-R was almost tame with its 2.0-liter straight-6 making about 160 hp. But it was the first of a monumental species. 47. 2002 Nissan 350Z: Nissan pulled the 300ZX from the American market in 1996 and it seemed that the company's signature product was essentially dead. But then in 2002 came the 350Z, making brilliant use of the 287-hp, VQ-Series 3.5-liter V6. 46. 2012 Scion FR-S/Subaru BRZ: Built by Subaru using some Toyota parts, these twin rear-drive sport coupes resurrected the small, 2.0-liter pure driving machine for the 21st century. 45. 1982 Toyota Celica Supra: The first Supra was just a Celica with a long nose and six-cylinder engine. The second one, though, was this square-cut legend.

The 2.8-liter straight-6 had twin-cam heads, the rear suspension was independent and the cockpit featured the best seats in the business. A true grand tourer. 44. 1984 Honda Civic Si: The bread-van generation Civic with a tuned suspension and fuel-injected engine becomes the engaging Civic Si hatchback. The 1.5-liter four only made 91 hp, but back then that was an improvement. 43. 1992 Subaru WRX: The Impreza was still new to the market when Subaru fortified it with the magical pixie dust of turbocharging and all-wheel drive. Suddenly it was a 237-hp rally car you could buy called WRX. A car so good in flight that it should have required a pilot's license. 42. 1958 Datsun 220 Pickup: The first Datsun truck sold in America, it established a sales beachhead for the company that, back then, wasn't doing a great job selling cars. 41. 1976 Honda Accord: By 21st-century standards, the original three-door Accord is tiny and underpowered.

To an America that was still shell-shocked by the OPEC oil embargoes, the Accord was a refined alternative to the massive domestics that dominated the sales charts at the time. Cars like the Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme — then America's best-seller — suddenly seemed like the wallowing dinosaurs that they were. 40. 1998 Toyota Prius: Toyota's first hybrid may not have been sleek, but it redefined how automotive efficiency could be achieved. 39. 1995 Nissan Skyline GT-R: The R33 only falls this low on the list because it follows the groundbreaking R32 GT-R and isn't as overwhelming as the R34 that followed it. But it's the second all-wheel-drive, twin-turbocharged GT-R, and that means it was awesome. 38. 1983 Toyota Camry: After conventional rear-drive boxes like the Corona, Toyota introduces the front-drive Camry and reinvents its mainstream family car. A simple, nearly indestructible machine that's perfect for millions of buyers. 37. 1965 Toyota Corona: It's the first Toyota people bought not because it was cheap, but because it was better than other cheap cars.

It's the car that established Toyota's quality reputation and was perceived by buyers as a smart choice. 36. 1973 Datsun B210: So simple it almost had no moving parts. Rear-drive and agricultural, the B210 became an icon of 1970s Japanese ruggedness. A car everyone owned, and many have tried to forget. 35. 1995 Toyota RAV4: A company noted for brawny 4x4s builds a little one around front-drive car parts and the result has been selling in huge numbers ever since. It was a crossover before there were crossovers. 34. 1998 Lexus RX 300: The luxury crossover that started it all, and what all the other crossovers still pretend to be. It is consistently the best-selling vehicle Lexus offers and never less than excellent to drive. 33. 1996 Honda CR-V: It followed the mini-crossover lead of Toyota's RAV4 and has surpassed it in many ways. It's often the best-selling SUV in America on any given month. 32.

1984 Toyota 4Runner: Stealing the Chevy Blazer formula, Toyota caps the bed of its best-selling 4x4 pickup with a great shell and creates a versatile SUV. It has evolved since then, but it's still a tough machine. 31. 1984 Toyota Corolla AE86: While the Corolla sedans adopted front-drive, the two-door models stuck with rear-drive and a solid axle. When equipped with a twin-cam 1.6-liter engine, it was the car around which competitive drifting evolved. 30. 2008 Subaru WRX STI: Subie ups the tech beyond NASA levels and thumps the 2.5-liter turbocharged flat-4 to 305 hp. 29. 2008 Lexus IS F: Big V8 in a small car produces Lexus' muscle-bound sedan. The 416-hp 5.0-liter V8 paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission results in an IS that hits 60 mph in about 4 seconds. 28. 1999 Nissan Skyline GT-R: The mighty R34 generation with every advanced drivetrain trick known to the 20th century.

Will always be the ultimate GT-R to many. 27. 1986 Acura Legend: The large, front-drive, V6-powered sedan that established the Japanese luxury brand as viable in America. 26. 1970 Mazda RX-2: With 120 horses aboard, the Wankel rotary-powered RX-2 was about as quick as anything from Japan then sold in America. It established Mazda's presence in the U.S., even if it didn't make the rotary a permanent part of the market. 25. 1971 Toyota Celica ST: It's the Mustang formula applied to a Toyota: a great-looking coupe body over ordinary mechanicals. But it was Toyota's first mass-market sporty car and that won it a generation of young buyers. 24. 1985 Toyota MR2: The little midengine two-seater that remains one of the most attractive cars of the 1980s. Powered by a 112-hp, 1.6-liter engine, it wasn't very fast. A supercharged model became available in 1987 with 145 hp. 23.

2009 Nissan GT-R : The R35 is the first version of the GT-R sent by Nissan into America. It's radical in conception with a 473-hp twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter V6, rear-mounted dual-clutch transmission, and high tech in every nook and all-wheel-driven cranny. Godzilla, indeed. 22. 1996 Nissan 240SX: A conventional coupe capable of incredible performance when modified — often and most effectively with Nissan's SR20-DET replacing the stock 2.4-liter truck engine. The "Silvia" is an icon of drifting and balanced dynamics. 21. 1951 Toyota Land Cruiser: Why are Toyotas tough? Because the first "BJ" Land Cruiser was built tough. The off-road machine that made Toyota's reputation around the world. 20. 1961 Toyota Land Cruiser: The upgraded FJ40 series Land Cruiser is the one that generated most of the Land Cruiser legends. Indomitable. 19. 1988 Honda CRX Si: The first CRX was great. But it's the second CRX Si that was perfect.

