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Showing results for tags 'jdm'.
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HI all Can any Toyota Camry JDM owners ACV40 confirm if the location of the oil filter is at the front of the Engine bay as shown in this image below (see attachment). I've seen that in that the US Camry the oil filter is at the bottom. Do you need specialise tools to remove the oil filter?
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Is this a new MPV model launched from Japan.
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Hi guys, I am looking for a used sedan with a tight budget. Age should be around 6 to 7 years old. Which one do you guys recommend and what are the reasons?
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Hi all, For a family with husband/wife both working (drive only to & from work) & a maid taking care of 2 young children. During weekend, parents in law usually will get a ride from our car. A new mid size Sedan such as Camry or a full size MPV such as Odyssey will be a better option in terms of practicality, comfort, fuel consumption, costs such as depreciation, resale value, etc? Thank you.
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Street racing is obviously illegal and incredibly dangerous, but that has never stopped people from doing it. While we don't hear nearly as much about the scourge of Japanese tuner cars as when The Fast and the Furious first hit theaters over a decade ago, illegal street racing is still bubbling under the surface all over the island nation. An excellent new documentary short from Bowls Films takes a look at the Kanjozoku from Osaka, Japan; a group that claims to be partially responsible for the tuning style known as JDM. The group gets their name from their preferred route known as the Kanjo. It's a 4.77-mile long loop of connected highways running right through the city of Osaka. You might expect a hardcore group of illegal Japanese racers to show up with highly tuned Nissan GT-R and Toyota Supra coupes, but the Kanjozoku evidently eschew all of the others in favor of one particular car that they love: the Honda Civic. According to the video, that vehicle of choice came in part from the city's location. Osaka was relatively near the one-make Civic races held at Japan's legendary Suzuka racetrack. The hatchbacks thus became the default weapons for the Kanjozoku's street battles. The guys interviewed for the documentary go so far as to claim that their scene created the whole concept of JDM tuning. The whole video is a really interesting portrait of an illegal racing scene crafted out of friendly competition. Scroll down for a brief look at the Kanjozoku of Osaka – it's worth it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELJW-Bsrnmk
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Fans of the previous Subaru Forester STi must be rejoicing now because Subaru will be launching a new STi version of the current fourth generation soon. Unveiled in 2004, the last Forester STi was probably one of the sportiest SUVs out there. Unfortunately it was only meant for sale in Japan. Teased ahead of its official world debut on November 25th, we expect the car to come with the 2.5-litre turbocharged boxer engine from the WRX STi which means it will have 296bhp and 407Nm of torque. Or it could use the Japan-only 2.0-litre turbocharged unit that is found in their variant of the WRX STi which outputs 304bhp and 422Nm of torque. Yup, the Japanese keep all the good stuff to themselves. As seen from the photos, owners will be getting a car that comes with a bolder bodykit, new rims and bigger brakes. Let's hope the car will make it to our shores!
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hi, just wondering if its possible to bring in a nsx type r into Singapore from let's say japan? what would be the total cost and all? tks guys
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Height is definitely not stopping him from drifting (VIDEO)
chitchatboy posted a blog entry in MyAutoBlog
While some of us take our height for granted, this fella here is not letting his lack of height discourage him from getting sideways in his Miata. I must say his NB Miata sounds and looks pretty good too. http://dai.ly/x234tmr_slammed-miata-street-drifting-get-nit_auto -
With the COE getting higher, the days of changing cars regularly are pretty much over for most of us. So, to counter the itch of changing cars, more owners are putting in effort to change their current ride's look. With that in mind, the team at sgCarMart has been on the lookout for nicely done up cars and we spotted this clean looking Mitsubishi Galant at our usual lunch break hangout. Into its eighth generation, the Galant sold pretty well back in the early 2000s. While most of us will remember the high-revving VR-M and the turbocharged VR-4, it was the normal 1.8-litre and 2.0-litre that sold well. With most of the Galants gone from our roads(most of them did not survive after their COE expired), we were pleasantly surprised to spot this immaculate 2.0-litre example. Inspired by Chip Foose, star of the reality TV series Overhaulin' on Velocity, the owner modded his Galant in tune with the mid 90's JDM look. This meant that most of the stuff seen on the car are made around that period. Starting from the front, the stock bumper and grille that came with the car have been swapped with the JDM Galant VR-4's to make it look cleaner. The lights were smoked too. The side skirts were trimmed around the edge to make sure that it doesn't look too bulky. Loving the amount of details in this car! While the muffler tip has been changed to give it a streamlined look, the exhaust remains stock. And now to the wheels. After spending two years searching for it, the owner finally found his "Holy Grail"; a set of 18-inch ARD GT wheels. Conceived after a collaboration between ARD and 5Zigen, this is a rare three-piece rim that he wanted so much on his Galant. Coincidentally, the rims, which have been discontinued since 1996, falls under the correct period (90's). A Rear windscreen wiper was added for the JDM rally car feel. Yup. This is daily driven. Moving inside, A pair of retro-looking headrests as well as the rear view mirror were swapped with the stock ones. The rest of the car remains untouched, which is no bad thing since it is already pretty well-specced for a near-10-year old car. Sunroof and digital climate control are standard and the INVECS II automatic gearbox allowed one to manually shift, which was rare back then. Moving forward, there are plans by the owner to fully convert it into a true VR-4. We can't wait for it to happen!
