The Kanjozoku

Here in the States, many people don't know, or haven't heard of the Kanjozoku. However, over in Japan, the Kanjozoku have run the highways during the late nights for more than 20 years. Some people think of them as gang,  but they are just a tight community of street racers that tear through the Osaka highways at ridiculous speeds and rarely see their speedometer under 100 MPH. Yes, these guys are border line insane, yet are some of the most skilled out of almost any other drivers.

What is Kanjo? The Kanjo is a circuit highway loop that runs throughout the larger cities in Japan. One of the more popular Kanjo circuits is the Osaka Kanjo. The turns are sharper than the ones here in the US and the roads are filled with innocent motorists. Tall trucks and high walls act as barriers to the racers and cause dangerous blind spots that they take as a challenge. Running the toll signs and merging between intertwining freeways is all part of this dangerous game.

Their choice of vehicle? The Honda Civic. They specifically choose the older model Civics because of their light body, they are easy to work on, it's compact size and it's huge aftermarket parts field. The majority of these Civics have heavily modified and swapped motors and plenty of upgraded suspension and brake components to make the dangerous act that much more forgiving. Sometimes window nets and even roll cages are added for safety. Each crew is represented by their crew stickers and decals plastered on their cars. however, some cars look almost stock, others will sport a specific style with extended wings and two-tone or racing stripes paint jobs.

People know to stay off the freeway when the Kanjozoku come out at night. They try to stay off the roadways during the late hours, due to the fear the Kanjozou cause. These racers flip their license plates up so the police and other motorists can't read the plate numbers and report them. Keeping their identity hidden is one of the most important aspects to this dangerous sport of theirs. So, to do so, they will sometimes wear masks that cover their faces for fear of losing their jobs, or public reputation.

Although, the Kanjo racers know what they are doing is illegal, they will not stop. It has become a lifestyle fueled by high RPM's and adrenaline rushes from the speed and competition of the other racers. We do admire the Kanjozoku for being so passionate and loyal to the racing/automotive community but we do not advise anyone to participate in illegal street racing.

Tokyo Auto Salon 2015

Now you may know that the whole JDM scene is huge around the world, but what about in Japan itself? You can bet the styling and performance upgrades are out of this world. Earlier this year, A few photographers associated with Stance Nation took some awesome shots and were lucky enough to experience the lively show.

The Tokyo Auto Salon goes on for three days and we hear that this is one of those, "Must attend" events that will blow your mind. Here in the states, we've attended plenty of car shows, meets, race events and SEMA, all where we've seen some pretty awesome cars. We can only imagine what it was like to see the Tokyo Auto Salon in person. 

With Japan being the number one leader in the world for aftermarket vehicle modification, the crowd was insane! The whole three days, the event was packed. Not just with attendees, but cars! Tons of cars inside the convention center as well as outside and all along the streets around the show. 

The big trend in the US for the last year and a half has been the big spoilers, fender flares and diffusers. We did see some of this in the coverage, but there was also much more. There was also an abundance of VIP styled cars and vans next to track/rally cars and slammed exotics, not to mention the show worthy daily driven cars that showed up as well. 

This year's show looked pretty awesome thanks to the Stance Nation photographers. Hopefully next year, we'll be able to make our way out there and cover it. Keep scrolling to check out more photos.

New NSX & New Ford GT!

Yes! Both the new Acura NSX and Ford GT rolled into the Detroit Auto Show this last week and have been unveiled to the public. These two highly anticipated cars have been all the rage for the last year. Both are top of the line sports/super cars from Ford and Acura, but what about them makes them so cool? First off, look at these two!

First, let's take a look at the Acura NSX. Although Acura hasn't released final numbers yet, we do know that it will be powered by a twin-turbo V-6 as well as three electric motors (two in the front one in the rear). Yes, that's right! The new NSX will be all-wheel drive and will have nine gears mounted inside the dual clutch transmission. Horsepower is promised more than 550! That's more than Honda has ever put into a production model, but its a good thing as the NSX has to compete with the Toyota FT-1 (Supra) and the Nissan R35 (GT-R). We just need to see something from Mazda on the new RX and we'll have all the top Japanese legendary sports cars.

