James May Goes To a Kei Car Race at the Suzuka F1 Track | James May: Our Man In Japan

Who else fancies racing a "tupperware on wheels" around the track? James May finds himself at the N1 Championship in Japan, where little Kei cars zoom around the tarmac (if you can call it zooming).
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Join Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May as they travel across the globe on their Grand Tour. A show about adventure, excitement and friendship… as long as you accept that the people you call friends are also the ones you find extremely annoying. Sometimes it’s even a show about cars, reviewing Italian classics, hot hatchbacks, muscle cars, pick-up trucks, luxury vehicles and more. There’s something for everyone (If you like middle-aged men doing things with cars, then this is the show for you!)
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#JamesMay #OurManInJapan #Suzuka

[@thegrandtour]

Would you like to own a Kei car? 🧐

[@djenanehabib728]

Yes

[@showusyaguppysaustralia1515]

I like Kei cars lol ... was lucky enough to just buy a Toyota sera bit bigger than a kei car but small and along the same lines 🤣

[@beefcake97]

yes, I'd love to get my hands on a Suzuki Capuccino

[@jtlampsu2]

Yes please, that "neck snapping" idea has me hooked!!

[@suuuugarr]

yes

[@dimas44444]

The GT trio should all go to Japan for their next trip with 2nd Hand Kei cars and try all their mountain roads

[@skylineXpert]

Powervehicles sell driftcars for 500.000 yen

[@AtheistOrphan]

I don’t think Freddie Flintoff would fit in a Kei car!

[@dimas44444]

@@AtheistOrphan didnt mean the new top gear.... I meant Grand Tour Trio! I remember the new TG once butchered a Skyline and an RX 7 in Japan. And I am soo offended

[@prds25386]

@@dimas44444 link pls

[@finnmcool2]

If they are going to do that there should be at least one stage where they ride Super Cubs.

[@Games_and_Music]

I love how the sweepers are laughing at first, but when James keeps at it, they realize that he's having one of _those_ moments, and they begrudgingly join him.

[@tacticalyuzu8278]

N-One driver here. It`s a okay car and its engines are amazing for being a naturally aspirated one, but it does feel slightly underpowered when you drive up a hill with your AC on. It`s really good for urban commuting since it can go up to like 45mph(70km/h) without much problem, but does get little sloppy from then. It also has a very nice turning radius that makes it almost impossible to bump in to stuff at narrow streets. Anyways I`m just so surprised to see James driving a car I thought the trio will never bother to care about.

[@nicejobMoFo]

I have a N-One too and I hate going uphill with the AC on too, especially on the expressway lol T_T

[@zarakdurrani7584]

I've seen N one's going in excess of 120km/h. They seem to have much problem getting at those speeds.

[@paulnotdownunder3172]

New Kei cars are turbo hybrids now.

[@XantoS771]

Can you maintain 100km/h without much problems (on cruise control) ? How high are the rev's at that speed?

[@gavinvalentino6002]

When I worked in sales at a Ford store in the early '90s, three, four, sometimes five salespeople would take brand-new Festivas to a local abandoned industrial park and have our own course races against the clock and sometimes against each other. It was an absolute blast with the manual transmissions, 12" tires, and about 60hp. If they had the optional a/c, when it was running it was 45hp. Those things sold great, and customers had absolutely no idea how hard the 80 or 90 miles on the odometer were. Goood tiiiimes.

[@rollingtroll]

As someone who always had a weak spot for tiny Japanese cars (Daihatsu Cuore, Subaru Mini Jumbo, Suzuki Alto) I definitely would love a Kei car. We just saved a Cuore from being scrapped (there's a video of it on my channel if you're interested) and after a few years of not driving little old Japanese cars, it's good to be back in 3 cylinder heaven :D.

[@caprise-music6722]

That’s brilliant. I’m gonna check it out for sure. p.s Dont think it counts as a kei car, but one of my favorite cars is the Daihatsu Charade

[@thesillypig785]

I think the best part about Kei cars is that several of them are sold outside Japan with bigger engines. One of my favorites, the Daihatsu Copen, has a 1.3l giving it a whopping 87hp! My mom had a 2nd gen Alto with a tire-destroying 40hp. I drove the wheels of that thing when I got my license. Figuratively speaking tho, cause the thing would never break.

