Japanese domestic market

For many years Japan had severe restrictions on the maximum power and speed that motorcycles could have.

All motorcycles for the Japanese domestic market were restricted to 112 mph (180 km/h).

Power restrictions were as follows ^[4]

Pre-1993

• 250cc class: 45 hp
• 400cc class: 60 hp
• 750cc class: 77 hp
• over 750cc: not allowed

Post-1993

• 250cc class: 40 hp
• 400cc class: 53 hp
• 750cc class: 77 hp
• over 750cc: allowed, but restricted to 100 hp

Japanese carmakers do not use a vehicle identification number as is common overseas. Instead, they use either a Frame Number, Chassis Number, or Vehicle ID Number and also a Model Code as well as an Emissions Code to identify their vehicles. The Frame Number identifies the vehicles model and serial number. For example, Frame Number SV30-0169266 breaks down as "SV30" identifying the model as Toyota Camry/Vista and "0169266" being the serial number of the vehicle. The Model Code designates the vehicle's model number and features. As an example, ST205-BLMVZ breaks down as "ST205", which means it is a third generation Toyota Celica GT-FOUR, and "BLMVZ" which designates a set of features incorporated in the vehicle. The Emissions Code refers to the vehicle's designated emission standard at the time, usually being placed before the vehicle's model number, and with the five most commonly used designations being E, GF, GH, ABA, and CBA. These codes are only seen on JDM models and are not present on exported models of the same type. Examples would include E-EK9 or GF-EK9 from the first generation Civic Type R, E-BNR32 from the R32 Skyline GT-R, E-JZX100 from the eight generation Mark II. Another useful example to help differentiate between pure JDM models and export examples is the code JHMEEG6 on the European Civic VTi models and E-EG6 on the Japanese fifth generation Civic SiR trims. Correct identification of the chassis code using these markers would help prove the authenticity of the model.

Motorcycles

In the '90s the JDM power restrictions along with license restrictions that made it difficult to be licensed on larger motorcycles resulted in a number of models that were not offered anywhere else in the world, with 250cc and 400cc miniature replicas of the bigger 750cc & 900cc bikes.

At the same time, Japan had particularly tough laws regarding road licensing and sales regulations. Any motorcycle more powerful than 250cc had to take an extensively stringent test every two years.

Combining these factors with a virtually non-existent second-hand market made it economic to export the nearly new bikes abroad where they were eagerly bought and a number of import specialists sprung up to cater for this "grey import" market of relatively inexpensive but interesting motorcycles.

In the later '90s as Japan's economy fell into recession it became less profitable to export and Japanese owners held on to their bikes for longer. The last global crash all but ended the "grey import" industry with the big specialist importers closing down.

Cars

Cars manufactured for the Japanese domestic market have been growing in popularity since the late 1990s.^[5] Many car enthusiasts are attracted to JDM cars in different continents such as North America, Europe, Asia and Africa. Popular brands include Honda, Subaru, Toyota, Mazda, Suzuki, Lexus, Mitsubishi Motors and Nissan.^[6]

1990 Mitsubishi Delica Star Wagon 2.5l Turbo Diesel 4WD - JDM US Grey import vehicle

Ex-Japan Imports are also very common in New Zealand where 59% of vehicles registered on New Zealand roads originated from overseas markets as opposed to 41% of which were delivered NZ-New. Of this, 94% originate from Japan.^[7] New Zealand imported an average of 134,834 JDM vehicles per year in the period 2015–2019,^[8] the majority of which were Mazda 3 (Axela), Suzuki Swift, Nissan Tiida, Toyota Corolla and Mazda 2 (Demio).^[9] Other models popular for importation in previous years include exotic vehicles (Honda Torneo, Nissan Skyline, Nissan Laurel and Toyota Altezza), and kei cars (Suzuki Carry, Daihatsu Move, Subaru R2). Due to the popularity of used imports from Japan, and their relatively poor crash-test ratings, the New Zealand Ministry of Transport is currently investigating tougher restrictions on imported vehicles, most notably on the importation of the Toyota Corolla, Mazda 2 (Demio) and Suzuki Swift.^[10]

