Some of the coolest sport car ever to grace the great American road have been , well , Japanese . Yet so many have suffered the shame of cancellation or been dismissed as bland and inferior . Blessed few have managed a revival : the Toyota AE86 lives today as the GT86 , aka the Scion FR - S , and the NSX ’s return was many eld in the qualification . These are 16 of the very best that , for various reasons , die and have n’t ( yet ! ) achieve Resurrection of Christ . If the car god are smile , perhaps a couple of these will see the sparkle of day in the come class .

Datsun 510

This car is all but blank out among the masses . Amongst the railcar - loving community though , it sit upon a stand of respect , as a tiny , lightweight sedan that could kick some serious butt on a raceway . Nissan make love that this is a car that needs to come back – it eventeased a concept carthat was a very clear court . Hopefully the car gods will suffice the prayers here .

Mitsubishi 3000GT/Dodge Stealth

The Mitsubishi GTO , aka the 3000GT and Dodge Stealth stateside , is in many respects the paradigm of the 1990s Japanese high - performance scene . involve yourself this , though : if a brand - new elevator car debuts tomorrow with styling that ’s eminently sleek , all - wheel movement , wad of technical school , and more horsepower than a Mustang or Camaro , would you want it ? think so .

Toyota 2000GT

You have to wonder why Toyota never made a successor to the 2000GT . In many respects , it ’s the paterfamilias of Japanese athletics cars , born from an interest in Formula 1 . Aside from being a Bond car in its own right , it went toe - to - toe with the Jaguar XKEs and Porsche 911s of its day . Is there way for Toyota to bring in this sort of sexy back ? Hell yes .

Toyota MR2

The MR2 was theMid - Rear engined2 - seater that represented Japan ’s entryway against the Pontiac Fiero . Something similar is very sorely miss from today ’s market , at least at prices south of Porsche and Alfa Romeo dominion .

Toyota Celica

The question should n’t be whether the Celica should return , butwhichCelica . During its 35 - year run , the Celica head for the hills the gamut from a agile two - door sports coupe to a make headway mass meeting railway car during the height of the fabled Group B. Along the way , it gave giving birth to both the Supra and the Camry .

Subaru SVX

The Subaru SVX was a great example of a beautiful idea unrealized . design by a fable , thoroughgoing with those crazy windows , its look was well ahead of its day . By all accounts , though , its transmission – it was reflex only – was n’t up to snuff . give a proper revisit , Subaru would have a winner on its hands .

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution

Of every gondola on this leaning , this is doubtlessly the deplorable , if only because its exit is so impudent . At the time of writing , the last of the famed Evos has n’t even been delivered to its owner yet . The Evo name , though , is officially toast . impart its traditional topographic point in the Nipponese hierarchy , and its longstanding rivalry with Subaru ’s WRX STI , it ’s unimaginable that the Evo ’s expiration is lasting .

Mitsubishi Eclipse/Eagle Talon

The earlier occultation were little , quick , far-out cars brim with performance potential . As the years went on and the motorcar migrated away from those core qualities , the partisan lovemaking wan , as did sales . It ’s fourth dimension for it to fall back now , with the painful yesteryear serve as a guiding spark for the next generation .

Isuzu Impulse

Let ’s see here : the Impulse feature a body contrive by the same guy wire that designed some of the universe ’s most legendary supercars , on a rear - cycle - drive physical body featuring suspension developed by Lotus . That ’s a sanely timeless pattern that Isuzu could theoretically replicate comparatively easy … if it ever make up one’s mind to return to the US food market .

Acura Integra

The Integra , especially the early 1990s variant , remains a standard holder for great handling front - bicycle - private road cars . The midget two - door was crazy light , and its absence weigh heavy on the market . perhaps someday we ’ll get something like again . After all , the NSX finally returned , so anything ’s possible .

Honda Prelude

The Prelude was a dupe of Honda ’s own winner , in a style , stick to somewhere between the Civic and the Acura Integra . blank out that for a minute and look at it for what it is : a two - room access car with just enough sportiness to be entertaining , just enough luxury to get you through your 30 , and enough frugality and reliability to satisfy your inquiring controller .

Mazda RX-7/8

So much of Mazda ’s history is wrapped up in circular engine ( for the incognizant , that ’s the " R " in RX ) , it ’s grueling to fathom the company getting by without one . But as with the Nissan / Datsun 510 above , Mazda ’s not dazed . It ’s drop plenty of hints that it ’ll get it back . Whether that means the return of the RX-7 or RX-8 remain to be learn , but we ’ll wait with fingers cross , just in case .

Honda S2000

Honda ’s account of pee great roadstersdates to the 1960s , and while the trade name ’s exposed - aviation inheritance is n’t completely dead –the raw S660is by all account a great little car , but it ’s not coming to the US anytime soon – your optionsright nowfor a great treatment convertible at a fairish price will take you far from Honda ’s dealer electronic connection .

Nissan Silvia/SX

The Nissan Silvia fanbase is still going impregnable – if the name does n’t reverberate a Alexander Bell , you lie with it in America as the 240 SX – and it was Nissan ’s practical alternative to the Z and the ever - more - expensive GT - R. As a viable rear - wheel - drive car that was perfect for daily driver condition , its void was fill to an extent by the Hyundai Genesis . The Genesis might be a great railway car , but it ’s not the Silvia .

Mitsubishi Starion/Dodge Conquest

The Starion ’s run in the 1980s was an odd commixture of racing success and sales unsuccessful person . look on its conformation , the turbocharged four cylinder under the punk could produce nearly 200hp , perfectly on par for the American pony cars with which it shared more than a few design trait .

Toyota Supra

To some , it ’s dead unimaginable that the Supra is in its 2d tenner of hibernation , having savour a reign at or near the top of the public presentation heap for much of the ' 80 and ' 90s . Rumors have been rearing for years that it ’s set to make a return , perhaps on a political platform shared with an upcoming BMW . The irony would be robust , since in the mid-1990s , the Supra Turbo could rightly be considered a faster , more sumptuous , and more expensive version of the M3 .

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Aaron Milleris theCarseditor for Thrillist , and can befound on Twitter . He wants to own most of these cars and is turn over setting up a GoFundMe to make it befall .

Toyota 2000 GT

Flickr/Paul

Datsun 510

Flickr/Vetatur Fumare

Mitsubishi 3000GT

Flickr/ilikewaffles

Toyota 2000 GT

Flickr/Moto “Club4AG” Miwa

Toyota MR2

Flickr/Steve Arnott

Toyota Celica

Flickr/Moto “Club4AG” Miwa

Subaru SVX

Flickr/Christopher Keach

Mitsubishi Lancer EVO VIII

Flickr/Greg Myers

Mitsubishi Eclipse

Flickr/Greg Myers

Isuzu Impulse

Flickr/ilikewaffles

Acura Integra

Flickr/Dave_7

Honda Prelude

Flickr/Tim Moreillon

Mazda RX-7

Flickr/Greg Myers

Honda S2000

Flickr/Rick Flores

Nissan Silvia

Flickr/Greg Myers

Mitsubishi Starion

Flickr/RAVDesigns

Toyota Supra

Flickr/Ole Bendik Kvisberg