The Japanese Special issue, Part One, which we ran in 2010 was so popular… it’s back! Welcome to Part Two, featuring: The full story on the return of “Godzilla” –Nissan’s iconic GT-R, revised for 2011, three years after its momentous launch onto the automotive scene.

If ever there was a performance car for the C21st, this paradigm-shifting beast from the east is it. And now it’s faster (0-60 in 3.0s dead!), more powerful, better equipped and sexier than ever.

Also revised for 2011 is another Japanese import icon, the Subaru WRX STi – one of my favourite cars. We test drive the new WRX STi (not Impreza anymore) in four-door form, on roads it was designed for… the hills and vales of a damp Lake District: Perfect to test its legendary A-B pace and AWD
‘Subaglue’ levels of grip. It’s the fastest WRX STi to date.

Speaking of quick… Mazda has revised the 256bhp 3 MPS, which staff snapper, Neil Denham puts to work on the roads and forest tracks of Northumberland. And we also look at the town and country abilities of the brilliant Subaru Legacy Outback – a truly fabulous AWD Japanese car. Enjoy your second dose of the rising sun.

banzai japanese performance legacy outback mazda 3 mps nissan GT-R road magazine road test road trip subaru wrx sti