In 2004, importing JDM cars became popular in Canada as highly sought after vehicles, such as the 1989 Nissan Skyline GT-R, became eligible to import under Canada's 15-year rule.^[11] In contrast, importing grey market vehicles into the United States is much more difficult.^[12] To avoid regulatory problems, most private individuals wait until EPA restrictions no longer apply to the desired vehicle, which is done on a rolling 25-year cycle.^[13]

Car Engines and other related car parts from Japan is also too common in developing countries such as Thailand and the Philippines. In Thailand, most of the used car engines being shipped overseas is kei car engines like Daihatsu ranging from 360cc and up to 660cc which became a top supplier among makers to build a Tuk-Tuk to be used in their public transport in Bangkok. While in the Philippines, used car engines being shipped and supplied by local automakers are mostly Toyota engines from old Toyota Corolla in the 1990s where the makers of Owner-type Jeep and some small-sized AUVs became a hit for local consumers which became a cheaper alternative than buying of brand-new cars at that time. Production of owner-type jeep and local AUVs in the Philippines were mostly being closed due to the importation of used cars from Japan by 2000s until it was also being banned in 2014, but even though the ban of importation of used cars of Japan is already existed, no one went interested to open up another production of owner-type jeeps since they also opened up more automakers from China to distribute to the local market just rightafter of importation ban, but since local consumers are still much more interested on used car imports from Japan, most of them are much more decided to buy a used kei-vans which became more popular among private car owners such as Suzuki Wagon R and Suzuki Carry in wagon variant also powered by 660cc gasoline engines, these importers also brought car parts being dismantled before shipping for them to rebuilt and to reassemble a particular unit to avoid extra cost on importation and shipping.

Railways

Ex-Japan import rolling stocks in all kinds is no exception on this list, although it can be considered as JDM but in special case since this was also intended for Japanese market which were mostly acquired by leading private railway companies across Japan such as Japan Railways, even subways such as Tokyo Metro, Tokyu Corporation, Toei Subway and so forth which was in demand for modernizing railway system in most developing countries such as Indonesia, Thailand, and Myanmar to acquire used trains from Japan rather than procuring brand-new rolling stocks, there are some cases that the management from each respective railway companies in Japan such as Japan Railways are decided to donate them to the oversea country, instead of scrapping them ahead in no time, which is really needed for a major upgrade and sign their agreement that the recipient of the oversea country will pay for its freight expenses and the rest will be free. Here are different categories of used rolling stocks listed which were mostly shipped and operated overseas in different countries.

8-car 205 series set 44 (formerly JR East Musashino Line set M3, also formerly operated in Yamanote Line from 1986 to 2003), May 2018.

• Electric Multiple Unit

• Diesel Multiple Unit

A former JR Central KiHa 40 series train in Myanmar in July 2016

• Passenger Cars
• Locomotives

Retail Shops

Outside of Japan, there are various shops which they sell various kinds of used items from Japan. Philippines is one of the known countries outside Japan to set up a retail outlet called, "Japan Surplus Shop" which is found in most towns of the country. They used to sell used appliances, furnitures, gadgets, accessories, and even bicycles designed for women, are still much more preferred by local buyers because of being more affordable than buying those newly locally made home furnitures, or even new gadgets which is becoming more dominating mostly coming from China and so forth. Most of these items depending on the condition.

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Europe

Europe

Europe is a continent comprising the westernmost peninsulas of Eurasia, located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with both Africa and Asia. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east. Europe is commonly considered to be separated from Asia by the watershed of the Ural Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian Sea, the Greater Caucasus, the Black Sea and the waterways of the Turkish Straits.

Asia

Asia

Asia is the largest continent in the world by both land area and population. It covers an area of more than 44 million square kilometers, about 30% of Earth's total land area and 8% of Earth's total surface area. The continent, which has long been home to the majority of the human population, was the site of many of the first civilizations. Its 4.7 billion people constitute roughly 60% of the world's population, having more people than all other continents combined.

Africa

Africa

Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surface area. With 1.4 billion people as of 2021, it accounts for about 18% of the world's human population. Africa's population is the youngest amongst all the continents; the median age in 2012 was 19.7, when the worldwide median age was 30.4. Despite a wide range of natural resources, Africa is the least wealthy continent per capita and second-least wealthy by total wealth, behind Oceania. Scholars have attributed this to different factors including geography, climate, tribalism, colonialism, the Cold War, neocolonialism, lack of democracy, and corruption. Despite this low concentration of wealth, recent economic expansion and the large and young population make Africa an important economic market in the broader global context.

