Some of the most popular automobiles and motorcycles of yesteryear will be getting new life as major Japanese manufacturers such as Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co. have begun full-fledged servicing of these classic vehicles.
The companies have resumed sales of parts that are no longer manufactured and undertaken repairs for such old models to extend their lifespans. These moves are aimed at maintaining a link to old car buffs while generating interest from a new generation by posting images on social media.
In July, Toyota began to produce and sell replacement parts for its A80 model of the sports car Supra. The A80 model, which went on sale in 1993, is well known for appearing in the U.S. action film "The Fast and the Furious" (Japanese title "Wild Speed"). Since sales ended in 2002, popularity has remained high among enthusiasts, with some A80s fetching prices higher than when the car was new.
In general, sales of replacement parts for automobiles and motorbikes are halted about 10 years after production ends. As such, owners have to make do with similar parts when making repairs or doing other work on their vehicles.
The prices of replacement parts for which production is restarted are set higher than those of conventional ones. For example, braking system parts cost from 70,000 yen to 120,000 yen or so, while door handles go for about 33,000 yen.
Even so, "It is welcome news for passionate fans," says Naoto Enmei, 46, representative of Supra fan club with the nationwide membership of about 2,300.
Toyota also has restarted sales of parts for its 2000GT sports car, which ended production in 1970.
Meanwhile, Honda is promoting restorations of its large-sized motorcycle VFR750R (RC30), which has been labeled as a "racing machine" that runs on public roads.
The model was released in 1987 with domestic sales limited to 1,000 units. In addition to planning to restart production of 270 specialized parts for the model by 2021, Honda began offering servicing by veteran mechanics in late July this year.
Nissan Motor Co., Mazda Motor Corp. and Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd. are among other automakers that have taken similar actions.
It has been quite awhile since the trend emerged that young people were spurning car ownership. However, events bringing together car buffs and their beloved automobiles have attracted attention on social media.
"When people see these classic models that are timeless and sparkling with life, I think it will be hard not to understand the appeal," said an automaker source.
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