While the 1980s and ’90s are considered the golden era of Japanese cars, carmakers from the Land of the Rising Sun built some highly desirable models long before that. Towards the end of the 1960s, they were churning out small, lightweight sports cars, and by the mid-1970s, they offered several fun and frugal coupes and sedans that looked like scaled-down muscle cars.
Japanese classic cars each have their own unique personality, like Mazda with its rotary engines, and Honda bringing its motorcycle expertise into its car designs. If you’re into old cars, it’s almost guaranteed that there’s a Japanese model that suits your style.
Why We Chose These Japanese Antique Cars
First, we had to determine what classifies an antique car, and according to American Collectors Insurance, it needs to be older than 45 years. From there, we began our search for the coolest Japanese cars from that era. We’ve sourced the information from reputable websites, such as Silodrome, Autoevolution, and the manufacturers themselves.
All the cars on this list have a somewhat established fan base. Some are rare and expensive, others are more attainable to us mere mortals, but they’re all highly desirable to collectors and enthusiasts.
Toyota 2000GT
In a way, the Toyota 2000GT was the first Japanese supercar. It had a 2.0-liter straight-six engine that churned out 150 horsepower. That doesn’t sound like much today, but at a time when most Japanese cars had around 50 hp, having 100 extra ponies was pretty spectacular. It even set multiple speed records prior to its release.
Looking at the 2000GT’s stylish design, it was clearly inspired by European sports cars, such as the Jaguar E-Type, but it’s much rarer than the British sports car. Toyota only built 337 2000GTs, and Drive reports that it cost around $7,000 on the US market when it was new. That was a lot of money back then, but it’s even more expensive today. According to Hagerty, these cars can fetch upwards of $1 million at auction, with the highest recorded sale hitting $2.5 million.
Nissan Skyline 2000GT-R ‘Hakosuka’
In the late 1960s, Nissan built what has since become one of Japan’s most legendary classic cars, the Skyline GT-R. This is the great-great-grandfather of today’s R35 GT-R. As Hagerty points out, As Hagerty notes, most JDM fans call it the “Hakosuka,” which means “Box Skyline”, a nod to its distinctive, boxy design.
Under its hood, the Hakosuka GT-R hides a 2.0-liter DOHC six-cylinder engine that churns out 150 hp and 133 lb-ft of torque. For a while, the Hakosuka was unbeatable on Japan’s racetracks, racking up more than 50 wins by 1972.
Mazda Cosmo 110S
The Cosmo was Mazda’s first Wankel-engined car, and the company named it after the space race of the late 1960s to show that this was the way of the future. While Mazda did continue to work on the rotary engine over the following decades, it never truly perfected the formula, as the latest model to use it, the RX-8, was plagued by reliability issues.
One thing that is close to perfection is the Cosmo’s stunning design. It’s not all show and no go either, as the 982cc 2-rotor Wankel engine produces 110 hp. According to MotorTrend, each Cosmo was hand-built, and during its production run, Mazda made a total of 1,519 cars, 343 Series I models, and 1,176 Series II models.
Datsun Fairlady Z432
Toyota wasn’t the only company inspired by Jaguar’s iconic E-Type. The Datsun Fairlady Z, known as the 240Z outside Japan, clearly had some Jag elements as well. This was the genesis for the modern-day Nissan Z-cars we know and love. With a 151-hp 2.4-liter straight-6 engine and a reasonable price tag, it brought sports car ownership to the masses and changed the sports car world forever.
However, it didn’t take long before Nissan decided it needed a more potent engine. Enter the Fairlady Z432. It had the Skyline GT-R’s 2.0-liter twin-cam, triple-carburetor engine that pumped out 160 wild horses. Road & Track reports that just over 400 Z432 cars were built, and there was also a homologation special called the Z432R; fewer than 50 are thought to have been built, all painted orange with a low-luster black hood.