[@ThisMarv]

@@caprise-music6722 Daihatsu Charade De Tomaso is absolute fire!

[@foxfx8340]

@@thesillypig785 I have a daihatsu sirion currently, same engine as that copen. They are really fun little cars especially on the UK's twisty country roads. The only thing I dislike about kei cars is the tiny weak engines... We need more power

[@RRVCrinale]

I fell in love virtually, learning how much of a weapon the AZ-1 would be when pushed. I'd love to have one in real life. Coincidentally it's possible to mod one to spicy spec; Hot Version had a guy show up to one of their touge events with a very nervous 100 BHP example. Apparently that twitchiness made it, what's a polite word, scary?

[@ndp2530]

I live in Japan and just bought Suzuki Hustler (yes, the name is kinda silly...) J-Style II (2WD/Turbo). It's a kei car but drives likes a normal car, and very fun to drive. They make really good kei cars in Japan nowadays. Really like the design also. It only has 64 horse power (660cc), but it only weighs 880kg (1940lb), and what with a turbo engine, this thing can go really fast. And the turbo version comes with pedal shifters (in a kei car!). A lot of people may associate Suzuki with motorcycles, but here in Japan, they are known for making good kei cars.

[@zarakdurrani7584]

I personally love the Alto RS and works. Those look wicked.

[@かわまたぐんじ]

The first issue of Hustler 1974！Suzuki Hustler TS250 first released1968！

[@Afeeq1011]

People kept saying like kei cars can't race but they seem to forget that austin mini coopers

[@imjh12]

austin mini coopers isn't kei car, because kei car should be under 660cc by japanese law.

[@ASBO_LUTELY]

@@imjh12 That's my massive 1.4 Yaris out of contention then? 😗

[@pogo1140]

@@imjh12 Close, 850 but it actually generates less hp than these K cars.

[@imjh12]

@@pogo1140 the japanese law only restricts engine size(cc). There is no restriction about HP currently.

[@imjh12]

@@ASBO_LUTELY yeah. Even my father's 0.9 hyundai matiz which is kei car in korea, is not kei car in japan.🤣

[@Lacquerhead-TX]

I so miss Japan. But this is yet more evidence that, regardless of culture, dudes will race *LITERALLY* anything that moves.

[@MrJustapersn]

To be fair though, these N-Ones corner like the original Mini as they have the widest track and longest wheelbase of all the kei cars, and of course more power. than an original mini. As a consequence they're perfect for going around corners

[@nickcabrera3982]

The English race push lawn mowers so…

[@skylineXpert]

The trio should go to ebisu and see who is the better at drifting

[@39PSIOnTheDaily]

Ebisu (or at least, the circuit that defined Ebisu) is dead.

[@dnull]

it's probably Clarkson

[@gaspar7412]

ebisu now is for rally, so... yeah ebisu is dead :/

[@conorholmes4796]

The answer is clarkson. James can’t spin the wheels he’s too soft on the gas and Richard already flipped his car in the first corner…

[@caprise-music6722]

Clarkson is the best at drifting. He’s been doing it since he looked like a little lad (tall lad)

[@nicejobMoFo]

American here that lives in Japan, I own a R32 GTR and a Honda N-One like in the video as a daily and I really love Kei-cars! They're easy to get around in the streets of Japan as the roads get quite small, and what the vid doesn't tell you is they're great on fuel economy. I commute around in my Honda around 180mi/300km a week gets me through the week on one tank, and to fill up it only cost me $25 dollars. Also to insure them and road tax it is dirt cheap compared my GTR lol

[@mopar392V8]

日本にR32とN-ONEを持つアメリカ人の方が居たとは

[@The_journeyy]

*Tupperware on wheels James may is brutal* 🤣

[@markuscamenzind5510]

yet he owns a a110

[@Styreta]

Most fun James had on this trip was a blissful few minutes tidying up and sweeping the course, lol.

[@Mortthemoose]

Should we be cruel, and tell him he missed a bit 😅

[@Styreta]

@@Mortthemoose cruel? He'd be on the next flight back to Japan to fix it, and happy about it to boot 😂

[@Mortthemoose]

@@Styreta 😅😅 that's true

[@pedersenist]

The most impressive thing is that James May manages to get a round the race track with out getting lost :)

[@ArbathSahadewa]

He got a little helper.

