You guys out-smarted me yesterday. (Not that I should be surprised, as TTAC is known far and wide for its brainy readers.) Still, you approached the American Time Capsule QOTD fom an angle I hadn't even considered. I was wondering which car would be worth the most filthy lucre in 2058. My answer? A Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR. (If a 1969 Mustang is fetching seven figures today, you can't even imagine what a sub-10 mpg V10 monster will be worth when gasoline is illegal.) But then y'all flipped the scrip and pondered what car best encapsulates (so to speak) our current automotive times. I've long held the opinion that future generations will look back at our 5,500+ lbs SUVs and think, "What in the fuck?" And pulling the Cadillac Escalade EXT (that's the pickup version) out of the ground will forever settle the argument that we share a common ancestor with chimps. But those are American cars. Today, we talk Japanese. Me? I'd bury a Toyota Century. But that's because you know ToMoCo will still be building the damn JDM-only things in 50 years when internal combustion engines are seen as worse than shooting-up babies with dope– big V12 and all. Hey, those upper crusty salarymen have needs, no? Plus, they're beautiful. You?
52 Comments on “QOTD: Which Japanese Car Goes In the Time Capsule?...”
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Nissan GT-R. No question about it.
If there aren’t enough to spare one for the capsule (hehe), perhaps a Lancer Evolution X or Impreza WRX STi.
Sad to say it, but it would probably be a Prius.
Or, continuing yesterday’s theme, a lexus LX570, a Toyota Prius, and a honda Fit.
Actually, the Fit would be great to show our descendants that we were not all morons…
I second the R35, as there will be all sorts of Priuses 50 years from now.
Actually, the LS600hL might be a better choice to showcase what’s going on right now: what better represents the nouveau riche mindset that allows a gas-guzzling “hybrid” poseur-mobile like that to sell like crazy?
Toyota 2000GT. End of discussion.
Mazda Miata. It will help them remember true drving pleasure that was available ‘back in the day’. They will be reminded of the days when driving was (relatively) toll, carbon tax, and congestion free.
I hate to reopen the discussion but I favor the 240Z for the reasons everyone can guess.
‘95 Supra. To prove that at one time Toyota actually had a styling direction that made sense.
Subaru XT6? Kidding, just kidding, I’m a kidder…
But I did own one. Don’t ask.
Nissan GT-R
The Grave Digger.
I know what you *wouldn’t* need to put in there — an Acura Integra. Because they’ll still be all over the roads, even 50 years from now.
Honda Civic. Love it or hate it,this car singlehandedly kicked the sport compact aftermarket into high gear.
Datsun 240Z
Quasimodo
Same as the Integra. No point in putting one in a time capsule, there’ll still be plenty on the road in 50 years.
As much as I hate them, I’m leaning toward Prius. To make a car that complicated fairly reliable and so popular is quite an accomplishment. The sports car lover in me would vote for a MKIV Supra, but it’s not pretty enough, or maybe a Miata (not straight enough? I kid.) Or my own z32 300zx, but that would be my own bias. Lancer Evo maybe? Nawww it has to be the Prius. It really defines Japan in the end of the century. Sorry I hate it too.
Honda Accord
It embodies the common sedan of our time and it looks much better than the other(s) in its field.
Toyota Land Cruiser all the way. Man, the early 21st century was a decadent time. The Prius, on the other hand, will be little more than an ancient piece of technology and not a collectible car per se. Beef and over the top mechanical bits that are no longer commonly seen are what the collector is going to be looking for in 50 years – not boring, uninspiring hybrid drivetrains. Collecting is an emotional thing. Appliances don’t stir the emotions. Never have, never will.
Mazda RX-7, to show that not all Mazdas are incredibly feminine
the Honda NSX
Subaru Baja, because if we don’t learn from our mistakes, we are bound to repeat them.
or maybe this beast
(who says the Japanese don’t have a sense of humour)
I’d go with the Japanese car that defines the mainstream and that would either be an Accord or a Camry. In 2058, people will find out why Detroit’s market share was in decline.
The Accord’s more attractive. Let’s go with that.
Back in the day, Chrysler was number 3 in sales among the then big 3 (GM, Ford and Chrysler) and the Fury was the top-of-the-line model in the their best-selling Plymouth line.
The Nissan Altima (perhaps the Altima coupe) would be the current sales equivalent. It is number 3 in sales among the current big 3 (Toyota, Honda and Nissan) and the Altima SL (or maybe the SE) is the top-of-the-line model in their best selling Altima line.
Same as the Integra. No point in putting one in a time capsule, there’ll still be plenty on the road in 50 years.
I doubt it, with the way Civics and Integras are known to disappear in the middle of the night and turn up a week later as a shell of their former selves (literally).
If I could find an untouched Datsun 510… um, I’m gonna go dig in my backyard now.
That Toyota Century looks very elegant. A little early ’60s Chrysler, a little Packard.
If we’re talking about today, it shouldn’t be anything that is extinct in the ’00s.
