These Japanese Cars Are Faster Than Any Muscle Car
Japanese carmakers might be better known for their econo-cars, but they have some machines that will smoke anything found on the roads today!
10Mazda Furai
We begin with perhaps the sexiest car to ever be built that doesn’t have a Lamborghini badge on it. The Furai was so pretty that the gods had to take it back away from us in an infamous firey sendoff. Nevertheless, while it existed on this planet, it was devilishly fast.
It could handle any racetrack with the best of them. It sounded absolutely insane too, thanks to a wildly powerful rotary motor. Combining all of these traits into one singular form seemed too good to be true. Turns out, it was indeed too good for our world.
9Lexus LFA
Is there a car with a V10 that sounds this wild? I’m not sure honestly, because this one, built in partnership with Yamaha reminds you of a Siren wailing away, beckoning you to go ever faster. Its shriek is intoxicating, and we all know that intoxication is dangerous in the wrong doses.
Regardless of the fact that this car has been superseded by the LC500, the LFA is still the far superior handling car. There’s been nothing like it from Toyota or Lexus since. It’s high time for a new model.
8Nissan GT-R
Until the release of the R36 GT-R, there’s simply nothing else on the planet as dangerous and deadly to supercars from Japan.
Built with an AWD system that many have said shouldn’t be capable of doing what it does, the GT-R can dominate muscle cars at the racetrack regardless of how many or how few turns it might have. What’s perhaps even more impressive is that they can also be driven daily without issue.
7Acura NSX
Want to be a bit more classy than the guy next to you in the GT-R? The NSX is that beast. Combining more modern technology than even Nissan has, this Acura means business. Combining nearly 600 horsepower and a reliable V6, this nimble but planted supercar doesn’t trifle with muscle cars, it dominates them.
It’s dramatically better inside than any muscle car could ever hope to be and it’s happy to show them how to handle a corner too. The next-generation GT-R has its work cut out for it.
6Aspark Owl
Few folks have heard about the Aspark. We’ve covered it here a few times but nevertheless, a small, bespoke supercar company from Japan simply doesn’t get enough play in a world of Ferrari’s, Lamborghini’s, and Pagani’s.
Once people start to realize that the Owl packs nearly 2,000 horsepower (you read that right), and can eclipse 60 mph in under 1.7 seconds, it might get the press it deserves. Also, it’s important to note that it looks the part, blending Japanese styling and culture with enough wild and crazy to happily fit in the supercar world.
5Tommy Kaira ZZII
Not familiar with the ZZII? It’s a wildly rare mid-engine supercar that uses a highly tuned R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R drivetrain to power all four wheels. Tommy Kaira is a well-regarded tuner in Japan and in creating this bespoke design, the company cemented its place in history.
4Nissan R390GT1
Clearly built for something special, the R390 is a one-off, street-legal version of a Nissan Le Mans entry. Due to rules, Nissan was required to build it if they wanted to race so here it is in all its glory.
In fact, to race under the grand touring rules, the R390 streetcar was developed first and the racing variant afterward. While there’s no evidence of the car actually achieving the speed, it’s said that the one with number plates can reach 220mph.
3Toyota GT-One
In a similar storyline, this car, the GT One was also built for the road after Toyota decided they wanted to go racing. While only one was required, they actually built two. In another exploit of the strange rules regarding build requirements, Toyota actually successfully deemed the fuel tank as “Trunk Space” since it had to be empty for the review process.
2Toyota Gazoo Supercar
Toyota isn’t done creating wild low production Le Mans based supercars though. While their Gazoo division is busy at work trying to win races, they’ve been eager to find a way to release one of these things on the general public.
They’ve publicly stated that they want to find a way to get customers behind the wheel of this vehicle, which at Le Mans made 986 horsepower. Even if the production model doesn’t end up with that kind of power, it says a lot that Toyota would even bring a diet version to market.
1Yamaha OX99-11
Most people have no idea that this vehicle exists. Remember how we mentioned earlier that the LFA had a V10 partly developed by Yamaha? Well, they dreamt of making their own supercars for a time. The OX99-11 was one such endeavor.
Sadly due to multiple factors, including the financial crisis in Japan during its production, the car never made it to production. It would’ve been incredible though. The V12 powering it makes 400 horsepower at 10,000 rpm.