[@henrik1743]

Omg I hope for a new james may show, I love his shows recently!!!

[@stijnVDA1994]

Honestly i would truely love to have these in the Netherlands!!

[@scsutton1]

They should get the F1 drivers to race these around Monaco.

[@apage611]

now that I would pay to watch. The F1 teams also get 1 week to modify them how they like :D

[@scsutton1]

@@apage611 Yeah, qualify as normal on Saturday then race in these on Sunday.

[@muhyusman]

That GSX R1000 is indeed look nice

[@RCRitterFPV]

These should be used for next Monaco F1 race, Qualify the real cars, race these.

[@Renzsu]

Daihatsu left Europe years ago, but I think we’re ready to give these tiny cars another go. But make them electric ⚡️ The Daihatsu Move my parents had was great fun as a city car and I’d love to get something like that again at some point.

[@bremCZ]

Europe has European tiny cars. The Japanese ones would sell well, so long as they're priced better than the current crop.

[@harrygatto]

Daihatsu is Toyota owned. Kei car spec is max size of 3.4 m in length, 1.48 m in width, and 2 m in height or less and a displacement of 660cc or less. Very cheap to buy and own in Japan, much less taxation and obviously very economical. Crash safety is however another conversation. Performance and handling is a bit like the original Mini, some have turbo engines which helps but going up hills with the AC on can be slow.

[@tyronewhitehead3123]

What a great episode this was I remember this is the first time round James is really funny he’s great at the rating love it

[@firstnamesecondname5341]

If London 🇬🇧 introduced a K-car only policy imagine the uproar from the Kensington & Chelsea lot 🤦🏻‍♂️🤣

[@paulortnakamura2968]

Now I know what car to buy when I go to Japan! I was between the Honda and the Daihatsu ESSE, but after saw May´s thumbs up for the Honda I will choose it.

[@d33b33]

What do you mean look silly? All new cars are just giant angry looking transformer robots these days. This thing is beautiful.

[@nomadenview]

Kei car + hayabusa engine = excellent

[@SuperJusie]

キャプテンスローが日本に！

[@GuitarRock86]

May is perfect to do something like this. The Gsxr was nice

[@realityreport79]

I once had a Daihatsu Charade. I absolutely loved it!

[@palamecianrider7385]

May entranced by a Gixxer 1000 in the middle of a job is just brilliant fun

[@joelouis-arena4061]

Oooh, hellooo

[@NakulDalakoti]

I don't know if anyone of you noticed but James's T shirt has a picture of P-40 Warhawk .. the plane which Flying Tigers used to fight Imperial Japanese Air Force during WW2 😂

[@MostlyPennyCat]

Dear god I've always loved kei cars. I wish we did something like that in Europe

[@stretchedandy]

It actually looks bloody fun. And reminds me of the Grand tourismo game on Playstation....i mean it is a Japaneae game i suppose 🤷‍♂️

[@kotelypiesely1268]

I thought mr. James May would go to Japan to finally beat Takumi, but, uhh, that won't do

[@crusty_]

who's James May? his name is Bim

[@AmirPomen]

japan's k-car global races also held in Sepang F1 Circuit malaysia... just like super GT races held here too

[@sealove79able]

The P40 tshirt was a reminder of something like the car plates in Argentina? Groovey.

[@driftsenpai]

実際軽は燃費いいし、価格も安い、小回りもよく効くからいいところしかない

[@bremCZ]

2:24 "Hey Bim" 🤣

[@cucadrive946]

These are my favorite cars in the WORLD!! If I have an opportuinity to import one, I will take it no matter the cost.

[@kmiya7621]

軽自動車の魅力を伝えてくれてありがとう。m(_ _)m 私はBMWRoadster（Z3 1､9日本先行販売）から乗換えて、BMWZ3 MRoadsterと、AMGS65、軽自動車三菱ミニカ乗っています。 三菱ミニカは23年も乗り続けています。 日本人は軽自動車しか乗れないのではなく、ミニクーパーやフィアット500のようなサイズで日本の最新テクノロジー使った、地域に最適化、更に税制面で優遇された軽自動車に乗らない訳ないよ。

[@robinharwood5044]

A lot of them are pretty much designed as housewife cars. Take your husband to the station, go to the supermarket, to your part time job, meet your friends for coffee, take the kids to after school violin and karate lessons, pick up husband from station. Cheap, easy to handle and park in tiny narrow winding streets . (I had to drive a large van through those streets, so I know what they are like) Just the sort of thing you need.

