Japanese carmakers have released some the best vehicles over the last forty years. Known for their affordability and reliability, Japanese cars have conquered the global market in less time than expected. Due to their multiple successes, Japanese car manufacturers have diversified their portfolio.
Japanese cars are also popular due to the possibility to easily customize them. Some tuned Japanese sports cars will absolutely obliterate any American muscle car, which makes it alluring to source cheap Japanese cars and turn them into monsters.
10 Lexus SC400
Lexus is known for manufacturing luxurious sedans and SUVs. However, there are times when Lexus releases some crazy-fast coupes. In the early 1990s, Lexus granted us with the V8 powered SC400.
This crazy Lexus SC400 is the kind of modified Japanese cars that will annihilate a stock C8 Corvette. Modded to produce a staggering 950hp, this SC400 would destroy most modded muscle cars currently available. The oversized turbo may have cost a fortune though.
9 Mazda RX-7
The RX-7 is one of those Japanese cars that were total game-changers. Despite the issues associated with Mazda's rotary engines, the RX-7 became an absolute legend. Since RX-7s are rare and collectibles, they tend to cost an arm and a leg. The RX-7, just like the Nissan Skyline and Toyota Supra, it is one of the best Japanese cars to modify.
This green monster is like several modded RX-7s out there - aggressive and street-race ready. It would scare some of the fastest European and American sports cars, seeing as it develops an impressive 900hp. Imagine how beautiful that thing must sound.
8 Datsun 280ZX
The Datsun brand was bought out by Nissan decades ago. Nissan however realized that the Datsun cars released in the past were icons in the making. As a result, Nissan kept some of the brand's most successful vehicles. The Datsun 280ZX is the sort of car that is perfect for a restomod project. It has that classic feel and the ability to be modded to some extreme levels.
The 280ZX is one classic Japanese car that is more badass than a muscle car. Thanks to its modularity, the car can be turned into an absolute beast. This particular 280ZX is equipped with a turbocharged Nissan engine that was modified to produce 1,000hp.
7 Subaru Impreza STI
The Subaru Impreza is among the greatest Japanese cars produced in the last decade. Thanks to its numerous successes in World Rally Championship, the Impreza started getting the recognition it deserved. Featured in several movies, the public became increasingly aware of its existence.
The Impreza STI is widely known in the JDM scene. However, tuners looking for more serious utilization of the Impreza's potential tend to steer clear from the JDM scene. This Impreza, for example, received very few exterior modifications, the engine, however, was boosted to 1,000hp.
6 Toyota Supra
The Toyota Supra has always been a legend for automotive fans. The car is known for being one of the best Japanese sports cars ever made. Being featured in Fast And Furious, the Supra became even more popular among unknowing car fans to be. The only drawback associated with the Supra's fame is that its value skyrocketed.
The Supra became famous in part because of its sporty look, but also thanks to the legendary 2JZ-GTE engine. The 2JZ-GTE engine is one of the best engines of the 1990s. The reason behind the success of the engine is its ability to be modded to some unimaginable level. This Supra's engine produces 1,200hp.
5 Mitsubishi Evo
The Mitsubishi Evo is a JDM aficionado's dream. Thanks to a small yet powerful modular engine, the Evo became one of the most sought after Japanese sports sedans. As a result, older Evos are quite pricey. Discontinued after the Evo 10, their value is likely to keep on growing over time.
Sometimes, tuners tend to take things a bit far. Car fans are accustomed to oversized spoilers or questionable paint jobs. They are also pretty familiar with overly powerful and uncontrollable vehicles. However, a 1,700hp Mitsubishi Evo is not something they will get to see every day.
4 Nissan Skyline R33
Originally produced under the Datsun brand, the Skyline was always destined to become something great. First made in order to compete as a race car, the civilian version of the first Skyline was already packing quite some punch. Over the years, Nissan perfected it and the car became the icon it is today.
The R33 is old, but remains an absolute beast on the road and on the track. Thanks to a plethora of aftermarket parts, it is possible to tune the Skyline to supercar level. Though this particular Skyline is not the most powerful out there, its turbocharged engine still produces a cool 800hp.
3 Acura NSX
The Acura NSX is, by definition, Japan's supercar. The first edition of the NSX was a tremendous success. Its exquisite look and mouth-watering engine has made the NSX a collector's must-have. The newer edition of the NSX did not fail to live up to its predecessors' reputation.
This NSX was showcased at SEMA 2019. The company that modded it claimed to have boosted its engine to over 700hp. That is crazy given the fact the car is already quite powerful, and that working on a hybrid system must have been really challenging. Unfortunately, the Acura NSX is reserved for car fans with more than enough money in the bank.
2 Nissan Silvia S15
In the US, the sportiest Nissans tend to be the 350Z and 370Z. Other models, such as the 240SX or 300ZX are less known from the general public. The reason behind this is that most people do not think Nissan can actually produce sports cars. Another reason is that several Nissan vehicles simply are not sold in the US.
The Nissan Silvia S15 is sadly illegal in the US for road use. The drift queen cannot be legally driven in the US. How sad is that? Car fans can however fly to Japan and indulge in looking at the Silvia tearing up a racetrack. This twin-turbo Silvia is allegedly producing over 700hp.
1 Nissan GTR R35
Getting a Nissan Skyline in the US can be a real nightmare. First, it is a very costly process. Second, Nissan Skylines in the US are hard to find. Thankfully, Nissan thought of all the poor American car fans and released the GTR. Sure, it is not a R34, but it is still one of the craziest Japanese cars ever made.
Nicknamed Godzilla, the GTR has undergone a wide variety of modifications. The GTR is among those cheap Japanese cars that be tuned to produce crazy amounts of horsepower. This particular beast produces 1,200hp. Driving this street-legal, demonic GTR must be an absolute pleasure.