To non-car enthusiasts, Japanese carmakers are best known for their reliable, if somewhat dull, everyday models that people use for their daily commutes.
However, carmakers from the Land of the Rising Sun also like to have fun, and over the years, they’ve built some excruciatingly rare, highly desirable models.
Most JDM enthusiasts know about these cars, but few have seen them in the wild. As most are hidden away in exclusive collections, we’re left to daydream while playing Gran Turismo, wondering what life would be like with a limited edition JDM machine in the garage.
Honda NSX-R GT — 5 Built
Honda created a variety of limited edition NSXs during its production run, but none are as rare and special as the 2005 NSX-R GT — not to be confused with the NSX Type-R. They built the NSX-R GT as a homologation special, allowing them to compete in the Super GT championship. According to the regulations, only five cars had to be built, so that’s exactly what Honda did.
At the front, the NSX-R GT received an extended carbon fiber nose with larger intakes and a front splitter. At the rear, there was now a spoiler under the wing, the carbon fiber bumper was extended and was fitted with a big diffuser. There was also a snorkel that increased airflow to the engine, but it’s not functional on the road cars.
Toyota Supra TRD 3000GT — 35 Built
In 1994, Toyota entered the fourth-gen Supra into the Japanese Grand Touring Championship, and TRD was tasked with building 35 road-going cars that were made available to customers.
The Supra TRD 3000GT looked stunning with its wider bodywork, huge rear wing, a plethora of air vents and intakes, and an improved suspension setup. Surprisingly, TRD didn’t touch the engine, so the 3000GT still produced 276 horsepower, just like the standard Japanese market Supra.
Nissan Skyline GT-R NISMO 400R — 44 Built
The R33 Skyline GT-R NISMO 400R was developed by Nissan’s performance division, and it’s the most powerful factory-tuned R33 GT-R ever. As its name implies, it packs a whopping 400 Japanese turbocharged horses, up from the standard 276 official ponies of the regular Skyline GT-R.
NISMO increased the RB26DETT’s displacement from 2.6 to 2.8 liters, and while the Skyline GT-R certainly isn’t a lightweight, it still scrambled to 60 mph in just four seconds and kept going until it hit its 186 mph top speed. Nissan originally wanted to build 100 of these beasts, but by the time R33 production ended, only 44 had hit the streets of Japan.
Nissan GT-R50 — 50 Built
In 2019, the Nissan GT-R celebrated its 50th anniversary, and true to form, Nissan decided to create something extra special to mark the occasion. The carmaker teamed up with Italdesign, and from that partnership, the GT-R50 was born — a modified and very limited edition of the R35 GT-R.
The GT-R50’s exterior has been heavily revised and now has a different rear section, a power bulge on the hood, new LED headlights, a lowered roofline, and dual exhaust. The engine is based on the one found under the hood of the GT-R Nismo, but thanks to a different intake, new exhaust, and larger turbos, it now churns out 710 hp.
Lexus LFA Nürburgring Edition – 64 Built
Lexus spent several years and millions of dollars to develop and perfect its V10-powered LFA supercar. When it finally emerged, it was the most innovative and impressive car of the segment, yet it never really got the attention it deserved.
Undeterred, Lexus decided to forge on and built the even more hardcore LFA Nürburgring Edition. A model that celebrates the luxury brand‘s extensive testing on the infamous German racetrack during the LFA’s development. It had 10 more horsepower than the standard LFA, lighter wheels, recalibrated suspension, and a big wing.
NB Mazda MX-5 Coupe — 179 Built
In 1989, Mazda introduced the now-iconic MX-5 (or Miata), and since then, it’s gone on to become the world’s best-selling 2-seater open-top sports car. Shortly after its release, Mazda began toying with the idea of a coupe version, but didn’t make one available to buyers until 2003.
Mazda only built 179 coupes based on the NB MX-5 (second generation), and they were offered in four trims. Surprisingly, while the NB MX-5 Coupe’s roof was made from steel and was a structural part of the car, the car ended up weighing just 22 lbs more than the soft-top version.