We're still waiting to hear the final weight, torque and final performance figures, but the NSX's lead engineer says "Wait until you drive it. We'll tell you everything then." The media is set to drive the new NSX in July which isn't too bad of a wait, considering we've waited more than ten years since we saw the last NSX. And speaking of the last model NSX, it was an engineering wonder. The design of this new NSX is mind blowing as well. You'll find some aluminum bodywork (just like the previous NSX) as well as some carbon fiber components as well (hood, roof and possibly fenders). Since the car is mid-engined, obviously cooling would be an issue. To compensate for that, Acura added 4 very noticeable vents to the rear fenders which visually raises the car status to compete with higher end exotic cars like Ferrari's and Lamborghini's.

Now, the new Ford GT left the crowd excited at the Detroit Auto show as well. This new super car takes cutting edge technology and mixes it with the classic design from the older generation. Ford claims that the GT will be powered by the most powerful EcoBoost production engine that they have ever created. The V-6, twin-turboed Eco boost engine is set to push more than 600 horsepower! The monster motor will be mounted to a seven speed manual transmission that will be powering the rear wheels.

What gives the GT the super car title? Well how about the light weight construction of the car, made of carbon fiber and the outstanding aerodynamic work. Some say it resembles a "sexy aircraft" due to the rear tear drop design and the edgy flares and vents. You'll find the GT has big carbon-ceramic brakes that will help this beast stop. There's huge 20 inch wheels wrapped in tires designed specifically for this car by Michelin that will sling this GT around the track. And speaking of track, Ford made sure that this super car was all about the driver, as it doesn't even have a radio or A/C. However that may change in the upcoming months until the Ford GT goes on sale late next year.

With these two super cars very close to hitting the market, people have been getting very excited. Both of these sporty/super cars are the top of the line for both automakers, and with that in mind, they can only get better from here as the years go by. If you want one of these bad boys, your'e going to have to pay a pretty penny. Stay tuned and we'll keep you posted with reviews after we drive these two!

Mid-Engined Corvette!

Hey Corvette fans, the wait is over! Your dream Vette is already well on its way and is already undergoing testing. Check out this spy shot here captured by Car And Driver.

The panels for the new Vette will most likely be composed of carbon fiber and as seen in the picture above, may share a front end similar to the Holden Commodore SSV. Notice how the front clip is short and the cockpit is right up near the front axle allowing for plenty of room for the engine in the back. Now, don't be expecting this to stay in a ute form (even though that would be pretty cool) I'm sure thats just part of the early stages before the body is finally developed.

Earlier this month, GM's head of global product development, Mark Reuss confirmed that the company is working on creating the new C8 Corvette. It will be released in about 20 months from now and introduced as a 2017 model. But no worries, if you still want a FR layout for your Corvette, it will still be available alongside the new mid-engined one on the showroom floor.

Why mid-engine you may ask? Well, basically the Corvette is plain tapped out. For a front-engine, rear wheel drive car, it really can't get much better. Moving the engine closer to the rear wheels will provide better braking, traction and acceleration. But, not only does Chevy want to make the change for engineering purposes, they also want to be able to beat out certain super cars including: Aventador, Laferrari, McLaren P1 and the 918.

Nick named the Zora ZR1, the new C8 is planned to keep using the small block V-8. Rumor has it, that it will be somewhere between a 3.5 to 4.0 liter and is projected to beat out the current Stingray Z51, which tops out at 181 MPH and does 0-60 in 3.9 seconds.

What's your opinion on the new C8? How do you feel about changing it to mid-engine after over 60 years of engineering it to make it what it is today? Stay tuned for updates and release information.

Our Top Cars From 2014

As an exciting new year begins, we want to take a look back at 2014 and pick out our favorite cars that were introduced to the automotive world.

Our first pick is none other than the BMW 4 Series. The 4 Series was introduced in February 2014 and has been going strong since. At first, we weren't too sure about the 4 Series as it was going to be the first new model of BMW in years. However, after we researched the car and BMW's plans for the 4 Series, it was now one of our highest anticipated cars.

What we found was that the 4 Series was built to replace the 3 Series coupe and convertible models. So, now with the 3 Series only being a sedan, BMW enthusiasts turn towards the 4 Series while looking for the proven and quality experience that was once had from the 3 series coupes and convertibles. A lower, wider stance and a longer wheel base screams for performance. Not to mention the new aerodynamic styling, improved handling, upgraded suspension and a more powerful and responsive engine.

As you can see, the 4 Series sounds almost too good to be true. When the M4 was released, the majority of people were left skeptical if it was going to be able to hang with the M3. We'll leave a link here for you to determine if the BMW M4 was accepted into the M Family.

Next up is the C7 Stingray. After years of producing Corvettes without the Stingray name, Chevrolet finally brought back the name with an updated and aerodynamic styling which brought back the tail end of the old design which resembled a stingray tail.