Honda

Honda

Honda Motor Co., Ltd. is a Japanese public multinational conglomerate manufacturer of automobiles, motorcycles, and power equipment, headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan.

Mazda

Mazda

Mazda Motor Corporation , commonly referred to as simply Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Fuchū, Hiroshima, Japan.

Lexus

Lexus

Lexus is the luxury vehicle division of the Japanese automaker Toyota. The Lexus brand is marketed in more than 90 countries and territories worldwide and is Japan's largest-selling make of premium cars. It has ranked among the 10 largest Japanese global brands in market value. Lexus is headquartered in Nagoya, Japan. Operational centers are located in Brussels, Belgium, and Plano, Texas, United States.

Mitsubishi Motors

Mitsubishi Motors

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation is a Japanese multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. In 2011, Mitsubishi Motors was the sixth-largest Japanese automaker and the 19th-largest worldwide by production. Since October 2016, Mitsubishi has been one-third (34%) owned by Nissan, and included in the Renault–Nissan–Mitsubishi Alliance.

Nissan

Nissan

Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. , trading as Nissan Motor Corporation and often shortened to Nissan, is a Japanese multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Nishi-ku, Yokohama, Japan. The company sells its vehicles under the Nissan and Infiniti brands, and formerly the Datsun brand, with in-house performance tuning products labelled Nismo. The company traces back to the beginnings of the 20th century, with the Nissan zaibatsu, now called Nissan Group.

Mitsubishi Delica

Mitsubishi Delica

The Mitsubishi Delica is a range of vans and pickup trucks designed and built by the Japanese automaker Mitsubishi Motors since 1968. It was originally based on a cabover van and pickup truck introduced the previous year, also called the Delica, its name a contraction of the English language phrase Delivery car. This pickup truck, and a commercial van derived from it has received many names in export markets, being sold as the L300 in Europe, Jamaica and New Zealand, Express and Starwagon in Australia, and plain Mitsubishi Van and Wagon in the United States. The passenger car versions were known as Delica Star Wagon from 1979 until the 1994 introduction of the Delica Space Gear, which became simply Space Gear in Europe at least. The most recent version is called the Delica D:5. With the exception of the first, versions of all generations are still being sold in various international markets.

Grey import vehicle

Grey import vehicle

Grey import vehicles are new or used motor vehicles and motorcycles legally imported from another country through channels other than the maker's official distribution system. The synonymous term parallel import is sometimes substituted.

Nissan Tiida

Nissan Tiida

The Nissan Tiida is a compact car produced by the Japanese manufacturer Nissan since 2004 through three generations. Depending on the market, the Tiida was also marketed as a subcompact car, particularly in the Americas for the first-generation model as the Nissan Versa. The first-generation model (C11) was produced up to 2018 in some markets, and was offered as a four-door sedan and a five-door hatchback.

Honda Torneo

Honda Torneo

The Honda Torneo is a mid-size sedan introduced by Honda in 1997, exclusively for the Japanese domestic market, derived from the sixth-generation Honda Accord. While the Accord was sold exclusively at Honda Clio dealerships, the Torneo was available at the other two Honda networks, Honda Verno and Honda Primo as the successor to the Honda Ascot and Honda Rafaga, respectively. "Torneo" means tournament in Spanish.

Buses

In the early 1990s, Ex-Japanese buses had been rising popular and been common in the developing cities across Asia such as Manila, Philippines, Jakarta, Indonesia & even Yangon, Myanmar.

Like in the Philippines, direct importers near ports in Subic, Zambales & Cagayan Valley have started their auction business to import quality vehicles preferably from Japan. And then so, most of the clients who are mostly operating bus companies based in Manila, Philippines began their interest to grow their transport business thru buying Japan surplus buses from all cities in Japan which are definitely cheaper than buying brand-new ones which are mostly imported from other countries and some are locally assembled coach bodies but still at an expensive price.

