It might be low-profile but there is absolutely no other show in Japan that comes close to the Exciting Car Showdown. Yet again this year I have been amazed at the selection I saw in the circular exhibition space of the Nagoya Port Messe, which was stuffed full of some of the coolest track, drag and drift cars in the country. I woke up at 3:00 am this morning and drove more than four hours South to be able to get to the show nice and early and start shooting before the crowds got in. 

Sleep depravation coupled with fatigue has well and truly set in as I sit in my Hotel room in Nagoya typing this, so for this first installment I have put together a little preview to give you a taste of what the show was all about. I barely covered half of the cars on display today, and I will be back there tomorrow to check out the rest of the line-up.

Honda has been really killing it with the little CR-Z since its introduction in late February. More than 10,000 were sold in the first month, ten times more than what they projected. This Bride demo car was the only one at the show, riding on hot 18-inch Advans and fitted with the company's renewed carbon reclinable bucket seats.

You may recall I spotted this PAC R35 GT-R at the March 5th R35 meeting at Daikoku. This has to be the most extremely styled R35 in Japan with a very cool set of mods like the GT1-like vented front fenders and aero hood. The engine has been tuned by MCR.

You can always expect some never before seen vintage machinery at the Showdown, and this year there was plenty of classic rides to feast one's eyes on.

The vast selection included some hardcore FF time-attack goodness…

…to more questionable, yet impossibly Japanese, styles!

Rat-rod look?

Boxy Skylines were all the rage this year from this Pit Road M DR30…

…to a very nice line up of R31s from R31 House.

Yes, I'm obsessed with the TE37Vs! If only I had a vintage car to stick them onto I'd grab a set tomorrow!

Abflug and Revolfe had a massive line-up of cars this year, stay tuned for a detailed look at some of the coolest like this 520 HP Z32.

The Exciting Car Showdown always has a great selection of colors from chameleon hues…

…to shockingly bright pastels…

…with matte finishes still proving very popular, especially matched to the fashionable 3M carbon-like wrap everyone is using. Sure beats paying for the real deal!

Drift cars were by far the majority this year from the more simple vehicles like this Roadster World AE86…

…to more showy, the Pit Crew Chaser winning hands down thanks to it's flake gold body and center-exit triple titanium exhaust pipes. I though the Ferrari 458 Italia was the only one with a set up like that. LOL

I particularly liked this RB30 powered Auto Select tuned BCNR33, built for track but could easily be a dedicated drag car thanks to its 882 HP motor!

How low can you go? The Doriten Roadster along with Kawasaki-san's R32 GT-R were teaching what stance is all about.

Those Weds SA-55M are everywhere!

A Japanese car show wouldn't be complete without plenty of chatting on the stage. Here is Manabu Suzuki interviewing Ken Nomura on drifting techniques.

Top Secret's line up consisted of a Honda Insight and a Toyota Prius running nitrous oxide. Interesting.

I leave you with a picture of a super clean JZX110 MarkII running on dark Work LS207. The owner drifts this 650 HP beast around Suzuka circuit of all places. Judging from the condition of the body he must be pretty damn good!

There is tons more to come from the Showdown, but for now this will have to do. I'm off to bed!

-Dino Dalle Carbonare