Eastern promise
What was it like to be a racing fan in mid-20th-century Britain? If you want to find out but you don’t own a time machine, a trip to Goodwood Revival is the next best thing.
From 18-20 September 2026, the historic circuit in West Sussex, UK, will once again reignite motorsport battles that played out between 1948 and ’66.
You’ll see spectacular classic cars from the UK, Italy, Germany, the USA and elsewhere.
However, examples from Japan – whose automotive industry only arrived in Europe on a large scale in the 1970s – are usually few and far between at Goodwood Revival. But not this year.
The on-site Bonhams|Cars auction on 19 September includes an impressive selection of vehicles from the Land of the Rising Sun, including bubble cars, kei cars, pretty coupés and more.
We’ve assembled a list of 10 of our favourite Japanese classics from the catalogue, presented in chronological order. Enjoy!
Prices are given in GBP£, US$ and EUR€, and all conversions were correct at the time of writing
1. 1935 Datsun Roadster (est: £6-9000/$8-12,000/€7 -10,000)
Don’t worry, your eyes are not deceiving you. This Datsun is based on a classic car from the UK you are probably very familiar with: the Austin Seven.
Cars from Longbridge were the foundation of this Japanese marque’s earliest models.
Compared to its British counterpart, the Datsun originally used a smaller 495cc ‘four’, until lawmakers in Japan relaxed legislation and a 722cc became available in 1935. It’s not clear which engine is fitted to this example.
These Sevens in disguise were built in Yokohama for around five years.
Production ended in 1938, when Datsun’s factory switched to making military vehicles for the Second Sino-Japanese War.
Sadly, the winning bidder won’t be driving this car away from Goodwood Revival. Find out why on the next slide.
1935 Datsun Roadster (cont.)
This car, chassis 17-24321, will be sold as a restoration project.
Its history is patchy, to say the least: the only documents included in the sale are some annotated photographs of the car as it was found.
And, as with almost all of the Japanese vehicles in this slideshow (the 1992 Nissan P35 and 1996 Toyota Supra are the only exceptions), the car is subject to import VAT and customs clearance.
But once the necessary paperwork is complete, the new owner will have the rewarding – and likely challenging – task of getting this Datsun back on the road.
Would you try to recapture its long-lost showroom shine, or preserve its time-worn charm?
It will be offered without a reserve.
2. 1961 Subaru 360 (est: £8-12,000/$11-16,000/€9300-14,000)
When you hear ‘Subaru’, you probably think of Colin McRae and ‘boxer’-powered Imprezas – not this tiny kei car.
But this is just as significant as those blue-and-gold rally machines; the 360 was the first-ever Subaru.
Around 392,000 of these 356cc, twin-cylinder microcars were built between 1958 and 1971.
You could buy a saloon, a convertible and even a station wagon.
Click to the next slide to find out more about the Subaru 360 that will cross the block in the Bonhams|Cars auction on 19 September.
1961 Subaru 360 (cont.)
This 1961 Subaru 360 Deluxe packs extra equipment compared to cheaper, more basic examples.
Upon opening the rear-hinged doors, you’re met with an upgraded cabin that includes separate vinyl seats (some were fitted with a front bench) and a padded dash top.
The heater control, petrol valve and starter lever are mounted between the seats.
Some went without windscreen wipers, but this one has twin electric items.
Just two levers sprout from the body-coloured dashboard and all the instruments are packed into a neat binnacle in front of the driver.
And power? It has some. Around 16bhp, if you’re interested.
This car’s no-reserve sale includes photographs of the Subaru as it was discovered, plus some magazine articles about the 360.
3. 1965 Toyota Publica 700 (est: £6-9000/$8-12,000/€7 -10,000)
The 700cc Publica was Toyota’s response to the Ministry of International Trade and Industry’s call for a ‘national car’ for mid-1950s Japan. It needed to be light, efficient and reliable.
Apparently, Toyota’s design and engineering teams were inspired by the Citroën 2CV.
Indeed, the Publica was powered by a front-mounted, air-cooled ‘twin’, but that’s where similarities with the French maker’s ‘tin snail’ ended.
Unlike the 2CV, the Publica was rear-wheel drive and was fitted with double-wishbone front suspension.
1965 Toyota Publica 700 (cont.)
This Toyota Publica isn’t currently registered in the UK, but if the next owner plans to keep it on British shores they will certainly get lots of attention at shows – and it’s unlikely they will bump into another one.
