Modifying – repairing, improving, unsightly – cars has been alive in the UK basically since the invention of cars.
The first Japanese car sold in the UK arrived in 1965. However, it took another 15 to 20 years before modification of Japanese cars became ubiquitous on the motoring scene.
And since then, despite the ups and downs of the Max Power era, the Japanese car modification scene is still alive and well.
Young people continue to get involved in the Japanese car scene, investing their time, effort and money into customizing the look and performance of their cars.
Models like the Mazda MX-5 have become a popular car for these young enthusiasts, while top collectors have begun hoarding Nissan Skylines and Honda NSXs.
JDM – a guide for beginners
Japanese manufacturers typically produced special variants just for the Japanese market, which were then imported by enthusiasts around the world. These cars were specifically called JDM (Japan Domestic Market) cars.
These JDM cars differed from the global export models in several ways, ranging from different trim levels to performance differences.
The craze for Japanese cars in general and JDM cars in particular grew throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, with video games, films and motorsports highlighting the raw performance and customization options available.
One of the most famous movie cars of this time was the Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R from 2 Fast and 2 Furious, which was used by Paul Walker’s character in the first scenes of the film.
Likewise, the Gran Turismo game introduced children to JDM car culture from a very early age, and these children today tend to appreciate and buy the cars they used to play with in the game.
Why the modification scene is still going strong today
At Japfest 2024 we had the opportunity to meet a few people who grew up during this time.
The event attracted more than 3,500 cars and around 20,000 spectators from across the country to Northamptonshire, where a day was dedicated to the most beautiful cars from the Land of the Rising Sun.
Japanese car culture has always developed in the background, and this event highlighted the enormous importance of this culture. The cars on display had something for everyone, from kei cars to 1000 horsepower Nissan GT-Rs.
Matt Hamlett, 31 years old and a Japfest veteran, arrived at this year’s event in his Bayside Blue Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R V-Spec Edition and immediately drew a crowd.
He has been attending these events regularly for more than a decade and his love of Japanese car culture is reflected in his garage, which houses a Subaru WRX STi (Blob-Eye) Prodrive Edition, an R35 GT-R and a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 9, together with the R34.