![Outer rear-view mirror 001](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/57/Outer_rear-view_mirror_001.JPG)
Japanese domestic market (JDM) refers to
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
's home market for vehicles and vehicle parts.
There is a common misconception that any Japanese branded car is JDM; however, this is not true. Only a vehicle made in Japan specifically to be sold in Japan is considered JDM.
JDM market cars when compared to the United States market where vehicle owners are now owning vehicles for a longer period of time, with the average age of the American vehicle fleet at 10.8 years,
Japanese owners contend with a strict
motor vehicle inspection and gray markets. According to the
Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile
The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA; en, International Automobile Federation) is an association established on 20 June 1904 to represent the interests of motoring organisations and motor car users. It is the governing body for ...
, a car in Japan travels a yearly average of over only 9,300 kilometers (5,800 miles), less than half the U.S. average of 19,200 kilometers (12,000 miles).
Japanese domestic market vehicles may differ greatly from the cars that Japanese manufacturers build for export and vehicles derived from the same platforms built in other countries. The Japanese car owner looks more toward innovation than long-term ownership which forces Japanese carmakers to refine new technologies and designs first in domestic vehicles. For instance, the 2003
Honda Inspire
The is a mid-size sedan introduced by Honda in 1990 derived from Honda Accord chassis. The first Inspire debuted in 1990 as the Accord Inspire, a sister nameplate to the Honda Vigor, but sold at different retail channels in Japan, known as '' ...
featured the first application of Honda's
Variable Cylinder Management
Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) is Honda's term for its variable displacement technology, which saves fuel by using the i-VTEC system to disable one bank of cylinders during specific driving conditions—for example, highway driving. The second ...
. However, the 2003 Honda Accord V6, which was the same basic vehicle, primarily intended for the North American market, did not feature VCM, which had a poor reputation after Cadillac's attempt in the 1980s with the
V8-6-4 engine. VCM was successfully introduced to the Accord V6 in its redesign for 2008.
In 1988, JDM cars were limited by voluntary self-restraints among manufacturers to 280
horsepower (PS) (276 hp) and a top speed of , limits imposed by the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (
JAMA
''The Journal of the American Medical Association'' (''JAMA'') is a peer-reviewed medical journal published 48 times a year by the American Medical Association. It publishes original research, reviews, and editorials covering all aspects of biom ...
) for safety. The horsepower limit was lifted in 2004 but the speed limit of remains.
Motorcycle power and speed restrictions
For many years Japan had severe restrictions on the maximum power and speed that motorcycles could have.
All motorcycles for the Japanese domestic market were restricted to .
Power restrictions were as follows
Pre-1993
*250cc class: 45 hp
*400cc class: 60 hp
*750cc class: 77 hp
*over 750cc: not allowed
Post-1993
*250cc class: 40 hp
*400cc class: 53 hp
*750cc class: 77 hp
*over 750cc: allowed, but restricted to 100 hp
VIN
Japanese carmakers do not use a
vehicle identification number
A vehicle identification number (VIN) (also called a chassis number or frame number) is a unique code, including a serial number, used by the automotive industry to identify individual motor vehicles, towed vehicles, motorcycles, scooters ...
as is common overseas. Instead, they use either a Frame Number, Chassis Number, or Vehicle ID Number and also a Model Code as well as an Emissions Code to identify their vehicles. The Frame Number identifies the vehicles model and serial number. For example, Frame Number SV30-0169266 breaks down as "SV30" identifying the model as Toyota Camry/Vista and "0169266" being the serial number of the vehicle. The Model Code designates the vehicle's model number and features. As an example, ST205-BLMVZ breaks down as "ST205", which means it is a
third generation Toyota Celica GT-FOUR, and "BLMVZ" which designates a set of features incorporated in the vehicle. The Emissions Code refers to the vehicle's designated emission standard at the time, usually being placed before the vehicle's model number, and with the five most commonly used designations being E, GF, GH, ABA, and CBA. These codes are only seen on JDM models and are not present on exported models of the same type. Examples would include E-EK9 or GF-EK9 from the
first generation Civic Type R, E-BNR32 from the
R32 Skyline GT-R, E-JZX100 from the
eight generation Mark II. Another useful example to help differentiate between pure JDM models and export examples is the code JHMEEG6 on the European
Civic VTi models and E-EG6 on the Japanese
fifth generation Civic SiR trims. Correct identification of the chassis code using these markers would help prove the authenticity of the model.
