14 posts tagged “japanese”

The weirdos do come out on blogs, don’t they? Remember the nutter who wrote to my team saying that I was prejudiced against homosexuals? Just had one saying I am racist! Got to love ’em.
   It’s as I said to my latest accuser: those who claim others are prejudiced usually harbour some strong prejudices themselves. The first person I refer to above certainly had it in for some people in his or her email because their views were not in accord; the latter, I sense, probably is a closet racist, who took one message in the post (‘I harbour no ill will to Japanese people despite WWII’) and twisted it in his head to read the exact opposite (‘I hate Japanese people because of WWII’).
   Either that or Nathan works for Toyota.

If you can’t get Japanese food during your stay in Auckland, the airport (the domestic terminal) is your next best bet. Hayama does a good wakame udon for under NZ$10.

This gizmo got me. The lights flash and it vibrates when your order is ready. I’m sure others have seen this before, but it was novel to hick little me.

My friend Doug popped by today and we spent an hour or so watching videos like this on YouTube. Amazing stuff.

Fortunately, Doug could translate for me.
   This was also impressive:    I have driven a regular 997 (not a turbo) and was impressed, so how much more amazing is the GT-R?
   Finally, you don’t see this on Cobra 11: Takayuki Kinoshita testing the GT-R in Germany (speedometer in mph, on account of the vehicle being US-spec).

I was interviewed for a Ph.D. thesis last week and this is the gear the student had. (Funny calling someone who will be smarter than me in a few months a student.) The thing on the left is a video camera.

   Here are the two gadgets next to a regular café pack of sugar.

Every once in a while, I pop into Autocade to see what the most popular pages are. This is what the site reports back.

   The numbers are still very low but bear in mind we haven’t publicly announced this site yet and there’s still a ‘beta’ tag on the front page.

1. Main Page ‎(22,492 views)
2. Toyota Corolla (E100) ‎(2,193 views)
3. Toyota Corolla (E70) ‎(1,706 views)
4. Austin Allegro 2 ‎(1,683 views)
5. Nissan Bluebird (910) ‎(1,621 views)
6. Chevrolet Caprice (1977–90) ‎(1,607 views)
7. Toyota Corolla (E120) ‎(1,546 views)
8. Toyota Corolla (E110) ‎(1,443 views)
9. Current events ‎(1,443 views)
10. Ford Cortina Mk III ‎(1,424 views)

   The first bunch doesn’t have many surprises. The Toyota Corolla has been the world’s top-selling car for many years, and there would be a lot of people searching for more information on the model. The E100 was made from 1991 to 1999, and hobbyists and owners might not find as much information on the web for a 10- to 20-year-old car compared with more recent ones. The E70’s situation is even more acute: that was made from 1979 to 1987.
   Interestingly, the E70 page has risen a lot. Formerly, the E110 page held third place.
   What is interesting here is that the fourth place is taken by a car considered a massive flop and one of the reasons the British car industry was severely weakened in the 1970s. The Austin Allegro 2 was a revised version of the original Allegro, considered by some to be one of the country’s worst vehicles.
   I discovered that the Autocade Nissan Bluebird (910) page was linked at Wikipedia, which probably accounts for the 1,621 views there.
   The Chevrolet Caprice was built for a long time with a similar body shape, and this is sixth place. It was also a very early page on Autocade and may have been “grandfathered” by the search engines a bit. Interestingly, it is the top American car on the service, ahead of all the classic Ford Mustangs already on the site—possibly because there are already many Mustang pages online and Autocade won’t have ranked that highly in Google by comparison.
   Corollas take seventh and eighth, just through basic searching or links from the E100 page, I imagine.
   And it took till 10th place before a European car emerged: the English Ford Cortina Mk III. While essentially a British car, there was joint development with Ford in Köln, Germany.
   I can’t draw conclusions as firm with 11th through 20th:

