VOTE for Best Japanese Car

[toyomatt84]

I think he means general Skylines, not a particular model like GTR. I would like to vote for 'Nissan Skyline' (as a whole) as I nominated it, but I can't, there is a lot of history behind them with out even going into the GTR versions.

👍 Spot on. They didn't have a GTR version for the model I liked.

 

[Poverty]

Vote for the evo. No other car can be chipped to take power from 280bhp to 380bhp and not reduce reliability. And on day to day roads near next to nothing can beat it, it would eat M3's M5's M6'S and 911's all day.

 

[Famine]

Dude - they have to be serviced every 4,500 miles.

 

[Poverty]

Not with the new GT version, but yes the others do.

 

[Luca]

I'd say the Corolla has done more for Japanese cars than any other Japanese car. It was the first really popular subcompact car worldwide. It was one of the first "sport compacts," proving that small, economical cars could also be fun to drive. The AE86 is the basis for the entire drifting craze that's going on now. And it's the best selling car, in the world, ever.

 

[F1GTR]

Voted for the Skyline because Polyphony Digital told me to do so.

 

[RICHARDO]

Nissan Skyline for me too, you can't deny its impact on motor racing and pop-culture. It's problably the most historically-significant car here.

 

[Famine]

Nissan Skyline for me too, you can't deny its impact on motor racing and pop-culture. It's problably the most historically-significant car here.

Imprezas have a nickname (Scooby)... Imprezas were once the most-stolen car in the United Kingdom (and are still a target even now)... Police bought them as the only way to keep up with them... The Impreza single-handedly pulled the WRC up by its bootstraps from the post-Group B era, and pushed the sport into being the second most-watched motorsport on the planet...

And you have an Impreza as your avatar...

 

[Time_Attack]

Vote for the evo. No other car can be chipped to take power from 280bhp to 380bhp and not reduce reliability. And on day to day roads near next to nothing can beat it, it would eat M3's M5's M6'S and 911's all day.

I've driven an evo and while it was fun, it was impracticle. The brakes were bad, I couldnt see the tach to save my life, the wing hurt visibility and there is NO torque when you're out of boost. I couldnt drive it correctly in stop/go traffic for anything, Not to mention how the shifter was terribly notchy and the clutch engaged terribly hard.

 

[Dave A]

I'm suprised at that, I have been told the same thing by a lad I know who's driven one for a few weeks, I didn't believe him since the car is held in such high regard, I just thought maybe he couldn't drive it, despite the fact hat he's experienced significantly faster and more powerful cars than the Evo. He didn't say the brakes were bad but he did say it was awful as a day to day car, your generally finding the car lacking acceleration in daily driving.

 

[RICHARDO]

Imprezas have a nickname (Scooby)... Imprezas were once the most-stolen car in the United Kingdom (and are still a target even now)... Police bought them as the only way to keep up with them... The Impreza single-handedly pulled the WRC up by its bootstraps from the post-Group B era, and pushed the sport into being the second most-watched motorsport on the planet...

And you have an Impreza as your avatar...

Thanks for the info Famine , but just because I have a 22B as my avatar dosen't mean I can't vote for another car, hell, I'd vote for all of them if I could, but I picked the one I thought was the best choice.

BTW... my friend has a blue '02 bugeye WRX (automatic ) and I call him Scooby.

 

[3-Wheel Drive]

I have to vote for the Honda Accord, one of the greatest Japanese cars ever made. It's won more awards than just about any other car, with 20 "C&D 10 Best" awards in the past 24 years, among others, and is still the best selling sedan in America. And with its styling, performance, and reliability, its not hard to see why.

 

[Time_Attack]

I'm suprised at that, I have been told the same thing by a lad I know who's driven one for a few weeks, I didn't believe him since the car is held in such high regard, I just thought maybe he couldn't drive it, despite the fact hat he's experienced significantly faster and more powerful cars than the Evo. He didn't say the brakes were bad but he did say it was awful as a day to day car, your generally finding the car lacking acceleration in daily driving.

