In all my years in Japan I’ve by no means seen an inflow of vacationers like I’ve within the final two years for the reason that nation opened up post-pandemic.
And rightly so, there’s a lot to see, go to, do and naturally eat, oh and if you happen to occur to be a automotive man or gal, then you definately’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 was common locations for the numerous firms and people on the market providing “excursions” there’s additionally the higher choice to essentially get the complete Japanese automotive tradition expertise, and that’s hire a automotive.
JDM automotive leases aren’t something new, there have been a number of firms round for years permitting you to pattern your dream Japanese automotive, or in order for you 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 among 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 believed this may be the right technique to discover out precisely how a day with a rental automotive firm would truly be like.
Alec and I confirmed up good and early to their HQ simply exterior Tokyo and met with the blokes behind the corporate. Evidently it was reassuring to seek out out that the homeowners are as a lot automotive guys as we’re and we hit it off immediately whereas testing their facility and array of vehicles.
So let’s begin with the vehicles themselves. Drivers Lounge gives a number of 8 vehicles (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 among their outings. The listing goes one thing like this:
Within the all-wheel-drive camp we’ve the R35 GT-R, a Lancer Evo X and a Toyota GR Yaris.
For the rear-wheel-drive grouping we’ve the A90 Toyota Supra and Spoon Sports activities full Honda S660.
And to complete it off we’ve the 2 front-wheel-drive vehicles, the DC5 Honda Civic Sort-R and Monster Sports activities full Suzuki Alto Works.
One of many essential motive I used to be very happy to take part on this outing, is that Drivers Lounge permits individuals to swap vehicles in the course of the day, which makes them quite distinctive in comparison with most different rental automotive firms in Japan.
So that you get to not solely expertise driving in Japan with iconic JDM vehicles, however you even get to do it with a number of rides. However extra on that in a while, first up let’s get an thought of how a day excursions with these guys is structured.
So first issues first. When you arrive you head as much as the second flooring lounge on prime of the primary storage and get the applying and paperwork out of the best way.
It is a properly appointed area, comfy sofas to take a seat on and revel in your welcome drink whereas working by the construction of the day tour with the employees.
You’ll be able to anticipate to see episodes of Greatest Motoring and Scorching Model to be enjoying on the TV and plenty of points of Preliminary D manga to flick although, , 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 he actually understands what fans need relating to a driving expertise.
When you gained’t be doing Wangan excessive velocity runs, what you should have is a alternative 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 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 wish to do in sooner or later! It’s just about the very same route I often take once I want an escape from Tokyo and a few alone-time to simply drive.
The final image hints at one of many future vehicles 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 vehicles within the line up are fairly particular. Apart from these 2 full ex-demo vehicles all vehicles are all barely modified, all working aftermarket suspension, excessive efficiency brake pads and tires on the very least, whereas others could sport another goodies like wheels, exhausts and within the case of the DC5 a roll cage.
Slightly 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 might be solely 16 min practice trip away from Shinjuku which implies you might 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 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 it is advisable 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 in a while!
It’s been a very good 12 months since I’ve pushed a GR Yaris and I’ve to say it nonetheless stays one among my favourite modern-day Japanese efficiency vehicles, 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. 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 vehicles earlier than getting into for a fast few pictures 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 spite of everything it’s powered by a 660 cc blown motor, however so humorous the way you hardly use the brakes and simply carry a lot velocity into any of the quick third and fourth gear sweepers.
Then all of us met on the prime of the move for that iconic Fuji-san image.
With two vehicles 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 provides an entire completely different really feel although the corners, virtually 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 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 Sort-R since when the automotive 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 vehicles 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. Elevate off oversteer anybody?
For the reason that Ashinoko Skyline crests an entire completely different a part of the mountain chain, you get a really completely different view in 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 the perfect 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 all the time a particular sensation.
I equally loved the Evo X with the SST gearbox, stunned at how succesful and simple to drive these last-gen Evos are. Whereas the SST may not be as involving as a guide it does permit you to focus extra in your steering and contours by the corners and also you simply surf on that mid-range torque to catapult you in direction of the following 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 last cease earlier than we climbed all the best way again as much as the highest of the Hakone Turnpike move, heading in direction of what would grow to be the perfect 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 vehicles that day it’s the one which felt essentially the most like a easy GT cruiser quite than a pin sharp sports activities automotive.
That took us to what’s one among my favourite stretches of roads within the Hakone space, one I’ve been driving vehicles on for the final 25 years, the Tsubaki Line.
A couple of third of the best way down there’s slightly parking spot, the right place to cease for a relaxation, a couple of pictures…
… and a glance over into Pacific in direction of the small island of Hatsujima.
Pondering over the past 6 hours of driving and the 7 vehicles I had sampled to this point, it hit me that this had been one of the vital assorted driving experiences ever.
And the range is extra in regards to the layouts quite than the vehicles 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 constructive and unfavorable factors, and in the long run selecting your favourite.
The drive again to the Drivers Lounge ended with automotive quantity 8 for me, the nice 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 last 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 vehicles to the HQ.
A day like this spent by a few of the greatest driving roads in Japan might be probably the greatest methods to expertise Japan for a automotive man and gal. Large because of the blokes at Drivers Lounge for inviting me alongside and displaying precisely why they do what they do!
Dino Dalle Carbonare
Instagram: dino_dalle_carbonare
[email protected]
Extra pictures by Alec Pender
Instagram: noplansco