It could be said that 1999 was a good year for cars. It was the birth of several significant cars, some of which are still highly sought after to this day.
Cars that rolled out in 1999 also reach a significant milestone this year. That’s because 25 years have passed since their initial introduction, marking their respective silver anniversaries. It was a good year for the Japanese Domestic Market (JDM), too, as several significant models celebrate a quarter century.
What cars are these, you ask? Here’s five.
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Honda S2000
While technically a car for the 2000 model year, the Honda S2000 made its debut on April 15, 1999. The roadster was meant to celebrate the company’s 50th anniversary, a bit like a birthday gift to itself.
But what a gift it was as it revived the idea of Honda roadsters from the ’60s, namely the S500, S600, and S800. It was light, had a strong ‘high X-bone frame’ chassis, and was developed on twisty mountain passes and the Nürburgring.
But the piece de resistance here was its 2.0-liter engine. Sure, there are two-liter engines these days that easily blow past 400hp, but those are turbocharged. The S2000’s mill punched out 247hp without the use of a turbocharger. The result was a high-revving screamer of an engine that made us all say ‘VTEC just kicked in ‘yo!”
Lexus IS
The second car on this list is also a bit of a technicality. See, in 1999, Lexus didn’t even exist in Japan. Instead, Lexus models were sold in Japan as Toyotas. In the case of the Lexus IS, it was called the Toyota Altezza, which came out in 1998.
So, why did we include it in the list? The Altezza debuted with a Lexus badge in 1999 and soon proved to Europe that Japan was capable of building a sport sedan that can challenge the Germans. Yes, the LS showed the world that Japan can build a true world-class luxury sedan, but the IS represented a sportier, more dynamic (and youthful) side of the brand.
The IS remains a significant model to this day. It’s still butting heads with the 3-Series, A4, and C-Class, challenging those cars for sales and the hearts of sport sedan lovers worldwide. Without it, Lexus might have remained a brand with a stodgy image that focused on big sedans and SUVs.
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI
The Japanese dominated the World Rally Championship in the ‘90s, but none more so than Mitsubishi. The brand had given Tommi Mäkinen four championships in a row from 1996 to 1999. His chariot? It was none other than the Lancer Evolution.
The Lancer Evolution VI was introduced in January 1999 and quickly went to work around rally stages. With Mäkinen behind the wheel, the Evolution VI won three rallies and seven podiums, giving the Finnish driver his fourth driver’s title. The Evo VI would also be the last title-winning Mitsubishi rally car in the World Rally Championship, further cementing its legacy.
The road-going version was awesome, too. Its 2.0-liter turbo engine doled out 276hp, while its all-wheel drive system featured Active Yaw Control (in the GSR) to give it cat-like reflexes. And let’s not forget the Tommi Mäkinen Edition that came out in December 1999 that further evolved the car.
Nissan Silvia (S15)
There was a time that the market was awash with (somewhat) reasonably priced sports coupes. It’s safe to say that the Nissan Silvia was one of the top cars in that class, and the S15 model would be the most powerful yet.
Of course, we can’t mention the Silvia without bringing up drifting. Its (relatively) low price, rear-wheel drive chassis, and near-endless tuning options made it a hit with drifters both amateur and professional.
Sadly, the S15’s production cycle would be cut short due to cost-cutting. This generation only ran for three years, but its impact remains as strong as ever.
Nissan Skyline GT-R (R34)
But perhaps the biggest performance JDM launch of ’99 was the R34 Skyline GT-R. For the longest time, ‘Godzilla’ was the unofficial king of Japanese sports cars, boasting high-tech handling aids and a near unflappable chassis.
To say the R34 Skyline GT-R is legendary is a massive understatement. Its tech, chassis, and aero enhancements made it a formidable car on the track. And when the track got wet, it was almost unstoppable because of its intelligent all-wheel drive system.
Its tech might be ‘outdated’ next to the R35 GT-R, but it was utterly mind-blowing in ’99. But aside from all the computer-controlled handling enhancements, its highly tunable 2.6-liter twin-turbo straight six that made the R34 GT-R highly desirable. Advertized with 'just' 276hp, its true power output was closer to 330hp. Yes, even before, the GT-R had a lot of tricks up its sleeve.
