Browse by Tags
Posted
Oct 15 2009, 03:04 PM
by
Mike Garrett
with 10 comment(s)
I'm about to head out the door on the way to Irwindale Speedway to check out practice and the NFS Shift competition, but before I leave I wanted to post this dumped Accord Wagon photo from Minkara.
How cool would it be if Acura brought over the new Accord Wagon/Tourer as the TSX Wagon for the US market?
Not likely, but it's fun to think about.
OK, off to the House of Drift!
-Mike Garrett
...
More >>>
Posted
Oct 05 2009, 03:45 PM
by
Mike Garrett
with 12 comment(s)
My latest browse through the Minkara database came up with this Kyushu-based UCF30 Celsior sporting Job Design aero and dropped on Bold World suspension. The wheels are Work Schwert SC1's in a unique 21" size. One-off touches include the fender ducts and colored wheel lips.
Just another example of modern VIP style at it's best.
-Mike Garrett...
More >>>
Posted
Sep 02 2009, 03:40 PM
by
Mike Garrett
with 17 comment(s)
With all this talk of historic BMW race cars and crazy drift machines, it shouldn't be forgotten that BMW's also make damn good luxo-barges - especially in 7-series form. The newer 7's are OK, but to me there's something great about the simple and classy lines of the E38 model. This Japan-based 740 is doing it right with proper VIP wheels and stance.
-Mike Garrett
...
More >>>
Posted
Aug 31 2009, 04:15 PM
by
Mike Garrett
with 16 comment(s)
Just because it's been a while since I've posted a sweet van on Speedhunters, here's a photo of a dumped and flushed Toyota Estima from somewhere in Japan that's been sitting on my hard drive for a while.
This reminds me that I need to get to work at "personalizing" my own van...
-Mike Garrett
...
More >>>
Posted
Aug 17 2009, 03:02 PM
by
Mike Garrett
with 16 comment(s)
At the recent Concourse event in Pebble Beach, Infiniti revealed the first renderings of the all new 2011 M Sedan. Using a clay model with projected with computer images, Infiniti certainly chose a classy place to show off their new flagship. With a bold new styling and more displacement under the hood, the new M should improve on what's already one of the best performing Japanese luxury sedans around....
More >>>
Posted
Jun 30 2009, 06:15 PM
by
Mike Garrett
with 11 comment(s)
As a final bit of luxury material for this month, here's a car that combines the traditional Japanese luxury flagship with some of the kustom style that I showcased yesterday. I never knew the Toyota Century would look so natural in flat black slammed (with hydraulics) on some white walls with sidepipes. Who said VIP cars need wheels poking out from the fenders to be cool?
-Mike Garrett...
More >>>
Posted
Jun 29 2009, 06:06 PM
by
Mike Garrett
with 11 comment(s)
Here's another bit of printed treasure that I picked up during my recent stay in Japan, and another magazine title that fits well with this month's theme - Style Wagon. Since I bought my own van earlier this spring, I've been keeping an extra close eye on this magazine along with some of the other wagon and van publications available in Japan. Van dress-up and customization continues to be extremely popular in Japan, so naturally Style Wagon has a large following there....
More >>>
Posted
Jun 28 2009, 06:45 PM
by
Mike Garrett
with 5 comment(s)
Since it's luxury and exotic month (for another day or two at least), I thought it'd be a good time to take a look at one of the top magazines covering the VIP scene in Japan - VIP Style. Unlike here in the USA where the internet is where most automotive trends are born, print is still very influential Japan. After seeing so many US magazines shrink and disappear, one of things I love about Japan is going to the bookstore and getting lost in all the glossy pages of up to date automotive goodness....
More >>>
Posted
Jun 23 2009, 11:30 AM
by
Dino Dalle Carbonare
with 16 comment(s)
Following on from the Junction Produce LS460, it is now time to take a look at one ride that is especially suited for a bit of modern VIP tuning. The PGF50 President is based on the Cima, or Inifiniti Q45 for those more used to the US nomenclature. You would be forgiven for thinking they are the same car, as the differences are very small, most notably the big chrome grille and a more luxurious interior. The work Junction Produce have done starts off with the front bumper which features a flowing...
More >>>
Posted
Jun 20 2009, 12:15 AM
by
Dino Dalle Carbonare
with 24 comment(s)
Following on from the two Mercedes Benz S-Classes we saw the other day I wanted to take a look at a couple of more rides from Junction Produce. A true VIP car, "or "bippu" if you are going to pronounce á la Japanese, may well be a slightly older JDM sedan, but like most stuff in life things change and evolve so it wouldn't be right to ignore cars like the new LS Lexus you see here. Taketomi-san, the president of Junction Produce, has taken the opportunity to launch a new...
More >>>
Posted
Jun 12 2009, 07:47 AM
by
Mike Garrett
with 22 comment(s)
Hmmm...maybe I should just end my search for cool luxury cars to look at this month. Is it even possible to find anything better than this?
