People usually think of Japanese cars as bland, but very reliable and practical grocery-getters. Yes, Japanese cars often score high in reliability and practicality, but not all are as dull as dishwater.
Even in the early days of the Japanese automotive industry, manufacturers built great-looking, highly desirable cars that makes it tingle in all the right places.
Some of these are, obviously, heavily inspired by some of Europe’s finest, others are so uniquely Japanese that it’s impossible not to love them.
Toyota 2000GT
There’s no point if keeping the best for last, so let’s start with the most beautiful Japanese car ever made, the Toyota 2000GT. In fact, it’s not just a stunning Japanese car, the 2000GT consistently ranks among the most beautiful cars in the world, regardless of country.
It’s easy to see that Toyota got some inspiration from the Jaguar E-Type, and there’s nothing wrong with that. In addition to being beautiful, it’s also excruciatingly rare. According to Hagerty, one example fetched over $1 million at an auction, making it the most expensive Japanese car ever.
Nissan Skyline GT-R Hakosuka
In 1969, Datsun introduced a car that would forever change the motorsport world. For years, the Hakosuka Datsun Skyline GT-R was unbeatable on Japan’s racetracks, but it wasn’t all brawn; it also had a lot of beauty. That combination has made it one of the most sought-after JDM classic cars. Today, its legacy is kept alive through the Nissan GT-R.
The Hakosuka’s boxy design with gentle curves still looks great today. While the interior was very basic, it was also sporty, with a three-spoke steering wheel, wood inserts, aluminum pedals, and bucket seats.
MkIV Toyota Supra
Toyota’s fourth-generation Supra is the stuff of legend. Getting your hands on a good one requires a serious stack of cash. Whereas the third-gen Supra looked like Toyota designed it with nothing but a ruler, the fourth-gen had a smooth, flowing, curvy design that ended in a massive rear wing.
Thanks to its famous, twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six 2JZ engine producing 320 hp, the Supra also packed a serious punch. It’s certainly one of the best cars from the JDM golden era of the 1980s to the early 2000s.
Hino Contessa Coupe PD1300
Nowadays, Hino is best known for its large commercial vehicles, but for a few years, the company also made regular cars. If you think there’s something familiar about the Hino Contessa Coupe PD1300, you’re right.
Curbside Classic says Hino was licensed to produce a locally adapted version of the Renault 4CV. It didn’t look good, so they had Giovanni Michelotti re-design it. The second-generation Contessa 1300 PD sedan looked great, but the sportier two-door coupe that followed it looked even better, and it still had a whiff of Europe about it. Toyota then bought Hino and shut down the Contessa Coupe production. Only 3,868 cars were made.
Lexus LFA
Lexus built the LFA to be the ultimate flagship car, and while it never got the warm welcome it deserved, people are willing to pay big bucks for one today. Auto Evolution says Lexus spent too much time and money developing it, so by the time it was ready, it was too expensive, and cheaper cars matched its performance.
However, whereas some of its competitors aged like milk, the LFA aged like fine wine. Its stunning exterior, combined with the howling V10 engine, makes it one of our favorite supercars of all time.
Nissan Z
Practically every Z car ever made could claim a spot on this list — including the 280ZX and 300ZX versions. So we decided to go with the latest one. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but there are some good reasons why it deserves a spot here.
If not the best-looking Z car, most people will still agree that the new Nissan Z looks excellent. It features some retro elements from its predecessors and an overall shape that harkens back to the original 240Z. Car and Driver reports that its long hood hides a 400-horsepower twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 engine that’s mated to a 6-speed manual transmission, making it even more attractive.
Datsun Fairlady Roadster
Many enthusiasts believe the Datsun 240Z was the first car with the Fairlady moniker. They’re wrong! It was the first Z model, but not the first Fairlady. In 1963, Datsun launched the Fairlady 1500 convertible, which looked just as stylish as the British sports cars from MG and Triumph.
As time passed, this little Datsun Roadster gained more power, culminating in the Fairlady 2000 model with a 135-horsepower 2.0-liter engine. There was even an optional performance kit available, extracting a total of 150 wild stallions.
Mazda Cosmo
The sought-after Mazda RX-7 may be the most famous rotary-powered car, but it wasn’t the first. Long before the RX-7 was a twinkle in the manufacturer’s eye, Mazda began experimenting with the Wankel engine design. This led to the launch of the Cosmo flagship car in the 1960s.
The Cosmo looked like it was going fast even when standing still, and Mazda was clearly inspired by the ongoing space race, both regarding the Cosmo’s name and the design. According to Silodrome, the Cosmo was, for a brief period, the fastest Japanese car on the market.