Thr brakes stop the car, but they didnt have the kind of feel I would need if I were to drive the car much. When I say there is no torque, I mean none. Not one pound foot. I think my honda is faster in the lower rpm range. Once boost comes in at about 2800rpm its fast, but nothing before that. I enjoyed driving it on the highway and I'm sure it would be fun at the track if you could deal with the clutch and shifter issues... But no way I wanna drive that thing on a city street.

If I were going to buy into this sector, I'd look into the subaru for its 2.5l.

I've also sat in an S2K (didnt drive it) and must say there is no room in those things unless you like feeling like a sardine in a dented can.

 

[Slicks]

I voted for the Miata.
I mean come on, it reinvented the small sports car market as we know it when it came out. It's been the benchmark for small sports cars since it's introduction. It's cheap, common, and easy to drive.

 

[KSaiyu]

It's funny you mention the boost problem with evo's since it brings up my first and only sighting of an FQ-400. Thing sounded awesome and had huge presence, but when it went to overtake some small car it had to pull back in because of the lack of low down torque. Made me laugh as just for a few seconds it looked like a loooooud exhaust, badly modded cheap car

 

[neanderthal]

toyota pickup.

Originally Posted by M5Power
And how?! It was a good performance car but it was superbly expensive and totally impractical! It's certainly the best Japanese car ever in terms of performance, but when you factor in stuff like price and practicality, it falls too short to merit serious consideration. Or at least that's my view.

And this is the guy who pushed the Veyron ad nauseum...

quality post.

aint it ironic

 

[toyomatt84]

Imprezas have a nickname (Scooby)... Imprezas were once the most-stolen car in the United Kingdom (and are still a target even now)... Police bought them as the only way to keep up with them... The Impreza single-handedly pulled the WRC up by its bootstraps from the post-Group B era, and pushed the sport into being the second most-watched motorsport on the planet...

And you have an Impreza as your avatar...

Here's an odd fact for automobile theft. 5 of the top 10 cars stolen in the USA a year ago, was the Acura Integra (different model years). Kind of amazing, if you ask me.

 

[weiss_komet]

Rotary power all the way!!! Go FC3S RX-7!!

 

[YSSMAN]

Okay, I know I'm supposed to be unbiased (for the most part here), but I don't want to see the Skyline come anywhere near winning this round. Common people! Where are all the votes for the 240Z? The Miata? The NSX?




(The Celica 1600 GT?)

 

[IMADreamer]

Ok, time for me to rant which means I will probably make an ass of myself by the time this is over.

Can the people voting for the Skyline and the RX-7 give me a well thought out adult like response as to why you are doing so? I want to start by saying I love both of those cars and they are fantastic drivers but they are in no way significant, or the best car Japan has produced. To say so is an insult to the truely great cars that probably won't make the top three.

Neither of the two cars, the RX-7 or the Skyline pushed anything forward, nor did they make big splashes. To say the Skyline is the most historically significant car is insane to me. Granted I am from the States and we don't even get the car but historically significant? More so then say the civic? Which if you want to talk about pop-culture is the number one pop-culture icon in the sport compact scene. Hell it started the sport compact scene.

I'm just looking at the poll results thinking to myself that it is such a huge shame that the Skyline may get in over cars like the Datsun Z, NSX (original American version not the R type), Miata, civic, carolla, accord, camary, and so on. Those are all significant cars in their own little way. The RX-7 and Skyline are not.

Ok, rant over, it's late I couldn't sleep and I was pondering the "best car" threads in my head as I lay down staring at the ceiling so I had to come and post this.

 

[niky]

The Skyline is only historically significant to anyone who hasn't seen more than 15 years of history. (i.e.: you ain't road legal yet). Yes, it's a super car, but given that Nissan never saw fit to officially give it to the world at large (never mind its limited run in RHD markets, whether grey market or otherwise), it didn't have much effect on anything.

And that's coming from a Nissan fan, mind you.

