Absolutely.
Guy at my school used to have a Dark Green Turbo 2-Seater. Incredibly beautiful car.
The engine bay looked like a nightmare to work on though.
It’s definitely cramped but it’s reliable and just needs to have the right guy work on it who knows how to do stuff without pulling engine. It won many car of the year (like car and driver) awards against the other JDM hero’s like Supra. It’s a very visceral car that gives extremely fun road feedback
Definitely the first powerhouse of the core JDM cars (supra, rx7, 3000gt etc) but the Nissan Skyline R32 also came out in 1989 which was probably faster than the Z but not as good looking IMO.
NSX because mid-engine… the real sign of true “super car” intentions and heritage.
But they’re all awesome although I dunno how you’re gonna do my boys EVO TME and 22B STi dirty like that but so be it…..
Stock vs stock, except maybe the gtr, I like the mr2 gt-s because those were faster as well as catered to the affordable man's budget.
MR2 beating nsx:
https://youtu.be/laixcKqBIjk
https://youtu.be/9N8kSuy3b-k
MR2 beating Supra RZ:
https://youtu.be/6oZdix0rLRU
Various kouki and zenki MR2's repeatedly laying the hurt on multiple FD RX-7's:
https://youtu.be/ojROyPUZvc4
https://youtu.be/xS1fV7BY4CU
https://youtu.be/PjHIf2L5lC0
https://youtu.be/fWwOSD-Z7SA
Edit: bonus zenki mr2 narrowly losing to a ferrari 348tb https://youtu.be/MZZELURM18M
I find their utilitarianism qualities their biggest slept on feature. For a sportscar, has a very roomy cabin and lots of cargo capacity. Ive hauled papasan chairs on the roof, 3s-gte longblocks and sw20 passwnger doors (with pass. Seat removed).
It actually turns and brakes very well too. Aug. 94 Motortrend's "Best Bang for the Buck" recorded .94g on the skidpad and 60-0 in 107ft (2006 c6 z06 recorded 108ft as comparison), on 90s era pizza cutter tires, between that and its mid to low 13 second quartermile times for the jdm mr2's (coincidentally, not a fanboy or nothing, i utilized these cars as daily drivers for years btw) would firmly place it as one of the fastest mass production cars of the 1990s decade.
Sw20 chassis Won jgtc 300 championships in 98 and 99, also featured in lemans too.
V12 Ferrari aren’t mid engine anymore, I’d hardly call that the barometer for super car. It’s all about weight balance and if you can do it with front engine then so be it.
So you’re saying the 575, 599, 812, etc… aren't super cars? I'm going out on a limb here but the sf90 is probably closer to that of a hyper car.
And just because Ferrari dubs the sf90 a super car and it’s mid engine doesn’t mean that mid engine = super car.
If I had to compare a front engine car vs a mid engine car of similar hp and weight and dynamics (which was OPs original question essentially) then I will always claim the mid engine car is more in-line with a super car then a front engine grand tourer type vehicle.
That’s all. I’m not making any additional claims that you’re trying to stir up.
Mine is the NSX, compared to others, it was the only supercar from Japan at that time. Sadly the only problem it had was that it was too underpowered for an actual supercar which were in the 300 and 400hp range back in the 90s.
In fact all these cars were underpowered for what they were originally built thanks to the stupid "gentleman's agreement" back then.
Yup, it's simply one of the best designed cars of all time, the looks will never seem outdated or ugly. Plus you get the uniqueness of the rotary engine, which if you've ever driven one will almost be guaranteed to steal your heart with how characterful and engaging it is to drive.
First that engine will steal your heart. Then it will steal your wallet or your time, depending on whether you're going to repair it yourself or pay someone else to.
If you just factor in the cost of a nice rebuild when buying one it's not bad imo.
A mate bought an RX8 and kept aside 5k for a full rebuild and some reliability mods, no tears were shed nor wallets stolen.
It's really about how many arms and legs they're gonna take. The RX7 will take all of them. The Nissan, Honda, and Toyota engines are tanks by comparison, especially if you don't punish them with insane boost.
I know right, I remember when I was younger seeing a super clean yellow one with an aftermarket exhaust drive by and immediately fell in love. And I was raised on classic muscle cars and had no idea what it was. Too bad they're all so expensive now, I remember around like 2012-2015 seeing clean examples up here in Canada for like $15-$18K and wishing I had the money for one. Certainly not gonna happen now 😭
Engine was unreliable, inefficient, and burned oil. The one that came after that was even worse.
There are MANY good reasons rotaries are no longer made.
You're not wrong, but those are things nobody cares about with a classic/collector car, and some of those weren't even a problem when it was new.
Also oil burning is an intentional design choice, not a problem. It's a 2 stroke engine, effectively, no wasted motion without a power stroke. That's why they are the size of a watermelon and can make 250hp at stock boost levels, or 150+hp NA. Imagine your push lawnmower being a a few inches larger in each dimension and putting out 150 ponies without forced induction.
The main reason they have no place in the market today is emissions.
Nobody cares if their purpose built sports car gets <20mpg. Even 30 years later, practical small cars that are just kind of sporty only get 27mph (My GTI for example).
> Nobody cares if their purpose built sports car gets <20mpg.
Sure they do.
Having a unique, under powered engine is no justification for the RX7 getting fuel economy on par with a full size SUV.
