This year, the 2nd annual Japanese Automotive Invitational is held. This is a celebration that showcases Japanese classic cars which are presented by Infiniti together with Motor Trend at the 2019 Monterey Car Week. You can read more about this annual celebration.
All of the vehicles showcased exemplified design, innovation, and performance – all of these originating from Japan, a country with significant and historically rich car culture. Here, the cars on display provide the audience with a glimpse of the iconic luxury cars in Japan before, which, surprisingly, were used as inspirations for futuristic Japanese car designs at the Infiniti Pavilion.
These are some of the cars in the said event:
1984 Honda CRX Mugen
A crowd favorite, this iconic Honda car is a first-gen prototype. It’s a test car for the Mugen performance parts. That’s why it has one of the oldest built-in Mugen components and engine. With an engine of 1,488 cc with a head and block made out of aluminum, valves, springs, and camshaft, it surely is not only an iconic vehicle but also one of the first Mugen-designed cars in Japan. For all the Honda lovers out there, you would definitely find this vehicle remarkable and awe-inspiring.
1963 Prince Skyline
This is also another vehicle that’s a first-gen from Prince Skyline. It’s one of the most classic and elegant-looking cars in the event. Because of how it’s styled, it’s still considered an impressive car even by today’s standards. This stylish car was designed by Giovani Michelotti, and there are only around 60 units produced from 1663 to 1962. Talk about exclusivity and elegance combined in one car.
1996 Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4 Spyder
An engine with 34,000 original miles which was brought from an 82-year-old man, the original owner, this model showcased in the event is said to be one of the 32 red cars that were produced in the year 1996. This was according to the 3000GT V-R4 registry, making this a totally classic model in the old Japanese era.
1966 Nissan Silvia CSP311
Known to be the predecessor of the Datsun 240Z, every Nissan Silvia CSP311 is said to be made by hand, building it according to its customer’s specifications. From 1965 until 1968, this model was produced, and there were only a total of 554 of them. From all of the cars displayed on the event, this was the only one that earned a Japanese Automotive Invitational Medallion Award this year.
2000 Isuzu VehiCROSS
While not as old as the other cars, this one is still considered a classic. It’s included as one of the top sport utility cars because of its distinct and great style. This car was manufactured from 1997 until 2001.
These are just some of the classic cars featured in this event. There were other car models and brands as well, all of them distinct and certainly vintage. For all the car lovers out there who are particularly fond of old vehicles and models, tune out to next year’s event too.