Corvettes have always been cool, and we can all agree on that, but what makes the C7 extra cool is that it has been under development since 2007 leaving this car as one of the highest anticipated cars for the last few years. Although mid and rear engine options were considered, the front engine was chosen to keep costs lower. A small block 455 horsepower V8 was stuffed into the Corvette that projected the car from zero to 60 in under 3.8 seconds. And if you think that's fast, that doesn't even come close to the Z06 and Z07 packages. Those pack over 650 horsepower with fully tuned suspension and huge, wide tires.

And our last pick for 2014 is cutting it close, but we decided on the new Subaru STI. You're probably wondering why we chose the new STI, as it has almost identical specs as the previous model. But we chose it because of all the controversy it has caused. Some people hate it and some people love it. With the ongoing battle between STI and Evo owners, Subaru got trolled pretty hard with the new looks of the STI as it looks as if Mitsubishi had designed it. We love both the Evo and the STI so we don't mind.

Not much has changed from the previous model besides appearance, which took a bit of excitement away from the release of the new STI, but as we all know, STI's mean serious business and have proven records of motorsport wins.

A lot of awesome new model cars were released in 2014 but we chose these as the top three. Luckily, 2015 is here and looks to be quite promising from all the rumors we hear among the automotive community. We're excited to see whats released this upcoming year and you should be too!

Best Midsized Pickup

Mid sized pickups are sort of weird thing. The majority of them can't tow heavy loads and barely see the dirt. So what's the point right? Well, Our friends over at MotorTrend did some research and comparison of a few mid sized pickups. They found that most people choose to purchase mid sized trucks not because they need it, but just because they like driving trucks. So what's the best mid sized pick up truck for you? Let's see what MotorTrend has picked out.

We present to you the 2015 Chevy Colorado Z71, the 2015 Nissan Frontier Pro-4X and the Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro. MT chose these three trucks because they all are fairly popular and compete in the same class. To start the comparison off right, two MotorTrend associates did a a 0-60 pull in which the Chevy Colorado beat out both the Frontier and Tacoma. They claimed that the Frontier's 261 horsepower 4.0 liter V6 and the Tacoma's 236 horsepower V6 felt pretty powerful and quick off the line, but still fell short of the Chevy's 0 to 60 time (7.4 seconds).

Driving styles may vary, but for the most part, people look for comfort while driving. Once again, the Chevy Colorado beat the other two trucks with driving. A slightly higher gas mileage and smoother feel on the road is what was explained during the test. "It almost feels like a car", one of the test drivers explained. The Tacoma felt like it gave more low end torque and a better off road feel with a slightly higher cab and softer, extended suspension. Although the Frontier gave a more rigid and "industrial" feel, it was a close call between all trucks.

Comfortability wise was a close call as well. Although the Nissan Frontier was the quietest out of all the trucks on the road, the interior felt cheap and claustrophobic. The Tacoma's interior felt outdated and had some areas that made visibility an issue. All the test drivers agreed that the Colorado took the cake with the best, comfortable interior and most advanced infotainment system.

When it came down to which truck was the over all best, the Frontier came in third. This truck would fit the people who enjoy the lifestyle the Frontier plays off, such as: biking, kayaking, camping, etc. The Tacoma took second place. This truck is best for the people who want to go off road and want a more rugged truck. And of course last, but not least was the Colorado, which is all around an excellent mid sized truck that's suitable for everyone.

Integra Revival?

What do you think the most iconic car from Acura is? RDX, Vigor, ILX? For most people, they would say either the NSX or the Integra. Isn't it ironic that the two most iconic cars from Acura's line were discontinued? It is a bit sad, but we had hope in the NSX's return and now it's finally happening along with a rumor of the revival of the Acura Integra.

That's right, an interview with Acura's chief designer Dave Marek was held privately on the sidelines of the SEMA show this last year and revealed some hopeful information. He stated that, "there are a lot of resources and activity going on to make Acura back into what it was." After that, he told Car and Driver, "A performance brand needs a flagship and it needs to be an accessible sport car. Not a sports car, but a sport car."

Most people can agree that Acura is still trying to find its place among other automakers. They need to establish their identity a little more and bringing them back to their roots might just be the best option. They're in a tough place right now, as other Japanese luxury brands such as Infiniti and Lexus have taken the top tiers.

While there is no set date on the release date of the two-door coupe, some people have assumed that we may see it as soon as early next year. But in the mean time, take a look at the new Acura TLX that was just revealed at last weeks LA Auto Show.