The RX7? World-beating performance and bank-beating maintenance? I'll pass. Same goes for the Evo. I've heard of those torque issues on older Evos, not sure if its the same with the current MIVEC-equipped ones, though. It's a more hardcore car than the Scooby, but I'll admit the Scooby had more impact on the world stage.

Thinking man's choices would be the Corolla, Accord (but only if you're American... the Accord isn't Honda's biggest seller outside the US, mind you...) or the Miata.

I like the Celica 1600, too (pretty little car to restore), but not enough to vote for it over the Miata.

 

[YSSMAN]

Nah, I was kidding on the Celica there. I wan't anything to beat the Skyline here, well maybe not the RX-7 or Supra, but anything else and I'd be fine.

I have been in so many pointless arguements over the years about how stupid you have to be to actually think the Skyline GTR is a good car when the majority of the kids I've talked to have never actually seen one, nor know enough about the car other than "Its fun to tune in Gran Turismo!!!" Screw your heads back on people, the car is signifigant in maybe three markets, and thats about it.

As for the RX-7, it did what? Make us all belive the Rotary is a viable option to regular variations that are in the rest of our cars? Cummon, be serious for a moment... The car was completely unreliable, only worth buying in a few specs, and it too recieves way too much credit for doing barely anything. Its a good car, but it certainly isn't the best... Not by a long-shot...

As for the Supra, it sits in the same boat as the other two. Let me guess, it can make 1000 BHP on stock internals!!!!! Yeah, so can my Dad's Camaro and the neighbor's Corvette... The car was good in it's heyday (as in the old Celica-Supra), but it was a fad-chaser (300ZX and RX-7 anyone?), and wasn't ever considered to be the best of it's group.

---

I still place my vote uppon the 240Z. It proved to Americans that a cheap sportscar was a feaseable idea, added to that the Japanese could actually build cars people wanted to buy. It sparked one of the most successful series of automobiles in the history of any nation's lineup of autos, and still lives on today as one of the world's greatest sportscars.

The only thing that matches it is the Miata, still argueably the most important car built in the last 20 years. It too had an effect on the market as a whole that we are still feeling to this day with models like the Sky and Solstice, and the Miata continues to be the golden standard for small sports cars. I would have picked the Miata over the 240Z if it had a bit more history, but time will tell.

They are easily two of the greatest Japanese automobiles EVER, and will probably remain so well into the next generation of automotive fans...

 

[weiss_komet]

I like the RX7 because of its design and the rotary engine. The 13B is unique to the automotive world because at the time was the only rotary on the market.

As for the Skyline, it's too overrated.

 

[Law93]

i got to go with the Subaru Impreza. that car just has a rich history with AWD and rallying. Colin McRae really showed that car off 👍

 

[Taurine]

You people really have no idea the impact that the Skyline range had in early Japanese racing, nice to see everybody keeping their left eye closed and then complaining about those with their right eye closed

Anyway, I'm going to vote for the Toyota Corolla, so much racing heritage, extraordinary reliabitilty and such a brilliant all round car - whether it's circuit racing, hill climbs, work hacks, old ladies, young hoons, the corolla has been there.

 

[Master_Yoda]

The reason i go with the 300ZX cause there one of the faster Japanese cars. And they can go around the track easly just as fast as a STi, Skyline, Supra, RX-7, etc...

But I do love other cars liek the Miata as in it's considered one of the most fun cars to drive. I love the Supra for the 1/4 times it puts up. And the fact it has more tourque then any other Japanese car. I love the RX-8 for the amazing all out built car. With what it does around a track ,and how they sound. It just puts together an amazing scene. I love the Civic for being on the best selling cars of all time. And for all you people that say Hondas are for ricers. A EK Civic, S2000, or a NSX would make you eat your words any day.
And I love the 300ZX for being one of the IMO sexiest cars on earth. AND there really fast.

O yeah I hear people saying the Skyline is the most overated car ever, more times then i hear people saying it's the best car ever.... WTF Would you guys stop saying that, it makes you look likea complete dumbass.