1. Toyota Corolla (E150) ‎(1,386 views)
2. Toyota Corolla (E90) ‎(1,374 views)
3. Rover 200 (R8) ‎(1,112 views)
4. Nissan Sunny (B14) ‎(1,062 views)
5. Ford Taunus 80 ‎(1,033 views)
6. Toyota Corolla (E80) ‎(984 views)
7. Volkswagen Passat (B1) ‎(975 views)
8. Toyota Corolla (E20) ‎(938 views)
9. Nissan Sunny (B11) ‎(893 views)
10. Nissan Primera (P10) ‎(864 views)

   Vox reports these with the wrong numbers in its list, so you’ll have to add 10 to each of the above. Toyota Corollas take 11th, 12th, 16th and 18th, probably through regular searching and linking. Another British car—more highly regarded this time than the Allegro—is 13th: the Honda-based Rover 200. The Corolla’s arch-rival for many years, the Nissan Sunny, only manages 14th (and 19th): the B14 was a contemporary of the E100 Corolla, and is probably searched for on Autocade for much the same reasons. (Nissan Sunnys should rank lower as it was sold under many different names around the world, such as Datsun 120Y, Datsun 310 and Nissan Sentra.)
   Another European Ford—this time more Köln than Dagenham—comes in at 15th, but the first proper, all-European car without much concession to the British market comes in at 17th: the Volkswagen Passat, a.k.a. the Dasher to our American friends. Finally, another Nissan rounds off the top 20—this model was called the Infiniti G20 in the US.
  

To Jessica and my other Japanese friends, please forgive this post: it’s not meant to cause offence. This is the late Billy T. James, regarded as New Zealand’s greatest comedian, and a clip from his show in 1984. It was regarded as one of his most memorable gags. He also made fun of his own race a lot, too, so he certainly was not sparing!

In the cultural differences’ file tonight: you have to head over to Procrastinator’s blog here on Vox for the song, ‘I Have a Bad Case of Diarrhœa’, as taught to Japanese learning English.
   Just where you can fit in this catchy phrase is beyond me, though I imagine it is better to be armed with it than not.

Here’s an Autocade series for the Brits. Remember these? Well, maybe all but the last one. I haven’t put in the data for the MG ZR yet though.

Triumph Acclaim. 1981–4 (prod. 133,625). 4-door saloon. F/F, 1335 cm³ (4 cyl. SOHC). Anglicized version of Honda Ballade, made on the BL production lines at Cowley. Notable as one of the first Japanese designs to be built within the EEC, to bypass the gentlemen’s agreement where Japan limited itself to an 11 per cent share of the European market. Cramped in the rear compared with rivals. Limited-edition Avon Acclaims with more equipment and turbocharger; CD trim model later added as luxury version. Last Triumph car.

 

Rover 213/Rover 216. 1984–90 (prod. 418,367). 4-door saloon. F/F, 1342, 1598 cm³ (4 cyl. SOHC). Nicknamed ‘SD3’ or ‘Ronda’, successor to Triumph Acclaim followed the same formula: begin with a Honda Ballade. This time, Rover input was greater, evident on the cars themselves, which looked more distinctive. Reliable, advanced for its time thanks to 1·3 unit, slightly less up with the play with 1·6 derived from old Austin Maxi unit but still economical. Intended to be a niche player but had very healthy sales in comparison with other Austin Rover products of the time. Facelift in 1987 including revisions that Honda itself adopted for its Civic and Ballade.

 

Rover 214/Rover 216/Rover 218/Rover 220 (R8). 1989–98 (prod. 708,003). 3- and 5-door saloon, 2-door convertible, 2-door coupé. F/F, 1396 , 1590 cm³ petrol, 1769, 1905 cm³ diesel (4 cyl. OHC), 1588, 1590, 1994 cm³ (4 cyl. DOHC). Twin to Honda Concerto with even greater Austin Rover input than prior Rover 200 series, and probably the company’s most competitive range against ageing Ford Escort and even newer rivals such as Fiat Tipo. Some diesels sold with Honda badges but Rover bodywork. Cabriolet from 1992. Three-door launched 1992 with more powerful versions competing as a hot hatch; two-door coupé, codenamed Tomcat, well regarded as a performance derivative, from 1993. Two facelifts, including 1994 one grafting on formal Rover grille. Saloons deleted with launch of R3, but coupé and convertible carried on to 1998 without 200 name.

