In the world of car enthusiasts, there’s a myriad of acronyms that stand for all different kinds of things. BHP for example stands for Brake Horsepower, WTQ stands for Wheel Torque, PSI stands for Pounds per Square Inch, ABS stands for Anti-lock Braking System but in the world of Instagram builds and Facebook groups there’s one set of letters that standouts from the rest ‘JDM (Japanese Domestic Market)’.
What is JDM?
The entire car community of Enthusiasts gets moist palm ever somebody brings it up. JDM stands for the Japanese Domestic Market. Cars were built and sold specifically for the Japanese market while many cars like Toyota Supra were both sold in the US and Japan while the left-hand drive cars that were sold in the Us and mechanically similar to their counterparts in Japan are not JDM. They’re USDM because they were crashed and emission tested specifically for the US market. Other cars like the 1989 Toyota Soarer were never designed for the US market but they’re considered even more JDM by car enthusiasts. So that’s what JDM stands for, but still doesn’t explain why everyone suddenly needs to adjust their trousers as soon as someone brings up an old Nissan or Toyota. It’s a common opinion in the car community that Japan tends to keep the good things for itself.
The beauty of JDM take the quirky designs of the Japanese and they combine them with the drive trains that the US market usually found too exciting this particular example of the JDM cars aren’t stock; they most commonly had been outfitted with an intake of the full toro back exhaust and applause out all mods.
What is JDM Culture?
JDM Culture is you buy your car you build your car to how you like it and everyone else respects you for your decisions that you made on building that car and how it looks because it doesn’t matter if I look at someone’s car and I got you know I don’t like that what does matter is that I look at that car guy man. We’ll say that guy did exactly what he wanted and that’s why It’s awesome because he did something unique for himself that’s what JDM Culture is. JDM is so rare like Nissan GTR Nismo is really rare in Australia because it’s unique
Why JDM Is Popular?
The reality is that the JDM scene was around a few decades before you fell in love with it. Back in the ’80s, the US domestic market was flooded with boats. You had big old cars with the big old V8’s in them. They weren’t really that practical, efficient, and most reliable things in the world. There was also the problem of emissions, which restricted a lot of our domestic cars. They tried slapping like 50 catalytic converters on them to resolve the issue but that just didn’t cut it. Because EPA is cutthroat monsters that don’t like to let anybody have any fun ever.
Enter Japanese cars with their small sizes, more efficient engines, new style, people couldn’t scoop them enough. The cars like the Dodson, the Starion, the Supra, the Silica, and people wanted a car that could just get in, not have to think about and not have to think about if it will get them to the destination without dying. Everyone wants big cars that can go fast in a straight line. Not really the cars that you could feel on the road.
Dream Cars of JDM Car Guys:
The bench seating and big bulky bodies with their loud engines and in their nimble, quick and improved replacement, a car of the Japanese market. We started seeing cars like the R32, R33, R34, the Supra, the Rx7. All of which are probably some of your dream cars still to this day. Once JDM cars got their jumpstart with the general public, enthusiasts started to take notice. With their iconic styling engine, other than a well like a V8. The world in the future became iconic with other motors like the 2JZ, the 4G63, the RB26 everything else you possibly imagine with numbers and letters and things. Not only were their engines different but they had a ton of technology that was pretty much way far ahead of the domestic cars for example. And I don’t mean to brag on domestic guys but the 3000GT was one of the first cars ever to offer four-wheel steering. They had active dynamic suspension things. Let’s not talk about the fact that pretty much every single one of the options broke in 3000GT but when it came off the line
These engines could also efficiently use turbochargers without causing engine failures and the engines could hold pretty much a good chunk of power from the factory. You would necessarily need to have upgraded the internals. If you want to make big power. They made really cool noises.
JDM Caused Boom:
JDM caused such a boom in the ’90s and far into the 2000s. There were magazines on it, video games, hot wheels, other toys, movies, you name it. JDM scene plastered all over and being shoved down your throat. At the time, magazines like Super Street played a huge part in the growth of the Tuner culture. JDM was huge because of this culture shift and the love for the imports that caused their after-market community to explode. You see all the cars with the body kits, under glow, big wings, hood scoops and OZ rally wheels.
Enthusiasts Are Still Taking Ideas:
To this day, enthusiasts are still taking clues from Japanese styling and trends. Although it may be different from what we saw in the early 2000s, it’s still around, it’s just transformed into a whole new animal. The days of chrome are gone. Now we see obnoxious body kits and insane camber along with big wings and under-glow because it’s all about having an aggressive car that looks fast. Overall, imports are still popular for many reasons, and in our opinion, that will continue to be a very popular option. Well, it’s okay to like popular things.
Signs That Proves You’re a JDM Fanboy:
You have low standards. You wide body everything. Everything with a wide-body attracts you. You tune for max grip or no grip at all. It sounds crazy. You may be like sticker bomb things and you try to sticker bomb everything. You love and get jam while hearing Turbo spools and Anti-lags. You try to roll like Pro. Some of you have unique tastes and you try to make them different from others.
Checkout this Instagram @jdmcarfam for JDM content.