On October 22, 1969, the Datsun 240Z was introduced to the Americas. For a mere $3,626 base price (approximately $21,500 today) the average Joe could come home with a state-of-the-art Japanese sports car.

Inspired by the AE86 Corolla GTS, the FT-86 Concept will debut at the Tokyo Auto Salon next month with plans that the production model will be within dealer showrooms by late 2011.

Despite the attempt to boost the economy via auto sales and trying to protect the environment as best as possible, many folks are very much up in arms about the new CARS (Car Allowance Rebate System) program—especially those in the aftermarket auto industry.

The recent induction of the CARS program by the government has raised a few eyebrows as well as fists. The concept of the program was designed to remove gas-guzzling, high-emission vehicles from the roads and to spur sales in a troubled auto market.

Growing up in Milwaukee, I was not a stranger to the name Jack Safro. In fact, my parents like many other Wisconsin residents within the last forty years have come to know Jack Safro as synonymous with Toyota. Jack Safro died of a heart attack earlier this year and a large portion of his personal estate was liquidated recently at the Mecum High Performance Auctions.

Every day we hear in the news about how terrible the economy is doing and how the Big Three is on the brink of bankruptcy in Detroit. But things must be getting out of hand when even Toyota, the world’s most profitable automaker, announces that it suffered major profit loss.