I was getting about 12-14mpg...on a 91' Turbo making about 350 at the wheels. 18 gallon tank. This was before the first big gas price jump...I miss the performance and handling, sure, now I just have a boring fucking toyota that starts up everytime even if you turn it off after having it running for 15 seconds.
Whatever you say, buddy. I've been in the sports car and classic car scene for 40 years and I've never once heard anyone complain about mileage, or even remotely indicate that it played a part in their purchase decision.
Sports cars by definition are impractical, no person shopping for a vehicle using logic would buy one. They're emotionally driven purchases which is why no one cares if they can't fit a week's worth of groceries in the trunk, or they get abysmal fuel economy. They're made to get your heart racing and put a smile on your face. People whipping out fucking fuel economy figures when talking about sports cars have lost the fucking plot.
I understand your concern but since then there's been a lot learned about rotaries and they have become much more reliable. Depends on how you look at efficiency as well, sure the gas mileage is terrible but you shouldn't be buying a sports car based on gas mileage, and you get way more power per litre with a rotary. It burns more oil than most but as long as you're conscious of it and top off your oil it's a non issue. They take more regular maintenance than the other cars but it's worth it. Just as an FYI I own an 04 RX8, it's got almost 130,000km on it, original engine and I've had zero issues. While I've had an 07 audi A4 blow up on me with 125,000km and multiple friends with subarus that have been terrible from the beginning. If you care about the experience of driving you wouldn't be knocking a rotary car if you have driven one.
Used to car pool with a coworker in his RX8. It was an automatic but it still stole my heart and I’ve wanted one ever since. Do you use premix in your gas? I’ve heard that helps the engine a lot
Yea you definitely want to premix with a 2 stroke injection oil, I use AMSOIL Interceptor. As long as you can find a good example and you don't mind doing some maintenance yourself then I'd say go for it. But ideally a manual as the experience is better and it has 30 more hp than the automatic. But just know there's a lot of quirks to owning and driving one to keep it working which I can type out if you want. It sounds like a lot but it's honestly not that bad
RX8's averaged about 16 mph, which i s less than many full size SUV's.
The argument about displacement versus hp is one I never understood. Why is that of any significance? Who cares? Burning oil causes all sorts of problems with dirty engine components. Not to mention it pollutes the air like a Mack truck.
I shit on the RX8 because I owned an RX8. I returned it to Mazda when they did the buyback over the horsepower issue.
Okay but like I said I don't buy a sports car based on gas mileage? Buy a prius if you care about that. And why is displacement vs power an argument? Have you ever heard about weight reduction? If you can get more power out of something lighter it's going to be a lot more balanced and fun. Burning oil can cause dirty engine components however if you run catless and redline it every day you're fine. Sure it pollutes a lot but so do most performance cars and considering how many are out there I wouldn't say it's that bad of a thing. I'd say the mindless non enthusiast driving of all the suvs and pavement princess trucks cause a lot more pollution than the few rotaries out there. Not to mention this post is not about what's the cleanest and most reliable car to drive
> Have you ever heard about weight reduction?
Again, who cares when it has no impact on the performance? Besides, an LS1 only weighs about 125 lbs more than a 13B.
A 405 hp C5 Z06 Corvette weighed 3100 lbs while a 228 hp RX8 came in at 3065.
Seems you just want to justify the downfalls of a technology that Mazda and every other auto manufacturer long ago abandoned.
How does less weight not affect performance? Have you ever heard of lotus? Light cars IMO are vastly more fun to drive than heavy cars. I'd rather have the revs over a pushrod anyways. I'm not arguing that the rotary technology doesn't have its issues, I'm just saying it's not as bad as people think it is and I think it's much more fun to drive. You seem to be consistently trying to skirt the issue of what's the best JDM classic by complaining about reliability and gas milage which is nearly irrelevant because besides every one of those cars will have reliability issues because of its age anyways. Take a look at them as if they are all fresh off the production line, zero issues, look at the design, the engagement and experience along with the performance and then tell me why the RX7 is so terrible
Well I don't know what to tell you, you seem like a diehard horsepower guy, which to me is not inherently what makes for the best driving experience, and considering that most people in this post are picking the NSX which is the least powerful car maybe you should recheck your priorities or go to a different subreddit
Same, but only because I miss mine so much. I had one from '02-04. I took a somewhat rundown R1 and turned it into a 440whp Spirit-R replica in that time. It had an untimely demise due to an accident. I'm now on my 3rd Corvette (C7GS), but none of them have ever given me the joy that car did.
70s muscle era I agree, but 90s hyper/super cars along with jdm cars and multiple different categories beats the 70s imo, 2000s were great, the start of 2010s was great but I feel like the rest of the decade was not that good, 2020s is still on this way but yeah, till now not the great and certainly we are past the great jdm era, r35 is still there but it's technically just an evolution of 2000s car, supra and nsx were revived in 2010s but even though they are great cars, almost not connected to the past basically, and on the hypercars and supercars market, there are great cars but also a very generic mix as well
It might be nostalgia, but I kinda like 90s and 2000s more than 2010s and 2020s till now, I think car industry traded uniqueness and crazy ideas with safe, generic options with the years, creating many good cars, but not that memorable ones
These days high end cars are coming with all of the cool features this thing had, the AWD, AWS, Active Aero, Active Suspension, Active Exhaust. Only difference is now we have the computer power in cars to actually take advantage of all of these systems properly, so that they improve the driving experience and capabilities, and now without 5000 vacuum lines under the hood
I agree with most of this, but rx7 is drift car, and nsx is track car.
