In all my years in Japan I’ve by no means seen an inflow of vacationers like I’ve within the final two years because the nation opened up post-pandemic.
And rightly so, there’s a lot to see, go to, do and naturally eat, oh and for those who occur to be a automobile man or gal, then you definitely’re in luck as there’s by no means been a greater time to truly see the automobile tradition in all its glory.
With famed parking areas like Daikoku and Umihotaru having been become fashionable locations for the numerous firms and people on the market providing “excursions” there’s additionally the higher choice to essentially get the total Japanese automobile tradition expertise, and that’s lease a automobile.
JDM automobile leases aren’t something new, there have been a number of firms round for years permitting you to pattern your dream Japanese automobile, or in order for you one thing extra excessive finish there’s at all times supercar leases.
Whereas it’s not one thing I’ve ever tried, I’ve usually puzzled the way it all labored, and in the present day we discover out simply that.
The blokes from Drivers Lounge hit me up and invited me alongside to considered one of their first outings as they’ve simply opened up their doorways.
Seeing I get my fair proportion of messages on social platforms asking for suggestions of what to do whereas in Japan I assumed this might be the right solution to discover out precisely how a day with a rental automobile firm would truly be like.
Alec and I confirmed up good and early to their HQ simply exterior Tokyo and met with the fellows behind the corporate. Evidently it was reassuring to search out out that the house owners are as a lot automobile guys as we’re and we hit it off immediately whereas testing their facility and array of automobiles.
So let’s begin with the automobiles themselves. Drivers Lounge gives a collection of 8 automobiles (quickly to be expanded) and these are all fashions that I believe do a great job at providing a pleasant and distinctive expertise for anybody signing as much as considered one of their outings. The checklist goes one thing like this:
Within the all-wheel-drive camp now we have the R35 GT-R, a Lancer Evo X and a Toyota GR Yaris.
For the rear-wheel-drive grouping now we have the A90 Toyota Supra and Spoon Sports activities full Honda S660.
And to complete it off now we have the 2 front-wheel-drive automobiles, the DC5 Honda Civic Sort-R and Monster Sports activities full Suzuki Alto Works.
One of many principal purpose I used to be very happy to take part on this outing, is that Drivers Lounge permits individuals to swap automobiles in the course of the day, which makes them reasonably distinctive in comparison with most different rental automobile firms in Japan.
So that you get to not solely expertise driving in Japan with iconic JDM automobiles, however you even get to do it with a number of rides. However extra on that afterward, first up let’s get an concept of how a day excursions with these guys is structured.
So first issues first. When you arrive you head as much as the second ground lounge on prime of the primary storage and get the applying and paperwork out of the way in which.
It is a properly appointed area, comfy sofas to sit down on and luxuriate in your welcome drink whereas working by way of the construction of the day tour with the workers.
You possibly can count on to see episodes of Finest Motoring and Scorching Model to be taking part in on the TV and lots of points of Preliminary D manga to flick although, you recognize, simply to get you within the temper for the day!
Clement, the proprietor, has even raced in a bunch of motorsport sequence in Asia so you recognize he actually understands what fanatics need in relation to a driving expertise.
Whilst you received’t be doing Wangan excessive pace runs, what you should have is a selection of six excursions that vary from a 10-hour Hakone to Daikoku PA tour, Chiba to Daikoku PA scenic drive in addition to the power to request customized tailor-made outings. What Alec and I have been going to expertise that day was the Hakone 7 hour tour, which imagine me packs in as a lot driving as you’d ever need to do in in the future! It’s just about the very same route I often take after I want an escape from Tokyo and a few alone-time to only drive.
The final image hints at one of many future automobiles that could be added to the road up very quickly!
With the formalities taken care of it’s again downstairs and time to prepare for the day.
One factor that struck me immediately and that I do want to say is that with the addition of the Spoon S660 and the Monster Sports activities Alto Works you realise that every one the automobiles within the line up are fairly particular. Other than these 2 full ex-demo automobiles all automobiles are all barely modified, all working aftermarket suspension, excessive efficiency brake pads and tires on the very least, whereas others might sport another goodies like wheels, exhausts and within the case of the DC5 a roll cage.
Quite than a JDM expertise I’d most likely name it extra of a real hashiriya expertise!
With the placement of Drivers Lounge in Noborito, you’re solely 16 min practice experience away from Shinjuku which suggests you could possibly set out within the morning and be again in central Tokyo in dinner time.
We set out in convoy from the HQ, myself behind the wheel of the GR Yaris and Alec within the Supra. Each automobile has a walkie talkie with an ear piece so that you’re at all times linked with the main automobile and by no means have to consider the place that you must go. You set out with a full tank of fuel and an ETC card within the reader so that you don’t want to fret about tolls or getting fuel both.