It will go under the hammer without a reserve in the Bonhams|Cars sale.
Despite its budget-focused objectives, this light-grey example, chassis 4-UP10-100568, looks reasonably upmarket.
A chrome strip runs along the full width of the car and there’s plenty of the shiny stuff on the front, too.
Despite its humble origins and disappointing sales, the Publica 700 eventually brought into existence Toyota’s first sports car – but more on that later.
4. 1966 Mazda Carol P360 (est: £8-12,000/$11-16,000/€9300-14,000)
Based on Mazda’s first passenger car, this saloon was also built to comply with Japan’s kei car regulations.
The 1966 Mazda two-door was built a few years before the now-popular marque came to the UK.
Unlike the 356cc, V-twin-engined R360 that came before it, the Mazda Carol P360 has a water-cooled, 358cc, overhead-valve ‘four’.
It’s one of the smallest-capacity, four-cylinder engines ever fitted to a production car and it offers around 18bhp.
But the Carol was relatively advanced: its four-speed gearbox, unitary construction and independent suspension all round helped it to capture more than 60% of the kei-car market in its first year on sale.
1966 Mazda Carol P360 (cont.)
Bonhams|Cars reports that this little saloon will need to be recommissioned following its no-reserve auction.
However it’s a highly original Carol P360 that looks like it’s been well cared for. The two-tone paintwork and the matching interior appear to be in fantastic condition.
Inside, it has a stereo, a glove compartment and a small instrument cluster. In fact, the cabin is quite luxurious compared to some of its super-basic contemporaries.
This Mazda had just two previous owners before it was purchased for a private collection in 2003.
Included in this sale are photographs of the car in the early 2000s.
5. 1966 Toyota Sports 800 Coupé (est: £20-30,000/$27-40,500/€23-35,000)
Remember we said earlier that the Publica 700 gave birth to Toyota’s first sports car? Well, this is it.
Although you might never have heard of its more workaday ancestor, you’re probably familiar with the striking Sports 800.
First shown as the Publica Sports at the 1962 Tokyo motor show, the Sports 800 gave Toyota an image-boosting model that was a move upmarket from its previous offerings.
It has a steel monocoque with aluminium panels and, according to its maker, the 790cc, twin-cylinder motor is good for 45-49bhp – and 97mph!
1966 Toyota Sports 800 Coupé (cont.)
If you live in the UK, where this car will be auctioned this month, don’t be surprised if you’ve never seen one; Toyota built just 3131 Sports 800s between 1965 and 1969 – and none of them went to Britain.
This sweet-looking sports car would’ve offered an interesting alternative to some of Europe’s contemporary roadsters, though.
Photographs of the Toyota’s odometer supplied by Bonhams|Cars show just 21,694km (13,480 miles), but this figure has not been confirmed by the seller.
The no-reserve sale includes a printed Sports 800 road test and a spec sheet, too.
6. 1969 Mitsubishi 500 (est: £6-9000/$8-12,000/€7 -10,000)
Much like Subaru’s aforementioned, bubble-shaped 360, this probably isn’t the car that springs to mind when you think of the marque Mitsubishi.
Although Mitsubishi-badged cars date back to the 1910s, the Japanese maker stopped building passenger vehicles before WW2.
It returned to the market with the 500 in 1960.
Despite its simple shape, the Mitsubishi 500 was an innovative offering and the first Japanese car to be tested in a wind tunnel.
1969 Mitsubishi 500 (cont.)
It might not look like it in the photographs, but the Mitsubishi 500 was too large to be classified as a kei car, measuring more than three metres in length.
But that means it has a bigger engine, too. The 493cc twin-cylinder is air-cooled and mounted in the back.
This Mitsubishi comes with a photo album from a previous keeper and a bit of history.
Apparently, an earlier owner bought the car in 1972 before restoring it in their shed in 1987.
The current custodian acquired it in 1999 and it’s since been on display in their collection.
It will be sold with no reserve at Goodwood Revival 2026.
7. 1969 Suzuki Fronte 360 (est: £3-5000/$4-7000/$3500-5800)
The charming Suzuki Fronte 360 replaced the Suzulight, the marque’s first car.
It ditched the latter’s 360cc, two-stroke ’bike engine for a rear-mounted three-cylinder.
That means the car suffers from a lack of luggage space, though: the engine takes up the boot and there’s no room for your bags in the ‘frunk’, either, because that’s where the spare wheel lives.