Used buses like in the Philippines also requires to convert from RHD to LHD conversion which is in compliance with the Philippine traffic law called Republic Act No. 8506 entitled "An act banning the registration and operation of vehicles with right-hand steering wheel in any private or public street, road or highway, providing penalties therefor and for other purposes." A violation of this law is punished by imprisonment for a period from two years, four months, and one day, up to four years and two months, plus a fine of 50,000 pesos (approx. $1,000). And most of the used buses from Japan in Manila, Philippines are mostly operating within the city and intercity travel which are at least 10 years of age after being phased out in Japan.^[14]

Trucks

As early also in the 1990s, there is no exception that there will be a Japanese domestic market trucks to be called as "Japan Surplus Trucks" for auction & export to any of the developing cities in Asia and even including Russia. Most of the Japanese domestic market trucks that have been exported are Isuzu, Mitsubishi Fuso, Hino and some are Nissan Diesel. These trucks are also proven much reliable and durable since domestic trucks in Japan has no exception for the 10 to 15 year phased out due to the compliance of Japan's existing traffic & environmental regulations and also to avoid any taxes once any domestic truck unit surpassed the age limit to be phasing out.

Japanese domestic market trucks, or 'surplus trucks' after being phased-out in Japan, are extremely popular in the Philippines such as Isuzu Elf, Isuzu Forward, Isuzu Giga, Mitsubishi Canter, Mitsubishi Fuso Super Great & Hino Profia since they are popularly cheaper than buying a brand-new Japanese trucks which are locally distributed and even brand-new trucks from China which is about thrice as expensive as an ordinary used Japanese domestic truck units. Auctioneers in the Philippines also started importing trucks in the 1990s and it had been a staple for every small to medium business enterprise owner particularly in the logistics industry to support and to grow their respective businesses as well aside from being cheap than buying new ones, but also really proven that they are built to last.

Another category for Japanese trucks are the smallest ones, or to be called as kei truck, they are also extremely popular in the Philippines once again to be called as "multicab" which are often reconditioned & converted to any public transportation vehicle like jeepney since they are lighter, more economical, more environmentally friendly than the conventional Philippine jeepneys which are mostly powered by used diesel engines from Japan.

Truck engines from Japan were also became a boom hit among small workshops and mostly being supplied by local manufacturers in the Philippines which they made Philippine Jeepneys since 1980s. Popular truck engines being supplied are Isuzu & Mitsubishi Fuso Canter, sometimes, depending from the local clients, they often requested to supply diesel engines from Mazda and Nissan to install them not just for jeepneys, but also called as AUV which is being used for daily commercial use or can be for private use who often they don't have enough budget than buying a brand-new AUVs offered in the Philippine market during those times such as Toyota Kijang, Mitsubishi Adventure, Mitsubishi L300 van or even Isuzu Crosswind

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Manila

Manila

Manila, officially City of Manila, is the capital of the Philippines and its second-most populous city. Manila is located on the eastern shore of Manila Bay on the island of Luzon. It is highly urbanized and as of 2019, was the world's most densely populated city proper. Manila is considered to be a global city and is rated as an Alpha – City by Globalization and World Cities Research Network (GaWC). It was the first chartered city in the country, and was designated as such by the Philippine Commission Act 183 of July 31, 1901. It became autonomous with the passage of Republic Act No. 409, "The Revised Charter of the City of Manila", on June 18, 1949. Manila is considered to be part of the world's original set of global cities because its commercial networks were the first to extend across the Pacific Ocean and connect Asia with the Spanish Americas through the galleon trade; when this was accomplished, it was the first time an uninterrupted chain of trade routes circling the planet had been established. Manila is among the most-populous and fastest-growing cities in Southeast Asia.

Jakarta

Jakarta

Jakarta, officially the Special Capital Region of Jakarta, is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Lying on the northwest coast of Java, the world's most populous island, Jakarta is the largest city in Southeast Asia and serves as the diplomatic capital of ASEAN.

Left- and right-hand traffic

Left- and right-hand traffic

Left-hand traffic (LHT) and right-hand traffic (RHT) are the practices, in bidirectional traffic, of keeping to the left side or to the right side of the road, respectively. They are fundamental to traffic flow, and are sometimes referred to as the rule of the road. The terms right- and left-hand drive refer to the position of the driver and the steering wheel in the vehicle and are, in automobiles, the reverse of the terms right- and left-hand traffic. The rule also extends to where on the road a vehicle is to be driven, if there is room for more than one vehicle in the one direction, as well as the side on which the vehicle in the rear overtakes the one in the front. For example, a driver in an LHT country would typically overtake on the right of the vehicle being overtaken.