The drive all the way down to Odawara city the place the Hakone Turnpike units out from take about an hour, so that you cruise down the Tomei Expressway and the Atsugi-Odawara toll highway in convoy and preserve fuel, saving it for the twisty attention-grabbing bits afterward!
It’s been a great yr since I’ve pushed a GR Yaris and I’ve to say it nonetheless stays considered one of my favourite modern-day Japanese efficiency automobiles, so succesful, blisteringly fast and responsive but completely stress-free for regular driving too.
First cease was to seize a fast lunch on the 7-11. A number of onigiri later we have been all prepared to maneuver proper in entrance of the toll gates to heaven…
… i.e. the Hakone Turnpike!
We lined up the automobiles earlier than coming into for a fast few pictures earlier than the true driving started.
I drove the primary part within the GR Yaris however then swapped to the Spoon S660 which was hilarious up the Turnpike. Not precisely fast, in any case it’s powered by a 660 cc blown motor, however so humorous the way you rarely use the brakes and simply carry a lot pace into any of the quick third and fourth gear sweepers.
Then all of us met on the prime of the cross for that iconic Fuji-san image.
With two automobiles down it was over to quantity 3.
And for that it was over to the Alto Works which was much more of vibe than the S660 as in stark distinction you sit a lot larger and offers an entire totally different really feel although the corners, virtually feeling extra of a rally automobile, dealing with on rails and sufficient boost-assisted torque on faucet to maintain the grins coming.
As we moved to our subsequent leg of the tour in the direction of the Ashinoko Skyline it was the DC5 that I selected and boy what a watch opener this was.
I hadn’t pushed a DC5 Sort-R since when the automobile was launched again 20 years in the past and I had forgotten what it was prefer to drive these items.
Such a distinct method to the trubocharged automobiles I had pushed earlier than. The excessive revving NA motor has to be stored on the boil for it to develop sufficient pull out of corners and with the lowered stance due to the aftermarket suspension, the playful nature of the chassis actually shined by way of. Carry off oversteer anybody?
Because the Ashinoko Skyline crests an entire totally different a part of the mountain chain, you get a really totally different view in the direction of Mt. Fuji, so a second group shot was so as.
I took this chance to leap into automobile quantity 5 and 6 for the day, the two Lancer Evos! The Evolution 6 for me stays the very best of the bunch, whereas the third era that got here after (7,8 & 9) have been way more succesful and quicker, the 6 is the final one to have that direct hyperlink to WRC and rowing gears to make that 4G63 sing away is at all times a particular sensation.
I equally loved the Evo X with the SST gearbox, shocked at how succesful and straightforward to drive these last-gen Evos are. Whereas the SST may not be as involving as a handbook it does can help you focus extra in your steering and contours by way of the corners and also you simply surf on that mid-range torque to catapult you in the direction of the subsequent flip.
From the Ashinoko Skyline we drove down a decent stretch of touge that introduced us to a parking space over on a quiet facet of Lake Ashi. This was our closing cease earlier than we climbed all the way in which again as much as the highest of the Hakone Turnpike cross, heading in the direction of what would develop into the very best a part of the day.
For this stretch of driving I jumped into automobile 7, the A90 Supra. The BMW connection is greater than evident on this automobile, and out of all of the automobiles that day it’s the one which felt probably the most like a easy GT cruiser reasonably than a pin sharp sports activities automobile.
That took us to what’s considered one of my favourite stretches of roads within the Hakone space, one I’ve been driving automobiles on for the final 25 years, the Tsubaki Line.
A few third of the way in which down there’s a little bit parking spot, the right place to cease for a relaxation, just a few pictures…
… and a glance over into Pacific in the direction of the small island of Hatsujima.
Pondering over the past 6 hours of driving and the 7 automobiles I had sampled so far, it hit me that this had been some of the various driving experiences ever.
And the variability is extra concerning the layouts reasonably than the automobiles themselves, from AWD to FF and FR, mid engine to entrance engine.
You actually do get to completely perceive the variations between all of them, their respective optimistic and unfavourable factors, and ultimately selecting your favourite.
The drive again to the Drivers Lounge ended with automobile quantity 8 for me, the nice previous R35 GT-R, a automobile I’ve pushed in all its guises, inventory and modified, a particularly acquainted place for me to be in and 18 years on since its inception, nonetheless a real weapon on roads like these.
The day ended with a closing sundown shot at 1000 m above sea degree on the prime of Mt. Taikan overlooking Lake Ashi and Fuji earlier than we returned al the automobiles to the HQ.
A day like this spent by way of a number of the greatest driving roads in Japan might be among the finest methods to expertise Japan for a automobile man and gal. Large due to the fellows at Drivers Lounge for inviting me alongside and exhibiting precisely why they do what they do!
Dino Dalle Carbonare
Instagram: dino_dalle_carbonare
dino@speedhunters.com
Extra images by Alec Pender
Instagram: noplansco