This bright-red car has plenty of chrome, including on the rear vents which supply cool air to the little motor, plus front and rear bumpers.
1969 Suzuki Fronte 360 (cont.)
The Suzuki Fronte 360 was popular in its homeland (around 8000 examples of the little car were sold every month during its production run), but you’ve probably not seen one outside Japan.
Despite measuring just 2995mm in length, the Suzuki could transport four adults and achieve 100kph (62mph).
What’s more, the Fronte 360 evolved into another classic car with one of the best-sounding names – the Suzuki Whizzkid.
This example is for sale without a reserve in the Bonhams|Cars Goodwood Revival auction.
It comes with a copy of a magazine article about this rare kei car.
8. 1976 Suzuki Fronte Coupé (est: £3-5000/$4-7000/€3500-5800)
The Suzuki Fronte Coupé (or SC100 ‘Whizzkid’ in the UK) is one of the few cars in this slideshow that was officially offered in Britain when it was new.
Designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, the Fronte Coupé’s shape was inspired by the stylist’s abandoned Microutilitaria concept.
This 1976 car comes with big, front-wing-mounted mirrors.
Little is known about this car’s specification, but it’s powered by Suzuki’s water-cooled, LC10W three-cylinder engine (early cars have an air-cooled ‘twin’).
1976 Suzuki Fronte Coupé (cont.)
Depending on its state of tune, this Suzuki Fronte Coupé has 34-37bhp.
That might sound measly by modern standards, but it has just c630kg (1389lb) to propel.
And compared to many of the cars in this slideshow which, up until this point, have rarely exceeded 20bhp, it’s actually rather potent!
Luckily it has disc brakes, so bringing it to a halt shouldn’t be difficult.
Production of the Suzuki Fronte Coupé ended in 1976, making this example one of the last.
It will be sold without reserve, but with a handbook, service books and other original documents.
9. 1992 Nissan P35 (est: £400-500,000/$540,500-676,000/€470-580,000)
We’re picking up the pace for our final two cars – literally.
Developed by Nissan Performance Technology Inc in America, the P35 was designed and built to contest IMSA competitions in 1993, but it never reached the grid.
Sadly, economic uncertainty in Japan and the end of the World Sportscar Championship put a stop to its racing career before it even began.
As its financial position became unstable, Nissan asked its US subsidiary to return all P35 components.
A couple of cars remained Stateside, though – including this one, chassis 02.
1992 Nissan P35 (cont.)
This car was originally powered by Nissan’s own 3.5-litre V12, but the engine was missing by the time it was acquired by Chris Randall in 2002.
Following its restoration and in the absence of the Nissan motor, the decision was made in 2020 to install a different V12.
The owner settled on a 4.2-litre unit designed in the 2000s for the Panoz DP09 single-seater.
Bonhams|Cars advises those who are interested in this car to consult motorsport organisers and governing bodies to find out if it’s eligible for historic competitions.
10. 1996 Toyota Supra by TCP-Magic (est: £115-140,000/$155,500-189,000/€130-160,000)
You’ve probably not seen a Toyota Supra at Goodwood Revival before, but this highly modified example will go under the hammer in the Bonhams|Cars sale on 19 September.
It’s not been tuned by any back-street garage; this car has been upgraded by renowned firm TCP-Magic.
Founder Taisuke Kawato and TCP-Magic used this car to demonstrate the tuning house’s abilities. It showed the near-600bhp Supra at the 2007 Tokyo Auto Salon.
TCP-Magic has since authenticated this car, and Taisuke Kawato even revealed to the previous owner that he fabricated lots of parts himself.
1996 Toyota Supra by TCP-Magic (cont.)
So what exactly did TCP-Magic do to this car?
We’ve not space to list every upgrade here, but it certainly was not a half-hearted effort.
The tuner swapped the 3-litre straight-six’s twin-turbo set-up for one massive GReddy turbine that appears to be almost as big as the engine itself. There’s also a new exhaust, fuel system, oil cooler and more.
Away from the engine, TCP-Magic also modified the cabin with purple Recaro bucket seats, extra carbonfibre trim and additional gauges.
Exterior changes include the big rear wing, composite bonnet and Volk Racing alloy wheels.
Remarkably, this Toyota Supra has covered just 12,600km (7829 miles).
If you’re interested in this or any of the other lots in this slideshow, click here to view the full Bonhams|Cars catalogue. These Japanese classic cars will be sold at Goodwood Revival on 19 September 2026.