The Japanese domestic market, better known as JDM, has played an integral role in shaping the sport compact market across the globe since the early '70s. From the first aftermarket turbo kit designed for passenger cars to the conception of carbon-fiber hoods on sport compacts, Japanese manufacturers have led the way in pioneering many of the parts we use at the track or showcase at events on our vehicles today. After weeks of heavy research and brainstorming with numerous sport compact enthusiasts, we sliced and diced our magical number down to 12 products. Products from Japan that we felt were the most influential to the U.S. enthusiast.
Turbo Kits
It's been 33 years since the first aftermarket turbo kit was introduced as we find ourselves in present society, engulfed with hundreds of aftermarket companies selling turbo kits. Many of which owe a debt of gratitude to the men of Japan who kick-started the movement. In 1974 Hiroyuki Hasegawa, founder of HKS Japan, was accredited with designing and building the first aftermarket turbocharger for passenger cars. The aftermarket turbo kit for the L20B engine found in the 240Z proved to be a ground breaking movement among the automotive performance world. While HKS was the first to design and build an aftermarket turbo kit, it was GReddy Japan who brought to the market the very first 50-state legal turbo kit for the '92-95 Honda Civic. With the U.S. government imposing strict emissions rules, GReddy played it smart by offering a kit that consumers could install without the fear of being pulled over.
Reclineable Seats and Racing Harnesses
While aftermarket reclineable and bucket seats continually flood the aftermarket scene, BRIDE of Japan has continued to show a strong presence in the land of the rising run for over a decade. The BRIX reclinable model, the first seat developed through BRIDE has proven to be popular among Japanese circuit racing competitors, while the more average street enthusiasts were found cruising the streets of Japan in their daily drivers using the same seats.Takata harnesses, renown for its bright green coloring, have been a staple product within the motor sports world throughout much of Japan. Manufactured with strict FIA regulations, the TAKATA 4-point and 5-point harnesses have protected drivers in even the most strenuous conditions such as the GT 300 and 500 Championship series. While U.S. guidelines only approve of SFI certifications on both seats and seatbelt harnesses, U.S. residents and JDM enthusiasts don't seem to mind this minor setback as both seats and harnesses have been on a solid sales incline over the past few years.
Body Kits
Veilside was one of the first JDM body kits sold in the U.S. to catch the attention of mainland car owners-well before the whole F&F craze took to the big screen. Introduced in the early '90s, Veilside quickly gained popularity among Supra and RX7 (FD3S) owners as a new radical concept in body design. Veilside and companies like Mugen spawned the dawn of a new era in body kits as U.S. manufacturers took notice and began designing their own kits while others took the simpler path and began gray marketing the more popular JDM body kits to much dismay. Shown above is a Supra sporting the ever-popular C-I model body kit with additional C-II over fenders installed in carbon fiber.
Coilovers
Which country or manufacturer was the first to develop a street coilover system? We're not exactly sure and don't want to start some heated debate. Regardless, suspension tuning has transgressed into a new generation of performance tuning as today's sport compact cars and their owners demand a suspension that can handle the demands of both road racing vehicles and street-tuned machines. In 1990, TEIN Japan, established in 1985, began production of their suspension products (Type H damper) and became one of the more popular companies to develop a full body coilover setup at a reasonable price. The TEIN H damper was designed primarily for the sport compact market in Japan during an era when spring and shock combinations were commonly used.
Exhaust Systems
In the late '80s, if you were old enough to drive at the time, you found yourself sitting at the local muffler shop for over two hours as the resident welder concocted a pinch-bent exhaust system complete with a popular oval-style muffler known back then as the "Sonic Turbo exhaust." As time evolved, so had the design of the exhaust system for import vehicles. Companies, such as A'PEXi, were one of the first JDM manufacturers to offer a bolt-on exhaust system called the "Dunk" complete with a canister-style muffler which was unheard of or seen at the time. While the exhaust canister was larger in size compared to the oval muffler, the DUNK canister setup quickly caught fire throughout Japan and filtered to the U.S. as the new must-have product.