Over the years, gearheads worldwide realized the potential of Japanese sports cars. Thanks to the internet and the entertainment industry, the same petrol heads were given more information about cars and custom trends coming out of Japan. Consequently, overly powerful Japanese beasts are no longer reserved to lucky Japanese motorists.
Some of the most reliable Japanese sports cars ever can become real killers when modified. It is common to stumble across Skylines and Supras producing over 1,000hp, however, Japan has a lot more to offer as far as cars are concerned. Some of the most mundane cars can be turned into Mustang GT and Mercedes-AMG annihilators.
10 Civic?
Honda is a very interesting company. A lot of the time, Japanese carmakers release some of the most laughable vehicles ever made. However, there are times when Honda gets its act together and comes up with true marvels. The latest Civic Type R is the prime example.
The Civic Type R is usually the type of Japanese sports car that is a breeze to maintain. It is well-known that Civics are affordable and easy to maintain. However, it must be a completely different ballgame with this 2020 Honda Civic Type R TC. The $90,000 Civic is fitted with a turbocharged 2.0L inline-four cylinder engine that churns out 330 hp.
9 Green Monster
When looking at a stock Nissan 180SX, it may seem like another Japanese two-door coupe that is as exciting as a snail fight. However, most Japanese car fans know that a car like the 180SX has a lot of potential. It is not uncommon to find videos of 300hp+ 180SXs drifting like it was going out of style.
Is this 180SX made for the track? Of course it is! Equipped with a Rocket Bunny widebody kit, the highly modified turbocharged 2.0L SR20DET powerplant produces a respectable 330 hp to the tires. The Buddy Club Performance exhaust line must give this bright green 180SX the growling sound it truly needs.
8 Last One
Toyota is not really known for having excelled in the World Rally Championship. As most tournaments are dominated by either obscure European cars or legends like the Impreza or the Lancer Evo, Toyota and its Celica have somewhat gone under the radar. However, the Celica was performing decently during its WRC years, which even led to the creation of the GT4
The Celica GT4 ST205 is quite a respectable, yet underrated car. As part of the homologation process required to compete in professional racing, Toyota developed only 2,500 of the ST205 GT4. The car is originally fitted with a turbocharged 2.0L 3S-GTE inline-four engine that cranks out 252 hp (in the Japanese version).
7 Japanese Restomod
Mazda might be perceived as a below-average carmaker by most people, but the company has created a myriad of astonishing vehicles most people have never heard of. Though it is fair to say that the RX-8 was a complete failure, the previous RX-badged cars were absolutely fantastic.
In the US, Mazda cars from the 1970s are quite hard to find. In Australia, things a completely different. There is a huge car scene centered around classic Mazdas. This insane RX-3 is fitted with a GT42 turbocharged 13B from an F3DS that produces a ridiculous amount of power.
6 Smoking Hot
There is something very peculiar about most Asian cars. They can be much smaller compared to American and European-made cars. They also have a little je ne sais quoi that simply cannot be found in anything made elsewhere. For that reason, several gearheads have decided to focus their attention on these little Asian machines.
The Toyota MR2 is widely overlooked in the US. However, true Japanese car fans knew exactly what this compact sports car was capable of accomplishing. This SW20 was modified to become a street-legal race car. Though the Marlboro wrap may trigger Karens nationwide, gearheads will truly appreciate the work done to this MR2.
5 Super Nissan
Nissan blessed the world with a wide array of powerful two-door sports cars. The company did not just start with the 350Z. That is one of the most preposterous things gearheads may ever hear. Nissan took over the Z-Series when Datsun went out of business. One of the most underrated Z-badged cars could easily be the 300ZX.
The Nissan 300ZX is very impressive. At best, the 300 ZX is fitted with a naturally aspirated, twin-turbocharged 3.0L V6 that churns out 279 hp at 6,400 rpm and 276 lb-ft of torque at 3,600 rpm. Those are great specs. It is an indicator that the 300ZX can handle a lot more. In this particular case, the 650 hp RB26-powered Nissan 300ZX is a beast.
4 Red Bullet
The Mitsubishi Lancer Evo. It is by far one of the most valuable Mitsubishi cars ever made. When checking out Craigslist, anybody will see that most Evos cost just as much as a brand-new high-end Hyundai. The Evo is also the only car made in Japan that truly competes against the Impreza WRX STi, hence the rivalry between the two cars.
The Lancer Evo IX is among the best Japanese sports cars ever made. It can be turned into absolutely anything. However, most gearheads do not have the budget to turn a bone-stock Evo into a 1,000 hp beast. Thankfully, the Evo IX can become a more aggressive street-legal race car with very few modifications.
3 Gumball 3000
Lexus is the luxurious subsidiary of Toyota. It has been rumored that the name actually means "luxury exports to the US." It is unclear whether it is true or not, however, it is fair to admit that Lexus is far more elegant than regular Toyota cars. In fact, Lexus was the very first Japanese company to give high-end German cars something to worry about.
This Gumball 3000 Lexus RC F was featured at SEMA. It is quite rare to see Lexus cars being turned into race cars that can handle long distances, but this monster can definitely play the part. The RC F received a wide array of body modifications. It was also fitted with a nitrous oxide system in order to give it the extra zing needed when going full throttle.
2 Muscle Car Annihilator
There is a myriad of defunct carmakers in the world. The vast majority of them ceased to exist following a long streak of low sales. These low sales are usually explained by releasing poorly designed and finished vehicles on the market. However, Datsun was phased out for much different reasons. In fact, the brand was revived in 2013 to mainly be present in emerging markets.
Australia makes the best Japanese muscle cars. This Datsun 510 is the prime example. Do not expect any LS swap here. No, everything here is Japanese. The powerplant is a turbocharged 2.4L KA24DET inline-four that cranks out a staggering 700 hp. The power is transferred to the back wheels thanks to a Tri-Matic three-speed manual transmission.
1 Overlooked
The early 2000s saw the vast majority of Japanese cars turned into rice rockets. Though these cars had the potential to become serious race cars, the average JDM fan went for the obnoxious, knock-off Fast And Furious look. As years went by, trends changed and the rice rocket style was out.
When looking at this Acura RSX, it is fair to say that it has a very JDM feel to it. However, it was modified in a much sober fashion, which makes it oddly attractive. It is quite unclear what was done to the engine, but it seems as if it received a huge amount of work, judging by that huge chromed-out turbo.