Worldwide popularity
Motorcycles
In the '90s the JDM power restrictions along with license restrictions that made it difficult to be licensed on larger motorcycles resulted in a number of models that were not offered anywhere else in the world, with 250cc and 400cc miniature replicas of the bigger 750cc & 900cc bikes.
At the same time, Japan had particularly tough laws regarding road licensing and sales regulations. Any motorcycle more powerful than 250cc had to take an extensively stringent test every two years.
Combining these factors with a virtually non-existent second-hand market made it economic to export the nearly new bikes abroad where they were eagerly bought and a number of import specialists sprung up to cater for this "grey import" market of relatively inexpensive but interesting motorcycles.
In the later '90s as Japan's economy fell into recession it became less profitable to export and Japanese owners held on to their bikes for longer. The last global crash all but ended the "grey import" industry with the big specialist importers closing down.
Cars
Cars manufactured for the Japanese domestic market have been growing in popularity since the late 1990s. Many car enthusiasts are attracted to JDM cars in different continents such as
North America
North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...
,
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
,
Asia
Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an area ...
and
Africa
Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
. Popular brands include
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational conglomerate manufacturer of automobiles, motorcycles, and power equipment, headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan.
Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, reaching a product ...
,
Subaru
( or ; ) is the automaker, automobile manufacturing division of Japanese transportation conglomerate (company), conglomerate Subaru Corporation (formerly known as Fuji Heavy Industries), the Automotive industry#By manufacturer, twenty-first ...
,
Toyota
is a Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Toyota City, Aichi, Japan. It was founded by Kiichiro Toyoda and incorporated on . Toyota is one of the largest automobile manufacturers in the world, producing about 10 ...
,
Mazda
, commonly referred to as simply Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Fuchū, Hiroshima, Japan.
In 2015, Mazda produced 1.5 million vehicles for global sales, the majority of which (nearly one m ...
,
Suzuki
is a Japan, Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Minami-ku, Hamamatsu, Japan. Suzuki manufactures automobiles, motorcycles, All-terrain vehicle, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), outboard motor, outboard marine engines, wheelchairs ...
,
Lexus
is the luxury vehicle division of the Japanese automaker Toyota. The Lexus brand is marketed in more than 90 countries and territories worldwide and is Japan's largest-selling make of premium cars. It has ranked among the 10 largest Japanese ...
,
Mitsubishi Motors
is a Japanese multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan.[Nissan
, trade name, trading as Nissan Motor Corporation and often shortened to Nissan, is a Japanese multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automobile manufacturer headquartered in Nishi-ku, Yokohama, Japan. The company sells ...](_blank)
.
![1990 Mitsubishi Delica Star Wagon 2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a4/1990_Mitsubishi_Delica_Star_Wagon_2.5l_Turbo_Diesel_4WD_JDM_US_Grey_market_vehicle.jpg)
Ex-Japan Imports are also very common in New Zealand where 59% of vehicles registered on New Zealand roads originated from overseas markets as opposed to 41% of which were delivered NZ-New. Of this, 94% originate from Japan.
New Zealand imported an average of 134,834 JDM vehicles per year in the period 2015–2019, the majority of which were
Mazda 3
, commonly referred to as simply Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Fuchū, Hiroshima, Japan.
In 2015, Mazda produced 1.5 million vehicles for global sales, the majority of which (nearly one mi ...
(Axela),
Suzuki Swift
The is a supermini car ( B-segment) produced by Suzuki. The vehicle is classified as a B-segment marque in the European single market, a segment referred to as a supermini in the British Isles. Prior to this, the "Swift" nameplate had been a ...
,
Nissan Tiida
The is a compact car produced by the Japanese manufacturer Nissan since 2004 through three generations. Depending on the market, the Tiida was also marketed as a subcompact car, particularly in the Americas for the first-generation model as the ...