Toyota Celica Liftback
Over the years, Toyota has made many variations of the Celica, but the 1976 Liftback may just be the best-looking Celica ever. It was conceived during the 1970s oil crisis, and the American automotive world was firmly planted in the malaise era.
High-performance cars were pretty much a thing of the past now, so the Celica’s 96 horsepower was actually somewhat decent. It looked like a small Ford Mustang, and that’s more than we can say about the contemporary Mustang II. With models like the Celica, Japanese cars became much more desirable to consumers, allowing carmakers from the Land of the Rising Sun to get a foothold in the market.
Datsun 510
The Datsun 510 started out as a humble little family car, available in two-, four-, and five-door body styles. Since then, its cute design has earned it millions of fans worldwide, and the 510 is now one of the most iconic Japanese cars ever.
We love the two-door coupe version. Fitted with the 96-horsepower 1.6-liter engine, its looks and power were on par with the small European coupes of its era, such as the BMW 02 Series.
Mazda RX-7 FD
MotorTrend reports that Mazda’s third-gen RX-7 was only available in the States from 1992 to 1995. Back then, many gearheads didn’t appreciate it, but it’s certainly sought-after today.
After video game franchises such as Need for Speed and Gran Turismo, and the Fast & Furious movies, the Wankel-powered RX-7 has garnered a cult-like following, and prices have skyrocketed. It’s easily one of the most stylish sports cars of the 1990s, right up there with some of the best-looking European models.
Toyota GR86
Who says you can’t buy a stylish new car on a budget? The Toyota GR86 is a 2+2 fastback coupé that offers near-perfect weight balance. It was inspired by another iconic Toyota, the AE86 Corolla, and has proven to be a fierce contender in multiple racing series.
The GR86 has a rounder, yet more aggressive design than its GT86 predecessor. Its front end wouldn’t look out of place on a European sports coupe with a much higher price tag.
Honda S2000
Honda built its first S-series sports car in 1962, and we could’ve included one of the models they released prior to the S2000. However, we chose the S2000 because it’s just as good-looking as its predecessors but packs a much harder punch.
We can’t believe that the Honda S2000 has been around since 1999. Its styling has aged well and doesn’t look out of place when parked next to a modern roadster, such as the ND Mazda MX-5 Miata.
Honda / Acura NSX
Honda upset the entire supercar world when it launched the NSX. This car is just as beautiful as the European supercars from that era; in fact, JDM enthusiasts will tell you the NSX aged better than most of them – especially the Ferrari 348.
In addition, the NSX was as easy to drive as a Honda Accord, which put the final nail in Ferrari’s coffin and forced the Italians to return to the drawing board.
Isuzu 117 Coupe
Isuzu is known for its pickup trucks, but in the past, they’ve also built some impressive sports cars. The Isuzu 117 Coupe is one of those. It’s a Japanese car with a very distinct European design — because it was penned by legendary car designer Giorgetto Giugiaro.
Under the hood, the Isuzu 117 Coupe had a 1.6-liter engine producing 118 hp, giving it decent performance. It would accelerate to 60 mph in 10.2 seconds and topped out at 120 mph.
Nissan R390
In the late 90s, Nissan decided to take on Le Mans legends such as Porsche and Ferrari, so they had to build a GT1 race car. At the time, homologation regulations stated that manufacturers had to build at least one road-going example. So that’s exactly what Nissan did.
The only R390 ever made now permanently resides in the Nissan Heritage Collection in Zama, Japan, where approved visitors can visit and admire its beauty.
Mazda Miata NA
Mazda’s original Miata combined all the best aspects of classic British sports cars with modern Japanese reliability in one of the cutest packages we’ve ever seen. It was a massive success, and Business Insider says the Miata is now the world’s best-selling two-seater roadster.
While the affordable Miata didn’t have a lot of power, it didn’t have any problems putting a smile on the driver’s face. There’s also an absolutely mahoosive selection of aftermarket parts, from widebody kits to bolt-on turbos, letting owners turn their lightweight sports car into something that stands out.
Aspark Owl
In 2017, the sound of jaws hitting the floor reverberated throughout the automotive world when the all-electric Aspark Owl was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show. It looks outrageous, but in a good way. It has a gorgeously styled carbon fiber body, and the dihedral doors and massive rear wing will draw in looks from bystanders.
Aspark ensured that the Owl’s performance could live up to the exterior’s promises. Underneath the skin, there’s a quad-motor setup producing 1,984 horsepower, sending the Owl from 0 to 60 mph in just 1.69 seconds.