 

Rover 200/Rover 214/Rover 216/Rover 220SD (R3). 1995–9 (prod. 470,449). 3- and 5-door saloon. F/F, 1396, 1589, 1796 cm³ (4 cyl. DOHC), 1994 cm³ diesel (4 cyl. OHC). Originally designed as a replacement for Metro, but BMW and Rover nudged it upmarket where it was a premium product and rather expensive for its size. Smaller than former Rover 200 due to its Metro-replacing origins and cheaply developed at £200 million. Attractive David Saddington-styled car with ideas above its station, promoted by Sting on TV, aimed at the 20-somethings. As an Escort or Golf competitor, far too cramped. Most cars soon badged 200, regardless of engine size. Limited-edition BRM in 1998. Successor was eventually brought down to earth and sold in the Fiesta class.

 

Rover 25. 1999–2004 (prod. 217,620 all 25 incl. Mk II). 3- and 5-door saloon. F/F, 1120 cm³ (4 cyl. SOHC), 1120, 1396, 1588, 1795 cm³ petrol (4 cyl. DOHC), 1994 cm³ diesel (4 cyl. OHC). BMW-influenced facelift for 1995 Rover 200, designed to keep the car current till replacement ready in the 21st century—sadly, that never came. Repositioned lower in the market-place with price adjusted, making 25 seem better value. Introduction of Streetwise “soft-roader”: a 25 with cladding pretending to be an off-roader, but which had the same FWD transmission as others. Laughed at then, but now Volkswagen, Ford, Citroën, Peugeot and others offer similar cars. 

 

Rover 25. 2004–5 (prod. 217,620 all 25 from 1999). 3- and 5-door saloon. F/F, 1120 cm³ (4 cyl. SOHC), 1120, 1396, 1588, 1795 cm³ petrol (4 cyl. DOHC), 1994 cm³ diesel (4 cyl. OHC). Facelift and new interior—and last hurrah—for British-made 25, codenamed Jewel. Packaging dated but car still fairly handsome and reasonably good value. Streetwise faux off-roader continued. Lasted till April 2005 when MG Rover went into administration, and tooling now owned by Red Chinese state.

 

MG 3 SW. 2007 to date (prod. unknown). 5-door sedan. F/F, 1396, 1795 cm³ (4 cyl. DOHC). Subcompact crossover developed from Rover Streetwise. MG 3 SW (for Streetwise, not Station Wagon) a front-wheel-drive model with Rover 200 platform from 1995, made in Nanjing, China from 2007 after a two-year hiatus caused by MG Rover’s collapse. New to buyers in Red China, where most are sold.    

Warning: this may be the most boring Autocade-related post you will ever read on Vox. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I give you the Toyota Corolla. I am not responsible for narcolepsy.
   I wrote these ones out of interest, tracking the rise and fall of one of Japan’s greatest exports. I say ‘fall’ despite the fact Toyota has sold 30 million of this nameplate, as it does seem that in an age of market segmentation, it is branching the Corolla line into other nameplates such as the Auris, Blade and Matrix models. So Toyota will still sell huge numbers of these cars-as-domestic-appliances, and it will even instil desirability into them through marketing, and it will likely remain the world’s number-one automaker. But the age of the Corolla may be in decline, with fewer body styles and engine options, as you go down the list—following the same pattern that we can observe with any car line. We are probably 75 per cent through the lifetime of the Corolla. (Note to our US readers: the years quoted are not American model years.)