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This is not your 'ordinary' WRX or STI. As much as the subtlety tries to hide, there are still little hints that will betray its true identity. This, is the Subaru Impreza S204. I'm not sure about the rest of you readers out there, but Subaru Imprezas and Mitsubishi Evos have a special place in my heart. In my childhood days, I spent a lot of time watching them at carpark rallies, instead of studying. And needless to say, I was all too happy to shoot this S204. A quick introduction of the S204. Based on the Japanese version of the 2.0-litre WRX STi (Singaporeans get the 2.5-litre version of the STi here), Subaru Technica International (STi) answered the request of its fans by giving the car more power and better handling through this limited run special. Only 600 units were said to be produced for sale in Japan but a quick search on the Internet revealed that the people living in New Zealand got a couple of units too. On that note, it is believed that every unit that made its way into Singapore had its number plaque removed. This troubled the previous owner, so while he was working in Japan, he got connected to the right people and managed to trace his car's number. It was unit 078/600. As mentioned, power was upped to 315bhp from 276bhp while torque went up to 431Nm. All these were achieved with the help of a twin scroll turbo design which was also featured in its predecessor, the S203. Turbo diameter in the S204 has been enlarged, while the turbine blade configuration has been altered to smooth out acceleration. Using a new turbo charger also necessitates the need to retune the ECU. Another highlight feature of the S204 is the installation of the Titanium muffler which helps lowers the exhaust back pressure. Of course, improvements were made to the chassis also. STi collaborated with Yamaha to develop a performance damper that improves handling immediately from the moment a driver turns in, through the turn, and at the exit. Other notable stuff include the strengthening of the spring rate by 50 percent and an increase of the rear sway bar diameter to counter body roll. As expected, STI-unique pink feature on the various bars and links... Similar to the S203, the S204 comes standard with super high performance P ZERO tyres by Pirelli. These tyres come mounted on lightweight aluminum forged BBS wheels in size 18 x 8.5. Moving inside, black was used on much of the instrument panel while lesser WRXs are painted in gunmetal colour. Usual JDM (Japanese Domestic Model) WRX STis get their speedometers rated till 180km/h but the S204 gets 260km/h ones. Other than Yamaha, STi also worked with Recaro to design these sexy lightweight bucket seats. Developed in Germany, the back is made of carbon while synthetic leather is used on the sides to add a touch of class. But frankly speaking, these seats aren’t exactly the most comfortable for long distance driving. Moving back to the exterior, STi gave the S204 some minor but significant aerodynamic upgrades. New carbon front underskirt lip spoiler and a newly designed rear spoiler improves airflow and provide added downforce. Other goodies done up by the previous owner include a turbo timer and HKS EVC boost controller. You may think that the car has since had its boost pressure increased but its current owner is more than happy with the stock boost pressure. I am guessing 320 horses are enough to piss some pesky taxis and hot hatches. Having tried another JDM 2.0-litre STi before, the S204's power delivery is noticeably smooth and more linear. This S204 also had its rotor upgraded courtesy of a well known japanese brand, ENDLESS. Unfortunately, there is still room for improvement in terms of brake modulation. All in all, the various upgrades to the S204 make it a significantly improved car over a normal STi. If I was looking for an AWD sedan that I would use for daily driving and give me the occasional thrill, this would be a great choice. Knowing that there are only 600 in the world makes it even more special.
