Unconventional, breaking the mould or simply wanting to annoy the purists, that pretty much sums up our top 5 wildcards at Japfest 2025.
If you’re sat there wondering what on Earth a wildcard is then you’re in for a treat. Back in the days when we published a monthly print magazine we’d often include a wildcard feature, this was something that you wouldn’t typically see. It could be a ridiculous engine swap, it could be a very unlikely base car (like a Lada for example) or it could even be a combination of both from a country you’d never expect. So we thought, why not bring some of that magic back for Japfest? Which is exactly what we’ve done as part of our Fast Car Culture Collection stand. So let’s take a look at the top 5 wildcards at Japfest this April 13th.
2JZ-Engined Ford Granada
I wasn’t joking when I said unlikely base cars and ridiculous engine swaps… And I know what you’re going to say, it’s not Japanese! You’re correct, a Ford Granada is not Japanese, in any way, shape or form. But, what’s cooler than taking a boring saloon car from the 80s and shoving arguably the greatest, most tuneable engine to ever come out of Japan, the 2JZ, under the bonnet and then proceeding to turn the wick up? The owner says it best: “Life’s too short to drive boring cars”, boy oh boy is he right. Meticulously restored, this 2JZ Granada may well be a Ford, but we hope you can agree that it’s worthy of its place on our Fast Car Culture Collection as a result of its engine swap.
LS-Powered Nissan S15
From a Japanese-powered American car to an American-powered Japanese car, we told you we like things different. And this is also the part where I mentioned “simply wanting to annoy the purists” comes in, because sticking an LS motor under the bonnet of an S15 could indeed be considered treason. But bear with us here, Martin, the owner, simply doesn’t care. He set out with the intention of LS swapping something, and while an S15 wasn’t the first car that sprang to mind, it did become the ultimate fusion of all out muscle and delicate handling. Now just imagine if the current US establishment could play along nicely with its foreign counterparts… I digress.
Back to this marvel, if you want to read more about it, check out the full S15 feature here. Under the bonnet is a supercharged LS2, pushing power up to 600bhp. It’s got all the right parts from all the right brands to help keep all that power in check, including a Nismo 1.5 LSD. Head over to the Fast Car stand at Japfest if you want to see it in person and ask Martin about how the idea came to him over a pub session… Now that’s how the best stories start.
Honda Civic EF Lowrider
Apparently there’s some sort of American theme going on here… So we’ve had Japanese-powered American cars, American-powered Japanese cars, so how about a Japanese car fully embracing America’s West Coast modifying culture? Say hello to Sol’s Civic EF Lowrider.
Lowriders – they’re all Impalas and Coupe De Villes, aren’t they? No, far from it… let Pete Blackhurst clear it up for you: “In lowriding, the margins between cool and bad taste are carefully managed by individuality and creativity,” he says, “so in effect it doesn’t really matter what people think, there’s no real prerequisites, your ride is an expression of you.” So is it cool to run a 1980s Honda Civic in the lowrider scene? Hell yeah, it is. Get ready to witness what is quite possibly the world’s coolest EF Civic hopping its way around Silverstone this April 13th.
GSX-R-powered VW Golf Mk1 Berg Cup
That was a mouthful. But don’t scoff your nose up just yet, while it is a VW, the magic of the build is under the bonnet. Just let me reel off a few specs before you start judging. Under the bonnet is a 1000cc Suzuki GSX-R superbike engine, which has then been turbocharged and mated to a sequential gearbox and sends the all the power to the rear wheels… It’s about as barmy as a Golf gets, and given its Berg Cup bodykit (if you don’t know, get to know, quick!), it well and truly puts the wild in wildcards. Now who else wants a small RWD hatchback with a silly amount of power?
Widebody Toyota Mk X
“You said you weren’t going to give us any more non-Japanese cars and now you’re showing us a Merc?” This one got us too, don’t worry. Believe it or not, it’s not a Mercedes. It’s actually a Toyota Mk X, and is also the only widebody MK X in the UK. Sold exclusively in Japan, it serves as a moderately hot saloon car, boasting a 2.5-litre NA V6 up front. What it doesn’t come with from factory is that wild widebody kit. It serves presence by the bucket load and we’re sure you can appreciate the individuality when it comes to this build.