Isuzu

Isuzu

Isuzu Motors Ltd. , commonly known as Isuzu, is a Japanese multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Nishi-ku, Yokohama, Japan. Its principal activity is the production, marketing and sale of Isuzu commercial vehicles and diesel engines.

Hino Motors

Hino Motors

Hino Motors, Ltd., commonly known as Hino, is a Japanese manufacturer of commercial vehicles and diesel engines headquartered in Hino, Tokyo. The company was established in 1942 as a corporate spin-off from previous manufacturers.

Isuzu Elf

Isuzu Elf

The Isuzu Elf is a medium duty truck produced by Isuzu since 1959. Outside Japan it is known as N series and Q Series. The range was originally mainly available in Japan and other Asian countries. Australia was another important market for the Elf and N series – to the extent that it was manufactured there from the 1970s using many local components. Since the early 1980s, it has also been sold and built in the United States, and also as the Isuzu N-Series. Only North America receives the wide-cab version, competing with the Avia D90/D120, Hino Dutro, Hyundai HD65/HD72/HD78, Iveco Daily, Mazda Titan, Mercedes-Benz Vario, Mitsubishi Fuso Canter, Nissan Atlas, Renault D-Truck, Tata LPT 613, Toyota Dyna, and the ГАЗ-3310 Валдай.

Isuzu Forward

Isuzu Forward

The Isuzu Forward is a line of medium-duty commercial vehicles manufactured by Isuzu since 1970, following the earlier TY model which occupied the same slot in the market. All F-series trucks are cab over designs and the cabin comes fully built from the factory. Most models come with a diesel engine; but, some markets get CNG derivatives as well. The F-series is available a variety of cab styles, engines, 4WD or 2WD depending on the market it is sold. While Isuzu's main plant is in Japan, these trucks are locally assembled from CKD kits in numerous countries.

Isuzu Giga

Isuzu Giga

The Isuzu Giga is a line of heavy-duty commercial vehicles produced by Isuzu since 1994. Outside Japan it is known as Isuzu C/E series. It was formally known as the Isuzu Heavy-Duty Truck'. Between 1994 and 2016, it was also sold in South America.

Hino Profia

Hino Profia

The Hino Profia is a heavy duty cab-over truck produced by Hino Motors, a 50.1% subsidiary of Toyota Motor Corporation. It was introduced in 1981. In most export markets, it is also known as the Hino 700. The name Profia is officially used in Japan, and was previously known as the Super Dolphin Profia. The Hino F-Series truck's model codes are FN, FP, FR, FS, and FW. The tractor head model codes are SH and SS.

China

China

China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and borders fourteen countries by land, the most of any country in the world, tied with Russia. With an area of approximately 9.6 million square kilometres (3,700,000 sq mi), it is the world's third largest country by total land area. The country consists of 22 provinces, five autonomous regions, four municipalities, and two special administrative regions. The national capital is Beijing, and the most populous city and largest financial center is Shanghai.

Kei truck

Kei truck

A kei truck, kei-class truck, or Japanese mini truck is a mini truck, a tiny but practical pickup truck available in rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive versions, built to satisfy the Japanese keijidōsha statutory class. They are known as keitora in Japan alongside the microvan.

Jeepney

Jeepney

Jeepneys, sometimes called jeeps, are minibus-like public utility vehicles, serving as the most popular means of public transportation in the Philippines. They are known for their crowded seating and kitsch decorations, which have become a widespread symbol of Philippine culture and art. A Sarao jeepney was exhibited at the Philippine pavilion at the 1964 New York World's Fair as a national image for the Filipinos.

