Back in the late 1990s there were these things called “video magazines”. If that phrase caused you to go cross-eyed - don’t worry - we’ll explain.

Video magazines were videos that had several filmed segments usually revolving around a certain hobby, interest, or most commonly, a subculture.

During the 90s one of the most common types of video magazines in America were usually focused on extreme sports like skateboarding, BMX, or rollerblading.

Though, as the format gained popularity, the subject matter started to branch out. Eventually, in Japan, tuner video magazines started to get produced as companions to popular print tuner magazines.

This also happened to be the same time that the “Drift King” himself Keiichi Tsuchiya rose to fame within car culture.

Tsuchiya-san rode that wave as he was the main character in the legendary Best Motoring video series and later launched a spin-off video magazine called “Hot Version” and it became an instant hit.

What is Hot Version Video Magazine?

Hot Version video magazine was essentially Keiichi calling up all his fellow Super GT drivers and friends like Nobuteru Taniguchi and Manabu “Max” Orido to hang out with him at a local race track or touge road in Japan.

Then they would invite local tuner shops to bring their current project cars to join them at the particular location. Many Hot Version concepts were initially segments of Best Motoring but Tsuchiya and the publisher Kodansha/2&4 Motoring spun these segments off on its own.

From there It was basically like Iron Chef for cars. The shops would build cars based on their own personal philosophies and techniques and then put their pride on the line against another shop that had done the same.

The trio - which was usually also joined by a model AKA “race queen” and a popular Japanese TV personality or comedian - would then review the cars, analyze them, and eventually pit them against each other in point-to-point “touge battles”.

Hot Version Touge Battles

A “touge” is a Japanese term for a narrow winding road, generally found on mountains or rural areas. In the UK they call them “B roads”.

Touge roads are generally not wide enough to allow for side-by-side racing so battles work with one car following the other with the goal being to keep up as closely as possible. Similar to a drift battle but instead of going sideways for style, it’s all about grip and speed.

Twice a month, a new issue of Hot Version video magazine would be released and fans would flock to video stores to see which legendary JDM tuner shops would put their pride on the line.

In between the battles were segments of funny banter between Tsuchiya-san and the other drivers, a feature piece on the tuner shops and the cars they brought, and occasionally some weird skit involving the race queen of the month.

Creation of Best Motoring International

In 2001 the guys from Zigzag Asia, also the founders of GTChannel, approached the publishers and acquired the rights to produce English versions as Best Motoring International (BMI) video magazine.

BMI video magazine was a compilation of clips from Hot Version, Best Motoring, and other video magazines. When BMI was formed it was subtitled and distributed in the US which made its popularity increase significantly and in short order.

BMI Video Magazine got so big in the states that they eventually branched off Hot Version also as Hot Version International(HVI) with a focus on Tsuchiya and Japanese performance car tuning. They actually brought out the entire Hot Version crew and filmed three special “American Touge” issues of BMI and HVI video magazine.

American Touge

American Touge had the same premise of the original Hot Version but instead it took place, well, in America. At “Horse Thief Mile” in Willow Springs raceway to be exact.

American-based tuner shops and independent builders were all invited to bring their cars for battle and evaluation by the Hot Version trio.

How to watch Hot Version and Best Motoring today

Unfortunately, Best Motoring International stopped producing episodes back in 2011. However you can watch old episodes today on YouTube and find English subtitled episodes on Amazon Video.

Hot Version however, still exists today and can be watched on YouTube by becoming a premium member of their YouTube channel. The episodes do have English subtitles as well so American audiences can still enjoy all that hilarious banter between Keiichi and the other hosts.

Are you old enough to remember watching Hot Version on DVD or on tape? Do you still watch today? Let us know on Twitter at @GTChannel.

In the meantime, if you want to watch more great automotive content check out GT Channel on YouTube!

History of "Hot Version"; Keiichi Tsuchiya's Video Magazine