Datsun Roadster
When the Datsun Fairlady is mentioned, people automatically think of the 240Z. In all fairness, that was the first Z car. However, it wasn’t the first Fairlady! In 1960, the first Datsun Fairlady convertible hit the market, and in 1963, the boxy 1500 arrived. It was based on the tiny Datsun 310 and ready to go toe-to-toe with sports car legends such as MG and Alfa Romeo.
Over time, the 1500 evolved into a 1600 and eventually a 2000 model. The Datsun 2000’s 2.0-liter U20 engine featured a single overhead cam and produced about 135 horsepower, sent to the rear wheels via a five-speed manual transmission.
Honda S-Series
Can you believe that the Honda S2000 is now over 25 years old and considered a classic car? Long before the S2000 was a twinkle in Honda’s eye, they built some smaller, but equally cool sports cars. In the early 1960s, Japanese carmakers began building small sports cars, and Honda wanted a piece of that action. The company had already established itself in the two-wheeled world, and even built a tiny kei pickup truck, so the S500 sports car wasn’t a move anyone expected.
Most sports cars pack some power, but according to Autozine, Honda went with a 44-hp 0.5-liter engine in the S500. Both power and displacement grew until the S800, with 70 horsepower and a 9,500 rpm redline, arrived in 1966. Honda drew on its motorcycle expertise when building the S-series, making it both innovative and tons of fun to drive.
Toyota Sports 800
The Toyota Sports 800 may be tiny, but it had a massive impact on the manufacturer’s success. In fact, one could argue it’s among the most important cars Toyota ever made. Lovingly referred to as the Yota-Hachi, or Toyota Eight, it was the brand’s first production sports car and also one of the first cars to feature a targa roof.
Its 790cc air-cooled, dual-carburetor two-cylinder engine produced 45 hp, and in a car that only weighed 1,280 lbs, that’s more than enough to have some fun. Only 3,131 Sports 800 cars were built, and according to Silodrome, the majority were sold in Japan.
Mazda RX-2 Capella
After the Cosmo, Mazda expanded rotary power into the Capella line (introduced in 1970); the rotary export version was marketed as the Mazda RX-2. While it’s considered the first “normal” car to use the rotary engine, the RX-2 was also available with regular four-cylinder engines.
In the United States, the piston-engined Capella was briefly sold as the Mazda 616/618, while the rotary version was sold as the Mazda RX-2. The rotary version used Mazda’s twin-rotor 12A, listed by Mazda at 120 horsepower in early Capella rotary applications.
Mazda RX-3 Savanna
Remember the Hakosuka Skyline GT-R we talked about earlier? Well, the Mazda RX-3, marketed as the Savanna in Japan, was the car that ended its race-winning streak. Mazda enjoys taking a different approach to performance cars, focusing on low weight and balance rather than maximum power. For this reason, the RX-3 flagship model was equipped with a 1.2-liter twin-rotor Wankel engine producing 125 horsepower, according to Silodrome.
The RX-3 was soon nicknamed “the rotary rocket,” and it would lay the foundation for Mazda’s future rotary-powered sports car, the RX-7.
Datsun 510 Bluebird
There’s no denying that the humble little Datsun 510 has become one of the most iconic Japanese cars ever. It was built to resemble the European box-styled cars of its era, and was available with two, four, and five doors. The most desirable model is the two-door coupe.
The Nissan 510 had a 1.6-liter engine that produced 92 hp, which was about the same as one would expect in a European car. Thanks to its affordability and reliability, the 510 became a well-performing race and rally car with a burgeoning aftermarket, even taking home the overall victory at the 1970 East African Safari Rally.
Toyota Celica
In the 1970s, Toyota decided to bring the battle to American soil, taking on pony cars like the Mustang. The new Toyota Celica coupe was a stunner, and the 1976 Liftback Celica is arguably the best-looking version of them all. It’s easy to tell that it was aimed directly at the Ford Mustang 2 and the established American brands had reason to be worried.
