From 3 July to 31 August, Autoworld’s “Big in Japan” exhibition celebrates Japanese automotive culture through some forty cars and twenty motorcycles. Belgium’s national auto museum brought together legendary icons of the Japanese motoring industry, as well as several exquisite rarities.
The temporary booth on the ground floor features an impressive collection of over 20 motorcycles, including legends such as the Honda CB750, the Suzuki Hayabusa, and the mighty Kawasaki H2R. We also loved the Kawasaki Ninja, featuring an authentic livery that pays homage to the first Top Gun movie.
This booth also featured three iconic sports cars from four different eras: the Mazda Cosmo from the ’60s, the Nissan 300ZX from the ’70s and a Honda NSX from the ’80s. But it’s nothing compared to what awaits us in the gallery. The curators managed to procure an exquisite selection of Rarities, exotics and supercars, that rendered Autoworld a genuine hotspot for fans of Japanese cars.
The bulk of the automotive exhibits are parked on the gallery grouped into thematic segments, often with a fitting decorations. Some of these themes are dedicated to lightweight roadsters, while others are focused on race cars or supercars.
The selection of high-end cars is truly impressive. Beyond the golden age of the ’80s / ’90s (invoked by legends like the original Honda NSX and the Mitsubishi 3000GT), the organisers secured contemporary dream cars, like the second iteration of the NSX and a white Lexus LFA.
Half a dozen cars honour the history of Japanese motorsport with legendary race cars like the Mazda 787B, the unlikely winner of the 1991 Le Mans, the Toyota 94C built under Group C specifications, and the Corolla WRC with which Carlos Sainz made history (notably by stopping a few hundred metres from the championship title). If you were missing by now the most iconic iteration of the Toyota Supra, the 4th generation, you will find it here wearing Toyota’s iconic Castrol livery.
The most memorable are still the exclusive classics and rarities beyond the obvious fan favourites. This is where the Belgian classic car scene excels. In a country with a fondness for Italian classics, it is astonishing to discover exotics like the Mazda Luce with a Wankel engine and stylish Italian lining, the second-generation Toyota Century with a V12 engine, or the GT2000 with a targa roof.
No Japanese themed exhibition would be complete without micro and Kei-cars, and of course, Autoworld wont let you down in that respect either.
The exhibition is open until 31 August, and for the upcoming exhibitions, we recommend paying a visit to Autoworld’s website.
