Over the last few months there has been plenty of buzz about Honda’s possible return to Formula 1 as an engine supplier for the McLaren team. According to various new reports, sources close from Honda in Japan say the comeback will happen for the 2015 season with the official announcement to come as early as [...]
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After a hearty breakfast and a last minute dip into the onsen, the second day of the Marronier Run was going to be all about admiration. I headed out to the front of the Hotel nice and early so that I could make full use of the beautiful morning light that was just breaking over [...]
The Marronier Run is probably one of the lesser-known classic car events in Japan. It’s a friendly rally organized by enthusiasts, for enthusiasts and it turned out to be one of the most enjoyable weekends I’ve had in a very long time. We are always on a mission to step outside of our comfort zones [...]
Since the beginning of the mass produced automobile, car makers have long sought to create a path of stepping stones with their car lineups. The idea is to catch car buyers at a young age with affordable entry level vehicles and have them stick with the brand as they move through their life. Few companies [...]
When Honda cut the ribbon on the Integra Type R in late ’95 it introduced a game changer. Sure, the go-fast-grade Civics and CR-X that preceded the R-blooded DC2 had already got the wheels in motion for the Japanese car maker, but with its lightweight focused chassis, razor-sharp handing, and that oh-so-sweet, hand-assembled VTEC powerplant, [...]
As Speedhunters we are compelled to approach events from a variety of different perspectives. You won’t find a step-by-step summary of what occurred in a specific race for example, that would dull even the most interesting genres of motorsports or events. We prefer to concentrate on the beauty that surrounds this passion we all share, [...]
In yesterday’s post I took you guys on a little trip through the M. Yokota Museum in Gunma, Japan. Today I’d like to follow that up with a more detailed look at the vintage automobile collection, which is one of the museum’s biggest drawcards. From rare sports cars and competition vehicles to more family-friendly vehicles [...]
By definition, a Speedhunter should pursue his “hunt” in a variety of different ways, which means that when we cover events we don’t simply just concentrate on what is served up for us on the show floor, or in the paddock at race tracks. Our curiosity pushes us to wonder around, to head out of [...]
In the last couple of decades there has been an overwhelming improvement on one area of a car’s performance that often gets overlooked. I am of course talking about tires. These curious black rings of rubber have gone through an impressive evolution that has allowed manufacturers of all types of vehicles to fine-tune and extract [...]
I’ve got a little confession to make here. Over the last several years I’ve had the chance to witness a great amount of Japanese car culture – the legendary race tracks, shops of all sizes, events big and small, museums, mountain roads and more. Surprisingly though, one thing missing from that list was a visit [...]
I always thought the age old debate of “form over function” is a funny one. At the end of the day, does anyone out there really need to change anything on his or her car? Do we need to upgrade turbochargers, or fit adjustable suspension along with stickier rubber. What enthusiasts gain from modifications is [...]
It’s not often I get stopped in my tracks. I’ve been a lucky boy over the years and have seen a lot of different things around the globe. I’m not jaded or tired of it, no, but usually I can take in the details with relative calm. Not today though. What you see above is [...]
After checking out the 5Zigen time attack FD2 last week during our special “FF” theme, I thought it would be interesting to take a little tour of their main factory and HQ in Osaka. 5Zigen – pronounced go-jigen in Japanese (meaning “fifth dimension”) – was founded back in 1987 and quickly became one of the [...]
If reports out of the Formula 1 circle are true, we may be seeing one of the greatest engine and chassis combos in F1 history return. Word has it that Honda will become the engine supplier for McLaren’s F1 team beginning in 2015. Neither party has confirmed the reports, but it seems F1′s move to [...]
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You might have noticed I haven’t been heading down to many night meets at Daikoku PA lately. With the Police constantly closing off the rest stop way before gatherings have a chance to get too big, it has began to take a lot of the fun away from it all. The reason they have started [...]