EDIT: Remember, the Skyline got outlawled in the Austrailian Racing Series,(currect if wrong) cause it was winning all the time. Now that really sounds like a piece of Japanese crap doesn't it?

 

[YSSMAN]

Yes, and outright saying that the Civic, S2000, or NSX would make us eat our words? Please...

C'mon, everyone knows the car gets an s-load of credit just because of Gran Turismo in about 99% of the countires it isn't sold in. Remember how great the R34 was supposed to do in the SPEED World Challenge? Ha ha, it didn't.

I give the car credit for being quick, but thats about it. It isn't a pretty car, it didn't change the way cars were made, and it certainly isn't one of the best sports cars ever built, GTR or not. Granted, the Skyline itself deserves credit enough... GTR? Meh, not so much...

What it all boils down to is the fact that there are far better cars out there, in particular ones that changed the way cars were built and viewed, ones that still are effecting the ways cars are designed, built, and raced to this day.

Miata still takes the cake there, but the 240Z deserves it's place too, as even you can admit Master_Yoda that without it, you wouldn't have your 300ZX. (Note that I didn't call it a bad car. I like 'em, just not as much as it's predecessors)

 

[Taurine]

Remember how great the R34 was supposed to do in the SPEED World Challenge? Ha ha, it didn't.

You cannot base your opinion on that abysmal attempt at a race car

 

[1X83Z]

quality post.

aint it ironic

No - because as absurd as the Veyron is, the gigantic difference is that the French haven't made anything better. Not that they even made the Veyron. Whereas there are leagues of Japanese cars better than the NSX, not including the Skyline - I wish we could exclude fanboys and the ignorant from voting.

I'll be holding my vote in the final version of this thread until the very end at which point I'll vote for whichever vehicle has the best chance of dethroning the undeserving Skyline.

 

[Jay]

Remember how great the R34 was supposed to do in the SPEED World Challenge? Ha ha, it didn't.

No I don't remember anyone expecting it to do that well at all, how could it? It was down on power, it was new to the game, it was not big budget, it was heavy. Power and weight could have been fixed easy if they were allowed to.


The R32 GTR could have changed many things in its day as (speaking in Australian racing series) its technology was so advanced compared to most the other cars racing that even with its power and weight restrictions causing the cars to weight over 1600kg's (3500lb's+) the heavy-est touring car of its day which was causing Nissan teams problems with rim cracking, still manage to lead the series and win Bathurst.

But no it couldn't make the other manufactures step up and develop their own technology to compete because Cam's banned them all and decided to make set ruled V8 Supercars series because it was cheaper and the fans got tired of imported Turbocharged cars winning all the time (the cosworth sierra aswell before the GTR's came).


Their maybe no history with Skylines in the US but Australia has been getting them since the 1960's and they have been racing in our touring cars races here up until they were banned after 1992. In the 80's one of the best selling sedans in Australia was the local build R31 Skyline.

I find it sad that I vote for Skyline for my own reasons (I am slighty biased towards them, but I appeciate cars from everywhere) and I get questioned about it because you guys are worryied about fanboys, seriously you guys fuss over 'fanboys' way too much now, its rare these days (in this forum at least) for members to come in and 'fanboy' away over them.

I have been in so many pointless arguements over the years about how stupid you have to be to actually think the Skyline GTR is a good car

So you argue for years with people because they think the Skyline GTR is a good car? So you think its a bad car? Fine thats your opinion I'm not going to try and change it.


You guys didn't want this to turn into a ranting debate but you guys are egging it on by making comments like this

I have been in so many pointless arguements over the years about how stupid you have to be to actually think the Skyline GTR is a good car

I voted for the Japanese car I like best (note best, I don't dislike any of them and I ignore 'fanboyism'), and did have an impact in Japan and at least where I live in Australia it did anyway, If I had to vote for the car that was mot widely used, or had the greatest impact on the world population etc, I would not vote Skyline, it would be a choice like M5power did the Accord or more probably the Toyota Corolla like Taurine voted.