Speed chime

Nissan Skyline R32 series early model, the speed chime is on the back of the instrument panel (metal part near the center)

JDM specification model of vehicles oftentimes includes speed chime, that would ring if user has exceeded 105 km/h for standard cars, and 85 km/h for kei cars. This speed chime first mandated around on November 21, 1974, according to Article 1 of the "Ministerial Ordinance for Partial Revision of Safety Standards for Road Transport Vehicles", but soon abolished around 1986 with "Ministerial Ordinance for Partial Revision of Safety Standards for Road Transport Vehicles" (Ministry of Transport Ordinance No. 3 of 1986) due to non-tariff barrier pressured by US, and danger of drowsiness. Some model uses electromechanical system just like glockenspiel, but other model uses buzzer. Due to that, nickname for speed chime is kinkon.

Several vehicle after that time until early 2000s still offer speed chime as an option. The last vehicle to came with speed chime from factory is Honda City GA1/GA2.^[15]

Initial D anime features this speed chime prominently on Takumi Fujiwara's AE86.

Speed indicator light

The three green lights on cabin of Fuso The Great is speed indicator light

Speed indicator installed on Isuzu TX (HTS12G) truck

JDM specification of Volvo FH16 (first generation). Note added speed indicator lights.

JDM specification model of trucks (over 5 ton loading capacity, 8 ton gross vehicle weight) was mandated to have speed indicator installed from August 1967, according to Article 48 of the Ministerial Ordinance "Safety Standards for Road Vehicles" based on the provisions of Chapter 3 of the Road Vehicle Law.

The speed indicator light is only mandated for large trucks and is not necessary for small and medium-sized trucks and large buses, but installation on these vehicles are not prohibited. Speed indicator is installed in front of the cab, or up in the roof.

Article 48 of the Ministerial Ordinance "Safety Standards for Road Vehicles" based on the provisions of Chapter 3 of the Road Vehicle Law for speed indicator light is as following (modified and also translated):

1. The speed indicator device shall be of a structure that automatically turns on the following number of lights (thereinafter referred to as "speed indicator lights") when traveling at the speeds listed in the table below.
   1. 40 km/h or less (*): 1 light
   2. Over 40 km/h up to 60km/h: 2 lights
   3. Over 60 km/h: 3 lights
2. The speed indicator lamp shall not be equipped with a manual switch or the like that can easily turn off the speed indicator lamp, except for the power switch of the vehicle.
3. The number of speed indicator lights that are on must be visible from a distance of 100m ahead.
4. The light color of the speed indicator lamp shall be yellow-green.
5. The display of the speed indicator lamp must be free of significant error when driving on flat paved roads.
6. The speed display device shall be equipped with a light or other device that enables the driver to confirm its operating state from the driver's seat (usually they are located on speedometer).

Patterns for speed indicator is as following:

Abolishment and decline

Since it was enacted in 1967, this obligatory speed indicator light become non-tariff barriers, especially for European and American manufacturers. Because this law applies only to Japan, when importing heavy-duty trucks made outside Japan, it has to be modified in order to install the speed indicator light so the truck would pass certifications. Also, this was a system that was introduced to visually and intuitively (albeit roughly) easily distinguish the speed of the vehicle, but many people didn't even know what those speed indicator lights meant for.

As the result, this device was eventually abolished in 2001.^{[16] [17]} Truck manufacturers have to install speed limiters instead which activates around 90 km/h.

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Kei car

Kei car

Kei car, is the Japanese vehicle category for the smallest highway-legal passenger cars, with restricted dimensions and engine capacity. Similar Japanese categories exist for microvans, and kei trucks. These vehicles are most often the Japanese equivalent of the EU A-segment.

Non-tariff barriers to trade

Non-tariff barriers to trade

Non-tariff barriers to trade are trade barriers that restrict imports or exports of goods or services through mechanisms other than the simple imposition of tariffs.

Glockenspiel

Glockenspiel

The glockenspiel or bells is a percussion instrument consisting of pitched aluminum or steel bars arranged in a keyboard layout. This makes the glockenspiel a type of metallophone, similar to the vibraphone.

Honda City

Honda City

The Honda City is a subcompact car which has been produced by the Japanese manufacturer Honda since 1981.

