You've probably already heard about how fast Japanese cars are, about how Nissan GT-Rs, Subaru WRXs, and Mazda RX-8s can twist the laws of physics. In fact, with a little bit of tuning, you can make these JDM cars go almost as fast as you want. But what about in their stock form? Which Japanese cars are the fastest out of the box from the factory?
We've researched the net and magazines, to sum up, the fastest production cars from Japan. All we have to say is if you are a fan of fast cars, then this list of the most powerful cars made by the land of the Samurai will be for you. Without further ado, let's look at the 10 fastest Japanese cars ever made.
10 Subaru Impreza 22B STi (157 Mph)
The Subaru Impreza 22B STi is the 10th fastest Japanese car ever made, and it can go 157 miles per hour. They produced this car in 1998, and there were only 400 of them made ever made.
It was one of the first cars designed to use a new type of engine usually used for racing use. This engine made it possible for the car to go faster than any other Subaru in history.
9 Toyota Supra Turbo (160 Mph)
The Toyota Supra Turbo is the 9th fastest Japanese car ever made with a top speed of 160 mph. Toyota Motors designed the Supra as a replacement for the Mk 3 Supra.
The Toyota Supra Turbo was powered by a now legendary (2JZ) 3.0-liter inline-six engine that produced "286 horsepower" all due to a gentlemanly agreement made in Japan among automakers, but everyone knows this engine could produce way more. However, in its stock tune, it could accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds and had a quarter mile time of 13.8 seconds.
8 2012 Mazda RX-8 Spirit-R (170 Mph)
The 2012 Mazda RX-8 Spirit-R is the 8th fastest Japanese car ever made, and it can reach a top speed 170 mph.
They based the Spirit-R on the standard RX-8 but modified it with an improved suspension system and a more powerful engine. It is part of Mazda's efforts to promote its sports cars by providing customers with more power and better handling capabilities than before.
7 2014 Lexus IS-F (173 Mph)
Let's move on to the 7th fastest Japanese car ever made, the 2014 Lexus IS-F. The Lexus IS-F is a beast, and its top speed of 173 miles per hour is no exception.
Using a DOHC 5.0-liter V8 engine with 417 horsepower and 372 lb-ft of torque, this car is able to reach 60 mph in 4.3 seconds and run the quarter mile in 12.7 seconds at 113.4 mph. Let's be honest—this car is fast enough for everyday driving, but it's also fast enough for any track day.
6 2005 Honda NSX-R GT (174 Mph)
The 6th fastest Japanese car ever made is one of two NSX models on this list, but this one is the 2005 Honda NSX-R GT. This car has a 3.2-liter V6 engine that produces 276 horsepower, and it can do 0 to 60 in 5.7 seconds.
Trust us, the sound of that V-TEC kicking in as soon as you step on the gas pedal will get your heart racing from excitement, and it'll keep it there until you've hit the top speed of 174 mph.
5 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII FQ-400 (175 Mph)
The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII FQ-400 is the 5th fastest Japanese car ever made with a top speed of 175 mph. They released the Lancer Evolution VIII FQ-400 in 2002, and it had an engine that could reach an incredible 7000 rpm.
It's powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that generates 399 horsepower, and they mounted it to a great gearbox which allowed the car to reach mad top speeds.
4 2004 Nissan Skyline GT-R R34 NISMO Z-Tune (191 Mph)
The 2004 Nissan Skyline GT-R R34 NISMO Z-Tune is the 4th fastest Japanese car ever made with a massive top speed of 191Mph, and it's not even close to the fastest Nissan on this list.
They introduced the NIZMO Z-Tune in 2004 and produced only 19 of these beautiful machines, and at the time, it was a legend. The car featured a beefed up (RB26) a 2.8-liter twin-turbocharged inline 6-cylinder engine that produced 492 horsepower and 398 lb-ft of torque, which meant it performed really well on the track, even taking on Porsche on the Nürburgring.
3 2018 Acura NSX (191 Mph)
The 2018 Acura NSX is the 3rd fastest Japanese car ever made with a top speed of 191 mph. The car featured a 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine that produced 600 horsepower and 492 lb-ft of torque.
It could go from 0 to 60 in 2.9 seconds and was also the first Acura to use its new electronic hybrid system, which had two motors to power the front wheels for better handling in corners.
2 Nissan GT-R R35 570PS (199 Mph)
The Nissan GT-R 570PS is the 2nd fastest Japanese car ever made with a top speed of 199 mph, so you can imagine what it would be like to drive this beast flat out.
It has a twin-turbo V6 engine that can produce 562 horsepower and 467 lb-ft of torque which makes it go from 0-60 mph in just 2.9 seconds. The GT-R 570PS also has a 6-speed dual-clutch transmission that allows you to shift gears manually if you choose to do so.
1 Lexus LFA Nürburgring Edition (203 Mph)
The Lexus LFA Nürburgring Edition is a beast. It's so fast that it can hit a top speed of 203 mph and one mile in just 30.6 seconds at 177 mph, which is pretty incredible and also why it is the fastest Japanese car ever made.
It's also got an amazing engine that can reach up to 9,500 rpm, and it makes one the best engine noises ever. It's got a beautiful all-natural V10 engine that churns out 573 horsepower, and it can go from 0 to 60 in 3.5 seconds.
Sources: Fastest Laps, Ultimate Car Page, Embertek, Vehicle History