Toyota Corolla (E10). 1966–70 (prod. 1,170,000 approx.). 2- and 4-door sedan, 2-door coupé, 3-door wagon. F/R, 1077, 1166 cm³ (4 cyl. OHV). The car that kicked it off. Toyota spotted room for a small car as the Japanese middle class grew. Very conventional, drum brakes initially, front discs later. Perhaps established the idea for the Corolla line that basic motoring sells—it need not be the latest technology—but how that appealed to a global market. Aimed at export, toward a ‘general user’. Some creature comforts such as cigarette lighter, reclining seats, two-speed wipers. Four-door and wagon added May 1967. Coupé, from April 1968, sold as Sprinter in some markets—Sprinter line had not split from Corolla line at this point. Larger engine from 1970.

Toyota Corolla (E20). 1970–8 (prod. 3,210,000 approx.). 2- and 4-door sedan, 2-door coupé, 3- and 5-door van and wagon. F/R, 1166, 1407, 1588 cm³ (4 cyl. OHV), 1588 cm³ (4 cyl. DOHC). Launched May 1970, Coke-bottled shape follow-up to original Corolla, proving a bigger hit. Bigger all round, with sporty looking coupé and attractive (for the time) sedan. Conventional engineering but fairly good equipment levels. Addition of five-door station wagon for first time. Sprinter line split from Corolla with this series: cars were called Toyota Corolla for dealers bearing that name, and Toyota Sprinter for Toyota Auto dealers in Japan. Five-speed transmission for 1971. Corolla Levin (and Sprinter Trueno) from March 1972. Daihatsu Charmant spun off from Corolla E20 platform in November 1974, after this model was mostly superseded by Corolla 30. Vans and wagons continued in Japan to 1978 alongside Corolla 30 counterparts. 

Toyota Corolla/Corolla 30 (E30, E50). 1974–81 (prod. 4,420,000 approx.). 2- and 4-door sedan, 2-door hardtop coupé, 3-door liftback coupé, 3- and 5-door wagon. F/R, 1166, 1290, 1588 cm³ (4 cyl. OHV), 1588 cm³ (4 cyl. DOHC). Japanese econobox and the world’s top selling car from 1974 to 1977—the first generation of Corolla to win this acclaim. Not the most rust-proof and not particularly safe when compared with its contemporaries, but inoffensive though dull. Less roomy than Volkswagen Golf; cruder than contemporary Nissans, but proof that conventional engineering was what the customer wanted in the 1970s. Many variations on the theme: two sedans, two coupés, two wagons. Toyota Sprinter a more powerful version; related to Daihatsu Charmant. Longer life than most Corollas, probably due to 1970s’ recession. Japanese and American models had raised grille, lacking from many other markets. More formal grille for 1977. Production in Japan stopped in 1979; Australia produced the model at Port Melbourne till 1981, with later models featuring a 1290 cm³ four.
 

Toyota Corolla (E70). 1979–87 (prod. 3,500,000 approx. in Japan). 2- and 4-door sedan, 3-door van, 5-door station wagon, 2-door coupé, 3-door fastback coupé, 3-door hatchback coupé. F/R, 1290, 1495, 1770 cm³ (4 cyl. OHV), 1490, 1587 cm³ (4 cyl. SOHC), 1587 cm³ (4 cyl. DOHC). Boxy Toyota for the 1980s looks modern but hides pretty much the same as before: front-engined, rear-wheel drive. Available in a variety of models and tidily styled, but a demonstration of the car as a domestic appliance in most cases. Behind the times once archrival Nissan released its front-drive Sunny for 1981. Van and station wagon built into E80 era with slanted grille; facelifted rear-drive sedans even built in Australia into 1987.

