Japanese Performance Cars Shine in US Auto Museums: Exploring New Exhibits

by AutoExpert   |  3 June, 2024

Share :

Not so long ago the "cool cars" referred to American muscle cars and that's all. The rest were perceived as...mhm..okay. But no more! The well-known famous Japanese cars are finally allowed to step into the spotlight and museums are actually considering them.

Blame it on the Fast and the Furious or the need for good gas mileage back in the day, but Japanese cars have come a long way. They're not just reliable little runabouts anymore. We're talking about high-performance beasts like the Mazda RX-7, the Toyota Supra, and the Nissan GT-R – cars that can hold their own against anything on the track.

Japanese Performance Cars

For a long time, though, this awesomeness wasn't reflected in the car world's halls of fame – museums like Pebble Beach. But things are changing!

Japanese Performance Cars

Several museums are finally celebrating the passion and innovation behind Japanese cars. The Audrain Automobile Museum's new exhibit, "JDM and Beyond," showcases everything from a quirky 1970 Subaru 360 to a legendary 1988 McLaren-Honda race car. The LeMay Museum in Washington just opened "Shinka: An Immersive Japanese Automobile Exhibit," featuring iconic Japanese cars from the classics to modern marvels.

Japanese Performance Cars

Even the Petersen Museum in LA has hosted Japanese car exhibits and has an annual Japanese Cruise-In that brings out a ton of enthusiasts.

This isn't just a West Coast thing either. The California Automobile Museum in Sacramento and the prestigious La Jolla Concours have also featured Japanese cars. There are even dedicated Japanese car shows like the Japanese Classic Car Show and Toyotafest happening all the time.

Japanese Performance Cars

Sure, Pebble Beach still doesn't have a Japanese car class (yet!), but progress is being made. Even the Japanese American National Museum in LA is planning a car-focused exhibit in 2025 or 2026 that explores the unique car culture of Japanese Americans in Southern California.

Japanese Performance Cars

So, if you've ever been told Japanese cars are boring, well, those people are stuck in the past. Head down to your local museum or car show and see for yourself why Japanese cars are finally getting the respect they deserve!

Recomended:

Autonomous Vehicles and Accessibility: A Closer Look at Tesla Cybercab - Photo
Others
Autonomous Vehicles and Accessibility: A Closer Look at Tesla Cybercab

You know how we're always hearing about autonomous cars? They're basically everywhere in the tech headlines, promising to redefine our commutes and make driving a breeze. But when you throw ar

AutoExpert
Renault's Humorous Engine Codes: The F4Rt and F4P Motors - Photo
Others
Renault's Humorous Engine Codes: The F4Rt and F4P Motors

Did someone аt Renault have a cheeky sense of humor, or was it аll just a happy accident? Either wаy, it's hard not to crack a smile when you hear about this. So, get this: One of Renault's en

AutoExpert
NHTSA 2025 Safety Ratings: Comprehensive Testing for Top Car Models - Photo
Others
NHTSA 2025 Safety Ratings: Comprehensive Testing for Top Car Models

Big news for cаr enthusiаsts and safety buffs! The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) just dropped its list of vehicles slаted for their 5-Star Safety Ratings testing for the model

AutoExpert
Power Meets Practicality: Skoda Kodiaq vRS Revealed - Photo
Car News
Power Meets Practicality: Skoda Kodiaq vRS Revealed

Skoda has just revealed the sporty vRS version of the new Kodiaq, bringing some excitement to this family SUV with performance similar to the Volkswagen Golf GTI. Under the hood, the vRS features a tu

AutoExpert
Toyota And Suzuki Unveil Their Electric SUV Partnership - Photo
Car News
Toyota And Suzuki Unveil Their Electric SUV Partnership

Toyota has officially announced an exciting development: one of its upcoming electric vehicles will be a collaboration with Suzuki, marking a significant step forward in their partnership. Previously,

AutoExpert
Ian Callum’s Street-Legal Jaguar C-X75 Purrs Like a Lion - Photo
Car News
Ian Callum’s Street-Legal Jaguar C-X75 Purrs Like a Lion

Jaguar’s C-X75—a supercar that never made it to production—first roared to life as a concept at the 2010 Paris Motor Show. The recession quickly led to the abandonment of production

AutoExpert
Seven Months, Two Owners: McLaren Automotive Set For A Fresh Start With Abu Dhabi’s CYVN Holdings - Photo
Car News
Seven Months, Two Owners: McLaren Automotive Set For A Fresh Start With Abu Dhabi’s CYVN Holdings

Earlier this year, Mumtalakat, Bahrain's sovereign wealth fund, bought the McLaren Group outright, including its supercar and racing divisions. But as of today, McLaren's automotive side alrea

AutoExpert
Honda’s One-of-a-Kind Civic In Blinding Silver Shines In Style - Photo
Car News
Honda’s One-of-a-Kind Civic In Blinding Silver Shines In Style

Have you ever heard about the “silveriest” silver? If not, meet Honda’s latest showstopper—a unique Civic e:HEV glowing in silver paint.This metallic finish, bursting with

AutoExpert
Failed Tesla Cybertruck Heist: Delaware Thief's Botched Attempt - Photo
Others
Failed Tesla Cybertruck Heist: Delaware Thief's Botched Attempt

So, а thief in Delaware decided to tаke on a Tesla Cybertruck, аnd well, it went about as well as you'd imagine. Recently, this wannabe carjacker thought he could outsmart one of the most secure E

AutoExpert
The Ford Unitron: The RV That Could Have Revolutionized Road Travel - Photo
Others
The Ford Unitron: The RV That Could Have Revolutionized Road Travel

Hey, did you ever hear about the time Ford nearly flipped the script on the whole sports RV game? Yeah, it's a bit of a wild tale about a prototype that could have shaken things up but somehow fel

AutoExpert