,
Toyota Corolla
The is a series of compact cars (formerly subcompact) manufactured and marketed globally by the Toyota Motor Corporation. Introduced in 1966, the Corolla was the best-selling car worldwide by 1974 and has been one of the best-selling cars in ...
and
Mazda 2
, commonly referred to as simply Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Fuchū, Hiroshima, Japan.
In 2015, Mazda produced 1.5 million vehicles for global sales, the majority of which (nearly one mi ...
(Demio). Other models popular for importation in previous years include exotic vehicles (Honda Tourneo,
Nissan Skyline
The is a brand of automobile originally produced by the Prince Motor Company starting in 1957, and then by Nissan after the two companies merged in 1967. After the merger, the Skyline and its larger counterpart, the Nissan Gloria, were sold i ...
,
Nissan Laurel
The Nissan Laurel is a front-engine, rear-drive two- and four-door sedan manufactured and marketed by Nissan from 1969 to 2002. Introduced in 1968 as a new model positioned above the 1968 Datsun Bluebird 510, the Laurel offered the luxury of the ...
and
Toyota Altezza
The is a compact executive car sold by Lexus, a luxury division of Toyota since 1999. The IS was originally sold under the nameplate in Japan from 1998 (the word ''Altezza'' is Italian for 'height' or 'highness'). The IS was introduced as an e ...
), and
kei car
Kei car (or , kanji: , "light automobile", ), known variously outside Japan as Japanese city car or Japanese microcar, is the Japanese vehicle category for the smallest highway-legal passenger cars with restricted dimensions and engine capacit ...
s (
Suzuki Carry
The is a kei truck produced by the Japanese automaker Suzuki. The microvan version was originally called the Carry van until 1982 when the passenger van versions were renamed as the . In Japan, the Carry and Every are ''kei cars'' but the Suzuk ...
,
Daihatsu Move
, commonly known as Daihatsu, is a Japanese automobile manufacturer and one of the oldest surviving Japanese internal combustion engine manufacturers. The company's headquarters are located in Ikeda, Osaka Prefecture.
Historically, Daihatsu was ...
,
Subaru R2
The Subaru R2 is a kei car produced and sold in Japan by Fuji Heavy Industries from 2003 to 2010. Its name was inspired by the Subaru R-2, produced from 1969 to 1972. The R2 was discontinued in 2010.
Design
The R2 was the first production Sub ...
). Due to the popularity of used imports from Japan, and their relatively poor crash-test ratings, the New Zealand Ministry of Transport is currently investigating tougher restrictions on imported vehicles, most notably on the importation of the Toyota Corolla,
Mazda 2
, commonly referred to as simply Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Fuchū, Hiroshima, Japan.
In 2015, Mazda produced 1.5 million vehicles for global sales, the majority of which (nearly one mi ...
(Demio) and Suzuki Swift.
In 2004, importing JDM cars became popular in Canada as highly sought after vehicles, such as the
1989 Nissan Skyline GT-R, became eligible to import under Canada's 15-year rule. In contrast, importing
grey market vehicles into the United States is much more difficult. To avoid regulatory problems, most private individuals wait until
EPA
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is an independent executive agency of the United States federal government tasked with environmental protection matters. President Richard Nixon proposed the establishment of EPA on July 9, 1970; it be ...
restrictions no longer apply to the desired vehicle, which is done on a rolling 25-year cycle.
Commercial vehicles
Buses
In the early 1990s, Ex-Japanese buses had been rising popular and been common in the developing cities across Asia such as
Manila
Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populate ...
, Philippines,
Jakarta
Jakarta (; , bew, Jakarte), officially the Special Capital Region of Jakarta ( id, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta) is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Lying on the northwest coast of Java, the world's most populous island, Jakarta ...
, Indonesia & even
Yangon
Yangon ( my, ရန်ကုန်; ; ), formerly spelled as Rangoon, is the capital of the Yangon Region and the largest city of Myanmar (also known as Burma). Yangon served as the capital of Myanmar until 2006, when the military government ...
