Larry Chen’s Personal Car Collection Is a JDM Paradise

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Larry Chen has built himself up as a modern automotive icon. His in-depth look at global car culture has earned him worldwide love from car enthusiasts. His commentary and content showcase the best each culture has to offer and do justice to every person and car featured.

With fame comes curiosity; over the years, Chen has given glimpses into his personal car collection, but the true extent hasn’t been revealed until now.

JDM Love With A Few Exceptions

Larry Chen’s personal car collection has just been unveiled through a video done in partnership with the Petersen Automotive Museum. The YouTube video details Chen’s extensive collection, which we’ll detail individually as he explains each one’s history.

Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R

The first car he features is also his first-ever JDM build, a red R32 Nissan Skyline GT-R. He imported it and registered it for use in California. He explains that while the engine looks like a stock RB26, it now has a 2.8-liter HKS stroker motor with HKS turbos; he fondly calls it his Japanese Hot Rod.

Toyota Mark V Supra

As an automotive content creator, Larry needed a “work car,” and he built himself one in the form of the latest-generation Supra. This car has a mount for his various video and photo cameras, which he operates through the steering wheel when chasing the subject car. The idea came from his dream of shooting action shots of cars at speed. To keep up, he tuned the Supra to run on E60 fuel, and it makes over 500 hp.

Euro 1: BMW E30 Spec Race Car

His 1984 BMW E30 Spec Race car is recognizable for its iconic 7-Eleven sponsorship livery. Chen has a working relationship with the convenience store brand, which he credits as a major supporter of car culture. He says the E30 is his real wheel-to-wheel race car and follows BMW Spec series rules, using an M20 engine with as much power as allowed. It also features real 7-Eleven cups as catch cans, and the antenna has a Big Gulp design.

Toyota Mark II JZX100

He calls the next car his “JDM Taxi,” an iconic Toyota Mark II JZX100. He featured this car at SEMA last year; it has a proper JDM theme, including lace covers for the upholstery. In the year and a half that he’s had it, Chen changed the engine to a 1JZ with VVT-i paired with a massive Single Greddy Turbo. He says he wanted this build to be a subtle sleeper street car that he can drift on occasion.

Number 2,868 Nissan Datsun 240Z

Larry says this car was his first-ever sports car purchase for just $3,000. The quality and condition of his build were so good that this 240Z was displayed at the Quail Car Show this year. He says this is the car that defined him; he’s had it since his 21st birthday and has been adding to and restoring it slowly ever since. It is now powered by a Nissan SR20 engine with a turbo formerly in a drift car.

Euro 2: Porsche 996 Turbo

This is the second and last non-JDM-branded car in his collection, a Porsche 911 Turbo from the 996 generation. Chen said this was his first European car and his first Porsche; he’s had it for 12 years. Just like the Datsun, Chen has taken his time restoring this 996 Turbo, which he says is the last true 911 you can work on yourself. His idea for this build is to create a GT2-inspired Turbo and keep the all-wheel-drive component.

Nissan GT-R R34

Chen has covered this iconic car’s restoration extensively over the years; he bought it in Japan, and it’s finished in the legendary Bayside Blue. While he was in Japan, Chen used this R34 as his main daily driver. He calls the R34 his ultimate dream car, and before it was imported to the U.S., Garage Yoshida in Nara, Japan, fully restored it.

Toyota GR Corolla

Not all his cars are classics; the newest member of his stable is a 2026 Toyota GR Corolla. He jokes that this is the most fuel-efficient car in his garage, but the GR Corolla means more than that. Chen was part of the team that helped Toyota launch and leak the car to the public ahead of launch. As a special member of that team, he went all the way to Toyota Manufacturing in the U.K. to watch his own car being built.

Honda Accord SIR

He has one project car still early in the project phase: a 1996 Honda Accord SIR. The car was just imported from Japan and features the revered H22A engine with a 5-speed manual; it is number 89 in the production run. He considers this the best Honda Accord of all time. He wants to build a new JDM Hot Rod out of this Accord, with a new H22 engine, and the goal is to make around 400-500 hp.

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Toyota Tundra, FJ, and Nissan Z Drift Car

Outside his garage, Chen has a few more cars, starting with a 2018 Toyota Tundra. He built it as his interpretation of what he thinks a “Raptor Tundra” should be. Apart from the off-road upgrades, he supercharged it to 500 hp. Next is the 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser in manual, which has a supercharger and other trail goodies. The last car is what Larry claims is his most fun: a Nissan 350Z drift car. It was recently equipped with a Nitrous Express system. He says nothing is more fun than being sideways and having control of a car, and the Z does that for him.