--- title: "Welcome to JDM Week, Where I Drive Some of Japan’s Greatest and Weirdest Cars" description: "We visited one of the nation's biggest importers of classic Japanese cars, trucks, and SUVs, and took some exciting test drives." date: "2023-10-23" modified: "2023-10-23" authors: - name: "James Gilboy" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/james-gilboy" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/car-reviews/welcome-to-jdm-week-where-i-drive-some-of-japans-greatest-and-weirdest-cars" categories: - "Car Reviews" tags: - "JDM Week" --- # Welcome to JDM Week, Where I Drive Some of Japan’s Greatest and Weirdest Cars ![]() When one of the country’s largest importers of Japanese domestic market (JDM) vehicles invites you to come drive a bunch of classic cars never sold here, what would you say? "Yes please," or "Hell yeah, brother?" I don’t need to tell you what I said. This week, with the help of [Duncan Imports]() in Christiansburg, Virginia, we’re bringing you a series of reviews of JDM classics. Some are performance legends, while others are the kind of car you’d never see in [*Initial D*](). I'll tell you not just what they’re like to drive, but why they exist, what their appeal is today, and how tricky it might be to keep them on the road. As for what the subjects, I drank from every nozzle on the soda fountain. From [homologation racer]() to humble [kei truck](), from hand-built rarity to spiced-up compact, there’ll be a reason for anyone who likes JDM cars to check out these stories. ![Honda Civic Shuttle Beagle]() ![a modified Toyota Soarer]() Full disclosure: The cars we drove were officially part of Gary Duncan’s personal collection, and aren’t necessarily for sale right now. However, they are representative of other vehicles in stock, and may themselves come up for sale eventually. We're kicking things off with a bang today with a review of the legendary [1996 Honda Integra Type R](). Next up will be the adorable 1996 Dahaitsu Midget II, followed by the stately 1989 Nissan President, the truly weird 1996 Toyota Classic, and the finale with the fan favorite 1997 Mistubishi Pajero Evolution. Stick around; this is gonna be fun. *Got a tip or question for the author? You can reach them here: james@thedrive.com* ## Author James is a former staff writer for The Drive. He has changed the conversation around electrification, debunked misinformation online, and become a prominent hunter of what he calls "automotive cryptids." ### Author social links [Instagram]()