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 automotive man or gal, you then’re in luck as there’s by no means been a greater time to truly see the automotive tradition in all its glory.
With famed parking areas like Daikoku and Umihotaru having been became fashionable locations for the numerous corporations and people on the market providing “tours” there’s additionally the higher choice to actually get the total Japanese automotive tradition expertise, and that’s lease a automotive.
JDM automotive leases aren’t something new, there have been a number of corporations round for years permitting you to pattern your dream Japanese automotive, or if you’d like one thing extra excessive finish there’s all the time supercar leases.
Whereas it’s not one thing I’ve ever tried, I’ve typically questioned the way it all labored, and at this time we discover out simply that.
The fellows from Drivers Lounge hit me up and invited me alongside to one in every of their first outings as they’ve simply opened up their doorways.
Seeing I get my justifiable share of messages on social platforms asking for suggestions of what to do whereas in Japan I believed this might be the proper strategy to discover out precisely how a day with a rental automotive firm would really be like.
Alec and I confirmed up good and early to their HQ simply outdoors Tokyo and met with the blokes behind the corporate. Evidently it was reassuring to seek out out that the house owners are as a lot automotive 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 presents a choice of 8 automobiles (quickly to be expanded) and these are all fashions that I believe do a very good job at providing a pleasant and distinctive expertise for anybody signing as much as one in every of their outings. The checklist goes one thing like this:
Within the all-wheel-drive camp we have now the R35 GT-R, a Lancer Evo X and a Toyota GR Yaris.
For the rear-wheel-drive grouping we have now the A90 Toyota Supra and Spoon Sports activities full Honda S660.
And to complete it off we have now the 2 front-wheel-drive automobiles, the DC5 Honda Civic Kind-R and Monster Sports activities full Suzuki Alto Works.
One of many fundamental purpose I used to be more than pleased to take part on this outing, is that Drivers Lounge permits folks to swap automobiles through the day, which makes them relatively distinctive in comparison with most different rental automotive corporations 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 high of the primary storage and get the applying and paperwork out of the way in which.
It is a properly appointed house, snug sofas to sit down on and revel in your welcome drink whereas working by way of the construction of the day tour with the employees.
You possibly can anticipate to see episodes of Finest Motoring and Scorching Model to be taking part in on the TV and plenty 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 collection in Asia so you recognize he actually understands what fanatics need relating to a driving expertise.
When you received’t be doing Wangan excessive pace runs, what you’ll 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 flexibility to request customized tailor-made outings. What Alec and I had 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 wish to do in at some point! It’s just about the very same route I normally take after I want an escape from Tokyo and a few alone-time to simply 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 each one the automobiles within the line up are fairly particular. Apart from 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.
Fairly than a JDM expertise I’d most likely name it extra of a real hashiriya expertise!
With the situation of Drivers Lounge in Noborito, you might be solely 16 min prepare experience away from Shinjuku which implies you possibly can set out within the morning and be again in central Tokyo in meal time.
We set out in convoy from the HQ, myself behind the wheel of the GR Yaris and Alec within the Supra. Each automotive has a walkie talkie with an ear piece so that you’re all the time related with the main automotive and by no means have to consider the place you want to 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 right 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 street in convoy and preserve fuel, saving it for the twisty fascinating bits afterward!
It’s been a very good yr since I’ve pushed a GR Yaris and I’ve to say it nonetheless stays one in every of my favourite modern-day Japanese efficiency automobiles, so succesful, blisteringly fast and responsive but completely enjoyable for regular driving too.
First cease was to seize a fast lunch on the 7-11. Just a few onigiri later we had 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 photographs earlier than the actual 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 hardly 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 high of the go 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 increased and provides a complete completely different really feel although the corners, nearly feeling extra of a rally automotive, 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 an eye fixed opener this was.
I hadn’t pushed a DC5 Kind-R since when the automotive was launched again 20 years in the past and I had forgotten what it was wish to drive this stuff.
Such a unique 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 because of the aftermarket suspension, the playful nature of the chassis actually shined by way of. Elevate off oversteer anybody?
Because the Ashinoko Skyline crests a complete completely different a part of the mountain chain, you get a really completely different view in the direction of Mt. Fuji, so a second group shot was so as.
I took this chance to leap into automotive quantity 5 and 6 for the day, the two Lancer Evos! The Evolution 6 for me stays one of the best of the bunch, whereas the third technology that got here after (7,8 & 9) had been way more succesful and sooner, the 6 is the final one to have that direct hyperlink to WRC and rowing gears to make that 4G63 sing away is all the time 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 won’t be as involving as a handbook it does 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 aspect of Lake Ashi. This was our ultimate cease earlier than we climbed all the way in which again as much as the highest of the Hakone Turnpike go, heading in the direction of what would turn out to be one of the best a part of the day.
For this stretch of driving I jumped into automotive 7, the A90 Supra. The BMW connection is greater than evident on this automotive, and out of all of the automobiles that day it’s the one which felt probably the most like a easy GT cruiser relatively than a pin sharp sports activities automotive.
That took us to what’s one in every 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 couple of third of the way in which down there’s a little bit parking spot, the proper place to cease for a relaxation, just a few photographs…
… 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 up to now, it hit me that this had been one of the vital various driving experiences ever.
And the range is extra concerning the layouts relatively than the automobiles themselves, from AWD to FF and FR, mid engine to entrance engine.
You actually do get to totally perceive the variations between all of them, their respective constructive and adverse factors, and ultimately selecting your favourite.
The drive again to the Drivers Lounge ended with automotive quantity 8 for me, the great outdated R35 GT-R, a automotive 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 ultimate sundown shot at 1000 m above sea degree on the high 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 few of the greatest driving roads in Japan might be among the best methods to expertise Japan for a automotive man and gal. Huge because of the blokes at Drivers Lounge for inviting me alongside and exhibiting precisely why they do what they do!
Further pictures by Alec PenderInstagram: noplansco
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