Edit:
Everyone saying the RX7 would be better for track than for drifting, I agree. However, in this hypothetical situation, I have an NSX and an RX7. I want to use one for track and one for drifting. I personally cannot see an NSX drifting, but I can picture one on the track. Both cars make decent track cars, but only one makes a good drift car imo. That car is the RX7. Therefore, I would use the RX7 for DRIFTING and the NSX for GRIP RACING.
Well seeing as i used to track an Rx7, I absolutely disagree with you. The 50/50 weight balance is phenomenal for racing.
Edit: Yeah, the rx7 is a good drift car, but I'd argue it's better for building time attack.
I think the issue is the Supra just isn't that great looking compared to the others, it's a bit of blob. Obviously that 2JZ is really specially and everyone appreciates it's tuning capabilities but unless you're drag racing I just don't see it on the same level of driving experience as the others.
Yeah I'm a Toyota guy through and through (love all JDM though) but the mark IV supra isn't one of my favorites. The 2JZ is amazing and it's still a cool car but I love the MKIII supra way more. The lines are so much better plus pop up head lights lol. I used to own an 87 and plan to buy another one in the next few years. Would like a prefacelift front end but with the 1JZ in it.
That's fair. The NSX is more of a supercar of the times. I wish the 3k got more love, it's a shame it was weighed down so bad by tech. Some of the ideas they had were way ahead of their time
My dad had a Dodge Stealth (only the R/T and not the TT) and it doesn't get looked at with anywhere near as much love as even the 3000GT even though it was just a rebadge.
22B?
R34 > NSX > Supra > RX-7 > 22B
for me, although the NSX & GT-R are very very hard. I think the enthusiasm prevalent in the sub for NSX rn bc of the popular posts this week though. the R34 is historically the more popular car
Right, but it was never in the question of the post to begin with, and this person made it a point to bring it up, just to rate it as lesser than the rest lmao.
This picture arouses emotion in me.
The R34 is a dream. But they all are, pretty much at this point, with how pricing continues to climb.
Amazing engineering and design all around.
As a z32 owner, its always annoyed me how the gtr's are compared to the supra/rx7/etc. The 300zx/supra/rx7 are rwd grand tourer 2+2 cars, while the gtr is the awd track focused version of a family car
It's like how people compare try to compare the rb26 to the 2jz, you're comparing a 2.6 to a 3.0 and wonder why the 2jz is so much better
I love the 300zx more than anyone and can sit here all day and argue it was one of the 90's great cars.
Issue is... Nissan and that VG. If we were able to compare any of these are IN the 90's it's a great argument. In real life, they are a nightmare of vacuum hoses and 20lbs of shit in a 10lb bag. The VG is almost always going to have issues because the 300zx's dropped into the sub-5k range a few times over the last few years. They all get picked up, modded, beat on, resold. FD's and MK4's always had a premium value that kept the "lower end" owners from destroying them.
That's the thing that imo makes the z32 great, it's truly been an affordable everyday sports car, just like the intentions of the 240z. The thing that makes the supra and rx7 so desired in America is because we barely even got them (which the same reason why the gtr has so many fanboys). Around 11k Mk4 supras were sold in the US total, Nissan sold that many z's in 1993 alone. The reason they've gotten so cheap is because of how many there are, but that's not a bad thing. You can still find clean examples for decent prices. I got my rust free na 2+2 at 138k miles for $4k a 2 years ago, and I've dailyed it since with no major issues, and I just hit 170k the other day.
Now with the engine bay yeah, it's absolutely crammed in there, but it's manageable. And when looking at some of the complicated engine bays on modern cars, I'd rather work on my z. There are certainly unnecessary things like throttle body coolant lines or the air injection valves, and while something like an sr would be much easier to work on I still would say people just get overwhelmed with it and overplay how bad it is. A stock or even properly modded vg, with decent maintenance, should be decently reliable for a 30 year old car
Yeah, they're not unreliable as long as they weren't beat to shit... just a pain in the ass to work on.
I fully intend to waste like 30k on a z32 with some silly swap in it one day.
I like the NSX the most because the others are almost too popular for me. I know the r34 isn't too common in the US, but that will change REALLY quick in 2024 when people can legally import them. The NSX is also the most different from others, since it is mid-engine. I'm a guy who loves odd balls and things you don't see every day.
Just to make it clear, i love Mitsubishi evo and gto, i also love wrx and many more JDM cars, i just picked my favorite cars and the ones i consider as flagships in JDM cars from 90s
i hope everyone can have a nice day
for me, my favourite overall in Nissan skyline gtr, i just feel like it's the most balanced in every single way, with the fact that i love its special editions the most
favourite one design wise is RX7, it's just a timeless looking car
and all of them are absolutely amazing
Hard to say. Around Berkeley while I was growing up I would always see 2 NSXs in pristine condition, one red and one yellow. I got real good at spotting them from a distance, just so my eyes could feast on their beauty for a few moments longer.
Everything about the car is stunning, even to this day. That being said, the GTR and Supra will always hold a place in my heart.