Toyota actually did have sports car DNA, as they’d already made the Sports 800 and the 2000GT, so they knew what they were doing when creating the Celica. In the States, it was introduced with a 110-hp 1.9-liter four-cylinder engine, which eventually grew into a 2.2-liter unit. These days, the Celica is highly sought-after, but it’s still possible to find a reasonably priced example.
Nissan Skyline GT-R (C110)
Following the Hakosuka Skyline GT-R, the C110 Skyline arrived in 1972 and remained in production until 1977, but the C110 Skyline GT-R itself was built only in early 1973, with just 197 produced. As reported by Autoevolution, there was an ad showing a young couple, Ken and Mary, driving in the Hokkaido countryside, which is why the C110 GT-R is popularly known as the Kenmeri Skyline.
The Kenmeri Skyline GT-R had a 2.0-liter inline-six engine that churned out 160 hp. Unlike the modern AWD GT-Rs, it sent all its power to the rear wheels via a 5-speed manual gearbox.
Hino Contessa Coupe
Today, Hino is best known for making large commercial vehicles, but the company did make regular cars for a while following WWII. According to Curbside Classic, Hino was licensed to build a locally adapted version of the Renault 4CV called the Contessa PC Sedan. It looked weird and flopped, so Hino asked legendary car designer Giovanni Michelotti to redesign it.
The second-gen Contessa 1300 PD sedan looked great, and it was soon followed by a sportier two-door coupe. Hino only built 3,868 Contessa Coupes before the company’s new owners, Toyota, shut down production.
Toyota Corolla SR5
In the early 1970s, long before JDM enthusiasts went crazy for the AE86 Corolla, Toyota built another small Corolla coupe that was tons of fun to drive, the Corolla SR5. This second-gen Corolla was built to compete against Japanese icons such as the Datsun 510 and other RWD coupes in the segment.
Corollas sold in Japan received a 1.6-liter twin-carb DOHC engine that produced 115 hp, but that wasn’t available in the States. Instead, the 2,065 lbs car received a 1.6-liter OHV engine with 88 horsepower, as reported by Gene Butera at Car and Driver.
Mitsubishi Lancer 1600 GSR
Mitsubishi’s Lancer model became a world-famous rally car when Tommi Mäkinen dominated the WRC behind the wheel of a Lancer Evolution. However, the Lancer was a force to be reckoned with long before that. According to Grassroots Motorsports, Mitsubishi introduced the first Lancer in 1973, and just like the Evos, the 1600 GSR was a proper rally car for the road.
The road-going Lancer 1600 GSR had a 1.6-liter engine with 110 hp and 108 lb-ft of torque, but in the racing version, this was increased to 169 horses and 119 lb-ft. Unfortunately, the Lancer 1600 GSR wasn’t sold in the United States; the “Chrysler (Valiant) Lancer” name was used in markets like Australia and New Zealand, while U.S. buyers got Mitsubishi-built captive imports such as the Dodge Colt and Plymouth Colt.
Isuzu 117 Coupe
Isuzu is perhaps best known for its pickup trucks these days, but the Japanese company has built some excellent sports cars over the years. The 117 Coupe is a gorgeous example of that, and if you’re thinking that it looks very European, that’s because it was designed by none other than Giorgetto Giugiaro, as reported by Below the Radar.
Under the Isuzu 117 Coupe’s hood, there’s a 118-hp 1.6-liter engine, and while it wasn’t quick, the car could reach 60 mph in roughly 10 seconds and had a top speed of 120 mph. Production lasted until 1981, but your chances of finding one of these cars in good condition are rather slim.
Honda Civic 1200 RS
The original Honda Civic wasn’t fast nor fancy, it was just an affordable and reliable car that got the job done. When the oil crisis hit in the 1970s, consumer demand for fuel-efficient vehicles skyrocketed, and it was the humble Civic’s time to shine.
