“True” JDM cars are built in Japan, with the sole intention of being used by the Japanese car market. We’re often asked this question, so we wanted to put the subject to bed. We’ll be exploring cars sold both in Japan and occasionally in the US in this guide, which means you sometimes won’t necessarily need to find a “True JDM” example. Jokes aside, there’s a whole range of JDM vehicles to explore, and we highly recommend checking out some of the quirkier Kei cars and the Bōsōzoku scene.ĭespite popular belief, not all JDM cars are high-powered, flamethrowing drifting sensations, but most of them are insanely cool in their own unique and crazy ways. If that doesn’t sound like you, you may want to find yourself a JDM leather website! Most fans at Drifted would instead strip out their JDM car, fit a racing seat and harness, and begin tuning before shredding tires like they’re going out of fashion.

With far less restrictive emissions in Japan at the time, many have an insane amount of tuning potential, which often earned their desirable reputation.Īlthough some JDM cars were built to compete with luxury car manufacturers, let’s face it – you wouldn’t buy a JDM car because of the leather quality on the interior! The JDM market has some of the world’s most sought-after cars. Thankfully, since they hit the market in 1989, you can now get your hands on a JDM “Godzilla” in the US since the 25-year ban has now passed.

JDM stands for Japanese Domestic Market – cars built in Japan for use on the Japanese car market.ĭespite many Japanese cars being featured in US showrooms, many of the true JDM classics were never sold on the US Domestic Market (USDM.)Īs revolutionary cars such as the Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R were causing upsets throughout Japan and Australia, these were never available to buy as brand-new, left-hand drive variants in the US. Since you’re already browsing Drifted, we understand that most of you will already know what JDM is, but for those that don’t, here’s a brief explanation. With exciting opportunities opening up soon, we thought it was the perfect time to explore some of our favorite JDM cars, as well as the drivers that have helped earn their cult status in the drifting scene. With the 25-year import ban almost reaching some of the most sought-after JDM cars, such as the Nissan Silvia S15, this could mean that 2024 could see a sudden wave of S15’s legally cruising on US highways. The beautiful thing is that many of these JDM legends still live on, and as many age like a fine wine, the likes of the Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R are becoming closer than ever to own legally in the US. With global warming forcing strict emissions clampdowns, leading manufacturers are now mostly focused on the hybrid and electric markets in the modern market, with the occasional exciting exception. Little did we know at the time, but the near future would see drastic changes in the car world. It wasn’t just sports cars either, and Japanese manufacturers fought to compete with the high standards you’d expect to receive from the likes of BMW and Mercedes.Īlongside their luxury JDM vehicles, Kei cars’ sales also began soaring in the denser regions, offering exciting new ideas to the JDM market. With Japan living in a bubble economy, consumers weren’t scared to throw their hard-earned yen at copping their favorite sports cars, and these prestigious vehicles began flying out of the showrooms. The 90s were an incredible era for the JDM scene but let’s not forget that Japan has been producing some of the most epic cars imaginable since the early 70s.Īt the time, Japan sat at the forefront of modern technology, and it wasn’t just Super Mario that was causing a stir on the other side of the globe.Īs manufacturers such as Nissan and Toyota fought with the most prestigious European brands, insane new cars hit the market one at a time. With Japan remaining at the forefront of drifting since its initial birth on the twisty touge mountains, the words “JDM legends” are often thrown around when talking about legendary cars and drivers. Japan is the spiritual home of drifting, and in this JDM Legends guide, we’re checking out our favorite JDM cars and Japanese drivers.

Jdm legends pick up