Japan Serves Updates on Two Sporty Names

Matthew Guy
by Matthew Guy

It’s been a good few years for tuners who cut their teeth – or at least lusted after – sporty machines from Japan back in the day. Recent developments have seen the return of a Civic Type R and freshened Nissan Z, new versions of which are set to hit our shores later this year.

This week, Honda showed off their new R at the Tokyo Auto Salon in Japan, while video surfaced of Team Nissan demonstrating the aural delights of the forthcoming Z.

We’ll start with the Big H, fresh from testing at the Suzuka Circuit and making its first public appearance in prototype form at the Tokyo Auto Salon. Wearing a camo wrap that was exclusively for it, the next Honda Civic Type R is promised to be the “best performing” Civic Type R to date. This is expected since it is unlikely the House of Honda will take a step backward in the hot-hatch handling and horsepower wars.

What little is known about the upcoming Type R has been gleaned from frame-by-frame study of a test-driving video, one which was shot at Suzuka in Japan and officially released by Honda. It will assuredly have less manic styling properties than the current car, a decision which makes sense given its polarizing design, but your author will still pour one out for the existing Type R when it vanishes since he enjoys its look tremendously. Please keep in mind that I am writing this while wearing a bright orange sweater and usually get a kick out of any car tuned by Mansory. No one said I was sensible.

Elsewhere, video clips have surfaced of the next Nissan Z blipping its throttle and making noise on a cold January morning. The new coupe was shown spitting gearhead delight out of its dual exhaust tips, though it was absent any crackle-and-bang that’s accompanied some of its competitors. Even at rest, for example, some Hyundai N products pop like rapid-fire, though there’s nothing to say Nissan hasn’t saved that bit of tuning for the overrun when letting off the throttle while going into a corner on a close course.

Quick poll of the B&B: Which of these two nameplates are you most excited to see in 2022? Are you the type who enjoyed fiddling with a grey-market Civic Type R in the ‘90s? Or are you a Z-head who preferred the delights of a rear-drive Nissan? Sound off in the comments below.

[Image: Honda]

Matthew Guy
Matthew Guy

Matthew buys, sells, fixes, & races cars. As a human index of auto & auction knowledge, he is fond of making money and offering loud opinions.

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  • Cimarron typeR Cimarron typeR on Jan 21, 2022

    rwd +MT+ LSD+non2.0T= Z for me or GR86 if dealers are going to price gouge it

  • Turbo_awd Turbo_awd on Jan 21, 2022

    Not counting the need for carting 4 people around, I prefer the Z as a looker. And I test-drove a 300ZX around '00 (settled on a Corrado VR6). My Honda ties go way further back to our '82 Civic Wagon I learned to drive stick on and drove all over. If I had to pick right now, I'd take the R (in order to carry the family) - but I doubt I'd actually sell the Stinger to buy an R, unless I get SUPER serious with track days or something. I don't need to "win" HPDEs to have fun, and I need the auto for sitting in traffic, etc. Plus, 500 HP+ is fun :-)

  • ToolGuy This is the kind of thing you get when you give people faster internet.
  • ToolGuy North America is already the greatest country on the planet, and I have learned to be careful about what I wish for in terms of making changes. I mean, if Greenland wants to buy JDM vehicles, isn't that for the Danes to decide?
  • ToolGuy Once again my home did not catch on fire and my fire extinguisher(s) stayed in the closet, unused. I guess I threw my money away on fire extinguishers.(And by fire extinguishers I mean nuclear missiles.)
  • Carson D The UAW has succeeded in organizing a US VW plant before. There's a reason they don't teach history in the schools any longer. People wouldn't make the same mistakes.
  • B-BodyBuick84 Mitsubishi Pajero Sport of course, a 7 seater, 2.4 turbo-diesel I4 BOF SUV with Super-Select 4WD, centre and rear locking diffs standard of course.
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