[@LieshaCichol]

1:00 "And thru the magic of editing," Not 100% sure where James is on highway at the start (Shin-Meishin??), he's in a car with Kyoto license plate, and Suzuka Circuit is about an hour a bit away from the city of Kyoto.

[@TurnMaster]

Love kei cars, suzuki cappuccino

[@死美九対符尺]

日本にいらしてくださって誠にありがとうございました。

[@MASViper]

I like Honda N-One though. It's quite cute looking.

[@rjnation5042]

I love my Kei car's, I've got a few of them, Rj in Oz

[@robertallain8966]

1st thing u do is slap a big bore webber carb on it and a small 5lb turbo and a comp cam with all electric cooling fan and an MSD high out put ignition control box , high flow headers and and true dual exhaust . then some larger diameter rims and low profile tires and last a competition clutch with 6 speed tranny ..

[@LILEE376]

Does not look silly. Looks like a smart design.

[@kineuhansen8629]

have to say this is a car i would love to see in forza

[@kitano47]

kei cars are class, ive owned a few here and the inside is really big

[@JamesLaserpimpWalsh]

lol. James makes me chuckle. Cheers for the upload.

[@GyroGarrison]

*"I try to start, so I will go to win!"* I'll take broken English for 800.

[@cleverusername9369]

The theme song for this race should be Yakety Sax

[@merlin5476]

James may has turned into Jimmy Paige.😮

[@jean-charlesweyland129]

With some Clapton vibes ^^

[@GalaxyNeptunia]

I know this track!!! GoodSmile races here!!! FIGHT!!!

[@adrianrutterford762]

Wonderful stuff!! Looking forward to Mr May in Italy.

[@thegrandtour]

Have you seen the trailer yet? kzbin.info/www/bejne/l4S4l5h5mt6JsJI

[@adrianrutterford762]

@@thegrandtour Yep! I saw it over the weekend. It looks very interesting. The usual mix of information, nerdy (in a good way) thinking and craziness. Really enjoyed the Japanese series.

[@eefjuh5533]

Lol. The sound with that handheld microphone 😁

[@Mortthemoose]

I'm going to have to watch this series again! Lol

[@thegrandtour]

A great way to spend the weekend 👀 www.amazon.co.uk/gp/video/detail/B0875NKZPT/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r

[@angryzombie8088]

Oh come one! Let James May show his love for the bike. Strap Jeremy Clarkson to a chair & force him to watch it in horror & agony. Whatever you do, do not let Hammond ride it!

[@fugubarakun4907]

It's been said that it's more fun to drive a slow car fast than it is to drive a fast car slow...

[@CarShowclub]

It looks like a Ford focus. Cute little thing!

[@pakoyz342]

Kei cars are the future!

[@jonfick]

News caster James May was pretty believable

[@dalewasson5919]

Kei cars are awesome

[@cattycats4]

James May should be the presenter for Formula One

[@bar10005]

-Is this a sneak-peek from new season of Our Man in Japan? I don't recall Kei Cars in S01.- NVM it's from S01E04.

[@michaelmichael2915]

Nope, that was in the show. I don't remember the episode but I remember watching it.

[@bar10005]

@@michaelmichael2915 Found it - it's ~35 min into E04, I must have zooned out while watching it, I guess it's time to rewatch the season ;)

[@sukhdevr3489]

-I can do that too-

[@津波-e7c]

i own a kei truck. It's so cute and fun to drive.

[@piconano]

I want one. They're so cute.

[@richieduck67]

They look like suitcases on wheels!

[@hybridShinx]

Those "suitcases" are gonna kick all your sports coupes or sedans :D

[@decodolly1535]

@@hybridShinx Don't care about that but next time I go on holiday, I want an engine fitted to my suitcase!

[@hybridShinx]

@@decodolly1535 engine ?? You mean power unit ?

[@isaacplaysbass8568]

I miss my ATOZ+ and GrandMove+

[@Spheredalai]

"the kei, is okei" right 👍

[@dalewasson5919]

Puts the K in okay*

[@odiseven]

I think these little Hondas look kinda cool, If I had one, I'd do a K-swap to it.

