The Rise and Fall of MotoRex: The Scandal That Banned the Nissan GT-R in America

The Genesis of MotoRex

• 💡 Hiroaki Nanahoshi, known as Hiro, moved to Los Angeles in the 1990s and saw an opportunity to import the legendary Nissan Skyline GT-R to the US.
• 🚀 MotoRex was founded with a $1 million investment, aiming to overcome the 25-year import law by making GT-Rs road-legal in America.

Navigating Import Regulations

• 🛠️ The company faced significant hurdles, including meeting EPA emissions and NHTSA crash safety standards, requiring extensive modifications and crash testing.
• 💰 A crucial requirement was a government bond worth 150% of each vehicle's value, intended to ensure compliance.
• ✅ After years of work, MotoRex received approval to sell modified cars, officially bringing the GT-R to American streets starting in 1999.

Hollywood Stardom and Financial Woes

• 🌟 MotoRex cars, including a yellow R33 nicknamed "Big Bird" and an R34 driven by Paul Walker, gained fame through "The Fast and the Furious" franchise.
• 📉 Despite media attention and high prices ($89,000 in the early 2000s), low sales volume and high modification costs led to thin profit margins.
• 💸 Hiro's extravagant spending at hostess clubs and personal financial mismanagement further strained the company's already precarious financial situation.

The Downfall and Scandal

• ⚠️ Investigations began after MotoRex reported five Skylines stolen, leading to Hiro's arrest for assault with a stun gun.
• 🕵️ While Hiro was jailed, the MotoRex garage was ransacked, and numerous high-value Skylines were stolen, with investigations tracing links to other parties.
• 🚫 Ultimately, MotoRex lost its right to legally convert and sell vehicles, as the government discovered discrepancies in their compliance testing, leading to the company's official closure.

The Legacy of the GT-R Ban

• 💔 Many of the seized and stolen cars were presumably crushed, including iconic vehicles like "McNasty" and "Big Bird."
• ✅ Thankfully, the government grandfathered in Skylines already imported and sold by MotoRex, protecting buyers from financial loss.
• ✈️ Hiroaki Nanahoshi disappeared after being granted temporary leave to visit his ailing father in Japan and has not been seen or heard from since.