For decades, the small island in the Pacific
Ocean known as Japan has pumped out legendary car after legendary car,
fueling automotive fantasies around the world. Manufacturers and small
tuning shops continue to build demo cars, many putting together at least
one full build a year. Companies rely heavily on these cars to showcase
new products in catalogs and trade shows more so than anywhere else in
the world. The use of Photoshop and social media in the Japanese automotive industry isn't as developed of an idea. When a new product is
developed, the only way to ensure exposure is to physically install the
part on a car, place it in catalogs, buy magazine ads and campaign in
competition.
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| 326 Power Nissan S14 Silvia - Still Got It
What happens to these demo cars once their
mission is complete? Some are kept for further demonstration, some are
literally destroyed and crushed into a cube, while others are parked and
forgotten. We have seen T&E Vertex's "graveyard" personally, an
abandoned gravel lot that contains far too many familiar cars—projects
we've seen in print and drawn inspiration from, even a D1 contender or
two. The sad truth is that in Japan, the average lifespan of cars is far
shorter than what we're used to here in the States. The hot, humid
summers and freezing cold winters take their toll on every machine
that's not stored inside—and in a country where parking space comes at a
premium, garages are scarce. A demo car is commonly sent to a junkyard
to be put down and live another life as a soda can, or perhaps even
become part of another car. But occasionally, the fate of a demo car is
not limited to these options. Although rare, there are instances of a
private party purchasing a shop car. This Nissan Silvia was blessed by
the existence of a man who recognized its worth—a man who was not
concerned by the fact that he would own a car that was not built by him,
but rather to showcase the fabrication skill and styling fortitude of
326 Power.
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