Toyota Corolla (E80). 1983–7 (prod. 3,300,000 approx.). 4-door sedan, 5-door liftback sedan, 3- and 5-door hatchback sedan, 3- and 5-door van and station wagon, 2- and 3-door coupé. F/F, F/R, F/A, 1295, 1587 cm³ (4 cyl. SOHC), 1587 cm³ (4 cyl. DOHC), 1839 cm³ diesel (4 cyl. OHC). Toyota may have been late compared with Nissan, Ford, Mazda and Honda in joining the front-wheel-drive bandwagon, but when the E80 Corolla was launched, it blew a lot of the competition away. Highly competent range dynamically and models even had character; relative to the competition, probably the best Corolla ever. Comprehensive range but station wagon and vans carried over from E70 and Levin (AE86) coupé and liftback still on old rear-wheel-drive platform. Sixteen-valve engines for AE86s, developing 92 kW; AE86s developed a legendary status in Japan, considered a classic to this day. Pop-up headlamps for some coupés. Styling completely contemporary with exception of van and wagon, which had an E80-style nose grafted on. Handsome liftback, named Corolla Seca in Australia, where E80 production commenced 1985. Kammback three- and five-door models part of Corolla range in most countries though considered separately in Japan, US and Canada as Corolla FX, Corolla Compact in Europe. New Zealand FXes had regular Corolla nose; other markets tended to have Japanese one. First Toyota Corolla to top New Zealand sales’ charts, thanks to marketing blitz with That’s Incredible’s John Davison. 

Toyota Corolla (E90). 1987–91 (prod. 4,500,000 approx.). 4-door sedan, 5-door liftback sedan, 2- and 3-door coupé, 5-door wagon, 5-door 4WD wagon, 3- and 5-door hatchback sedan. F/F, F/A, 1295 cm³ petrol, 1839 cm³ diesel (4 cyl. SOHC), 1498, 1587 cm³ (4 cyl. DOHC). Bigger, plusher second-generation front-wheel-drive Corolla built on the last’s success, though seemingly less inspiring. Aim was to produce a classless car, and in Japan, it succeeded; in Europe, with other compacts growing, the Corolla never really transcended its position. Same wheelbase, but 2 cm wider. More sophisticated with four-wheel-drive models; Corolla Cielo (Seca in Australia) a contemporary-looking five-door liftback. Rear-wheel-drive models phased out as Toyota introduced a proper E90 station wagon, though commercial models retained leaf springs at rear. Four-wheel-drive wagon replaced Tercel Carib in most markets, different body to standard wagon. Station wagon shared with Sprinter line. Kammbacks still separate line in Japan, called Corolla FX.

 

Toyota Corolla (E100). 1991–9 (prod. unknown). 4-door sedan, 5-door liftback sedan, 4-door hardtop, 3- and 5-door hatchback sedan, 5-door wagon, 5-door high-roof van, 2-door coupé. F/F, F/A, 1331, 1497, 1498, 1587, 1762 cm³ (4 cyl. DOHC), 1296 cm³ petrol, 1974 cm³ diesel (4 cyl. SOHC). Dr Akihiko Saito, in charge of the Corolla programme, wanted to create the most refined Corolla possible, with Lexus-style comfort. To some degree, the team succeeded, but the car’s price went up in Japan during a recession. Roomy, but heavy, and less competitive alongside other small cars, including Koreans. Sales were initially slow. Longer wheelbase. Short-tail hatchbacks still Corolla FX in Japan. Four-door hardtop coupé from 1992 called Corolla Ceres. Last Corolla built in Australia.

Toyota Corolla (E110). 1995–2000 (prod. unknown). 3-door hatchback sedan, 4-door sedan, 5-door liftback sedan, 5-door wagon, 2-door coupé, 5-door minivan. F/F, F/A, 1331, 1498, 1587, 1794 cm³ petrol (4 cyl. DOHC), 1974, 2184 cm³ diesel (4 cyl.). Economic recession forced Toyota to use carryover platform from E100 and split Corolla into Asian–North American and Australasian–European–South American editions. More formal styling was apparent for the former; the latter had distinctive grilles. Wheelbase remained unchanged, and doors carried over as well. Kammback five-door deleted as five-door models merged into one body style. Sprinter Carib-style shell used for European station wagon (E100 carried over in Japan). Corolla more outclassed in this generation, especially with cost-cutting—though Takayasu Honda, the chief engineer on the project, tried to do so without losing quality. Mini-MPV called Corolla Spacio (Corolla Verso in Europe) introduced. European trim levels sounded more emotive, with Linea Terra and Linea Rossa introduced in this generation. Built on every continent at one point, a true world car. Japanese mid-term facelift April 1997; European facelift to four-headlamp grille 1998.

