The 5 Best Japanese Sports Cars of All Times - Vol.330
With a steady stream of brilliant technological advances coming from Japan, it is only natural to expect the same from their remarkable automotive industry. When you see the majesty of the Lexus LFA or the responsive power of The Toyota Supra, you know the hot rods from Japan are premium productions of power and precision.
Following is a compilation of the top 5 sports cars to arrive from Japan's Automotive Industry along with some important information on what makes each one special.
5. The Datsun 240Z
While this was not the first sports car to arrive in the Japanese showcase, it was especially influential to the designs and innovations that were to follow. One on the most important feats the Datsun 240Z accomplished was awakening a global market which was greatly biased to German and British Cars to the quality and precision of the Japanese Automotive Industry. The Datsun 240z featured a 151HP from an inline 6-cylinder engine fitted in an attractive modern sports chassis.
4. Mazda RX-7
This automotive design was something quite unexpected for its time. It was the height of rotary engine innovation; the 1.3 liter rotary engine could be boosted with a sequential turbocharge booster that made it capable of an impressive 255 HP and over 200 foot pounds of Torque. Being much lighter than other Japanese sports cars gave Mazda RX/7 superior performance both on the race track and city roads.
3. Nissan 300ZX
The 90's were a very important time for the Japanese sports car industry. Perhaps one of the most significant cars to come from this period was the Nissan 300ZX. As its name implies, the 300ZX was built for power and with an aggressive 300 HP from a V6 3.0 liter turbocharged Engine. While these were certainly not the biggest numbers of its period, but once again the mobility and handling of this automobile made possible by a lightweight design coupled with excellent suspension that made it so significant.
The 300 had a suspension system and chassis that were designed for maneuverability and performance, with an innovative "active rear steering" it was an ideal choice for driving at top speeds and was one of the fastest cars from its era.
2. Toyota Supra
A coin toss allowed the Supra to take the place of the NSX, but either deserves this spot. The Supra was endowed with a massive 3.0 lt. Inline 6 cylinder engine with turbochargers; this allowed the Supra to dominate the roads with 320 HP and 315 foot pounds of torque.
This was power to match the Mitsubishi 3000GT, but with a handling and cornering capacity more like the Nissan 300ZX; the Supra was not only faster than its contemporaries but offered a precision steering that was unparalleled.
The ability for the Supra to rip around corners with agility and precision was due to its excellent weight distribution and an equally sophisticated suspension system. After 1997 an automatic transmission was added to the monster engine and the Supra was discontinued shortly thereafter.
But there was nothing that could equal the power and precision handling of a Toyota Supra in its time.
1. Lexus LFA
The finest sports car to arrive from Japanese manufacturers only showed up recently and is by far the most expensive piece in the showcase. The Lexus LFA has a monstrous 533 HP engine unleashed from a v10 engine with computer controlled all-wheel drive capacity. Lexus sold these sophisticated sports cars for a mere $500,000 and were reputed to have come out short covering the manufacturing costs.
The Lexus LFA has a fine temperament being docile in urban driving but with high performance capacity on race tracks. Due to its limited availability and premium Japanese design, this car was a classic when it rolled off the manufacturing lines.