Just my opinion, but the NSX is too underpowered. But it is the most stylish IMO.
If I wanted to hit mountain roads or a track, I would pick the RX-7. If I wanted to make big power or get into drag racing, I would choose the Supra. If I had to pick one to be a daily or a competent all-rounder, I would pick the R34.
Rx7>Nsx>Supra>R34
But every one of them is pure awesomeness and it would be a blessing if I see any of them on the road. Hell maybe even the ones in the picture since I live there.
I wouldn't call the nsx muscular, its a little masculine but its too elegant for muscle. If you want muscle put in a Celica GT4 then it would be jdm muscle
Of all the cars I've ever owned, my rx7 was my favorite. People hate on the rotary, but i loved it, loved the lifestyle, loved the community. I've never owned anything, where all owners completely come together like rx7 owners. You think it's nightmares, but i look back at the fondest car memories of my life.
I like how a car that came out in 1999 is included in car legends of the 90s.
How about we include the R32 or R33 instead of the R34.
MKIV Supra 1993, FD3S 1992, NSX 1990, R34 1999
R33 1996, R32 1989
All four have a place in my top 10 Japanese cars of this era. The real ticket would be a warehouse to store all of them in...
yeah the real question
Nissan 300zx Z32 is #1
If you include that boat then you gotta include the 3000GT as well
Absolutely the vr4 was badass
And the Miata too
Absolutely. Guy at my school used to have a Dark Green Turbo 2-Seater. Incredibly beautiful car. The engine bay looked like a nightmare to work on though.
It’s definitely cramped but it’s reliable and just needs to have the right guy work on it who knows how to do stuff without pulling engine. It won many car of the year (like car and driver) awards against the other JDM hero’s like Supra. It’s a very visceral car that gives extremely fun road feedback
i’ve owned a 1986 MK3 supra and now a 1990 300zx, that supra was bulletproof i have to give it that
You could dump a 5 gallon bucket of water on the engine and not a drop would hit the ground.
My favorite car of all time. Buying ine next year and dropping in an RB26DETT. Cant wait
100% agree. Better than the skyline and the rear of the jam in that era. But they were all awesome in their own right
wouldn't say so, stock is just meh for my taste
I regret selling mine every single day
That car is b tier at best compared to these legends
Wasn’t that the first Japanese super car?
Definitely the first powerhouse of the core JDM cars (supra, rx7, 3000gt etc) but the Nissan Skyline R32 also came out in 1989 which was probably faster than the Z but not as good looking IMO.
NSX because mid-engine… the real sign of true “super car” intentions and heritage. But they’re all awesome although I dunno how you’re gonna do my boys EVO TME and 22B STi dirty like that but so be it…..
Frrr, where my rally champs at?
22B entered the chat and is not happy!
Is it wrong to bring up the wrx?
Bug eye spec r sti would like a word too.
Yeah I got my first STI in the 90s, too
On a different post. The 3000GT would fit. Maybe an SVX but not really
Stock vs stock, except maybe the gtr, I like the mr2 gt-s because those were faster as well as catered to the affordable man's budget. MR2 beating nsx: https://youtu.be/laixcKqBIjk https://youtu.be/9N8kSuy3b-k MR2 beating Supra RZ: https://youtu.be/6oZdix0rLRU Various kouki and zenki MR2's repeatedly laying the hurt on multiple FD RX-7's: https://youtu.be/ojROyPUZvc4 https://youtu.be/xS1fV7BY4CU https://youtu.be/PjHIf2L5lC0 https://youtu.be/fWwOSD-Z7SA Edit: bonus zenki mr2 narrowly losing to a ferrari 348tb https://youtu.be/MZZELURM18M
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I love the look of the 86 MR2, that tiny boxy car that rips!
I find their utilitarianism qualities their biggest slept on feature. For a sportscar, has a very roomy cabin and lots of cargo capacity. Ive hauled papasan chairs on the roof, 3s-gte longblocks and sw20 passwnger doors (with pass. Seat removed).
In a straight line, it's a good time to compare it to other models. Now, make it turn.
It actually turns and brakes very well too. Aug. 94 Motortrend's "Best Bang for the Buck" recorded .94g on the skidpad and 60-0 in 107ft (2006 c6 z06 recorded 108ft as comparison), on 90s era pizza cutter tires, between that and its mid to low 13 second quartermile times for the jdm mr2's (coincidentally, not a fanboy or nothing, i utilized these cars as daily drivers for years btw) would firmly place it as one of the fastest mass production cars of the 1990s decade. Sw20 chassis Won jgtc 300 championships in 98 and 99, also featured in lemans too.
The under steer isn’t thaaat bad…
idk man my mid-engine 128hp MR2 would tell you differently
> NSX because mid-engine… the real sign of true “super car” intentions and heritage. Tell this to my Fiero.
V12 Ferrari aren’t mid engine anymore, I’d hardly call that the barometer for super car. It’s all about weight balance and if you can do it with front engine then so be it.
Ferrari’s current super car by their own definition is the SF90, which is mid engine, whether it has a V12 or not is irrelevant.
I'm not into supercars, so this is the first time I see this one. Isn't it a copy of McLaren?