2nd Gen Nissan Skyline GT-R
If the Escalade XT is the symbol of Detroit’s fall, then it has to be a symbol of Japan’s domination of the global auto market: the Toyota Corolla. Over 35 million made, the number one selling car in the world, one sold every forty seconds. Boring, but representative.
Japanese car does not need to go into the time capsule.
Time capsule needs to go into Japanese car.
with apologies to Yakov Smirnoff
Perkins wrote:
Mazda Miata. It will help them remember true drving pleasure that was available ‘back in the day’. They will be reminded of the days when driving was (relatively) toll, carbon tax, and congestion free.
Yes! It needs to be bright red and hidden in an old rural barn somewhere so that my grand-nephew can ’stick it to The Man’ in the future…:-D…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xe_csQvx0go
I nominate the Mitsuoka Orochi Nude-Top Roadstar.
@ Strippo – I was thinking more Time Capsule, as in what would be shown to be representative of Japan at this time. If we are going for collectors market, then z32 twin turbo all the way. That is the most interesting and beautiful and even practical for a sports car. Oh and it’s faster than the 350z as well. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNta7RQVFyY
MK1 MR-2 Supercharged…. with T-tops… and an after market snorkel (don’t want her to suffocate under all that crud).
@ Strippo – I was thinking more Time Capsule, as in what would be shown to be representative of Japan at this time. If we are going for collectors market, then z32 twin turbo all the way. That is the most interesting and beautiful and even practical for a sports car. Oh and it’s faster than the 350z as well. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNta7RQVFyY
Ah, but see, I was re-flipping Jonny’s premise back to what it was originally. I’m all about filthy lucre. Besides, I could never lock up a driver’s car for 50 years. But a Land Cruiser? In a heartbeat.
Put in a 1986 Accord….the first yuppie-mobile, or a 1988 Camry….both/either of these cars spelled doom for the “traditional” American sedan.
Out of any Japanese car? Honda S800! But, if we’re talking recent, I’d say an Accord, turducken style. Wrap each generation with the next one in the succession (they should fit :P), as that best demonstrates what has made Honda and Toyota so successful here. They found ways to build better versions cars people already wanted generation after generation. That, or a current CR-V/Rav4, since those are selling in pretty solid numbers as people take refuge from their bigger, badder SUVs.
For the most money, I think any of the special editions of the performance cars would work; a 95 Supra TT hardtop, an FD RX7, the S2000 CR, 97 Integra Type R (Championship White of course), perhaps a 3000GT VR4 Spyder, as those are fairly rare. I think the regular versions of these cars will probably all be on the road, in decent numbers, in 50 years as well. With the number of Miatas sold, putting one under
My ‘76 Toyota Corolla SR5. Well built, inexpensive and fun to drive cars like that began the slow, steady demise of the domestic car industry.
Hmm… a Toyota Century, or a Nissan President?
Perhaps a Lexus LS400, or the Infiniti Q45? I can’t make up my mind.
I notice that the QOTD doesn’t specify if its an American time capsule. For the rest of the world, a basic 4 door Corolla would be the one that should go in. Not because there’s any reason for them to be rare 50 years down the line, but because it’s possibly the global everyman’s car.
Just the list of assemply plants gives some idea of how widespread they are.
Fremont, California
Toyota City, Japan
Durban, South Africa
Adapazarı, Turkey
Tianjin, China
Taipei, Taiwan
Bangalore, India
Shah Alam, Malaysia
Karachi, Pakistan
Dhaka, Bangladesh
Santa Rosa, Philippines
Chachoengsao, Thailand
Vĩnh Phúc, Vietnam
Indaiatuba, Brazil
Cumana, Venezuela
Cambridge, Ontario, Canada
The Skyline GT-R KGCP10, or S30 Fairlady Z, or the R32, or R34…or R35. What are the criteria? It has to be in production today?
http://www.monkys.jp/e/img/600DSC50009.jpg
2002 nissan altima for kicking both japanese and american buts
Do all of us union autoworkers a favor.
Bury all the Japanese cars in the ground.
2008 Toyota Sequoia. Because in 50 years it either will have marked the beginning of the end for the world’s once dominant car company, or it will have marked the day Toyota sucked away America’s last source of auto strength (absurdly oversized, needlessly “masculine” and pointless SUV’s).
A car which is the antithesis of our recent automotive times but which will be seen as a landmark and pointer to the future is the Honda Insight.
How about a Datsun 240Z? It was a beautiful car, and proof that performance didn’t have to cost you an arm, leg, and first born child.
Which is a good thing, because in my family, I’m the first born…
Frank Williams : Toyota 2000GT. End of discussion.
I’m with Frank on this one. This was the best looking Toyota ever IMHO.
Hey what about the Hummer H2, that was about as arrogant as America could get! let’s see size of a Blazer and gets worse mileage than a motorhome! Hell the Excursion got slightly better gas mileage, another example of gas sucking behemoths! other than that…What about a Telsa, maybe the’ll have the techology to get the right transmission developed at that time..just kidding!