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Vice chronicles Okinawa's illegal street racing scene

We all know that street racing is dangerous, and that motorsports are best left on the track or drag strip. However, that doesn't mean that there still isn't some outlaw allure among enthusiasts of racing on public roads. In this video, Vice Japan profiles Eikichi Nagayoshi of Japan's island of Okinawa. He is a used car dealer by day and an illegal racer by night.
Nagayoshi has a deep love for his highly customized Toyota Aristo (better known to us as a first-generation Lexus GS) that he claims produces over 1,000 horsepower and has hit 205 miles per hour. He races his car both on drag strips and in drifting competitions, but says that he often has to ship the car to mainland Japan to compete. In the absence of those opportunities, he sometimes gathers friends and takes the racing to the public roads. While we're not down with street racing, this Vice video is an intriguing personality piece, as well as a look into Japan's fabled underground racing scene. Scroll down to check out the video, but make sure you have the "CC" button clicked, because several portions are subtitled.

Toyota creates GT86 concept inspired by Initial D

Everyone has a favorite movie or TV car of their youths. The love of these cars can ignite a lifelong passion for automobiles. Some lust for the sharp, stainless steel DeLorean DMC-12 from Back to the Future or the decked-out Aston Martin DB5 from Goldfinger. For anime and manga fans, it's the panda-colored Toyota AE86 Sprinter Trueno from the Initial D manga and anime series. Toyota, recognizing the significance of the that car, meticulously reimagined it for a modern audience, basing it on the UK market GT86. The GT86, sold in the United States as the Scion FR-S and soon to be rebadged as the Toyota 86, is considered by some to be the spiritual successor to the rear-wheel-drive AE86 Corolla from the 1980s. Both are reasonably affordable, lightweight cars with a propensity for oversteer. The original AE86 from Initial D was a highly modified but realistic drift machine. The amazing feats of that tofu delivery car as it raced everything from Mazda RX-7s to a Honda S2000 turned the little Toyota into a cult icon. That AE86 itself was inspired by the personal vehicle of Japanese racing driver Keiichi Tsuchiya. Tsuchiya served as both an inspiration and supervisor for Initial D. Many of the modifications on the Initial D car, like the TRD carbon-fiber hood and Fujitsubo exhaust, car were exactly the same as Tsuchiya's real-life vehicle. Toyota is no stranger to crafting modern incarnations of classic vehicles. Last year the company created a Back to the Future Tacoma. Toyota's Initial D concept car uses the same parts wherever possible. Like the original, it has a carbon-fiber hood, Fujitsubo exhaust, and black Watanabe F8 wheels. The suspension, lights, and body have all been modified. Even small details like the engine cover and door handles were modified to recall the fictional car. The end result is a fantastic creation that pays great homage to the original. Toyota went as far as hiring UK manga artist Sonia Leong to design a series of backdrops that place the car in the same action shots as the original series. While this one-off vehicle is just a concept, most of the parts are available to purchase for fans who may be inspired to create their own version. Toyota's concept will be on display at various motoring shows across the UK this summer. Related video: Featured Gallery Toyota Initial D GT86 TV/Movies Scion Toyota Coupe toyota gt86 toyota 86

Hydrogen stations that don't work putting a dent in H2 lifestyle

Hydrogen is the most plentiful element in the universe, but it's not abundant enough for some hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle drivers. Southern California lessees of models such as the Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell SUV are taking to Facebook to voice their complaints about out-of-order fuel cell stations, Green Car Reports says. In many cases, the lack of hydrogen supply has made the cars effectively undriveable. For Tucson Fuel Cell owners, the hydrogen is supposed to be free and unlimited, but Hyundai doesn't manage the stations. One Orange County lessee of a Tucson fuel-cell vehicle hasn't driven the car for over a month because the trio of nearby stations are out of commission. Additionally, some of the stations that do work can only provide about a half-tank worth of hydrogen, once again putting a crimp the driving range of the hydrogen car. California is home to 10 of the dozen public hydrogen refueling stations in the country (there's one each in Connecticut and South Carolina), according to US Department of Energy figures. These sorts of challenges can't help Hyundai's hydrogen efforts. Last month, it was reported that Hyundai has sold fewer than 300 fuel cell vehicles worldwide during the past three years, including about 70 through the first five months of this year. The South Korea-based automaker has said it wants to sell 1,000 fuel-cell vehicles globally by the end of 2015. Fuel-cell drivers and advocates alike are hoping that Toyota will change the game when its Mirai hydrogen vehicles start hitting California roads later this year. Toyota confirmed in May that Mirai US sales would start in October in eight California dealerships. The Northeast is on tap for 2016. Related Video: