Of course, anyone would want something that is aesthetically pleasing to the eye, innovative in design, and most importantly, safe on the road. So, JDM automakers had to vehicles more reliable and packed with new features, technology, and the highest level of comfort. For certain people, their car is like their second home. Car technology and engineering has taken as so far away from the time when vehicles’ sole purpose is transportation. That may be just fine for some people, but it does seem like a lot of money just to have a car with fancy doors, especially when you can get a V8-powered and very clean Fiero for much less.Most vehicle manufacturers work hard to achieve capability, versatility, and dependability. But they have become especially valuable and recent sales have brought in more than $20,000 at auction. However, they are said to be twitchy and prone to oversteering. This makes them rare and desirable, especially as they are legal to import now. The AZ-1 came out at a bad time as Japan's economy was floundering and sales of this model fell short with fewer than 5,000 built. While its power is limited, the curb weight of just 1,500 pounds means performance is spry and the overall packaging makes for fun driving. It made 63 horsepower but was wrapped in a low and sleek package with go-kart-like handling and finished off with gullwing doors - a mini supercar with Japanese reliability. This pint-sized sports car came with the same limited-displacement 660cc engine, but it was placed in the middle of the car behind the two passenger seats. For that much money, there are dozens of excellent American-spec Japanese cars. Nice copies of later GT-R models can sell for $50,000 and up to $125,000 for a mint condition LHD converted car. But the prices are out of control now and importing the R33 and R34 as they become legal has made them financially untenable for many. Skyline GT-Rs can be tuned to make an immense amount of power and they are attractive cars that retain somewhat reserved styling.

These have been popular imports, but the later R33 and R34 models with increasing power and better performance are now the most wanted examples. The first seriously technologically advanced model arrived in 1989, aka R32 model, pushing 300 horsepower with 4-wheel steering and other electronic enhancements. The GT-R edition appeared in 1967 and continued to be a top-performing model for Nissan ever since. It gained a 6-cylinder engine in the mid-60s and Nissan took it racing. Nissan first introduced the Skyline name while still operating as the Prince Motor Company in 1957. Unless you really know what you are getting into, this should probably sit further down on your JDM car shopping list. Add to that the extreme appreciation in the car market and the price of entry can top $50k. The cars were very advanced and used cutting-edge technology, but that also made them complex and prone to breaking down from one of any number of little issues building up to one giant fiasco. With the added performance also came a curb weight of 3,826 pounds, which makes it heavier than its contemporary rival, the 3,560-pound Supra Turbo.ĭespite being a great-looking car with good performance, it can be a waste of money through a stream of small repairs stemming from the inordinate amount of complex electronics. The VR-4 delivers a very respectable 300 horsepower from its twin-turbo DOHC V6, and it sends power to all four wheels along with four-wheel-steering. Handling is excellent and the interior is well-trimmed and of top quality. The base model came with a 3.0-liter 24-valve V6 making 222 horsepower.

The GTO was offered for sale from 1991 to 1999.

Cars jdm edition