They don’t make ‘em like they used to: Tokyo’s car collectors revel in classics
FAST and furious they aren’t, but for a group of Japanese retro car enthusiasts, the sleek lines and high shine of their old-school models hold a much more special charm.
A loose club of fans rolls up most weekends in central Tokyo to show off their Cadillacs, Chevrolets and other modern classic vehicles from the mid to late 20th century.
“Each time I drive it, I still get a thrill. There aren’t many vehicles that give you that feeling,” Masamune Isogai said of his Knight Rider replica – a Pontiac Trans Am, the car made famous by the hit 1980s TV drama.
Sliding into the driver’s seat – which he calls the cockpit – he is surrounded by futuristic displays, illuminated buttons and a wheel that looks like an oversized gaming controller.
These sci-fi touches were installed to give the ride the look and feel of the show’s AI-powered talking car called Knight Industries Two Thousand, or KITT.
“I speak to the car when I drive,” laughed the 46-year-old, who has owned the streamlined black vehicle – complete with sound effects and a “KITT scanner” light on the front – for around a decade.
These days, Japan is known for its practical cars that economise on fuel and space and rarely break down – a world away from the group’s painstakingly maintained wheels.
The casual society has around 10 members and the oldest cars they own are a 1941 Cadillac and a restored 1929 Ford Model-A.
People cheer and take snaps as the cars go by, from the 1956 Ford F100 Pumpkin to the 1961 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia.
“The shape of old cars is very charming, impossible with today’s mass production,” said Hiroyuki Wada, 49, next to his red 1959 Cadillac Coupe de Ville.
“When you get older, you are more likely to appreciate a car that requires lots of care,” Wada said.
“Old engines often need 10 minutes or so to warm up before you can drive them. That’s what’s really charming about them.”
Wada, who runs a car valet business near Tokyo, spends three to four days on each old-fashioned ride to give it a shiny new look.
He says his heart belongs to American vehicles including old police cars, which he rents out for film and photography shoots.
“Someday, I want to valet old fire engines in the US. That’s my dream,” he said.
ZLATAN Ibrahimovic broke the 500mark for career club goals with a brace on Sunday as AC Milan held top spot in Serie A with a 4-0 win over lowly Crotone.
“It’s difficult to be surprised by Ibrahimovic,” said Milan coach Stefano Pioli of the 39-year-old who is powering his team’s bid for a first ‘Scudetto’ since 2011.
Milan moved back two points ahead of city rivals Inter Milan who had pulled ahead after a 2-0 win over Fiorentina on Friday, with champions Juventus a further five back in third after beating Roma by the same scoreline on Saturday.
Ibrahimovic opened the scoring on the half hour at the San Siro after combining with Rafael Leao for his 500th club strike.
And the Swede brought his tally to 501 in the 64th minute, finishing off a Theo Hernandez cross for his 83rd Milan goal.
“To hold up at this level means you’re an exceptional professional and he’s helped by a physique that few have,” continued Pioli.
“He’s a champion, an athlete who has great motivation, he takes care of his body scrupulously. Sometimes he’s tired, but he never fails.”
“He’s helping the team to grow a lot. “I have frankly never seen him go wrong. Now the players are competing to see who arrives first (at training), and obviously he’s among them.”
Ante Rebic turned the game into a comprehensive win with a quickfire brace of his own past Crotone goalkeeper Alex Cordaz.
The Croatian headed in a Hakan Calhanoglu corner in the 69th minute and then seconds later turned in a rebound after Cordaz kept out an Ibrahimovic strike.
“The Scudetto? The decisive matches will come later, now we have to withstand all the pressures which is a privilege to have,” continued Pioli.
“The top seven are all capable of fighting for the title and the first four places.
“Our goal is to expect the best and win every single match.
“It’s not yet time to look too much at the table, a challenging period will come with many matches and the Europa League is about to start again.”
‘My job is to score’
Ibrahimovic showed his incredible form 22 years after making his professional debut for Swedish club Malmo in 1999.
“It means that I have scored a few goals in my career,” said the Swede, who was substituted off with 15 minutes to go.
“The important thing is to continue to help the team in the best possible way. My job is to score and create situations to score.”
Ibrahimovic reached the landmark in 825 games, having played for three Serie A sides – Juventus, Inter and Milan – as well as Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester United, Barcelona, Ajax and Los Angeles Galaxy.
He has now scored 396 league goals, 57 in European competitions and 48 in cup games.
The former Sweden striker returned to Milan in January 2020 and has scored 27 goals in 37 appearances since.
He has scored 14 league goals in 11 games this season having been sidelined with coronavirus and injury, two short of top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo, who turned 36 on Friday.
With 116 games for Sweden and 62 goals, Ibrahimovic is the all-time leading scorer for the Swedish national team.
He started his career at Malmo before going on to play for Ajax, Juventus, Inter, Barcelona, Milan, PSG and Manchester United, winning trophies with all these clubs.