FIVE AFFORDABLE JAPANESE GTS

AS THE 1990s dawned, Australia's car enthusiasts were facing some challenges. The classic models they had battled to buy during the late 1980s were being crunched by a rampaging recession, meanwhile the Federal Government was on a mission to rid our roads of any kind of older model.

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Pressure to replace those cars with more recent ones became intense but did come with unintended consequences for buyers of performance imports.

Japan's used market was the source of these cars, with their strange names and unusual styling. The brands were familiar; Toyota, Nissan and Mazda but they came with labels like Soarer, Silvia, Cosmos and Supra.

Two models in our group of five did appear new in local showrooms, although only one of these and the only front wheel drive in the group remains relatively easy to find.

These cars all qualify for historic (concessional) registration in most parts of Australia and excellent examples sell for less than $50,000. Some can be found below $30,000 and all of them, assuming careful preservation, should climb in value as future generations become aware of their 'legend' status.

NISSAN 180SX