Initial D

Initial D

Initial D is a Japanese street racing manga series written and illustrated by Shuichi Shigeno. It was serialized in Kodansha's seinen manga magazine Weekly Young Magazine from 1995 to 2013, with the chapters collected into 48 tankōbon volumes. The story focuses on the world of illegal Japanese street racing, where all the action is concentrated in the mountain passes and rarely in cities or urban areas, and with the drifting racing style emphasized in particular. Professional race car driver and pioneer of drifting Keiichi Tsuchiya helped with editorial supervision. The story is centered on the prefecture of Gunma, more specifically on several mountains in the Kantō region and in their surrounding cities and towns. Although some of the names of the locations the characters race in have been fictionalized, all of the locations in the series are based on actual locations in Japan.

Volvo FH

Volvo FH

The Volvo FH is a heavy truck range manufactured by the Swedish company Volvo Trucks. It was originally introduced in late 1993 as the FH12 and FH16. FH stands for Forward control High entry, where numbers denominate engine capacity in litres. The FH range is one of the most successful truck series ever having sold more than 400,000 units worldwide.

Vehicle weight

Vehicle weight

Vehicle weight is a measurement of wheeled motor vehicles; either an actual measured weight of the vehicle under defined conditions or a gross weight rating for its weight carrying capacity.

Speed limiter

Speed limiter

A speed limiter is a governor used to limit the top speed of a vehicle. For some classes of vehicles and in some jurisdictions they are a statutory requirement, for some other vehicles the manufacturer provides a non-statutory system which may be fixed or programmable by the driver.

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Some car enthusiasts like to build replicas of JDM vehicles from locally available cars. For example, enthusiasts in the USA will often take a US-market Honda Civic (sixth generation), convert it from left-hand-drive to right-hand-drive and source the required parts such as the engine and gearbox from the JDM EK9 Type R - which is based on the same platform - in order to make an 'exact' copy. Other forms of "JDM Conversions" include converting a USDM model first generation Subaru Impreza and fitting JDM STi parts to make it seem as if it is a genuine WRX STi model. In Southeast Asia, it is common practice to convert a base model Mitsubishi Lancer and swap out the necessary parts, right down to the cutting of the floor pan, and create a Lancer Evolution copy.

However, cars such as this would not be authentic JDM cars as they would possess a United States vehicle identification number.^[18] It is also to be noted that, even with such modifications, it is impossible to recreate the running performance of the original car, as there are many engineering aspects which cannot be replicated by means of "conversion" alone. A good example would be body strengthening methods using spot welding and extra reinforcement on strut mounting points, stress areas in joints, etc. as found in the Lancer Evolution and EK9 Type R models. These reinforcements are not present on base model sixth generation hatchbacks and Mitsubishi Lancers. Hence, replicas or conversions would be similar from a visual standpoint only, as they lack the same level of structural rigidity as the original counterpart.

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Honda Civic (sixth generation)

Honda Civic (sixth generation)

The sixth-generation Honda Civic is an automobile produced by Honda from 1995 until 2000. It was introduced in 1995 with 3-door hatchback, 4-door sedan and 2-door coupe body styles, replicating its predecessor's lineup. The sixth-generation Civic offered two new 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engines and a new continuously variable transmission (CVT) on the HX model. The coupe and sedan are 2.3 in (58 mm) longer and the hatchback is 4.3 in (109 mm) longer than the previous generation Civic. This was the last generation of Civic to have front double-wishbone suspension, as the succeeding seventh generation would change the front suspension to a MacPherson strut.

Car platform

Car platform

A car platform is a shared set of common design, engineering, and production efforts, as well as major components, over a number of outwardly distinct models and even types of cars, often from different, but somewhat related, marques. It is practiced in the automotive industry to reduce the costs associated with the development of products by basing those products on a smaller number of platforms. This further allows companies to create distinct models from a design perspective on similar underpinnings. A car platform is not to be confused with a platform chassis, although such a chassis can be part of an automobile’s design platform, as noted below.

Mitsubishi Lancer

Mitsubishi Lancer

The Mitsubishi Lancer is an automobile produced by the Japanese manufacturer Mitsubishi Motors since 1973.

Vehicle identification number

Vehicle identification number

A vehicle identification number (VIN) (also called a chassis number or frame number) is a unique code, including a serial number, used by the automotive industry to identify individual motor vehicles, towed vehicles, motorcycles, scooters and mopeds, as defined by the International Organization for Standardization in ISO 3779 (content and structure) and ISO 4030 (location and attachment).