Modded cars and Japanese car culture are so closely intertwined that many casual car fans might think they're the same thing. They're not, but even so, Japan has been the birthplace of so many great modders' favorites that it could well be called the home of modified tuner culture.
Of course, there are also some cars that hail from the Land of the Rising Sun that just shouldn't be modded, ever. They might be priceless examples of the nation's automaking history, or too rare to mess with. In some cases, they're just too cool in stock form to warrant any modification. Let's round up a selection of cars that always look better with a few mods and some that custom car lovers should keep well away from.
10 Cooler Modified: Nissan 240SX
The stock 240SX isn't a bad-looking car, but it's unremarkable, to say the least. Thankfully, modders have produced all sorts of aftermarket parts in the decades since it's been released that make it into a real head-turner.
It's a JDM drift favorite, having a chassis perfect for drift setups. It's this that meant aftermarket tuners first took an interest in the 240SX, and since then there's been a huge selection of parts made, both drift-focused and purely cosmetic.
9 Cooler Modified: Subaru Impreza WRX STI
A proper Japanese icon, the Subaru Impreza WRX has been used in countless different types of builds. There are rally Imprezas, drift Imprezas, slammed Imprezas, and pretty much everything else imaginable.
In fact, it's often more difficult to find a stock Impreza at a car meet than it is a modified one. The reason it's so popular is simply that it makes such a great base for all these different builds; in fact, it's probably one of the most versatile JDM cars ever made.
8 Cooler Modified: Mazda RX-7
Mazda RX-7s are cool just in stock form, and it's getting harder and harder to find unmodified examples. That's mainly because it's just so easy to modify the car.
It only takes a few carefully selected parts to transform an RX-7 into a gorgeous tuner classic, and there's plenty of parts available to upgrade its rotary engine too. If anything, it's almost trickier to make a modified RX-7 look bad than good.
7 Cooler Modified: Nissan 350Z
One of the brand's most recognizable Z cars, the 350Z debuted in 2002 and was produced until 2009, when it was replaced by the 370Z. During that time, well over 100,000 units were delivered, which makes the car a great affordable first project car.
There's also a wealth of kits and parts around for the Z, mostly for lowered or wide-body builds. Many first-time modders don't have the cash for an RX-7 or a Supra, but as the 350Z proves, that doesn't mean they can't get a great car.
6 Cooler Modified: Toyota GT86
When the GT86 released, many complained about its low power and mediocre performance. The car handles brilliantly though, which makes it a natural candidate for modification.
As a result, a blooming aftermarket scene formed around the car, which was helped by its attractively low MSRP. Today, there are parts available for almost every aspect of the GT86, from wide-body kits to turbochargers.
5 No-One Should Modify: Honda NSX-R
The original Honda NSX is a car that's just starting to get the recognition it deserves, even though prices have remained relatively low for now. Its low price and solid build quality have made the regular NSX a modder's favorite for decades, but the higher-spec NSX-R deserves to be left as stock.
It's a Type R version of the Honda flagship, specifically tuned by the brand for maximum, uncompromising performance around a track. Almost every aspect of the car has been tweaked, with extensive weight reduction, carbon-kevlar racing seats, and no traction control.
4 No-One Should Modify: Nissan Skyline R33 GTR Nismo R400
Built by Nissan as the ultimate road-going Skyline, the R400 took the already very capable R33 GTR and completely overhauled it. Only 44 examples were ever made, making it one of the rarest Skylines ever.
It's way too much of a collector's dream to ever be modified, and anyway, Nissan did such a great job that it's really too good to change. Given its rarity, it's almost impossible for a modder to get their hands on a 400R anyway.
3 No-One Should Modify: Toyota 2000GT
One of the few JDM cars that can compete with the great Italian classics on price, the Toyota 2000GT debuted at the Tokyo Motor Show in 1965 and was built by Yamaha between 1967 and 1970. Only 351 were ever built, and not all of those survived until the present day. That makes it ultra-rare, and highly collectible.
It was a paradigm shift for Japanese automaking, as up until that point many viewed Japanese cars as just dull, practical vehicles. The 2000GT was the opposite: sleek, stunning, and desirable. It's a very important piece of Japanese automotive history, and for that reason, it should be preserved as stock for future generations to enjoy.
2 No-One Should Modify: Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution
It's not just sleek sports cars that are too revered to be modded, as the Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution proves. It's an off-road performance SUV, produced as a homologation requirement for the brand's entry into the Dakar Rally.
It's a very cool machine, with a 3.5L V6 making 275 hp. It's also got a lot of the competition car's bodywork, with fin-like spoilers, a hood scoop, and fender flares. Mitsubishi hasn't produced anything like it since, so anyone looking to modify a Pajero should probably just pick a regular one instead.
1 No-One Should Modify: Subaru Impreza 22B STI
It's arguably the best Subaru ever made, with the most pristine examples now costing over $300,000. The 22B represented the very best of what Subaru could make out of their Impreza sedan, which was in its golden years when the 22B was released.
Many examples now sit as collector's grails, which is a shame as the cars are reportedly amazing to drive, feeling light years ahead of anything else from the era. There were only 424 22Bs made, meaning today they're not only very expensive but incredibly rare too. So rare in fact that modifying one would be considered sacrilege by many.