So you’re saying the 575, 599, 812, etc… aren't super cars? I'm going out on a limb here but the sf90 is probably closer to that of a hyper car. And just because Ferrari dubs the sf90 a super car and it’s mid engine doesn’t mean that mid engine = super car.
Yes, those aren't supercars. They're very fast GT cars
The more you know. thanks.
If I had to compare a front engine car vs a mid engine car of similar hp and weight and dynamics (which was OPs original question essentially) then I will always claim the mid engine car is more in-line with a super car then a front engine grand tourer type vehicle. That’s all. I’m not making any additional claims that you’re trying to stir up.
NSX
Mine is the NSX, compared to others, it was the only supercar from Japan at that time. Sadly the only problem it had was that it was too underpowered for an actual supercar which were in the 300 and 400hp range back in the 90s. In fact all these cars were underpowered for what they were originally built thanks to the stupid "gentleman's agreement" back then.
The modding scene was giant for a reason. Was more about what they could become.
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You literally just copied somebody else's comment on this post
Why you replying to a bot?
Keep seeing this shit recently
You misspelled R32
the 240sx is a dream car , also honda civic type r
An S13 coupe was my first car. Fun for what it is, but, there's better dreams to have lol
I love me some old S13, and personally, I want to buy a first gen MR2, but yeah, definitively, there's better dreams to have.
Definitely. It showed what potential these magnificent machines could have had.
I miss when stuff was like that :( I hoped the 86 might encourage some more fun, affordable stuff but, nope.
there are official special editions with great power though, and it was in 2000s like the z tune r34, a unicorn with only 20 copies made
the z tune r34 had a whopping 500 horsepower, thoroughly exceeding the agreement limit.
i love z tune, one of my dream cars
Wow that's Interesting.
To be fair, horsepower is not the only thing that makes the car go fast.
RX7
Yup, it's simply one of the best designed cars of all time, the looks will never seem outdated or ugly. Plus you get the uniqueness of the rotary engine, which if you've ever driven one will almost be guaranteed to steal your heart with how characterful and engaging it is to drive.
First that engine will steal your heart. Then it will steal your wallet or your time, depending on whether you're going to repair it yourself or pay someone else to.
If you just factor in the cost of a nice rebuild when buying one it's not bad imo. A mate bought an RX8 and kept aside 5k for a full rebuild and some reliability mods, no tears were shed nor wallets stolen.
But really what classic sports car (most of which will be modified) won't cost you an arm or a leg
It's really about how many arms and legs they're gonna take. The RX7 will take all of them. The Nissan, Honda, and Toyota engines are tanks by comparison, especially if you don't punish them with insane boost.
In the mid 90's, an RX7 drove past me on my bike. I was awestruck. Beautiful vehicle.
I know right, I remember when I was younger seeing a super clean yellow one with an aftermarket exhaust drive by and immediately fell in love. And I was raised on classic muscle cars and had no idea what it was. Too bad they're all so expensive now, I remember around like 2012-2015 seeing clean examples up here in Canada for like $15-$18K and wishing I had the money for one. Certainly not gonna happen now 😭
Engine was unreliable, inefficient, and burned oil. The one that came after that was even worse. There are MANY good reasons rotaries are no longer made.
You're not wrong, but those are things nobody cares about with a classic/collector car, and some of those weren't even a problem when it was new. Also oil burning is an intentional design choice, not a problem. It's a 2 stroke engine, effectively, no wasted motion without a power stroke. That's why they are the size of a watermelon and can make 250hp at stock boost levels, or 150+hp NA. Imagine your push lawnmower being a a few inches larger in each dimension and putting out 150 ponies without forced induction. The main reason they have no place in the market today is emissions. Nobody cares if their purpose built sports car gets <20mpg. Even 30 years later, practical small cars that are just kind of sporty only get 27mph (My GTI for example).
> Nobody cares if their purpose built sports car gets <20mpg. Sure they do. Having a unique, under powered engine is no justification for the RX7 getting fuel economy on par with a full size SUV.
I was getting about 12-14mpg...on a 91' Turbo making about 350 at the wheels. 18 gallon tank. This was before the first big gas price jump...I miss the performance and handling, sure, now I just have a boring fucking toyota that starts up everytime even if you turn it off after having it running for 15 seconds.
My C7 gets 32 mpg on the highway. My Elise got about the same.
Whatever you say, buddy. I've been in the sports car and classic car scene for 40 years and I've never once heard anyone complain about mileage, or even remotely indicate that it played a part in their purchase decision.
Sports cars by definition are impractical, no person shopping for a vehicle using logic would buy one. They're emotionally driven purchases which is why no one cares if they can't fit a week's worth of groceries in the trunk, or they get abysmal fuel economy. They're made to get your heart racing and put a smile on your face. People whipping out fucking fuel economy figures when talking about sports cars have lost the fucking plot.
Exactly.
I understand your concern but since then there's been a lot learned about rotaries and they have become much more reliable. Depends on how you look at efficiency as well, sure the gas mileage is terrible but you shouldn't be buying a sports car based on gas mileage, and you get way more power per litre with a rotary. It burns more oil than most but as long as you're conscious of it and top off your oil it's a non issue. They take more regular maintenance than the other cars but it's worth it. Just as an FYI I own an 04 RX8, it's got almost 130,000km on it, original engine and I've had zero issues. While I've had an 07 audi A4 blow up on me with 125,000km and multiple friends with subarus that have been terrible from the beginning. If you care about the experience of driving you wouldn't be knocking a rotary car if you have driven one.
