10 Legendary JDM Cars That Redefined Speed and Power

Jan 13, 2024

As the production of JDM sports cars dies down, let's look back at some of the most legendary machines that epitomized speed and power.

Unfortunately for enthusiasts, the JDM industry has definitely seen a decline in the past few years. As with the newest model of both the Supra and GT-R now offered globally, there have not been many new Japanese sports cars that have been limited to domestic production. Combined with manufacturers ever-pushing to go green and electric, the JDM production of sports cars has pretty much all but died out.

It's a tragedy that Japan no longer makes a lot of its most legendary models, and even the ones that remain have been rebranded into horrible crossovers, or feel more like a BMW than a Japanese machine. The world of JDM has produced some astonishing and legendary cars over the past 30 years, cars that were purely built for the love of power and speed, and provided an incredible driving experience.

In this article, we've compiled a list of 10 legendary JDM cars that redefined speed and power, fantastic machines that will never be forgotten for just how fast they were, and how much everyone wants to buy them now. Strap yourselves in, as we explore the best of JDM.

Related: 10 Affordable JDM Sports Cars Perfect For Budget Enthusiasts

As a last "hurrah" to the iconic R34, the performance division of Nissan decided to take a few of the already built V-SPEC II GT-Rs, chuck a bunch of racing technology into them, and tweak the already very powerful engine. The result was the most expensive R34 Skyline GTR, the Nismo GT-R Z-Tune, known as the "Mother of all GT-Rs" and king of the JDM world.

The Z-Tune featured the same legendary 2.6-liter twin-turbocharged RB26DETT I6 seen in the standard models, but, with the help of Nissan's Le Mans GT2 and GT500 racing experiences, was beefed to a 2.8-liter. Combined with racing pistons, connecting rods and camshafts, and an upgraded ECU, the Z-tune put out an astonishing 500 hp, and was capable of a top speed of over 200 mph. Only 19 Z-Tunes were ever built, and today they stand as one of the fastest and rarest JDM cars in history.

Back in 1995, Nissan wanted to enter the BPR racing series with a GT1 car, after the R32 was chucked from the Group A series. They had a problem though, as, according to the regulations, all GT1 cars had to be based on a road-going car from the manufacturer, and that model had to actually be produced for the road. However, Nissan noticed that the rules never stated exactly how many road cars had to be made, so they just made 1, and boy was it fast.

The 1995 Nissan NISMO GT-R LM Road Car was significantly different from the standard R33 in several ways. There was the obvious aerodynamic body kit and fancy blue ringed wheel rims, but underneath, the LM was now rear-wheel drive. This meant that, although it didn't have the same launch as the standard model, the LM was able to hit some incredible speeds. Had the 1995 Nissan NISMO GT-R LM Road Car been sold to the public, who knows where it would've stood in JDM legend, but, even with just 1 in the world being held under lock and key by Nissan, the LM will go down in JDM history.

The 2007 Honda Civic sold in Japan was a completely different car from the ugly mess the rest of the world received: it had 4 doors and looked rather pretty too. Then, when Mugen Motorsports got their hands on 300 units in 2008, the Civic was taken to a whole new level and was known as the RR.

The Mugen RR is one of the fastest Civics ever made, and is an astounding piece of JDM machinery, even today. Equipped with a modified version of the standard Civic Type R's 2.0-liter i-VTEC engine. Mugen enhanced the engine's performance, raising the power output to around 237 hp and 160 lb-ft of torque. Additionally, by using carbon fiber bumpers and aluminum for the hood, the weighed a lot less than the standard model, making it an incredibly quick car. The RR might not break any lap records, but for the Civic, it was a huge step forward, making it an underrated icon of JDM.

On the internet today, the 2005 Honda NSX-R GT feels like Honda's secret supercar: there are hardly any images of the car and only one was ever sold to the public. What is known about the GT however is that it was incredibly fast, and whoever owns it is an incredibly lucky person. Like the aforementioned R33 LM, the GT was a homologation car for the JGTG and Super GT, which is why so few of them were produced.

Upgrades for the GT included an aggressive aerodynamic package to enhance its performance on the track, containing a large rear wing, front splitter, side skirts, and a redesigned rear diffuser. These modifications improved downforce and stability at high speeds meaning that even though the GT featured the same engine as the standard model, the difference was night and day. The car also featured a very funny-looking snorkel on the roof, which, unlike in the actual racecar, didn't actually function.