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Gazoo Racing revealed its GRMN Mark X concept at the 2014 Tokyo Auto Salon. Based on the Toyota Mark X, GRMN gave its handsome sedan a chunkier front bumper, a redesigned rear bumper with diffusers, revised side skirts and a rear lip spoiler. Completing the aggressive look is the new enhanced dual exhaust system, 19-inch aluminium wheels wearing Bridgestone Potenza RE050A tyres. Mechanically, this Mark X uses a 3.5-litre V6 that produces more than 320hp and 380Nm of torque and is linked to a six-speed manual transmission. Drive is sent to the rear wheels through a Torsen limited-slip differential. It is also said there are improvements made in the suspension and braking department. All these specifications sure point to a decent foundation for building a drift car. While the GRMN Mark X concept is not on sale yet, you could buy Toyota’s G sports Mark X which is available to buyers in Japan. Also aggressively styled, it has different bumpers and wheels as compared to the normal Mark X. We especially love the LED running headlights, new sports exhaust with quad exhaust and 19-inch wheels. The car has been also lowered 20mm with the help of a new sports suspension. The interior has also been spruced up with white gauges, black sports seats with red stitching and some carbon fibre trimmings. As with the regular Mark X, the car can only be had in a six-speed automatic transmission and is paired with either a 2.5-litre or 3.5-litre V6 which it shares with the Lexus GS saloon.
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Introduced to the world in 2003, the Suzuki Ignis Sport is a performance variant of the normal Ignis. It was basically designed to provide owners with maximum smiles per buck without burning a hole in their pockets. The car we have here was beefed up with a number of modifications, including a body kit, firmer suspension and close ratio gear box. Moving inside, it was not hard to see why the car could be priced so competitively. The interior does feel a little plain compared to most basic cars today and you can forget about finding any soft touch plastics on the dashboard. That said, the cabin space is decent and the driving position is spot on. Suzuki definitely had only the driver in mind when they built this. Happy to report that the pedals are well-placed for heel and toe downshifts too. Lovely Recaro seats hug drivers tight when it comes to the twisties, which this cheery little car relishes. We aren't too sure about the yellow netting in the headrest though. Feels good to be shifting gears ourselves even though this particular car's gearbox does feel slightly tired. White face dials with blue back lighting was pretty cool back in the early 2000's. Even though we rev it for all its worth (wished it could rev higher than 6,500rpm), it returned a surprisingly respectable 13.5km/L. Again, nothing fancy here. Air-con is strong and cold even after all these years. Carbon fibre effect on centre console is a nice touch. Front and rear fog lamps a standard equipment. 2-DIN head unit produces decent sound but is usually not turned on as we rather listen to the engine sing. Little 15-inch wheels coupled with 185-width tyres provide a good balance of grip and slip. This Ignis Sport rides pretty hard as it was on aftermarket coilovers. But it is oh-so-chuckable in the corners. Turn-in is instant and the car resists understeer well. We also hear that it can lift its rear wheel in a corner when asked too. Owner had a Sebring exhaust fitted to enhance aural pleasure. This 1.5-litre engine came with variable valve timing, pushing out 108bhp and 140Nm of torque. Nothing special but the car weighs less than a tonne hence the century sprint is a decent 8.9 seconds. A BMC intake (and we suspect a lightened flywheel) makes the car feel faster than it says on paper. Sad to say, this car is into its last eight months of its 10-year COE lifespan and currently the owner has no plans to renew its COE due to the sky high COE prices now. We do hope it does find a new owner who is willing to give it a new lease of life!
