I'll Take My Rice Fried: Part 2

What is going on in Japan these days? Just over a decade ago, the market was littered with fun cars from the Land of the Rising Sun. We had the Prelude, rowdy Integras (including the only Type-R to ever be sold on our shores,) the Supra, Z, 240SX, a Civic Si that revved forever, Celicas, MR-2s, and so on.  There were so many I can't even name all of them.  Now, I can count all of the Japanese sports cars with just over half of my carpal digits.  Not only that, but only two of them are even desirable.  The GT-R is the ultimate troll car, saying "u mad?" to physics.  Despite the fact that it's only available with an automatic transmission, it's a bonefide supercar.  The other one is similar; kind of like a mini GT-R: the Evo X. 
Granted, both of these are awesome pieces of machinery.  Both are truly Japanese scalpels; perfect studies of precision and obsessive compulsive engineering. 
But alas, these two laser guided missiles swim in a sea of mediocrity.  I will never get over the fact that a V6 Mustang beat Subaru's mighty Impreza WRX STi around Virginia International Raceway in Car and Driver's Lightning Lap a few years back.  That's downright embarrassing.  A car primarily bought by rich daddies for their high school daughters beat Subaru's flagship "sports" car.
And it's not just performance that has suffered in Japan, it's the build quality too.  The 370Z, for instance, has been plagued with problems, including brake failure, differential failure, and transmission failure.  These are not small problems.  Hell, even the GT-R has major transmission problems in its first model year. 
From the country that was once known for honest little econoboxes that were well built and fun to drive, this descent into mediocrity (at best) is alarming. 
 By now, you must be wondering why I have made no mention of the Toyobarion Whatever FT-FR-GT-BRZ-POS-II-86.  I've said before that this car is a slap in the face to enthusiasts.  This causes rage among those who have been drinking Toyota and Subaru's Kool-Aide.  Saying that a modified, rear wheel drive Impreza (and we know how slow even the top-line Impreza is) is a successor to an economy car, turned drifting monster, is like saying that a coconut is a successor to the color fuchsia.  It just makes absolutely no sense.  On top of that, they have the nerve to charge $25,000 for it, and sell it at Scion dealers, just so they don't have to barter on the price. 
I could go on, but most of you have already heard my rant on that car.  Car magazines everywhere can't stop fapping to Toyota and Subaru's bastard love child, but I'm not convinced.  If this is the best Japan can do right now, then maybe they should stick to making Priuses and Cubes.  I'm not using your propaganda word "Prii,"Toyota.  Problem?