, Myanmar.
Like in the Philippines, direct importers near ports in Subic, Zambales & Cagayan Valley have started their auction business to import quality vehicles preferably from Japan. And then so, most of the clients who are mostly operating bus companies based in Manila, Philippines began their interest to grow their transport business thru buying Japan surplus buses from all cities in Japan which are definitely cheaper than buying brand-new ones which are mostly imported from other countries and some are locally assembled coach bodies but still at an expensive price.
Used buses like in the Philippines also requires to convert from
RHD to LHD conversion which is in compliance with the Philippine traffic law called Republic Act No. 8506 entitled "An act banning the registration and operation of vehicles with right-hand steering wheel in any private or public street, road or highway, providing penalties therefor and for other purposes." A violation of this law is punished by imprisonment for a period from two years, four months, and one day, up to four years and two months, plus a fine of 50,000 pesos (approx. $1,000). And most of the used buses from Japan in Manila, Philippines are mostly operating within the city and intercity travel which are at least 10 years of age after being phased out in Japan.
Trucks
As early also in the 1990s, there is no exception that there will be a Japanese domestic market trucks to be called as "Japan Surplus Trucks" for auction & export to any of the developing cities in Asia and even including
Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
. Most of the Japanese domestic market trucks that have been exported are
Isuzu,
Mitsubishi Fuso,
Hino and some are
Nissan Diesel
UD Trucks Corporation (UDトラックス株式会社, ''UD Torakkusu Kabushikigaisha'') is a Japanese company whose principal business is the manufacturing and sales of diesel trucks, buses, bus chassis and special-purpose vehicles. Its headquarte ...
. These trucks are also proven much reliable and durable since domestic trucks in Japan has no exception for the 10 to 15 year phased out due to the compliance of Japan's existing traffic & environmental regulations and also to avoid any taxes once any domestic truck unit surpassed the age limit to be phasing out.
Japanese domestic market trucks, or 'surplus trucks' after being phased-out in Japan, are extremely popular in the Philippines such as
Isuzu Elf
The is a medium duty truck produced by Isuzu since 1959. Outside Japan it is known as N series and Q Series. The range was originally mainly available in Japan and other Asian countries. Australia was another important market for the Elf and N ...
,
Isuzu Forward
The (also known as the Isuzu F-Series) is a line of medium-duty commercial vehicles manufactured by Isuzu since 1970, following the earlier TY model which occupied the same slot in the market. All F-series trucks are cab over designs and the ...
,
Isuzu Giga
The Isuzu Giga ( ja, いすゞ・ギガ) is a line of heavy-duty commercial vehicles produced by Isuzu since 1994. Outside Japan it is known as Isuzu C/E series. It was formally known as the Isuzu Heavy-Duty Truck'. Between 1994 and 2016, it wa ...
,
Mitsubishi Canter
The is a line of light-duty commercial vehicles manufactured by Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation, part of Daimler Truck, subsidiary of Mercedes-Benz Group. The Canter is manufactured since 1963, now in its eighth generation. The Canter ...
,
Mitsubishi Fuso Super Great
The Mitsubishi Fuso Super Great ( Japanese:三菱ふそう・スーパーグレート) is a heavy-duty commercial vehicle produced by Mitsubishi Fuso, a former division of Mitsubishi Motors (later acquired by Daimler AG). Launched in 1996 to suc ...
&
Hino Profia since they are popularly cheaper than buying a brand-new Japanese trucks which are locally distributed and even brand-new trucks from
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
which is about thrice as expensive as an ordinary used Japanese domestic truck units. Auctioneers in the Philippines also started importing trucks in the 1990s and it had been a staple for every small to medium business enterprise owner particularly in the logistics industry to support and to grow their respective businesses as well aside from being cheap than buying new ones, but also really proven that they are built to last.
Another category for Japanese trucks are the smallest ones, or to be called as
kei truck
A kei truck, kei-class truck, or Japanese mini truck is a mini truck, a tiny but practical pickup truck available in rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive versions, built to satisfy the Japanese '' keijidōsha'' (軽自動車, "light vehicle") st ...