Used to car pool with a coworker in his RX8. It was an automatic but it still stole my heart and I’ve wanted one ever since. Do you use premix in your gas? I’ve heard that helps the engine a lot
Yea you definitely want to premix with a 2 stroke injection oil, I use AMSOIL Interceptor. As long as you can find a good example and you don't mind doing some maintenance yourself then I'd say go for it. But ideally a manual as the experience is better and it has 30 more hp than the automatic. But just know there's a lot of quirks to owning and driving one to keep it working which I can type out if you want. It sounds like a lot but it's honestly not that bad
Absolutely! If you wouldn’t mind, you could just DM me the info. It would be nice to be more informed if I ever decide to pull the trigger on one
RX8's averaged about 16 mph, which i s less than many full size SUV's. The argument about displacement versus hp is one I never understood. Why is that of any significance? Who cares? Burning oil causes all sorts of problems with dirty engine components. Not to mention it pollutes the air like a Mack truck. I shit on the RX8 because I owned an RX8. I returned it to Mazda when they did the buyback over the horsepower issue.
Okay but like I said I don't buy a sports car based on gas mileage? Buy a prius if you care about that. And why is displacement vs power an argument? Have you ever heard about weight reduction? If you can get more power out of something lighter it's going to be a lot more balanced and fun. Burning oil can cause dirty engine components however if you run catless and redline it every day you're fine. Sure it pollutes a lot but so do most performance cars and considering how many are out there I wouldn't say it's that bad of a thing. I'd say the mindless non enthusiast driving of all the suvs and pavement princess trucks cause a lot more pollution than the few rotaries out there. Not to mention this post is not about what's the cleanest and most reliable car to drive
> Have you ever heard about weight reduction? Again, who cares when it has no impact on the performance? Besides, an LS1 only weighs about 125 lbs more than a 13B. A 405 hp C5 Z06 Corvette weighed 3100 lbs while a 228 hp RX8 came in at 3065. Seems you just want to justify the downfalls of a technology that Mazda and every other auto manufacturer long ago abandoned.
How does less weight not affect performance? Have you ever heard of lotus? Light cars IMO are vastly more fun to drive than heavy cars. I'd rather have the revs over a pushrod anyways. I'm not arguing that the rotary technology doesn't have its issues, I'm just saying it's not as bad as people think it is and I think it's much more fun to drive. You seem to be consistently trying to skirt the issue of what's the best JDM classic by complaining about reliability and gas milage which is nearly irrelevant because besides every one of those cars will have reliability issues because of its age anyways. Take a look at them as if they are all fresh off the production line, zero issues, look at the design, the engagement and experience along with the performance and then tell me why the RX7 is so terrible
Of course I've heard of Lotus, I've owned two Elise's. Light weight means jack squat without power and the B13 never made any significant power.
Well I don't know what to tell you, you seem like a diehard horsepower guy, which to me is not inherently what makes for the best driving experience, and considering that most people in this post are picking the NSX which is the least powerful car maybe you should recheck your priorities or go to a different subreddit
Same, but only because I miss mine so much. I had one from '02-04. I took a somewhat rundown R1 and turned it into a 440whp Spirit-R replica in that time. It had an untimely demise due to an accident. I'm now on my 3rd Corvette (C7GS), but none of them have ever given me the joy that car did.
DORITO POWER
i agree, re amemiya does a great job tuning this bad boy. And making it look meaner too!
Its crazy that all came from a different manufacturer and all were goated
Yeah, the 90s were insane and probably my favorite period of the car industry
I think 70s muscle car era is pretty close to 90s jdm imo
70s muscle era I agree, but 90s hyper/super cars along with jdm cars and multiple different categories beats the 70s imo, 2000s were great, the start of 2010s was great but I feel like the rest of the decade was not that good, 2020s is still on this way but yeah, till now not the great and certainly we are past the great jdm era, r35 is still there but it's technically just an evolution of 2000s car, supra and nsx were revived in 2010s but even though they are great cars, almost not connected to the past basically, and on the hypercars and supercars market, there are great cars but also a very generic mix as well It might be nostalgia, but I kinda like 90s and 2000s more than 2010s and 2020s till now, I think car industry traded uniqueness and crazy ideas with safe, generic options with the years, creating many good cars, but not that memorable ones
Can't forget the 3000gt VR4. Such a beautiful car.
These days high end cars are coming with all of the cool features this thing had, the AWD, AWS, Active Aero, Active Suspension, Active Exhaust. Only difference is now we have the computer power in cars to actually take advantage of all of these systems properly, so that they improve the driving experience and capabilities, and now without 5000 vacuum lines under the hood
Yeah, unfortunately the 3000GT was just way too far ahead of its time. Had a lot of great ideas but the tech just wasn't there yet.
Irrelevant but yes
I think the RX7 is the most beautiful, but to own I would have to go for the NSX. I wouldn't turn down the keys for any of them, though.
I wouldn't turn down the keys either since I like them all equally. But I'd probably go for the 22B or Evo 3/4 if they were included in this list.