Road & Track reports that the standard Civic’s 1.2-liter engine produced 50 hp, but its real party trick was that it could run on both leaded and unleaded fuel, providing drivers with fuel choice flexibility. In Japan, Honda released a hotter version, the Civic 1200 RS. Thanks to dual Keihin carburetors, an improved intake manifold, more aggressive cam, high-compression pistons, and a different exhaust header, it produced 73 horsepower.
Mitsubishi Colt Galant GTO
According to Japanese Nostalgic Car, Mitsubishi first introduced the Galant moniker in 1969, and is most commonly associated with the carmaker’s high-end sedans. When naming the Galant GTO, Mitsubishi got some inspiration from the Ferrari 250 GTO, as it stands for Gran Turismo Omologato. That’s right, the Mitsubishi Colt Galant GTO is a homologation special built to compete in the JCCA. However, because of the 1973 OPEC oil embargo, it was never raced.
Like many other Japanese coupes from the 1970s, the Colt Galant GTO looks like a downsized muscle car. There’s no V8 under the hood, though. Mitsubishi went with four-cylinder units ranging from 1.6 to 2.0 liters, and the range-topping MR trim had a 1.6-liter DOHC, twin-carb engine with 125 horsepower.
Toyota Century
The Toyota Century was released in 1967, and today, it’s one of the world’s greatest luxury sedans. Since it was sold exclusively in Japan, most foreign VIPs never even knew it existed. In Japan, however, this JDM limo is the preferred mode of transport for important people.
Modern versions are famous for their V12 powerplants, but this first-gen Century had a 3.0-liter V8 engine with around 150 workhorses. The Century was never intended to go fast; it’s just for cruising between meetings in style, so smoothness is preferred over brute force. The Century’s exterior is covered in black paint with chrome accents, and the interior is as luxurious as you’d expect from its European counterparts.
Isuzu Bellett GTR
Isuzu never offered the Bellett GT-R in the States, but American car enthusiasts can enjoy this gem in the Gran Turismo video game series. According to Curbside Classic, the GTR was a high-performance version of the Bellett, fitted with numerous performance upgrades, and was only available as a coupe.
It’s just as good-looking as the contemporary Alfa Romeos or Lancias, but much rarer than the Italians, as Isuzu only built around 1,400 Bellet GTRs. Today, they’re as rare as hen’s teeth. It was powered by a 1.6-liter DOHC engine that produced around 120 hp, which was right up there with Europe’s finest coupes.
Subaru 360
Nicknamed the “ladybug” in Japan, the Subaru 360 was Japan’s answer to the VW Beetle—and the car that put Subaru on the map. It was tiny, light, and powered by a 356cc two-stroke engine that produced just 16 horsepower, but it didn’t need much more. Weighing under 1,000 pounds, it was legally classified as a kei car and became a symbol of postwar Japanese ingenuity.
Despite its modest specs, the 360 has earned cult status among microcar collectors thanks to its bug-eyed charm and undeniable historical value. It was one of the first Japanese cars exported to the U.S., sold under the tagline “cheap and ugly does it.” Today, it’s a rare and beloved classic that collectors are always hunting for.
Prince Skyline Sport
Before the Nissan merger, Prince Motor Company produced one of the most elegant and rare Japanese classics of all time: the Skyline Sport. Designed by Giovanni Michelotti, whose work includes Ferraris and Maseratis, this luxury coupe was all curves and class, with styling that wouldn’t be out of place in Milan.
Beneath the bonnet, the Skyline Sport used a 1.9-liter inline-four and came equipped with all the luxury touches of the early ’60s. But what really makes it “collector gold” is its rarity, just a few hundred were made. It’s one of the most exclusive pieces of JDM history, and a crown jewel for any serious collector.
Pint-Sized Collectibles
As you may have noticed, Japanese cars were fairly small by 1960s and 1970s American standards, but as the saying goes, good things come in small packages.
Since they’ve become so rare and sought-after, the price tags no longer match the size of these cars. Still, it should be possible to find some of them for less money than a muscle car from the same era.