, they are also extremely popular in the Philippines once again to be called as "
multicab
A multicab is a small light truck in the Philippines that is usually used as public transport. Just like jeepneys, they have fixed routes. Although, there are multicabs that serve as taxicabs where passengers go exactly where they want, as a ...
" which are often reconditioned & converted to any public transportation vehicle like
jeepney
Jeepneys (), sometimes called jeeps (), are minibus-like public transportation, public utility vehicles, serving as the most popular means of Transportation in the Philippines, public transportation in the Philippines. They are known for their ...
since they are lighter, more economical, more environmentally friendly than the conventional Philippine jeepneys which are mostly powered by used diesel engines from Japan.
JDM-related components
Speed chime
![R32-speedworning](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7a/R32-speedworning.JPG)
JDM specification model of vehicles oftentimes includes speed chime, that would ring if user has exceeded 105 km/h for standard cars, and 85 km/h for
kei car
Kei car (or , kanji: , "light automobile", ), known variously outside Japan as Japanese city car or Japanese microcar, is the Japanese vehicle category for the smallest highway-legal passenger cars with restricted dimensions and engine capacit ...
s. This speed chime first mandated around on November 21, 1974, according to Article 1 of the "Ministerial Ordinance for Partial Revision of Safety Standards for Road Transport Vehicles", but soon abolished around 1986 with "Ministerial Ordinance for Partial Revision of Safety Standards for Road Transport Vehicles" (Ministry of Transport Ordinance No. 3 of 1986) due to
non-tariff barrier
Non-tariff barriers to trade (NTBs; also called non-tariff measures, NTMs) are trade barriers that restrict imports or exports of goods or services through mechanisms other than the simple imposition of tariffs.
The Southern African Development C ...
pressured by US, and danger of drowsiness. Some model uses electromechanical system just like
glockenspiel
The glockenspiel ( or , : bells and : set) or bells is a percussion instrument consisting of pitched aluminum or steel bars arranged in a keyboard layout. This makes the glockenspiel a type of metallophone, similar to the vibraphone.
The glo ...
, but other model uses buzzer. Due to that, nickname for speed chime is kinkon.
Several vehicle after that time until early 2000s still offer speed chime as an option. The last vehicle to came with speed chime from factory is
Honda City
The is a subcompact car which has been produced by the Japanese manufacturer Honda since 1981.
The City was originally a 3-door hatchback/2-door convertible for the Japanese, European and Australasian markets. The 3-door City was retired in 199 ...
GA1/GA2.
Initial D anime features this speed chime prominently on
Takumi Fujiwara's AE86.
Speed indicator light
![Volvo FH16 001](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cc/Volvo_FH16_001.jpg)
JDM specification model of trucks (over 5 ton loading capacity, 8 ton
gross vehicle weight
Vehicle weight is a measurement of wheeled motor vehicles; either an actual measured weight of the vehicle under defined conditions or a gross weight rating for its weight carrying capacity.
Curb or kerb weight
Curb weight (U.S. English) or kerb ...
) was mandated to have speed indicator installed from August 1967, according to Article 48 of the Ministerial Ordinance "Safety Standards for Road Vehicles" based on the provisions of Chapter 3 of the Road Vehicle Law.
The speed indicator light is only mandated for large trucks and is not necessary for small and medium-sized trucks and large buses, but installation on these vehicles are not prohibited. Speed indicator is installed in front of the cab, or up in the roof.
Article 48 of the Ministerial Ordinance "Safety Standards for Road Vehicles" based on the provisions of Chapter 3 of the Road Vehicle Law for speed indicator light is as following (modified and also translated):
# The speed indicator device shall be of a structure that automatically turns on the following number of lights (thereinafter referred to as "speed indicator lights") when traveling at the speeds listed in the table below.
## 40 km/h or less (*): 1 light
## Over 40 km/h up to 60km/h: 2 lights
## Over 60 km/h: 3 lights
# The speed indicator lamp shall not be equipped with a manual switch or the like that can easily turn off the speed indicator lamp, except for the power switch of the vehicle.
