Often overshadowed by the infamous Tokyo Auto Salon, the Osaka Auto Messe is still a great way to get your JDM dream on. Now in its 10th year, the Osaka Auto Messe is all about performance modifications, style trends, big wheels, blaring stereo setups, and JDM smiles. Although smaller than TAS, the Auto Messe is a haven for J-spec fans with its host of new products, demo cars, and camera-friendly models.
Held about a month after TAS in mid-February, the 2006 Osaka Auto Messe was large enough to have attracted 231,000 visitors. For the small price of 2,500 Yen, show goers were welcome to enter and enjoy the presence of over 660 cars and almost 300 vendors. On display within the seven halls of the Osaka Auto Messe were such stellar standouts as the HKS Kansai Service Lancer Evolution IX, the VIP gangsta Junction Produce GS350, Gloss Factory's S15 Silvia, Toyota's newly redesigned bB (Scion xB to us boorish Americans), and Subaru's 2006 WRC rally racer prototype.
Beyond the performance vehicles, pint-sized K-car's and fixed-up minivans pointed to the latest trend in Japanese tuning. With help from such pioneers as Trust, Power Enterprise, and Blitz, modified passenger commuters with massive in-car entertainment systems and extensively blocky body kits are showing a huge surge in popularity. Does this mean that the age of the tuned, turbocharged machine is dead? Far from it, actually. This just means Japan is spawning more options for such style-heavy groups as the Scion camp. Different strokes for different folks we suppose.
If you ever find yourself wandering Japan in the beginning of the new year and you don't know what to do with yourself, hop the train over to Osaka side and give the Auto Messe a look. For the price of a few Suntory Coffee Boss drinks, you can check out some of the latest and greatest car trends from the JDM.
Formula D Round 1 Long Beach -TheviperbluesThe short recap of Formula D's opening round is that an American car won again. Samuel Hubinette's Mopar Viper came out on top with all ten cylinders blasting. The long version of the story though, is that the Formula D round on the streets of Long Beach, Calif., was incredible because, well, it's not Irwindale Speedway.
Having run an exhibition round at Long Beach last year, Formula D knew what to expect out of their first points paying round for 2006 - close combat and lots of excitement. Setup for the annual Toyota Grand Prix featuring the Champ Car racing series, the streets of picturesque Long Beach were cleared out and sectioned off with K-rails to become one of the best street-based racetracks in the US. Ever since the 1970s, when the Long Beach track served as a Formula One stop, the beautiful California weather and pristine beachside have attracted racers the world over. For the Formula D round, the only thing on driver's minds was the characteristically tight confines of the Long Beach setup.
With barely enough room to execute tandem drifts, only the best drivers would be able to survive elimination to the end. The walls of Long Beach claimed such cars as Papa Gushi's rear-drive Subaru Impreza WRX STi, Ken Gushi's Toyo Tires Mustang, and AEM's drift-spec wide body S2000. Representing the other side of the spectrum, Tanner Foust drove AEM's freshly debuted twin-turbo 350Z slider all the way into the best 8 round. With just a little bit more development and experience with the Z, we expect Foust to deliver big results.
Eliminating Rod Millen and his slick RX-8 in the top 16 round, Foust would move on to eventual defeat in the best 8 round at the hand of Hubinette's Mopar monster. The best 8 round also featured a spectacular battle between Rhys Millen's re-invigorated Pontiac GTO and Yukinobu Okubo's Signal Auto R34 Skyline GT-R. The notorious chameleon R34, which is already famous in the time attack world, was converted from all-wheel drive to a rear-drive setup for Formula D. Although Millen stopped the GT-R's run in the best 8 round, it was still an awesome sight to see the infamous Nissan blazing through the concrete barriers of Long Beach.
Daijiro Yoshihara and the black and gold themed Rockstar S13 did all they could to represent Japanese machinery, but the day belonged to the big blocks. The final round between Millen and Hubinette literally shook the ground, with each pulse from their pushrod motors blasting the concrete. Run after run was made, but in the end, it was Hubinette who came out on top. Long live the Viper, we guess.
Sciontc Madness At TurboneticsTurbonetics, the Simi Valley, Calif.-based turbocharger madhouse, opened its doors to Scion tC enthusiasts in mid-March for a forced induction open house. Having developed a bolt-on tC turbocharger kit that makes 244hp and 262ft/lbs of torque at 8psi of boost, Turbonetics knew that the Scion crowd was going to come out in force. With a raffle on hand for one lucky attendee to go home with a brand new tC turbo kit, the open house featured beautifully mild weather, an open BBQ, prize giveaways, dyno pulls, a Turbonetics facility tour, and most importantly, informative information on how turbos really work.
Held shortly before the open house event, the Turbonetics VIP Contest proved to be a dream come true for Scott Kennedy of New Jersey. The tC owner received airfare across the nation in order to attend the event, plus accommodations and the full red carpet treatment from the Turbonetics staff. With the Turbonetics girls outside in full uniform posing for pictures, and with the dyno running on the inside, show goers had more than enough on hand to see and experience. Although everyone wasn't lucky enough to win the full VIP treatment, Turbonetics still put on a great show for the Scion community. Plus, there's always hope you'll win next time.
Brand New Scion Sports Concept -The FuseA new Scion has arrived, and its name is the "Fuse." The concept-only show car, built by Five Axis, debuted at the 2006 New York International Auto Show and points toward the direction of the next Scion tC. Covered in a sleek, yet decidedly urban-tough exterior, the Fuse was inspired by the monsters of the Super GT racing series. Huge 20-inch wheels fill the fenders, complete with LED lights that double as turn signals. Matched with headlights and fog lamps that change colors on command, the Fuse is the epitome of Scion customization.
Inside, the Fuse combines a roomy interior with a fold-down rear bench that can mechanically extend into a bench seat. Video monitors dominate the dash, and accent a steering wheel that has more buttons and displays than it does gripping space. Although the LEDs, displays, and video games are obviously not going to trickle down to any production tC, you can expect Scion to carry over the 2.4L engine, two-door coupe design and the general styling elements of the Fuse.
AMERICANNISSAN GT-R
Finalized for 2008 Feeding the already potent GT-R frenzy, Nissan teased the sharks further with news of a US-market release. Having already debuted the GT-R PROTO concept car to the masses, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. President and CEO Carlos Ghosn announced that the next GT-R will be sold in North America and will be branded as a Nissan model, killing various rumors that the car would be sold as an Infiniti. Although confirmation was on hand that hungry U.S. buyers would be able to pick up a GT-R in 2008, pricing details were not disclosed. We assure you, it won't be that cheap. Expect the GT-R to debut in Japan in Fall 2007, and surface in the U.S. and Canada in Spring 2008. The final production GT-R is scheduled to debut at the 2007 Tokyo Auto Salon.