Before the 1970s, Japan was famous for many things, but cars were not among them.
Half a century later, the land of the rising sun is not only known for building some of the most epic sports and high-performance cars of all time, but also for sharing the art of drifting with the world and taking the notion of tuning to another level.
These days, everyone's familiar with high-performance legends like the A80 Supra, the Skyline GT-R R32, R33, and R34 generations, the rally-bred Impreza WRX/STI homologation specials, or the Type R hot hatches.
But some might not remember that these model lines spawned a series of incredible limited-edition cars. So, without further ado, let's meet (or get reacquainted) with the rarest, most impressive JDM legends.
Subaru Impreza 22B STi – 424 units
The holy grail of the Impreza WRX STI family, the 22B STi was produced from March to August 1998 to celebrate both Subaru's 40th anniversary and its third consecutive WRC Manufacturers' title.
Based on the first-generation GC8E WRX STi model, the 22B STi featured a bespoke widebody and hood similar to the rally version, a unique adjustable rear wing, special wheels, Bilstein shocks, and a sintered twin clutch with a ceramic disk.
Power was delivered to all four wheels by a special version of the EJ boxer-four bored out to 2.2 liters and linked to a five-speed manual.
It featured electronic fuel injection, along with an IHI RHF 5HB turbocharger, and was rated at 276 hp.
The initial 400 units scheduled to be marketed in Japan sold in 30 minutes to 48 hours (depending on the source) after the release, so Subaru built an extra 24 that were delivered to the UK and Australia.
Honda Civic Mugen RR – 300 units
If you ask any Civic Type R enthusiasts which model was the best, you'll get a surprising answer: the Double R.
Though it didn't feature Type R in its name, the legendary 2007-2008 Mugen RR was based on the FD Type R.
Only available in Japan and produced in 300 units, it was available in any color as long as it was Milano Red.
Honda specialists Mugen gave the Type R's K20A DOHC 2.0-liter four-cylinder a comprehensive tune that included an ECU remap, hotter cams, a modified intake system, and a unique exhaust manifold connected to a free-flowing titanium twin-exit system.
All of those aftermarket goodies increased the engine's output to 237 hp. Considering that the stock Type R motor was rated at 222 hp, the engine tunning didn't seem particularly special, but Mugen also put the Type R on a diet.
With bespoke carbon fiber bumpers, a new aluminum hood, lightweight Recaro SP-X racing bucket seats, and several other weight-saving components, the tuner managed to shed around 363 pounds (165 kg).
With more power and less weight, the fantastic Double R behaved nothing like a stock FD Type R, which is why it's one of the most coveted Civics of all time.
Nismo 400R – 44 units
The R33 is the least-favorite modern iteration of the Skyline GT-R for a surprising number of people, but I bet my raggedy 3 Series (it's all I got) that those people never heard about the 1996 400R.
Developed by Nissan's motorsport division and built in a limited run of only 44 units, the 400R was the most powerful factory-built, series-production Skyline ever to don GT-R badges.
This feat was made possible by the special REINIK-built RBX-GT2 engine - a bored and stroked version of the RB26DETT that could produce 400 hp.
To accommodate the added power, the 400R received a host of chassis improvements, like a stiffer suspension system with Bilstein shocks, bigger Brembo brakes, and an active limited-slip differential.
The car also received a visual makeover with new bumpers and skirts, a bespoke hood, a carbon-fiber spoiler, and 18-inch LM GT1 forged alloys.
Toyota TRD 3000GT – 35 units
Thanks to its bombproof 2JZ engine - quite possibly the best six-cylinder ever - the A80 Toyota Supra has become one of the most legendary sports cars of all time.
The ultimate factory-built A80 was not officially called Supra but TRD 3000GT.
As the name implies, this JDM unicorn was designed by Toyota Racing Development and debuted at the 1994 Tokyo Motor Show.
Performance-wise, the TRD 3000GT wasn't much different than a standard Supra, but it donned the same widebody kit as the GT500 Supra race car, which was set to debut that year.
Though each component that made up the body kit was eventually sold individually , TRD also kicked off a short production run of 35 3000GTs.
Today, one of these special Supras is extremely expensive, but sadly, the chances of finding one that wasn't extensively tuned are very close to zero.
Nissan Skyline GT-R Z-Tune – 19 units
Arguably the wildest, most legendary R34 Skyline ever built, the Z-Tune started life as a concept unveiled as part of Nissan's 20th anniversary celebrations.
Encouraged by the public's reaction, Nismo spent another two years refining it and then built 18 more street-legal beasts.
Since the R34's production run was over, Nismo purchased 18 used GT-Rs, stripped each down to the bare chassis, reinforced the structures, and then rebuilt the cars to Z-Tune spec.
On the outside, the Z-Tune R34 featured numerous bespoke carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) components like new bumpers, skirts, hoods, or front fenders.
But, unquestionably, the most jaw-dropping upgrade was the hand-built straight-six engine.
Built around a GT500-derived reinforced cast-iron block bored out to 2.8 liters, it was equipped with numerous motorsport-spec components and bigger turbochargers built specifically for the Z-Tune project.
Capable of revving up to 8000 rpm, the rabid straight-six produced 493 hp. That made the Skyline GT-R Z-Tune a veritable supercar killer that could accelerate from 0 to 60 mph (97 kph) in 3.8 seconds.
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