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Not letting the hype over the brilliant BRZ die down, Subaru came up with another variant of the sports coupe to let its fans stay happy. Named the BRZ Premium Sport Edition, it is supposed to be a more luxurious and refined version of the famed coupe. Sadly, not much has been done to increase the driving performance. But then, it is already such a wonderful driver’s car. What they did provide the car were black painted door mirrors and STi aluminium wheels exterior wise. Interestingly, they stuck with 17-inchers, which probably have the best grip/drift balance for the car. Interior wise, the car's seats and steering wheel are wrapped in brown and black leather with tan stitching on some details. The bright red STi push engine start button is a nice welcome too. Overall, this is a nice edition for the BRZ but we are pretty sure local buyers won’t be able to get their hands on it even though it might lure one or two buyers away from a Z4 or SLK.
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Honda's family hatch has been one of our nation's favourites. Now it seems that the time is ripe for it to transcend into the next generation. So how will the evolution fare? The third generation of the Fit will come in a total of four variants - the 13G, 15X, hybrid, and RS. The 13G is fitted with a 1.3-litre DOHC i-VTEC, mated to either a five-speed manual or CVT (with optional paddle shifters). On paper, Honda claims that the 1.3G is capable of returning 26km/L, with part credits to its new CVT gearbox. The 15X comes with a 1.5-litre under the hood, with a choice of six-speed manual or CVT gearbox. The new engine utilises Honda's direct injection technology for better performance, and is said to be 10 percent more powerful than the one it replaces. The hybrid, as always, packs the most amount of tech gizmos. It features a new one-motor i-DCD Sport Hybrid system that is coupled to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. When moving off from stationary, the system engages EV mode to improve fuel efficiency. Three driving modes are available - EV Drive, Hybrid Drive and Engine Drive. The hybrid claims an impressive fuel economy of 36.4km/L. If you asks us, the interior of the new Fit looks simple, yet appealing. The hybrid will get an snob gear stick that looks like it was taken from a spaceship - and we like this special treatment. The standard petrol-driven Fit, on the other hand, will have a redesigned fuel tank that gives more space to the cabin. From this picture it seems that rear legroom has been enhanced by quite a bit. Then, there is the RS variant for the boy racers. While we are sure it wouldn't outrun any of the hot hatches out there, it sure looks the bit. Of course, there is the question of whether the RS will even land on our shores. That said, the rest of the range should make their debut in Singapore somewhere in the mid of next year. Let's keep our fingers crossed.
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[extract] Every JDM car enthusiasts would have a particular favourite model from a Japanese automaker. Thus it is no surprise that even the current president of Toyota, Akio Toyoda, has his favourites too. During his inauguration as the Chairman of the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association, he was asked on his preferences among his company
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Many of us, including me, know someone who owns or have owned a Honda Civic hatchback. It started from a rather humble and simple beginning and today, it is a favourite among practical car buyers and also among those who seek a budget performance ride. Coming from a country that makes safe, economical and reliable cars, the Honda Civic has proven that it is efficient and reasonably priced too. From its fuel economical engine to its class leading interior, the Honda Civic has sold millions all over the world and that further proves its popularity. Let us take a look on how this humble and practical car began from a three-door hatchback way back in 1973 to a sporty racing breed today. When the Civic hatchback was introduced in late 1972 as the following year model, it was pretty small. Lengthwise it is 138.9 inches long, 59.3 inches wide and it weighed around 680kg. Its 1.2 litre engine delivered around 50bhp which was pretty efficient for a car during that time. The second generation model Honda Civic grew almost 10 inches in length and more than in 2 inches in width. It was offered in several engine displacements. A Si trim was offered in the mid 1980s for the third generation Civic. To accommodate European styling and a sports-based suspension, it increased by 2 inches in length and 2.3 inches in width. Power output from the 1.5litre engine was around 91bhp. The next generation Civic hatchback was the beginning of the model
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[extract] Sometimes, manufacturers are a little strange and this newly previewed 2011 Subaru WRX STI tS sedan is a good example of it. The TS here stands for