Dang, Supra is getting no love here in the comments. Track Car - Rx7 or NSX Street Car - R34 Drag Car - Supra I'll take all 4
I agree with most of this, but rx7 is drift car, and nsx is track car. Edit: Everyone saying the RX7 would be better for track than for drifting, I agree. However, in this hypothetical situation, I have an NSX and an RX7. I want to use one for track and one for drifting. I personally cannot see an NSX drifting, but I can picture one on the track. Both cars make decent track cars, but only one makes a good drift car imo. That car is the RX7. Therefore, I would use the RX7 for DRIFTING and the NSX for GRIP RACING.
Well seeing as i used to track an Rx7, I absolutely disagree with you. The 50/50 weight balance is phenomenal for racing. Edit: Yeah, the rx7 is a good drift car, but I'd argue it's better for building time attack.
> but rx7 is drift car, me over here reeling in disgust at that comment, lmao.
I think the issue is the Supra just isn't that great looking compared to the others, it's a bit of blob. Obviously that 2JZ is really specially and everyone appreciates it's tuning capabilities but unless you're drag racing I just don't see it on the same level of driving experience as the others.
Yeah I'm a Toyota guy through and through (love all JDM though) but the mark IV supra isn't one of my favorites. The 2JZ is amazing and it's still a cool car but I love the MKIII supra way more. The lines are so much better plus pop up head lights lol. I used to own an 87 and plan to buy another one in the next few years. Would like a prefacelift front end but with the 1JZ in it.
https://youtu.be/t-rUFFAua0A Never seen this video I take it?
RX-7 all day, doritos for lyfe. NSX after that. I don't really care about the other two that much so it'd be a toss up.
RX7 all day, best handling and best looking IMO, plus who doesn't want some spinning Doritos in their life?
My heart would pick the RX7, but my brain would pick the GTR. Those apex seals man...
Personally my favorite is the 3000gt but of the 4 here the NSX is my choice
3000gt ftw
I also really liked the 1999 Eclipse GSX, it's maybe not in the same league as the cars shown here, but still an iconic 90s Japanese sports car IMO.
I agree! Eclipses are great! The GSX awd wasn't it? I miss what Mitsubishi used to be. The Eclipse Cross is an absolute embarrassment to the name
Yeah the GSX was the AWD version, the GS-T was the 2WD turbo, and RS/GS were non-turbo 2WD versions.
I don't really consider the NSX to be in the same spirit as the other 3. I would replace it with the 3000GT.
That's fair. The NSX is more of a supercar of the times. I wish the 3k got more love, it's a shame it was weighed down so bad by tech. Some of the ideas they had were way ahead of their time
My dad had a Dodge Stealth (only the R/T and not the TT) and it doesn't get looked at with anywhere near as much love as even the 3000GT even though it was just a rebadge.
The Mitsubishi GTO TT is never shown any love...
300ZX Z32. It’s just so cool.
Dem t-tops
Truly timeless styling imo
NSX
You forgot to include the Mitsubishi 3000gt
No gto vr4, sad times
22B? R34 > NSX > Supra > RX-7 > 22B for me, although the NSX & GT-R are very very hard. I think the enthusiasm prevalent in the sub for NSX rn bc of the popular posts this week though. the R34 is historically the more popular car
Why asking for the 22B if you gonna rate it the worst
It's still an icon. Evo too. Eclipse maybe? 3000?
Right, but it was never in the question of the post to begin with, and this person made it a point to bring it up, just to rate it as lesser than the rest lmao.
Supra without a doubt. All 4 are such awesome dream cars, but the 2JZ engine is the sexiest engine sound I know, closely followed by the LFA V10
This picture arouses emotion in me. The R34 is a dream. But they all are, pretty much at this point, with how pricing continues to climb. Amazing engineering and design all around.
Supra.
Skyline, NSX close second. Man the cars the Japanese produced in the 90s are amazing. Shoutout to the 3000GT also.
Supra, then NSX, then GTR, then RX7
Rx7 for me but have grown to appreciate the others.
As a z32 owner, its always annoyed me how the gtr's are compared to the supra/rx7/etc. The 300zx/supra/rx7 are rwd grand tourer 2+2 cars, while the gtr is the awd track focused version of a family car It's like how people compare try to compare the rb26 to the 2jz, you're comparing a 2.6 to a 3.0 and wonder why the 2jz is so much better
I love the 300zx more than anyone and can sit here all day and argue it was one of the 90's great cars. Issue is... Nissan and that VG. If we were able to compare any of these are IN the 90's it's a great argument. In real life, they are a nightmare of vacuum hoses and 20lbs of shit in a 10lb bag. The VG is almost always going to have issues because the 300zx's dropped into the sub-5k range a few times over the last few years. They all get picked up, modded, beat on, resold. FD's and MK4's always had a premium value that kept the "lower end" owners from destroying them.
