Few weeks ago I've been at the Nürburgring with the Toyhonda AED7. This car is fully made from OEM parts. With some brand new set of Sachs Super Touring (OEM like) for the front and Kayaba Exel-G for the rear. The rear antisway bar has been modified in order to be a bite stiffer. About the tires, the excellent 195/60/14 AVON has been replaced by the very daily friendly Vredestein Sportrac 5 with the OEM size this time, 185/60/14.
At least, this sticker isn't lying !

As many constructors were busy testing on the track  we had to wait all day long. At the Brunchen corners we met this Spanish AE92. (You can see I've lost the center cap of the front left wheel on the Autobahn :( ) 

Asking me to open the hood, the Spaniard just got these words for me "Arg... Trahison !" (treason! )
Then it was time to hit the track. On open roads the car is very fun to drive, even with the OEM brakes, and brake lines. You can almost do whatever you want. Of course, its much slower than before with the 195 tires, but... who cares? Now on the Nordshleife having in mind the Civic handling, I had few "moments"... Particularly  in Flugplatz where I almost lost the car at full speed ! And to be honest, in almost ALL hot spot in fact !! The car was absolutely NOWHERE, the grip limit of the Sportracs 5 being remarkably high, it was very difficult to know if I could push more ore not. So strange the "lag" in there reaction time was the biggest issue in fact. But that was perfectly in between fear and fun ! I Also wanted to add that since the last time I went there, they had remake almost ALL part of the track, removing as well many bumps that made some corners tricky such as Metzgesfeld and others. So maybe, the stiff Civic could bring back his tires on the German track. (with a much quieter exhaust of course !) 


Every body knows the ultra famous STR. This campaign contributed to save the track from being closed, even if it's impossible now for Hi-Land Circuit I just put this for the Tohoku track addicts. 
 

  And as always, big thanks to Ammo Prod for the pictures !
m(_ _)m





Now things are getting serious ! Taro San just registered me to the last track day of Hi-Land Circuit near Sendai ! I just can't believe it...

More details here: http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/k_powers2001/39122065.html


Version Française -> 

It all starts with a trip to Lyon to visit a friend who had few issues with his MX-5





Hardly time to rest, I had already to hit the road at down to Grenoble, where I joined my friend Sylvain  for a shooting in Annemasse. (And what a shooting!)



During the photo shoot, I received a phone call telling me that I was cordially invited to attend the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the structure OnRoak racing. After a quick meal I had to fixup the MX-5 that was loosing its propeller shaft !Then straight to Marne La Vallée near Paris to pick up a Beautiful CR-V !



"We ll sleep when we'll be dead!"



Antenna battle !

Ready to eat thousand kilometers !

As a kid on Christmas Eve I join the Sarthe for the 24 Hours of Le Mans! (A first for me!) And experience could not be better lived (except in a race bucket of course!)


Jann Mardenborough (to watch closely!)





Note the little french touch ! 



Time to really realize the extent of madness of the cars moving on the track, and other specimens uh ... walking around the circuit, I'm already driving the CR-V towards the Paris area where I take Ammo, for a shooting in... Metz (home sweet home)


But not for long... we had to hit the road again, Stuttgart museum, here we go !


Even in the Porsche Museum parking we find some Honda!

A Type R friendly energy drink for the road !

Then a visit at RUF, a small Teutonic builder who asks only that we got the right foot to the metal of their flagship model of 777hp and 98Mkg € 616,000 worth ... on small German departmental ... Amazing experience as a driver ! (Thank you carbon discs REALLY!)



 After that madness, we return a little bit to the west towards Kempten for a tour at ABT, renowned German tuner.


A little tired of the freedom offered by Autobahns, we decided to escape in more quit countries, Switzerland! So captivated by the beauty of the roads, it was just impossible for me to take pictures.


Austrian Redbull please !

Enough tourism, it was time to make the camera smoke again! R-Performance Switzerland. A strange atmosphere emanated from this small building. The landlord did not speak a word of English, and our German was crap as hell !Wa finally manage to speak to each other in........ PORTUGESE (!?!?) No more to say let discover him in the Autoworks 36 !


Back to Metz where I left Ammo, ready to go to the last European WTCC round.


Always loved by Honda hospitality (Press Job Tiago Monteiro).


Started as a bad joke at almost midnight, the idea to attend 24 hours of Nürburgring born in our minds, and as always, Aurélie from Honda France invited us to get the Honda Civic Type R (WC) to get there! "Challenge accepted! "What a pleasure to rediscover this car! We parted a little angry at her release, but we reconciled under the duvet! Hmmm ... on the German country roads sorry!


Arrived to the Nür, a strange fauna welcomed us, nearly the same we left in the Sarthe but .... currywurst way ! 
On the track side, exactly the same madness as I've seen at Le Mans, the dawn rising and having another day to cover, it was already time to go back!



 But it was also an opportunity to see again for the last time Honda staff! (and the meeting organized by Honda for the Type R owners)

Mehdi Bennani in the simulator.


Myself in the 2013 WTCC Honda Civic (What a low driving position !)



Many Type-R came from all over Europe.

In Belgium, Honda goodies are bottle openers ! 



Now back to Paris to bring back the CR-V ! :( 



I Would like to thank Aurélie for everything she has done for us ! Thank you !