My first car in Japan was a Nissan Skyline.
The Skyline is a nice car!
So, it was a nice surprise when I went to the shopping mall today with my family (in the car we have now, a Toyota) and I saw that they had vintage Nissan Skyline cars from the 1950s to the 1990s on display!
Here are a few photos I took:
1957 Nissan Skyline:
1962 Nissan Skyline:
1965 Nissan Skyline:
Mine wasn’t this old. I had a 1986 Nissan Skyline Turbo years ago.
The 「最高経営責任者」 (Chief Executive Officer (CEO)) of one of America’s automobile corporation, Dan Akerson, unveiled the latest model of the Chevrolet electric hybrid car called the “Volt“.
GM's Chevrolet "Volt"
At the unveiling of his company’s car, Mr. Akerson decided to express his opinion of Toyota Motor‘s hybrid car, the “Prius“.
He called Japan’s Prius a “geek-mobile” (かっこ悪い車) and he said that he wouldn’t be caught dead in one.
I wouldn’t be caught dead in a (Toyota) Prius.
– Dan Akerson, General Motors C.E.O.
The Toyota Prius doesn’t look “geeky” to me. What do you think?
Which do you think is nicer, the Chevy “Volt” or the Toyota “Prius”?
In America and China many 「トヨタ」 (Toyota) cars are being recalled because there’s a possibility that an ill-fitting floor mat can cause the accelerator pedal to stick which could cause an accident.
And now 「ホンダ」 (Honda) cars overseas are being recalled too.
I heard that Toyota and Honda dealers in those countries are losing a lot of potential business because the public has become hesitant to trust the safety of those cars now.
「トヨタ」 (Toyota)
「ホンダ」 (Honda)
This issue isn’t an issue at all in Japan.
Most Japanese feel that the cars being recalled overseas are different because they were made in America or China.
Japanese cars in Japan are made here…and anything “Made in Japan” is seen as superior in quality and safety.
So, Toyota and Honda dealers here in Japan aren’t feeling the affects of the recall overseas at all.
In fact, Toyota is the best-selling car in Japan…and has been for many years.
Has your image of Japanese cars changed because of this recall?
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On a totally unrelated subject…
I found out that Gene Simmons (of the rock band KISS) did a TV commercial in America for the Dr. Pepper soft drink.
His son is also in the commercial.
As I don’t live in America, I don’t normally watch America TV…but thanks to the internet in general, and YouTube specifically, I was able to see it.
It’s here:
Do you live in America? Have you seen this commercial on TV before?
In Japan, KISS has done a few TV commercials too.
I wrote a post about them last year. Click here to see that post.
Tokyo Five 
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