This Jaguar X300 is equipped with parts from J-Complete, an Osaka-based shop that specializes in customizing high end European cars. I actually saw this particular car in person last year at the Tokyo Special Import Show, and it's even sexier than it is in the photo.
-Mike Garrett...
More >>>
Posted
Jun 11 2009, 08:57 AM
by
Mike Garrett
with 19 comment(s)
My love of vans is no secret. To me there's just something great about a vehicle that can carry car parts, family members, or your bros around town in comfort and style. Whether it's a classic Ford Econoline or the sleek modern vans from Japan, I'm crazy for these things. Since it's luxury and exotic month, I'm quite pleased to be able to take a closer look at the vanning world. In Japan, there's one company in particular that's becoming the king of dressing up Honda's vans and compact cars - Noblesse. The Honda Fit, the Step Wagon, and even the new Insight have all been given the Noblesse touch, and their newest project is this RB3 Honda Odyssey Absolute.
...
More >>>
Posted
Jun 05 2009, 01:35 PM
by
Mike Garrett
with 13 comment(s)
Want to take "the road less traveled" when doing a VIP car? Try a Cadillac Seville. I've actually seen a few later model VIP Caddys in Japan, including an especially nice one that was on the cover of VIP Style magazine earlier this year. The body seems to lend itself it well to the VIP treatment, no? Photo found on VIPStylecars.com -Mike Garrett
More >>>
Posted
Jun 04 2009, 03:29 PM
by
Mike Garrett
with 31 comment(s)
With this month being dedicated to luxury and exotic cars, you can expect to see a nice selection of VIP cars over the next few weeks here on Speedhunters. To get started, I thought I'd share a few of the cars done by a shop in Mie Prefecture called Garage Excellent. G-Excellent is all about the "dress up" style - whether its on traditional Japanese sedans, European luxury cars, or the always-popular minivans. Looking at some of G-Excellent's recent demo and customer cars, you can get a good feel for the current state of the dress up and VIP scene in Japan....
More >>>
Posted
Jun 02 2009, 02:28 PM
by
Rod Chong
with 8 comment(s)
Welcome to the next month of your life... is 2009 treating you ok? Or are these tough times bringing the spirit of things down just a little bit? I suppose it's hard to keep your chin up when all you hear about in the news is doom and gloom... oh well... we still can dream about a nice future can't we?... Perhaps this daydream can include some high end supercars too no? Why not!... after any acheivement in life normally starts out with a visualization of some kind. So with this in mind we...
More >>>
Posted
May 05 2009, 04:46 PM
by
Mike Garrett
with 11 comment(s)
I suppose it's not too surprising that there are some nicely done VW Tourans to be found in van-crazed Japan.
A bit cooler than the much larger Chrysler-built VW Routan that we get here in the USA isn't it?
Found on Minkara
-Mike Garrett...
More >>>
Posted
Apr 03 2009, 01:32 PM
by
Mike Garrett
with 16 comment(s)
Right now I'm deep in the hunt for a new daily driver, a car that will be used to get me to events all over California and beyond. As nice as tons of horsepower and awesome handling are, sometimes those things have to take a back seat (literally) to practicality and comfort. Luckily that doesn't mean you have to say goodbye to having good style. I used to drive a CE1 Honda Accord Wagon, and it was one of my favorite cars I've ever had. It's roomy, good on gas, and can still look bitchin' with just a few changes. It really makes me wish Honda still sold the Accord Wagon in the USA.
I guess being surrounded by all the cool vans and wagons in Japan has really rubbed off on me. The wife likes these kinds of cars as well, so I've been scouring classified ads looking for a proper "Speedhunting-mobile". Now I just need to convince my wife that nervously avoiding speedbumps and dodging potholes is a necessary part of everyday driving...
This slammed Accord Wagon is another find from Minkara, Japan's endless source for all things automotive.
-Mike Garrett
...
More >>>
Posted
Mar 25 2009, 08:40 AM
by
Rod Chong
with 4 comment(s)
I just love this car! Tx to Evaan Kheraj for his photographic skills! :R
More >>>
Posted
Mar 25 2009, 03:20 AM
by
Rod Chong
with 33 comment(s)
A few months back, the owner of this Aristo, Justin Wallace was faced with a bit of a dilemma. A Vancouver, Canada, law enforcement officer had decided that the wheel/tire setup on his VIP-style Aristo was "unsafe" and had the car towed away and issued with a vehicle inspection. 5 degrees of negative rear camber along with max stretched 275/30/19 tires on 19x12 Garson Deep Racing Ryugi rear wheels with a whopping -12 offset looked too radical for the police to cope with. So what was Justin...
More >>>
Posted
Mar 20 2009, 11:54 AM
by
Rod Chong
with 10 comment(s)
It takes serious commitment to start your photography shoot at 02:00 in the morning and wait for sunrise... but that is just what photographer Tomasz Wagner did to nail this shot.... Download the regular or wide screen editions in the Desktops area. Full feature to come... :R
More >>>