# The number of speed indicator lights that are on must be visible from a distance of 100m ahead.
# The light color of the speed indicator lamp shall be yellow-green.
# The display of the speed indicator lamp must be free of significant error when driving on flat paved roads.
# The speed display device shall be equipped with a light or other device that enables the driver to confirm its operating state from the driver's seat (usually they are located on speedometer).
Patterns for speed indicator is as following:
Abolishment and decline
Since it was enacted in 1967, this obligatory speed indicator light become non-tariff barriers, especially for European and American manufacturers. Because this law applies only to Japan, when importing heavy-duty trucks made outside Japan, it has to be modified in order to install the speed indicator light so the truck would pass certifications. Also, this was a system that was introduced to visually and intuitively (albeit roughly) easily distinguish the speed of the vehicle, but many people didn't even know what those speed indicator lights meant for.
As the result, this device was eventually abolished in 2001. Truck manufacturers have to install
speed limiters instead which activates around 90 km/h.
JDM-inspired vehicles
Some car enthusiasts like to build replicas of JDM vehicles from locally available cars. For example, enthusiasts in the USA will often take a US-market
Honda Civic (sixth generation)
The sixth-generation Honda Civic is an automobile produced by Honda from 1995 until 2000. It was introduced in 1995 with 3-door hatchback, 4-door sedan and 2-door coupe body styles, replicating its predecessor's lineup. The sixth-generation Civi ...
, convert it from left-hand-drive to right-hand-drive and source the required parts such as the engine and gearbox from the JDM
EK9 Type R - which is based on the same
platform
Platform may refer to:
Technology
* Computing platform, a framework on which applications may be run
* Platform game, a genre of video games
* Car platform, a set of components shared by several vehicle models
* Weapons platform, a system or ...
- in order to make an 'exact' copy. Other forms of "JDM Conversions" include converting a USDM model
first generation Subaru Impreza and fitting JDM STi parts to make it seem as if it is a genuine
WRX STi model. In Southeast Asia, it is common practice to convert a base model
Mitsubishi Lancer
The Mitsubishi Lancer is an automobile produced by the Japanese manufacturer Mitsubishi Motors since 1973.
The Lancer has been marketed as the Colt Lancer, Dodge Colt, Plymouth Colt, Chrysler Valiant Lancer, Chrysler Lancer, Eagle Summit, Hin ...
and swap out the necessary parts, right down to the cutting of the floor pan, and create a
Lancer Evolution
The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, popularly referred to as the 'Evo', is a sports sedan and rally car based on the Lancer that was manufactured by Japanese manufacturer Mitsubishi Motors from 1992 until 2016. There have been ten official versi ...
copy.
However, cars such as this would not be authentic JDM cars as they would possess a United States
vehicle identification number
A vehicle identification number (VIN) (also called a chassis number or frame number) is a unique code, including a serial number, used by the automotive industry to identify individual motor vehicles, towed vehicles, motorcycles, scooters ...
.
It is also to be noted that, even with such modifications, it is impossible to recreate the running performance of the original car, as there are many engineering aspects which cannot be replicated by means of "conversion" alone. A good example would be body strengthening methods using spot welding and extra reinforcement on strut mounting points, stress areas in joints, etc. as found in the
Lancer Evolution
The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, popularly referred to as the 'Evo', is a sports sedan and rally car based on the Lancer that was manufactured by Japanese manufacturer Mitsubishi Motors from 1992 until 2016. There have been ten official versi ...
and
EK9 Type R models. These reinforcements are not present on base model
sixth generation hatchbacks and
Mitsubishi Lancer
The Mitsubishi Lancer is an automobile produced by the Japanese manufacturer Mitsubishi Motors since 1973.
The Lancer has been marketed as the Colt Lancer, Dodge Colt, Plymouth Colt, Chrysler Valiant Lancer, Chrysler Lancer, Eagle Summit, Hin ...
s. Hence, replicas or conversions would be similar from a visual standpoint only, as they lack the same level of structural rigidity as the original counterpart.
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Japanese Domestic Market
Automotive industry in Japan
Retailing in Japan