The Hunt is on For the Fastest Import Cars from Japan

The car that currently holds the record for the fastest acceleration, Bugatti’s Veyron Super Sport, costs about 2.5 million dollars, a price that is terribly out of the reach of most consumers. It is definitely a rich man’s car, but motorsport enthusiasts are not disheartened one bit, because they have another source of fascination that satisfies their need for speed: import cars from Japan. Here’s a list of high-performing roadsters that can set your hearts thumping because of the thrill of the ride and not because of the cost!

Japanese Car Brands

Nissan GT-R R35 – All-wheel drive anyone? The GT-R’s twin-turbo six-cylinder engine makes it one of the fastest Japanese autos, allowing it to reach 60mph in just 3.2 seconds. Pushing it to its limit takes you to a speed of 193 mph.

Mazda RX7 – When the RX7 came out, enthusiasts loved it so much enough to put it in Car and Driver Magazine’s 10 Best Cars list from 1993 to 1995. Owners were impressed by the car’s front-mid-engine layout and timeless design, and it is one of the easiest sports cars to handle.

Subaru Impreza STi – The Impreza WRX is impressive, but if you need something to up the ante, the STi is the roadster for you. It is called the STi because it is developed by the Subaru Tehcnica international division. Equipped with a 2.5-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine, the car can zoom to 60mph in just 4.7 seconds. This model is one of the most sought-after import cars from Japan.

Toyota Supra Mark IV – Based on the Celica platform, the Supra launched in 1997 makes use of a Sequential Twin Turbo that is able to boost its acceleration, reaching a speed of 60 mph in just 4.6 seconds. The 3-liter 2JZ-GTE inline 6 engine pushes the car to a top speed of 170mph.

Honda S2000 – Honda’s take on what it means to be a sports car is embodied in the S2000. Its engine, a 2.0-liter inline 4, is coveted by many a Honda VTEC fan. The engine alone is so remarkable it was recognized as the International Engine of the Year from 2001 to 2004.

With lots of patience and research work, you too can have one of these import cars from Japan—just look around pre-owned stocks of Japanese exporters!

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Deciding Factors in Buying Japanese Used Cars

Millions of people all over the world swear by their Japanese used cars, and for good reason: vehicles made in Japan, or models made by Japanese brands (as there are models not specifically made in Japan) are the best when it comes to affordability, availability, mileage, fuel efficiency, hassle-free maintenance, safety, and reliability. It may all sound too good to be true, but statistics show that Toyota, one of Japan’s most prominent auto companies, is considered the bestselling automobile brand for 2012.

Let’s take a closer look at the vehicle qualities mentioned above and see what makes Japanese brands stand out enough to make buyers go for Japanese used cars.

Price – Japanese companies do their best to make sure the work flow at their auto plants and factories is efficient and ergonomic, wasting no time and resources. As a result, the production of their cars costs less. New models are therefore very affordable; this of course means that pre-owned units would cost a lot less.

Availability – Japanese vehicle exporters have a wide selection of models in stock and you may most likely find the model you are looking for there. Sellers are so helpful that sometimes you only need to tell them some specifications of the car you’re looking for—say, a sedan with a moonroof—and they would be the ones to look for the car for you.

Low mileage – The Japanese are notorious for trading in their cars for new ones as soon as the new models come along or when their regular strict Shaken inspection is coming. Vehicles being sold in the secondhand market are sometimes as young as eight months old and have run just a few thousand kilometers.

Well-maintained – The inspection also makes Japanese car owners take lots of care of their vehicles—a broken part may mean a big fine and a trip to the repair shop, which of course won’t sit well with their busy schedule. Japanese roads are also well-engineered to the vehicles don’t have the dings and loose parts that come with driving on rough roads.

Safety and Reliability – Japanese vehicle models have long had the reputation for being the safest and reliable—they are equipped with the best safety features and they rarely break down. These qualities, along with the others above, truly make Japanese used cars the hottest items to buy in the automobile market.

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