Related: 10 Cheap JDM Sports Cars That Are Perfect Tuners

As far as rotary-powered cars go, not many have ever been better than the RX-7, and the Spirit-R Type A was the perfect send-off to one of the most iconic JDM cars of all time. Available in the US in 2027, the Spirit-R will soon be dominating the US street scene.

The Spirit-R featured the legendary 1.3-liter twin-turbocharged rotary engine, commonly known as the 13B-REW, producing around 276 hp and 231 lb-ft of torque. The Type A is the most highly desired model, having just two seats, an upgraded suspension system, and a bunch of visual extras making it one of the best-looking JDM cars ever built. Only 1044 Type As were made, but if you get the chance in a few years to bring one over, don't ever second guess it.

There is little room for debate when it comes to the Nissan Skyline GT-R R32, which is widely regarded as one, if not the finest JDM car ever produced. It effortlessly combines power and agility, all encapsulated within a remarkable all-wheel drive system. Its nickname "Godzilla" was earned for a reason, and the V-Spec II N1 is the king of kings that every other 90s JDM car failed to beat.

The N1 was an extreme track-focused version of the legendary model, which included the removal of the air conditioning, sound system, and boot carpet to help shed weight. The N1 was still powered by the standard RB26DETT 2.6-liter twin-turbocharged inline-six engine, but with the weight saving and upgraded handling components, the N1 was the quickest GT-R produced at the time.

With two of the most famous tuner engines ever built in the 2JZ-GE and 2JZ-GTE, the A80 Toyota Supra took the 90s by storm. While the Supra failed to topple the might of the GT-R, it still sits very comfortably as second in command in the JDM food chain. The 1997 Toyota Supra Twin-Turbo VVT-i is the quickest JDM Supra of the generation, and the upgrades helped establish the Supra as a JDM legend.

After ending the production of Supras in the rest of the world, Toyota gave the model one last dance after adding the VVT-i to the twin-turbo model. VVT-i helps improve power delivery and fuel efficiency throughout the engine's RPM range, as the system adjusts the timing of the valves based on factors such as engine speed, load, and throttle position. So despite not receiving a power upgrade, the Supras fitted with VVT-i are some of the fastest ever built, a nice way to send off the JDM legend.

Made to honor both the company's 40th anniversary and the team's 3rd WRC constructors' championship, the 1998 Subaru Impreza 22B STI may have been the company's pièce de résistance. The 22B was a very limited-run model, selling out pretty much instantly on its release in 1998 with just 400 JDM units ever made.

The 22B was based on the GC8E WRX STi, with pretty much everything thrown out and upgraded: including a Frankenstein engine that made 272hp, a set of Bilstein suspension, and a special blue paint color to represent the link to the WRC version. The 22B is an incredible car, and no matter what surface you thrash it around on, whether it be asphalt, dirt, or snow, it seems the car will have an answer. It's not just one of the greats of rally – it's the great of rally.

The Honda S2000 is what would probably happen if you got an MX-5 to go work at the gym every day for 10 years. It's one of the fastest pocket-rocket roadsters ever produced, and the Type S version made exclusively for the JDM took the car to another level.

The Type S featured the same engine as the CR model that the US got, a Naturally aspirated inline-4; however, the power output on the Type S was slightly higher at 239 hp. The Type also included an aerodynamic body kit and a tonne of weight saving, which, when combined with some handling upgrades, made the Type S the perfect Togue racer.

Related: 10 Unforgettable JDM Sports Cars

Finally, we come to the most powerful iteration of the R33 ever built: the 1995 Nissan Skyline GT-R Nismo 400R. The 400R took everything Nissan, and Nismo specifically, had learned over the years and compiled it into one final edition of the R33. Although 100 were supposed to be made, only 44 were ever built.

The 400R was powered by a bored and stroked RB26DETT engine, the RBX-GT2, and as the name suggests, produced 400 hp. This was thanks in part to the upgraded turbos, larger intercoolers, and enhanced engine management seen on the model. The 400R featured upgrades wherever you looked, and the model was able to do 0-60 in just 4 seconds flat. If you, a car company, are ever planning on doing a send-off for one of your models, please, let it be like the 400R.

Hailing from Scotland, Jed is a budding new journalist having worked in both radio and video.With growing up around motorsport, his knowledge of the automotive world and his passions for cars is vast.From making toy car animations aged 10 to starring in a professional documentry, Jed has been in and around the YouTube scene for a long time.