Dodging Bullets and drooling over Ferraris in Japan

supremeBaleno · 3rd February 2008, 14:14

I am not sure whether this qualifies to be in "Travelogues" or "The International Auto scene". But since this is going to be more of ramblings about cars/bikes spotted during my trips to Japan, I guess Travelogues makes more sense.

Starting with my first trip to Japan in Jun07, I had been seriously checking out the auto scene in this country and even clicked away like mad. Ended up with a huge collection of snaps, but the thought of spending hours on imageshack to upload them, deterred me from starting a thread.

Anyway, got the inspiration to start this thread yesterday night after sightings of an Enfield bullet and a Ferrari (yeah, I know, a strange combo). I was zapped to see this Enfield Bullet parked on the street in front of my hotel. Japan is the last place I would expect to see the mighty Bullet, but then I guess Bullet fans are all over the world.

BTW, is that the trademark Bullet oil-leak I see below the bike ?

This was just after a trip to upscale Ginza (window shopping mainly - cant afford the stuff in the hi-fi stores there) where in just a few hours I saw more of the big names in cars, than in the so many weeks I spent in rest of Japan.

Was standing on the pavement checking out the Apple shop, when I hear a sweet drone behind me and what do I see ? A Ferrari come to a stop near me. As soon as the owner leaves the car and goes shopping, I start clicking. The first and only Fiat (after all, as the Fiat fans would say, every Ferrari is a Fiat

) I saw in Japan.

Next stop was the Nissan showroom, where they had the GT-R displayed. Awesome car, great interiors. Sat in it for a while - was heavenly, to say the least.

They also had this bug-like concept car displayed, which I pretended to be interested in, just due to the Japanese girls demo-ing the car.

Closer home, near my hotel, there is an Alfa-Romeo showroom, which I had been planning to checkout for long. Finally got a chance today, when I went out for a walk in the snow.

They had quite some AlfaRomeo cars in the showroom, though I have no idea about the various models on display. Maybe you guys can find out for yourselves - they have the model numbers alongside the cars. Snaps are a bit hazy because I took them from outside the showroom.

They did have posters of Fiat cars (Grande Punto) and also a Panda in the showroom, though I am yet to see a true-blue Fiat on the roads.

And check out who is doing duty here as a cop car - our own Alto.

And for the Jeepers / offroaders (headers, this is for you), here is a Jeep (a Mitsubishi) that I saw at a customer's parking lot in Yonago. Loved the looks.

Again at Yonago, I spotted another Indian favourite, the Zen (not the Estilo).

Have loads more of photos and info to post, which I plan to do whenever I can manage some time. So, hang on.

shuvd · 3rd February 2008, 14:42

Amazing snaps! Man, I'm jealous! Do you have the interior pictures of the GTR?

bottle · 3rd February 2008, 14:57

very very interesting set of pics biju keep posting please

supremeBaleno · 3rd February 2008, 14:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by shuvd

Do you have the interior pictures of the GTR?

Unfortunately no. It was such a small showroom (what is big in Japan anyway

) and it was crowded with people. Getting these snaps itself, without people coming in between me and the car, was such a big deal.

I knew then itself that I should wait some time for the crowd to thin and go for the interior pics - they were cool and would have been worth the effort.

kpzen · 3rd February 2008, 19:25

Nice interesting pics.!! Keep them coming.

Mpower · 3rd February 2008, 20:20

Great snaps supreme. Would love to see more. I am particularly interested in the kind of cars and bikes that the regular/average Japs drive.
I know they have a lot of cute little K-cars.

toiingg · 3rd February 2008, 21:32

355 is still the best of them all.
Great pics, keep em coming.

spawnofsatan · 4th February 2008, 02:50

Did you have a chance to take any more detailed pics of the Alfa's?

Cyrus43 · 4th February 2008, 02:53

whoa man..u break my heart..the skyline and the alfas just look gorgeous..

GTO · 4th February 2008, 13:33

Great pictures, but ever better is the writeup! Thanks for sharing man.

Quote:

BTW, is that the trademark Bullet oil-leak I see below the bike ?

LOL!

That Jeep is a CJ3B (Indian Classic / CJ340) body style. I wasn't aware that Mitsu made jeeps

. Come to think of it, a Jeep with Japanese reliability is Gods answer to us fans.

reignofchaos · 4th February 2008, 15:45

^^Its a chrysler rebadged as a mitsu I think.

karlosdeville · 4th February 2008, 15:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by GTO

That Jeep is a CJ3B (Indian Classic / CJ340) body style. I wasn't aware that Mitsu made jeeps

. Come to think of it, a Jeep with Japanese reliability is Gods answer to us fans.

I regularly see a station wagon Jeep in white and brown, running as a taxi of sorts in Pune, regd MFA something. It too sports the mitsubishi logo in that fashion, I always thought it was a cut and paste job!

jkdas · 4th February 2008, 19:50

You are bald and got round blue eyes?

Have heard that Japs were big fans of our Bull; but didnt expect to see a red one!

BUSA · 4th February 2008, 20:38

Nice pics SB, thanks for sharing. So what are you getting from Japan for your Baleno? A Turbocharger?

Nitin · 4th February 2008, 20:59

Nice pics,biju!
Nothing to beat a Ferrari in its trademark color.
Keep up the good work!

