When it comes to new motors, what's the most diffi cult part of developing new products?
We spend a minimum of six months of r&D. Getting parts to precise engine tolerances is the hard part. In the U.s., all that the tuners talk about is horsepower and not about how long the engine is going to last, and as a result, a motor can go bad after one race or one season. At Jun we believe in power with reliability. that comes from us knowing the motor in detail and by being involved with every step of the development process. One of the reasons that we were able to win at D1 in a relatively quick two years was because of our company's background and knowledge of motors. to slide and smoke at the same time, it's all about tuning and suspension.
Does JUN make their suspension?
We request our own specs. for the circuit, we use Zeal and for drift, DG-5.
What do you think about the new GT-R?
It's a very diffi cult car. nissan is trying to over manage and control everything. when you purchase the Gt-r [in Japan] they make you sign a contract saying that you won't modify the car. In saitama, there are only three places to take the Gt-r in for repairs. the Gt-r has a black box like a flight recorder on planes that reads and records speed, rpm and so on. If a Gt-r goes onto a racetrack, the Gps sensors on the car detect it and will ask whether or not you want to go into circuit mode disabling the 180km/h governor. Activating the circuit mode will void the warranty. Any sort of after service is also currently limited to nissan dealers, so as far as tuning, everything is up in the air.
Will you tune the new GT-R?
I'm still thinking about it. currently, I'm busy working on the EVO x. I'm waiting for subaru to launch the motorsport version Impreza spec c later this year, afterwards I'll see what happens with the new Gt-r. with all the tuning and speed limitations and the weight of the car, it will not perform competitively stock on the track. I am confident that the EVO x will be way faster than the new Gt-r on the circuit.
How about the new Impreza?
The current one is Ok, but the new stI's rear suspension has a slight problem in extreme track conditions. they should have it fixed with the next update.
As far as tuning, do you have a favorite motor?
I don't have a favorite as each has their strengths.
Is there an American car you wish you could tune?
The Dodge Viper would be interesting to work on.
Is there a tuner who you respect?
RE Amemiya. he's 12 years older than me, but he's still running hard. A lot of people retired or went out of business, but he is still up there, revered and working hard today. In my eyes, he is one of the original guys who started the tuning scene in Japan and is still original to this day.
Very much like a cigarette-loving somebody I met at Auto salon four days prior. Look for JUn Auto's EVO x feature coming soon to 2nr.