8 Japanese Sports Cars That Will Appreciate And Become Future Collectibles

These JDM sports cars are bound to rise in popularity in the future. Best grab them now. 

Toyota GR Yaris

When talking about Japanese sports cars that will appreciate, we tend to think of the 1990s sports cars from Nissan, Toyota, Mazda, and Honda. Toyota’s rally-bred hatchback came out in 2020, and quickly put Toyota back on the radar for those craving purpose-built hot hatchbacks. For 2024, the GR Yaris has received numerous revisions that focus on improved reliability, cooling, and performance. It is safe to say, Toyota schooled everyone on how a mid-cycle refresh has to be done.

As far as JDM sports cars that will appreciate, the GR Yaris is up there thanks to its rally-bred heritage and limited production numbers. Toyota initially planned to build 25,000 GR Yaris, but so far, more than 32,000 have been built, and Toyota is not stopping. The combination of relatively low production numbers, rally-bred hardware, and Toyota’s racing heritage, ensures that the GR Yaris is one of the modern-day Japanese cars that will appreciate.

Nissan Z NISMO 

The replacement to the aging Nissan 370Z was long-anticipated, and it didn’t take long for a NISMO variant to follow. With more power from the VR30 DDTT V-6 engine, more aggressive aero, and revised suspension and brake system, the Nissan Z NISMO is a proper track weapon for the road. The only downside is that the NISMO Z is automatic-only.

Additionally, there were some issues with the Mercede-Jatco automatic, for which there was a service recall. Best make sure, this was done if you are interested in the NISMO Z. Aside from that the NISMO Z offers a proven platform and a tuner-friendly engine, proven in Infiniti’s Q50 and Q60 Red Sport 400 models. 

Toyota Supra GRMN 

The Supra name returned in 2019, with the fifth generation, sharing mechanicals with the BMW Z4 G29. While this was frowned upon by JDM purists, the A90 Supra proved capable, by consistently punching above its weight against more powerful performance cars. Come 2026, the GR Supra will be no more, but before that happens a “last-call” version of the iconic Japanese sports car will arrive.

As far as JDM sports car that will appreciate go, the track-focused Toyota Supra GRMN will definitely deliver. The limited-edition model will rely on a revised, B58 inline-six engine and for the first time in Toyota Supra history, a dual-clutch automatic. Fret not, the manual will still be available. Toyota Supra GRMN is expected to arrive around Spring, 2025. 

Honda NSX Type-S 

Not all sequels are successful, but that doesn’t mean the car is bad. While the second-generation Honda NSX (Acura NSX in some markets) is a capable sports car, it didn’t quite capture the raw nature of the original NSX. To top it all off, the Honda NSX was too expensive for its own good, starting at $171,495 (Rs 1.27 Crone), especially considering the Nissan GT-R and Porsche 911 were also available.

It was also a plug-in hybrid with three electric motors, which made the car heavy. Nevertheless, for 2022 a sportier NSX Type-S was introduced. It packed slightly more power thanks to turbochargers from the GT3 race car. Just 2,908 second-generation NSX were made, of which 350 were the Type-S. 

Toyota GR MR-2 

In 2026, Toyota is reviving two more iconic sports cars. One of them is the MR-2 and it will once again be a mid-engine sports car. The return of the “poor man’s Ferrari” will be accompanied by an all-new, turbocharged engine and all-wheel drive, which would make this the most capable mid-engine Toyota ever made.

The new engine will capable of 600 horsepower, but will be making up to 400 in road applications. A lesser version of the same engine will be offered on the Lexus IS and ES models, as part of a hybrid setup. The GR MR-2 will be a non-hybrid vehicle. 

Nissan GT-R NISMO 

The Nissan GT-R R35 is officially old enough to legally drink alcohol (in some countries). After 2025, you will no longer be able to buy the R35 GT-R as a new car, thus ending an 18-year production run. The R35 NISMO is the most track-focused, road-going variant of the GT-R, and Nissan has poured all its know-how into making the high-performance coupe into a serious track weapon (not that it wasn’t before that).

With more aggressive aero, stiffer suspension, stronger brakes, tweaked turbochargers, and since 2017, a mechanical limited-slip differential on the front axle, the NISMO is the most hardcore variant of the GT-R. R35 production for 2025 is limited to 1,500 units, of which only 300 will be NISMO. The Nissan GT-R continues to be a bargain supercar-killer, but eBay statistics foreshadow a grim trend in parts prices for the JDM icon.

Toyota Celica GR Sport 

Another Toyota sports car that’s coming back for 2026 is the Celica. Considering the upcoming Toyota Celica GR Sport is shaping up to be a JDM enthusiast’s dream, it will no doubt, be one of the Japanese sports cars that will appreciate. The latest reports say the Celica GR Sport and GR MR-2 will share a turbo-four engine with 400 horsepower and the GR-Four all-wheel-drive system. 

The 2026 Celica will continue to be a 2+2 coupe, but there might be multiple versions, with the GR Sport being the most performance-packed. Regardless of the variant, the new Celica will, likely, feature the same engine, in different states of tune. The Celica GR Sport will, likely, get the front and rear limited-slip differentials as seen on the GR Corolla. 

Nissan Z Heritage Edition 

The Nissan Z Heritage Edition is Nissan’s day of commemorating the Datsun Z432 – a performance variant of the 240Z, powered by the original GT-R’s S20 engine. The Nissan Z Heritage Edition is, essentially, a Nissan Z Performance with a unique body kit, with the main highlight being the revised front fascia.

This means you get all the must-have performance goodies, including the limited-slip differential, bigger Brembo brakes, sportier suspension, and 19-inch wheels, wrapped in performance summer tires. Under the hood, the VR30 DDTT remains unchanged from the regular Z. Unlike the NISMO Z, you can get the Heritage Edition with a manual.