Tommykaira ZZ – 220 Built
The Gran Turismo video game franchise introduced a whole generation of gearheads worldwide to the Tommykaira ZZ. Tommykaira had started out as a Japanese tuning company, working its magic on several JDM cars before deciding to build its own sports car, the ZZ.
The Tommykaira ZZ was based on a design by Tommykaira and Mooncraft’s Takuya Yura. Production began in 1996 and lasted to 2000, but while it’s a Japanese market car sold by a Japan-based company, the Tommykaira ZZ wasn’t built in the Land of the Rising Sun. Manufacturing was done in the United Kingdom by Tomita Auto UK. Around 220 cars were built, all with a naturally aspirated Nissan SR20 2.0-liter engine pumping out 178 horses.
Nissan NISMO 380 RS — 300 Built
Nissan won the 2007 Japanese Super Taikyu Endurance Series, and naturally, they wanted to celebrate this in the most spectacular way. So, they rang up the NISMO performance division and asked them to build something exceptional. It’s fair to say that NISMO really outdid itself and over-delivered.
NISMO took delivery of 300 road-going 350Zs, opened the engines and installed the internals from the actual race units, increasing the VQ35HR mill from a 3.5-liter to a 3.8-liter in the process. NISMO also fitted a unique aero package on the 380 RS, along with forged Rays wheels, Brembo brakes, and other goodies.
FD2 Honda Civic Mugen RR — 300 Built
For many of us gearheads, owning a “regular” Civic Type R would be a dream come true. Mugen, on the other hand, decided that the Type R was nowhere near special enough. They got their hands on 300 Type Rs and went straight to work, building what’s commonly considered the ultimate CTR.
In order to reduce weight, the Civic Mugen RR received carbon fiber bumpers and an aluminum hood. Mugen also fitted various performance parts, increasing power to 237 wild stallions, and installed some exclusive upgrades inside the cabin.
Toyota 2000GT — 351 Built
In 1962, Toyota introduced its first sports car, the Sports 800. However, that one was a tiny model built for the Japanese market, and Toyota really wanted to play with the big boys from Europe.
Five years later, in 1967, the stunningly gorgeous 2000GT emerged. Toyota created it in collaboration with Yamaha, who worked its magic on the 140-horsepower 3.0-liter straight-six engine. The 2000GT bears a resemblance to European sports cars of the time, such as the Jaguar E-Type. Unfortunately, with a $7,000 price tag, few could afford a Toyota 2000GT, but that’s cheap considering it’s now the most expensive Japanese car ever sold at an auction.
Subaru Impreza 22B STI — 424 Built
The limited edition Subaru Impreza 22B STI was built to celebrate the carmaker’s 40th anniversary and third consecutive WRC victory. Its body is wider than that of the standard Impreza coupe, it features a plethora of WRC-inspired parts, and under the hood, it has a turbocharged 2.2-liter engine rather than the 2.0-liter found in other Imprezas.
It’s a common misconception that the Impreza 22B is a homologation special. It’s not. It’s more like a tribute to the championship-winning WRC car. The “22” in its name is often attributed to the 2.2-liter engine, but according to Iconic Auctioneers, it’s also 555 in hexadecimal, and 555 was Subaru’s sponsor in WRC.
Mitsubishi Galant AMG — 500 Built
AMG is Mercedes-Benz’s performance division, so you may be scratching your head and wondering why the name is stamped on a Mitsubishi. There’s a simple explanation for this. In 1989, when this Mitsubishi Galant was made, AMG was its own entity and not owned by Mercedes, so they could do whatever they wanted.
The AMG version of the Mitsubishi Galant was based on the GTi-16v model, and the Germans gently tweaked the engine, increasing power to 168 horses in the process. It was also given a unique body kit, new wheels, and a stylish leather interior.
Mazda RX-7 FD Spirit R — 1,500 Built
The FD Mazda RX-7 may have disappeared from American showrooms in 1995, but it remained available in Japan until 2002. For the final 1,500 cars, Mazda decided to celebrate the rotary-powered legend by making a special edition.
This wasn’t the first special edition RX-7, but Mazda ensured that it would be the greatest, as they combined all the best elements from the previous special editions. Known as the RX-7 Spirit R, it’s a highly driver-focused model, and it has grown to become the most sought-after version of the iconic sports car.