[@amg_e2007]

I live in Tokyo metro area and No. lack on crash safety.

[@shivas3003]

Doctor James May

[@shivas3003]

James may kun !

[@GranTruismo4head]

Hey Bim! You’re awesome

[@theloneranger2101]

I like the fact that James is wearing a USA Airforce Curtis P40 Warhawk Fighter Aircraft Tshirt. These Aircraft were the very first two fighters Airborne to fight back at the Mitsubishi Zeros Fighter Aircraft, as used by the Japanese and their surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, 7th December 1941, which brought the US into the Second World War. So just what was James May thinking? 🤔 Not very subtle James.

[@hubtubby]

I've heard when men get older their "weapons" no longer fire, so they then often look to shooting other types.

[@theloneranger2101]

Someone left a reply to my comment, but its not showing up to be able to read it why? So if the person who left the first reply is reading this then please let me know what your reply said again?

[@hubtubby]

@@theloneranger2101 strange.... I left the first reply. It was basically a joke about older men and erectile dysfunction.

[@theloneranger2101]

@@hubtubby Oh Ok! So just how is your reply a joke? How is my comment on James T-shirt somehow implying I have a erectile dysfunction problem. The T-shirt with the fighter Aircraft on it is a fact of WW2 history and the part that fighter Aircraft played in it, and James was in Japan after all. So I really don't think it was a pure coincidence by James, James is a very intelligent man and knows his Aircraft back to front and especially Second World War Aircraft. James has said many times that he loves Japan and it's people, that's why he wanted to do the documentary series there, so the T-shirt and it's association with Pearl Harbor seems very out of place, and for James to wear it, and for him to just possibly have a little dig at his Japanese host's maybe.

[@hubtubby]

@@theloneranger2101 I didn't say you have ED. The joke or actually observation I heard was that when people can no longer "fire their weapon" they look to other metaphorical methods. It was in relation to Biden, Putin, trump and the rest of them seemingly keeping the military industrial complex well funded.

[@Andi_mit_E]

I dont want a Kei car, but actually I'm the owner of a car key! 😀

[@USAUSAM82]

Nice lunchbox, does it come with silverware?

[@DashCamSerbia]

Mighty Car Mod had been doing it for decades.

[@HoskoFromCostco]

We need a new season of Our Man in ______

[@leplan4226]

Wanna see the trio race kei cars and drift at famous drift circuits

[@budiisnadi]

Haha, he got distracted by the bike.

[@clarksonoceallachain8536]

Almost 3 decades since jermeys review on the kei car

[@nakedlakedip57]

Need a GT tour of the South Island of New Zealand.

[@seijisuzuki4197]

James May VS Fujiwara Takumi, Who's Win The Race?

[@Rizon1985]

Excuse me but his name is Nico, 2016 World Champion who beat 7 time Champion Lewis Hamilton in equal machinery, Rosberg.

[@RoodeMenon]

Bim, guess what? I am looking forward towards Our Man In Italy.

[@-3590-]

Are we going to get another season but different location? Or did Covid end this series?

[@raritania7581]

The new season is in Italy.

[@wazeroonie6084]

Was James about to take that motorbike from behind?

[@BennedicktusPeter]

Never thought that they raced N1s there

[@PhilipCockram]

Ohh Bim !

[@Hazztech]

America really needs something like the kei car, but it will never happen. We're to wasteful.

[@D_2_M]

Just import the older one. I imported Pajero Mini last year and it's a head turner, a David among the Goliath.

[@TinLeadHammer]

tOO

[@kmiya7621]

日本の軽自動車は面白いです。

[@XantoS771]

I would buy one in a heartbeat if they sold kei cars in Europe, with LHD. Too bad they can't pass the NCAP tests (probably).

[@paulhammons7077]

Hay Bim!

[@Iowfrequency]

TIL these things have more horsepower than my own car.

[@flaagan]

Good choice of music. Yoshida Bros?

[@STB-jh7od]

And most importantly look silly 🤪 😆😆

[@c.keeemx]

Hey Bim guess what? 🤖🤣

[@ProvoDrive]

Bim looks like he’s lost again

[@danmayberry1185]

A Crossley Cosworth?

[@Tom-lf8hx]

Hey bim!! Ahahah 🤣👌