What did we know 1991 for, when it comes to vehicles, be it JDM cars or American rides? In America, this was the time when the popularity of SUVs and pickup trucks began to soar, and sedans began to become a bit obsolete. The malaise era had ended, well and truly, and American automobiles were getting better, by the day. Also, this was the year of the GMC Syclone, the pickup truck that could beat a Ferrari.
At the same time, there was a revolution in Japan as well, which meant, the Japanese Domestic Market, aka, JDM was booming as well. So it’s the ‘90s, rather 1991 JDM models that are the coolest, come with amazing power and tech, and will get you all the jaw-drops and double-looks you want.
So here go 10 JDM cars from 1991, proving their worth with their looks and all that lies under the hood. Any of these will make for the perfect JDM addition to your garage.
10 Subaru Alcyone SVX
The 1991-born Subaru Alcyone SVX is the JDM version of our hometown Subaru SVX. The SVX was Subaru’s debut into the larger-than-life world of grand tourers in the early 1990s. Its distinctive aircraft-inspired window-within-a-window design came from Giorgetto Giugiaro, who’s also responsible for DeLorean and Lotus Esprit.
This big spacey coupe carried a 3.3-liter flat-6 thrashing out 230 horses and 228 lb-ft of torque. That’s enough grunt to launch it like a torpedo hitting a 0-to-60 MPH time in just 7.3 seconds. However, the SVX’s glory lasted for just six years as it became the victim of Japan’s bubble economy leaving its diehard fans bereft.
9 Honda NSX
The mid-engine sports car Honda NSX has blessed the Japanese car bazaar for years. It’s sold as the Acura NSX in the US market, but its Japanese version is highly sought after by JDM fans.
Praised by the automotive legend like Gordon Murray for its superlative performance, this JDM is also known as the world's first mass-production car to wear an all-aluminum, monocoque body. Dubbed as the “Japanese Ferrari” of the early 1990s, it commands six figures in the collector’s market.
8 Nissan Fairlady Z Twin Turbo
We’ll know the JDM Fairlady as the Nissan 300ZX in the US domestic market, but the Japanese versions are always a cut above the US-spec ones. Some of these didn’t reach American soil for not meeting the Federal emission standards.
The 1991 Nissan Fairlady Z Twin Turbo Z32 is one of the most wanted JDMs around these days. It’s got a short wheelbase and a 5-speed manual but the 3.0-liter VG30DETT cranks out a massive 276 horses and 286 lb-ft of torque when left stock. You can liven up the output figures up to 400 and 345 with the plenty of modifications available around.
7 Toyota Supra A70 JZA70-R
The JZA70-R Supra was set with a 1JZ-GTE twin-turbo engine putting out 276 horses and 268 lb-ft of torque. It’s a 2.5-liter inline-6 motor that debuted in 1991 but never landed on US soil. This high-performance engine drives the rear wheels using a 5-speed manual transmission.
For the record, it’s the lightest and the fastest Mk III Supra. It also came armed with better amenities including a larger intercooler, Bilstein sport suspension, lighter sway bars, and a Torsen differential for supersonic speed.
6 Third-Gen Nissan Skyline GT-R (R32)
The R32 Nissan Skyline GT-R, also popularly known as “Godzilla”, is the best example of how Japanese cars have decimated the world of performance cars. It was equipped with twin-turbocharged 2.6-liter inline-6 hammering out 276 horses that could easily be calibrated to make more ponies.
The all-wheel-drive of this JDM legend could also be tweaked for specific situations. Its only rival at the time was the Supra but the Skyline GT-R held its own very well, back then and today, as a JDM.
5 Eunos Cosmo
The Cosmo was Mazda’s halo car, in that it became Mazda royalty from day one. The Cosmo nameplate gave the world its first Wankel-engine car and also the first mass-production car powered by a twin-rotor rotary engine.
In 1990, the JC-Series Eunos Cosmo debuted as a luxury touring coupe and is the only Mazda to use a triple-rotor engine to date. Available only in Japan, its 2.0-liter triple-rotor engine pumped out a whopping 300 horses and 297 lb-ft of torque with twin turbochargers making it a unique JDM car today.
4 Toyota Celica GT-Four RC
The Celica GT-Four RC (Rally Competition) set the stage for Toyota’s WRC winning run in 1992, 1993, and 1994. This rally-bred monster is a high-performance liftback armed with a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-4 jetting out 239 horses and 223 lb-ft of torque.
It propelled this JDM car to a 6.3-second 0-to-60 MPH sprint on the way to a top speed of 152 MPH. Designed to overcome the toughest of roads, this JDM legend remains one of the most successful rally cars ever to date to be made in the ‘90s.
3 The Fourth-Gen Honda Prelude
The high-performance fourth-generation Prelude debuted in 1991 in Japan with a powerful range of inline-4 engines, including the iconic VTEC. At the time, it was the most technologically advanced and well-equipped Honda that one could buy, if we leave the NSX aside for a moment.
The US-spec Prelude came with plenty of choices, but there are a few JDM models that never reached the American shores. Most of them come as a good bargain and are entertaining in every way.
2 Toyota MR2
The Toyota MR2 debuted in 1984 as a relatively affordable mid-engine sports car. It was an economic answer to the power challenge thrown down by Porsche 914, Pontiac Fiero, and many others who were basking in the glory of this burgeoning segment.
However, things changed in 1990-1991 when the second generation models were sold as they were significantly upscale and carried more power now. Nicknamed as "Mister Two" by its diehard fans, four trims of this second generation, G, G-Limited, GT, and GT-S, were Japan-exclusive and make for JDM treasures today.
1 Toyota Soarer
.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=750&dpr=1.5)
We’re talking about the third-gen 1991-born Toyota Soarer which was sold as Lexus SC in the US bazaar at the same time. That said; the Lexus SC was not the same as the high-revving Soarer shelling out insane performance in the Japanese domestic market.
The JDM Soarer has got a 2.5-liter inline-6 that puts out a massive 276 horses and 268 lb-ft of torque that the US never got. That’s why the JDM Z30 Soarer is popular as one of the best Japanese drift cars ever. One is up for grabs at JDMBuySell for a steal.
Sources: Classic.com, JDMBuySell