After a while, Japan ran out of nearly all the rare discontinued goodies. The only thing left to do to have something rare and different is custom parts. One-off parts and custom fabricated parts are now what we've come to. Custom-made wheels from companies like CCW and Jongbloed are popping up at the car shows more and more. Restoring old school wheels don't cut it anymore, now you have to restore them with a custom look. BBS RS and SSR EX-C wheels are now being redone with custom colors, finishes and new lips to get wilder widths.
What's next? How much more custom can we get now when everything seems like it's been done. What will the trendsetters think of next? Maybe we're all tired of it all and clean simple bolt-on parts will come back.
Word On The Street
Tetsu's Tales
Straight outta J-pan. Engrish from our man in Japan. Read if you dare.
Every year, many Japanese car magazines staff go to SEMA show.
Last year Japanese car magazines staff did not stop by Hyundai booth because Hyundai cars were not popular in Japan. But this year, many Japanese car magazines staff stop by Hyundai booth and check Hyundai Genesis Coupe.
One of Hyundai Genesis coupe is Rhys Millen's midship V8 motor Genesis. Many Japanese car magazine says like Hyundai Genesis Coupe. HKS and Greddy will sell tuning parts for Genesis coupe in USA. Genesis coupe have front engine and rear wheel drive and starting price is $22,000 USD. I don't drive new Genesis Coupe yet that's why I don't know Genesis is good or bad. I think FR layout coupe is $22,000 USD is good price for tuning and drifting exercises. In Japan, it is hard to find good price or A1 condition FR sport cars now. That's why many Japanese car magazines are interested in Hyundai Genesis coupe and Option magazine bought New Hyundai Genesis coupe from Korea.
Hyundai Japan withdraw Japanese car market in end of 2009. Hyundai cars are not popular in Japan but Korean culture is very popular. Korean foods, Korean entertainment are very popular and many Japanese tourist visit to Korea. I know Japan and Korea have bad history in the past but I don't say about that because this is Super Street magazine, not History Channel.
It is about two hours from Japan (Tokyo) to Korea (Incheon). It is about ten hours from Japan (Osaka) to Korea (Pusan) by ferryboat. In fact, we can drive Japanese spec car in Korea if we would take ferryboat (need to do some paper work and insurance). I mean I can drive my car from my house in Tokyo to Seoul, Korea. Government of Korea tariffed 100% on new Japanese cars until 1999. Now government of Korea tariff 8% on Japanese new cars. Now Japanese car is becoming popular in Korea now. Before 1999, some Japanese car companies helped Korean car companies. Mitsubishi helped to develop Hyundai cars. Mazda helped to develop Kia cars. Honda helped to develop Daewoo.
Daewoo Arcadia (1996) was same as Acura Legend (KA7). That was not fake Acura Legend. Honda helped to Daewoo for making Korean Acura Legend in Korea. But I don't know why steering wheel of Daewoo Arcadia said Acura. I think Daewoo Arcadia is almost same as US Spec Acura Legend.