Author: banpei (Page 8 of 318)

How do these Toyota Lasre Engines survive in the desert heat without any cooling?

What are these Toyota LASRE engines doing in the Sahara desert? – Carina Sightings

February 14, 2024 / banpei / 0 Comments

What is this 1982 Toyota Carina ad supposed to mean? Are the Toyota LASRE engines supposed to fuel the infamous Sirocco winds? Sirocco winds are “a hot wind, often dusty or rainy, blowing from North Africa across the Mediterranean to southern Europe.”

*Toyota LASRE engines in the Paris-Dakar rally*

Alternatively, are these engines supposed to give the Carina competing in the second Paris-Dakar rally a small push? Or perhaps, are these Toyota LASRE engines supposed to be giant windmills that work the reverse: wind makes them turn and in effect they suck up hydrocarbons via the exhaust and poop out fuel on the intake side?

We’ll probably never know what went through the minds of the marketing people at Toyota in 1982.

Very last absolute final limited edition Nissan March White Limited – March-athon

February 13, 2024 / banpei / 0 Comments

In the previous post in the March-athon I promised there would be another final final limited edition. So here it is, the Nissan March White Limited! You may wonder what’s a Nissan March White Limited. In today’s post, I’ll tell you all about it!

Nissan March White Limited K11 - Front — Nissan March White Limited K11 – Front

But first, let’s see if ChatGPT can make a joke about it:
Why did the Nissan March White Limited get a job at the bakery?
Because it wanted to show off its dough-white exterior and prove that it could rise to the occasion – delivering freshness with every drive!

Yes, ChatGPT is a true stand-up comedian! Badum-tssh

What is a Nissan March White Limited?

Globetrotting Toyota GR86 – Down on the Street

February 11, 2024 / banpei / 0 Comments

Earlier this week I posted a photo of a German AE86 and Toyota GR86. Only a few days prior to that I already encountered my first GR86 in the wild!

Toyota GR86, I see you through the grate!

Hunting a Micra, finding a Toyota GR86!

I actually went hunting for a strange polka-dotted Nissan Micra I saw earlier in the parking garage. It unfortunately already departed by the time I returned. But as I made a small detour through the parking garage my eye caught a familiar tail light through the grate above me. So naturally I drove up one floor to take some photos.

More fun with German AE86 vanity plates!

Grandpa AE86 taking grandchild GR86 for a grand day out – Brilliant

February 10, 2024 / banpei / 1 Comment

This photo of a German Toyota Corolla GT Twin Cam 16 AE86 and a Toyota GR86 is just brilliant!

Grandpa AE86 takes grandson GR86 for a day out!

As you can see, both have a personalized vanity plate with AE86 in it! It was posted in the German AE86 WhatsApp group and the first comment was “Opa und Enkel on tour.” which roughly translates to Grandpa taking grandchild for a day out. Just simply brilliant!

I’m sorry to say this to the owner of the Toyota GR86: you got the wrong plate! It should have been MD-GR-86! But you could also say I’m just jealous we can’t get personalized plates here in the Netherlands…

Baby-blue Toyota Carina GT-R AA63 kaido racer – Carina Sightings

February 7, 2024 / banpei / 0 Comments

I love to browse stuff for sale on Yahoo Auctions on a weekly basis and every now and then I find interesting stuff, like for instance the TRD Sports Accessories brochure. This week I encountered this baby-blue Toyota Carina GT-R kaido racer that is for sale for a mere 1.6M yen! (10K euros, 11K dollars)

Baby blue Toyota Carina GT-R kaido racer

Weak spot for Kaido Racers

I have a weak spot for kaido racers (also known as zokusha), especially if they are done well. This one is done very well, looking at the amount of work that went into this. First of all, you will notice the Levin AE86 front bumper has been widened and made its way to the front of this Carina. It’s not clear why they didn’t use an AE92 bumper as that would fit without any issues. Then the lip underneath the bumper makes it look more like a zokusha.

Are Honda City Turbos overpriced and overrated?

These Honda City Turbo prices are madness! – Classic valuations

February 6, 2024 / banpei / 0 Comments

Only a few days ago I posted the incredibly scary crash video of a Honda City. Lately, I haven’t been paying attention to the classic valuations of anything other than an AE86 or Carina A60. Understand my huge surprise when someone (Emin) sent a Honda City Turbo II for sale in Düsseldorf. The asking price? A mere 69,000 euros! (Or 74,000 dollars)

Honda City Turbo II for sale in Düsseldorf for 69K euros

Okay, it’s one of the best City Turbo IIs on the market and has only driven 9000 kilometres. It’s completely bone stock and even features the original disk wheels.