It's a two-seat front-driver that elevated unpretentiousness up into a fine art. 18. 1993 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution I: In chasing the World Rally Championship, Mitsubishi stuffs the ordinary Lancer with everything good in its inventory. That includes a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4G63 engine and all-wheel drive. The Evo won the WRC Constructors Championship for Mitsubishi in 1998. 17. 2011 Lexus LFA: Carbon-fiber body, 4.8-liter V10 that screams a banshee wail as it knocks out 553 hp and a borderline insane $375,000 price tag. Proof that Toyota can build one of the best cars in the world any time it decides to. 16. 1992 Toyota Camry: A simple car built around simple mechanicals and refined into almost silken perfection. There's nothing exotic about this Camry, but its size and styling make it perfectly suited to the American market. Every Toyota since has been chasing this one's character. 15.

1973 Honda Civic: Honda's cars were too toylike to be taken seriously until the Civic came around in '73. Ridiculously comfortable for its size, amazingly engaging to drive and absolutely rugged in its construction, this Civic built and defined what a Honda automobile is and should be. 14. 1993 Mazda RX-7: Keeping the mass low and adding a sequential turbocharger system to the two-rotor Wankel engine resulted in a third-generation RX-7 sports car that practically wrapped itself around its driver. Lightning reflexes combined with brilliant adhesion. 13. 1990 Lexus LS 400: Toyota launches its luxury division on the back of this over-engineered, amazingly quiet, easygoing big sedan. It's at least as well executed as any Mercedes, but retails for about $10,000 less than anything the Germans make. The 4.0-liter, 250-hp, 32-valve V8 is more serene than most convents. 12. 1971 Mazda R100: Tiny little Wankel rotary-powered coupe that was the first Mazda sent to America.

It was a 120-hp screamer at a time when most small cars were lethargic slugs. 11. 1994 Toyota Supra Turbo: Two sequential turbos boosted the 3.0-liter straight-6 to 320 hp. But aftermarket toys could boost that beyond 1,000 hp with the tough iron block taking the punishment. Plus, it handled well. 10. 1967 Toyota 2000GT: Delicate and ferocious at the same time, it's the first Japanese car that could be called collectible. It's branded a Toyota, but much of the engineering and assembly work (including design of the 2.0-liter straight six) was done by Yamaha. 9. 1990 Mazda MX-5 Miata: England stopped building small sports cars, so Mazda built one that had all their charm with the quality and reliability for which Japan is famed. Consistently excellent, the Miata has become a stalwart of amateur racing around the world. 8. 1997 Acura Integra Type-R: Everything a front-drive performance car should be. It's light, instantly reactive, handles brilliantly and is an absolute blast to drive.

Plus the 1.8-liter VTEC engine makes 195 hp as it spins up its 8,400-rpm redline. It's still the best handling front-drive car ever built. 7. 1968 Datsun 510 Bluebird: Not just a single car, but a full line of two- and four-door sedans plus a wagon. In specification it was basically a BMW 2002 with a couple thousand bucks shaved off the price. That included four-wheel independent suspension on all the models except the wagon. Somewhere someone is racing an old 510 as you read this. And probably winning. 6. 1978 Mazda RX-7: Turns out that a simple, two-seat sports car was the natural home for the Wankel rotary engine after all. It's the car that established Japan's commitment to filling every market niche with a competitive and entertaining product. 5. 1970 Datsun 240Z: By 1970 Porsches and Corvettes were too expensive and the British sports cars that were left were archaic and unreliable.

All those realities produced a market opening that Nissan filled with the astonishing Datsun 240Z. The 2.4-liter straight-6 growled like a Jaguar, the styling was more expressive than a Corvette's and it was built as well as any Porsche. And it was cheap. This is the car that proved Japan was capable of producing the best cars in the world... at a budget price. 4. 1989 Nissan Skyline GT-R (R32): Except for maybe Porsche's 959 supercar, this was the most technologically ambitious car of the 1980s. The twin-turbocharged, 2.6-liter straight-6 produced 276 hp and could easily be tweaked to make more than twice that. The all-wheel-drive system could be tuned for specific situations and the rest of the car was calibrated for awesome. This isn't the first GT-R, but the R32 is the car that gave the GT-R the name Godzilla. 3. 1991 Acura NSX : Midengine, all-aluminum monocoque construction, a suspension tuned with help from Ayrton Senna, and all the reliability and usability of a Honda.

The NSX was so fantastic, so undeniably good, that it forced Ferrari, Lamborghini and Porsche to build better sports cars. For the first time, a Japanese car was the best car in the world. 2. 1967 Toyota Corolla: It wasn't fancy or fast or even very good-looking. And the very first Corolla had a pokey 1.1-liter pushrod four under its hood. But it's the car that got the world to buy Japanese cars. Practically everyone has a Corolla story or still has a Corolla in their garage. And good experiences with Corollas led millions to buy more and more Toyotas. 1. 2004 Toyota Prius: The second-generation Prius, the one shaped like a sardine, is the car that made the gasoline-electric hybrids mainstream transportation for millions of ordinary consumers. In the 21st century virtually every car is following the Prius' lead in some way or another. And that includes the Porsche 918 Spyder and Ferrari LaFerrari hybrids. This is the future and there's never anything greater than that.

Question: Which Japanese car manufacturer made the Cherry
Answer: Datsun