3rd February 2008, 14:14	#1
supremeBaleno Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Chennai / Kochi Posts: 5,546 Thanked: 2,698 Times View My Garage	Dodging Bullets and drooling over Ferraris in Japan I am not sure whether this qualifies to be in "Travelogues" or "The International Auto scene". But since this is going to be more of ramblings about cars/bikes spotted during my trips to Japan, I guess Travelogues makes more sense. Starting with my first trip to Japan in Jun07, I had been seriously checking out the auto scene in this country and even clicked away like mad. Ended up with a huge collection of snaps, but the thought of spending hours on imageshack to upload them, deterred me from starting a thread. Anyway, got the inspiration to start this thread yesterday night after sightings of an Enfield bullet and a Ferrari (yeah, I know, a strange combo). I was zapped to see this Enfield Bullet parked on the street in front of my hotel. Japan is the last place I would expect to see the mighty Bullet, but then I guess Bullet fans are all over the world. BTW, is that the trademark Bullet oil-leak I see below the bike ? This was just after a trip to upscale Ginza (window shopping mainly - cant afford the stuff in the hi-fi stores there) where in just a few hours I saw more of the big names in cars, than in the so many weeks I spent in rest of Japan. Was standing on the pavement checking out the Apple shop, when I hear a sweet drone behind me and what do I see ? A Ferrari come to a stop near me. As soon as the owner leaves the car and goes shopping, I start clicking. The first and only Fiat (after all, as the Fiat fans would say, every Ferrari is a Fiat ) I saw in Japan. Next stop was the Nissan showroom, where they had the GT-R displayed. Awesome car, great interiors. Sat in it for a while - was heavenly, to say the least. They also had this bug-like concept car displayed, which I pretended to be interested in, just due to the Japanese girls demo-ing the car. Closer home, near my hotel, there is an Alfa-Romeo showroom, which I had been planning to checkout for long. Finally got a chance today, when I went out for a walk in the snow. They had quite some AlfaRomeo cars in the showroom, though I have no idea about the various models on display. Maybe you guys can find out for yourselves - they have the model numbers alongside the cars. Snaps are a bit hazy because I took them from outside the showroom. They did have posters of Fiat cars (Grande Punto) and also a Panda in the showroom, though I am yet to see a true-blue Fiat on the roads. And check out who is doing duty here as a cop car - our own Alto. And for the Jeepers / offroaders (headers, this is for you), here is a Jeep (a Mitsubishi) that I saw at a customer's parking lot in Yonago. Loved the looks. Again at Yonago, I spotted another Indian favourite, the Zen (not the Estilo). Have loads more of photos and info to post, which I plan to do whenever I can manage some time. So, hang on.
	() Thanks

3rd February 2008, 14:42	#2
shuvd Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Calcutta Posts: 1,081 Thanked: 7 Times View My Garage	Amazing snaps! Man, I'm jealous! Do you have the interior pictures of the GTR?
	() Thanks

3rd February 2008, 14:57	#3
bottle Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Chennai Posts: 1,634 Thanked: 274 Times View My Garage	very very interesting set of pics biju keep posting please
	() Thanks

3rd February 2008, 19:25	#5
kpzen Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Faridabad Posts: 5,610 Thanked: 1,876 Times View My Garage	Nice interesting pics.!! Keep them coming.
	() Thanks

3rd February 2008, 20:20	#6
Mpower Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Bangalore Posts: 10,409 Thanked: 1,730 Times View My Garage	Great snaps supreme. Would love to see more. I am particularly interested in the kind of cars and bikes that the regular/average Japs drive. I know they have a lot of cute little K-cars.
	() Thanks

3rd February 2008, 21:32	#7
toiingg BHPian Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Calcutta Posts: 639 Thanked: 266 Times	355 is still the best of them all. Great pics, keep em coming.
	() Thanks

4th February 2008, 02:50	#8
spawnofsatan BHPian Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Los angeles/Mumbai Posts: 708 Thanked: 93 Times View My Garage	Did you have a chance to take any more detailed pics of the Alfa's?
	() Thanks

4th February 2008, 02:53	#9
Cyrus43 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: London Posts: 5,019 Thanked: 221 Times View My Garage	whoa man..u break my heart..the skyline and the alfas just look gorgeous..
	() Thanks

4th February 2008, 15:45	#11
reignofchaos Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 2,542 Thanked: 2,450 Times View My Garage	^^Its a chrysler rebadged as a mitsu I think.
	() Thanks

4th February 2008, 19:50	#13
jkdas Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Thiruvananthapu Posts: 9,687 Thanked: 1,492 Times View My Garage	You are bald and got round blue eyes? Have heard that Japs were big fans of our Bull; but didnt expect to see a red one!
	() Thanks

4th February 2008, 20:38	#14
BUSA Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Bombay Posts: 5,130 Thanked: 20 Times View My Garage	Nice pics SB, thanks for sharing. So what are you getting from Japan for your Baleno? A Turbocharger?
	() Thanks

4th February 2008, 20:59	#15
Nitin Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2006 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 3,294 Thanked: 20 Times View My Garage	Nice pics,biju! Nothing to beat a Ferrari in its trademark color. Keep up the good work!
	() Thanks