Toyota Corolla/Toyota Huaguan/Toyota Limo (E120). 2000–8 (prod. unknown). 3-, 4- and 5-door sedan, 5-door wagon, 5-door minivan. F/F, 1364 cm³ diesel (4 cyl. SOHC), 1398, 1598, 1796 cm³ (4 cyl. DOHC), 1995 cm³ diesel (4 cyl. DOHC). Corolla grows to its biggest size up to that point but limited by Japanese taxation requirements (setting the maximum width to 1,700 mm before it goes into a higher tax bracket). Shortened Toyota Vista platform, 2,600 mm wheelbase. Torsion beam axle at rear, replacing independent rear suspension. Sedans sold as Corolla Altis in some Asian markets. Wagons named Corolla Fielder, with hatchbacks taking Corolla Runx and Allex names (the latter replacing Sprinter). Corolla Spacio denoted a minivan model, sold as Corolla Spacio in Europe. Toyota Matrix, a different small van or tall hatchback, sold in US, renamed Corolla Matrix in 2005. Platform shared with Pontiac Vibe (or Toyota Voltz). Competent small car, hatchbacks in fact quite stylish, though interior design dull. Mid-life facelift 2004 in Japan. Japanese production ended 2006; some other countries 2008.

Toyota Corolla (E140). 2006 to date (prod. unknown). 4-door sedan, 5-door wagon, 5-door minivan. F/F, F/A, 1497, 1797 cm³ (4 cyl. DOHC). Corolla grew to a size where the 1,700 mm width was too narrow for export, so Toyota broke up the ranges into related cars: sub-1,700 mm for domestic, over 1,700 mm for export. E140 sedan known as Corolla Axio in Japan. Wagon (Corolla Fielder) sold Japan and New Zealand only. Wheelbase unchanged from E120. Corolla Rumion a boxy minivan related to Scion xB and Daihatsu Materia.
  

Toyota Corolla (E150). 2006 to date (prod. unknown). 4-door sedan. F/F, 1497, 1797, 2362 cm³ (4 cyl. DOHC). Continuing car-as-domestic-appliance approach with bland styling, if reasonable refinement. Hatchback for Australia and New Zealand really a rebadged Toyota Auris. Interiors better than E120. Different to 1,700 mm-wide model sold in Japan as Toyota divides Corolla into domestic and export models. Sedan badged Corolla Altis in many Asian markets. Wagon part of E140 range, rather than wider E150. Five-door for US market sold as Toyota Matrix.    

I have a big soft spot for automotive museums and a fellow Voxer posted about a visit to the Toyota one in Nagoya. It’s interesting to note how many non-Toyota products are there: a Ford Model T, an Alfa Romeo 8C, a beautiful Cord 812, an SS Jaguar, a Rolls-Royce, a Porsche 911, and even a Subaru 360 and a Mitsubishi Galant GTO.
   I have done my share of car museums—Rosso Bianco, the Zeithaus at Autostadt, the National Museum in Mulhouse and our own Southward Museum—but the Toyota one fascinates me because a company has seen fit to look at the bigger picture and include others’ makes.
   No wonder Toyota does so well. It has instilled a sense of history into the company and by having these classics from other manufacturers there, employees begin understanding their own part to play. When you have this appreciation of the past, your own role in the future seems that much clearer. Automotive fashions also become apparent—something increasingly relevant as a consideration in modern car design.
   And, let’s face it: Toyota is part of our modern culture. Historians may well include the Corolla as a representative of late-20th-century history, notably our consumerism.