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According to a report from Japan's Nikkei.com, Honda will stop selling the Civic sedan in its home market as soon as existing inventories run out. As customers shift their focus towards MPVs and more compact vehicles, the popularity of the Civic has dwindled substantially in Japan
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Subaru launches the limited run STi tuned Forester tS in Japan
Rigval posted a blog entry in MyAutoBlog
[extract] Subaru has finally brought out a STI (Subaru Tecnica International) tuned Forester for its Japan Domestic Market (JDM) with the Forester tS. This is the second tS model after the Legacy tS which Subaru debuted last June. The tS moniker basically stands for Tuned By STi and is basically a Subaru with some STi performance bits, unlike the full monty Impreza STi which is basically designed from the outset by Subaru -
More details on the 2011MY Nissan GT-R and the luxury spec GT-R EGOIST
Rigval posted a blog entry in MyAutoBlog
Nissan has released official specs and pictures of the 2011MY (Model Year) GT-R. What's different from the previous models are some exterior tweaks to make the car a little more aerodynamic, some interior appointments (a redesigned instrument panel and seats) and what most are expecting; a power upgrade. The GT-R officially crosses the 500bhp barrier to produce 530bhp and 612Nm of torque or 630Nm in the Spec V. It also sips less fuel too, 8.5km/l and is also considered a Light Emissions Vehicle (an SU-LEV in fact) too. Imagine that. Its like eating a whole 2kg cheese cake and still keeping the weight off. Technical improvements include reprogramming for the Dual Clutch gearbox which now has a SAVE mode for normal driving, improved acceleration in R mode. RAYS have provided lighter rims too. JDM or Japanese Domestic Market GT-R can choose variants according to the depth of their already deep pockets and according to the level or outright performance or outright luxury. The variants are the Pure, Black, Premium, Spec V, the Club Track and the ultra expensive luxury yet performance filled EGOIST variant. All basically used the same 3.8liter twin turbo V6 with the 6 speed DSG type gearbox. We all know the Spec V and the Club Track variants will be hot with the boy racers and the Gran Turismo crowd, but the luxury EGOIST (pictured above) is something new. An ultra expensive bespoke GT-R, in the price realm of Ferraris and Lamborghinis, is not yet heard of. The EGOIST is basically the high performance GT-R Spec V (RAYS alloys, carbon fiber bits, titanium exhaust, extra torque etc.) with a luxury interior unlike those you would find in, say, a Bentley Continental GT. The whole cabin of the EGOIST is worked over in leather; the whole dashboard, doors, roof and whatever your hands could come into contact is trimmed in leather. In fact, Nissan claims that the interior parts are sent to Germany to be trimmed in leather (I kid you not). The seats are double stitched with a quilted pattern and you can choose 4 colors of trim for the upper part of the cabin and up to 10 for the lower part. BOSE provides a high end sound system to cater of the entertainment needs. Even the logo on the steering wheel is hand crafted using the Japanese Maki-e laquer method. This is usually reserved for expensive porcelain vases, and those ultra expensive Namiki fountain pens that looks so intricate and outright beautiful. The extra luxury and extra bits of performance parts will cost the JDM GT-R EGOIST to cost an estimated 15,000,000Yen or a whopping US$185,000. Compare this with the price for the base GT-R Pure variant and you'd know that Nissan have decided to go Ferrari or even Bentley with its prices. The base GT-R only costs a meagre 8,694,000Yen, or US$107,000. An ultra luxurious Nissan GT-R, it could be Godzilla in a Brioni suit. Go figure. -Now compare all the above interior pics with the normal GT-R Spec V interior below- -
The boys over at Gtrblog have got a hold on the 2012 Model Year "MY" (or end 2011 JDM) R35 Nissan GT-R specification, prices and pictures! According to them, the pics and specification stated here are of the real thing. The 2011JDM Nissan GT-R has a new factory code too, from CBA-R35 to DBA-R35. Visual updates and upgrades include LED daytime driving lights located on a restyled front bumper. The shape of the little winglets/canards have changed and there is also a redesigned rear bumper/diffuser which improves downforce by a further 10%. According to data posted by gtrblog, the GT-R now makes more down force than a Ferrari F430, Porsche 911 Turbo and the BMW M3 to name a few. Drag coefficient also goes down from 0.272 to 0.268 which is good for any car for that matter. New alloy wheels from Rays (forged aluminium) cut 3kg per rim, making a 12kg loss off the GT-R unsprung weight. This translates to better handling, steering response and feedback. Buyers can specify the lightweight wheels in either Hyper Blue Black or Hyper Titanium, which basically is the usual bronze color to our