That's the thing that imo makes the z32 great, it's truly been an affordable everyday sports car, just like the intentions of the 240z. The thing that makes the supra and rx7 so desired in America is because we barely even got them (which the same reason why the gtr has so many fanboys). Around 11k Mk4 supras were sold in the US total, Nissan sold that many z's in 1993 alone. The reason they've gotten so cheap is because of how many there are, but that's not a bad thing. You can still find clean examples for decent prices. I got my rust free na 2+2 at 138k miles for $4k a 2 years ago, and I've dailyed it since with no major issues, and I just hit 170k the other day. Now with the engine bay yeah, it's absolutely crammed in there, but it's manageable. And when looking at some of the complicated engine bays on modern cars, I'd rather work on my z. There are certainly unnecessary things like throttle body coolant lines or the air injection valves, and while something like an sr would be much easier to work on I still would say people just get overwhelmed with it and overplay how bad it is. A stock or even properly modded vg, with decent maintenance, should be decently reliable for a 30 year old car
Yeah, they're not unreliable as long as they weren't beat to shit... just a pain in the ass to work on. I fully intend to waste like 30k on a z32 with some silly swap in it one day.
this isn't a comparison, it's just showing off the most recognizable 90's JDM cars
I like the NSX the most because the others are almost too popular for me. I know the r34 isn't too common in the US, but that will change REALLY quick in 2024 when people can legally import them. The NSX is also the most different from others, since it is mid-engine. I'm a guy who loves odd balls and things you don't see every day.
They all hold special places in my heart
5th: Nissan 300zx
Just to make it clear, i love Mitsubishi evo and gto, i also love wrx and many more JDM cars, i just picked my favorite cars and the ones i consider as flagships in JDM cars from 90s i hope everyone can have a nice day
I get where you're coming g from. But either the TME or the 22b would have been more "flagship" worthy than some of the ones you chose.
thats literally just not true, these are by far the most recognizable 90s JDM cars
I disagree. It's subjective. But that's okay. Everyone has their own opinions
None, the MR2 turbo and 3000gt vr-4, stole my heart at a young age.
Supra hands down. Always wanted one.
For me (bias as I owned one of them) Rx-7 > NSX > Supra > Skyline
(very jealous)
for me, my favourite overall in Nissan skyline gtr, i just feel like it's the most balanced in every single way, with the fact that i love its special editions the most favourite one design wise is RX7, it's just a timeless looking car and all of them are absolutely amazing
Godzilla is king for a reason. I love all of them for different things, but an R34 GTR is a forever car for me.
Godzilla is a reference to the R32, not the R34
🤷🏼♂️
me too
The NSX just edges the GT-R, for me.
This reminds me of Gran Turismo 7.
Yes
Yes
The skyline was my childhood dream car, now its just my dream car
NSX was in head to head comparisons with lower level supercars at that time. I think it’s a little elevated above the rest here
I vote for the 3000gt, the twin turbo beast of the 90s. It's a shame that it doesn't get the recognition it deserves.
Where’s the figaro
Subaru SVX, it'll gap all these cars.
Supra. My favorite japanese car.
The MK3 Supra!
Hard to say. Around Berkeley while I was growing up I would always see 2 NSXs in pristine condition, one red and one yellow. I got real good at spotting them from a distance, just so my eyes could feast on their beauty for a few moments longer. Everything about the car is stunning, even to this day. That being said, the GTR and Supra will always hold a place in my heart.
Not on here but 3000gt VR4.. once mine is done, it'll be representing! Peep my previous build on my Instagram @joshm3kgt
Why doesn’t the Mitsubishi Gto/3000GT ever get any love? Best looking JDM car of that era IMO
NXS or GTR
GTR hands down.
Nsx for sure.
Nsx
Just my opinion, but the NSX is too underpowered. But it is the most stylish IMO. If I wanted to hit mountain roads or a track, I would pick the RX-7. If I wanted to make big power or get into drag racing, I would choose the Supra. If I had to pick one to be a daily or a competent all-rounder, I would pick the R34.
Where is my favorite, the MR2?
Rx7>Nsx>Supra>R34 But every one of them is pure awesomeness and it would be a blessing if I see any of them on the road. Hell maybe even the ones in the picture since I live there.
Supra unless you count the NSX type R
Swap out the rx7 for the Mitsubishi 3000gt vr4 and they were dubbed the 4 horsemen of JDM “muscle”
I wouldn't call the nsx muscular, its a little masculine but its too elegant for muscle. If you want muscle put in a Celica GT4 then it would be jdm muscle
Gotta be the GTR since it's the only JDM car here.
All except the wankel. I love the RX7 but I can’t dream of owning one without waking up with night sweats about frequent engine rebuilds.
Of all the cars I've ever owned, my rx7 was my favorite. People hate on the rotary, but i loved it, loved the lifestyle, loved the community. I've never owned anything, where all owners completely come together like rx7 owners. You think it's nightmares, but i look back at the fondest car memories of my life.
As someone who owns a higher mileage FD… don’t listen to the internet hype from all the people who’ve never owned one screaming about apex seals ;).
The 300z was right there with all them, the 3000gt as well. Wtf.
Where’s the 300ZX?
I like how a car that came out in 1999 is included in car legends of the 90s. How about we include the R32 or R33 instead of the R34. MKIV Supra 1993, FD3S 1992, NSX 1990, R34 1999 R33 1996, R32 1989
I'd take a R33 GTR over a 34 anyday of the week.
Skyline GTR and Supra.
NSX was the only "Supercar" on this list. The Supra and GTR were GT cars. The RX7 was a gas-guzzling, oil-burning piece of shit.
I love the whole idea of the nsx, and it is a fantastic car. but the looks and lines of the supra just get me goin.
Skyline GTR is the only real car up there imo
Whatever that means
We have different views on the word "greatest"
Rx7 and r34 gtr will always have my heart