Search the Community

Admittedly, I’ve been putting this on the back burner for a while. With plenty of work to get through, tonnes of stories to clear, and multiple Cars & Kopi(Coffee) meets ongoing, I never felt I could give this piece the attention it truly deserved. And that hesitation mattered, because this was one of the most memorable drives I’ve ever had. Believe me, I’ve been on quite a few. This drive, though never really intending to be so, came to represent a series of personal milestones. Having already covered the Hakone Turnpike and its surrounding mountain roads on previous outings with both the M2 and the M3 Touring, it was time to look further afield and discover more of what Japan’s beautiful roads have to offer. And I had just the right material to reference: the little-known series Initial D. Jokes aside, while many like-minded enthusiasts were drawn into the world of automotive otaku culture through the adventures of Takumi Fujiwara and his panda AE86, it never truly appealed to me, until now. While the antics of Takumi and his friends existed in the imagination of Shuichi Shigeno, the locations where rivalries in the series were settled are very much real. With that in mind, I settled in and binge-watched the first two seasons of the anime, otherwise known as “stages” in Initial D speak. It may have taken me decades, but I’m happy to report that it is thoroughly enjoyable and brought back vivid memories of visiting Japan in the late ’90s, when Japanese sports car culture was arguably at its absolute peak. Enjoying the anime was, of course, just part of the research process. With the mountain roads based on real-life locations, it was also time to plan my drive to visit the now-legendary roads of Initial D. Keys in hand, I left the bustle of Tokyo behind and headed north. My first stop: Mt. Haruna, better known to fans as Mt. Akina, Takumi Fujiwara’s legendary stomping grounds. A short drive later, I found myself at Mt. Akagi, the domain of the Akagi RedSuns. To close out the day, I carved my way toward Nikko and the twisting turns of the Irohazaka, the proving ground of Team Emperor and the stage for Kai Kogashiwa’s infamous MR2 jump. Google Maps might have plotted the journey at just under eight hours, but my experience told a different story. With lunch breaks, refreshments, repeated runs for photos and videos, and the occasional pause to drink in the scenery, the drive stretched closer to 10 or 11 hours. Every stop was part of the adventure, each turn steeped in the history of the roads that had inspired generations of enthusiasts. The car for the job? A gorgeous San Remo matt green G29 Z4 M40i, courtesy of BMW Japan's press fleet. Having had the privilege of driving and sampling almost all of the latest machines from Munich over the years as a hobbyist writer, the Z4 was, for me, the car that first kick-started my journey into automotive journalism with the marque. While it might have taken place almost 18 years ago, I still remember that car with fond and vivid memories. No less memorable was the fact that it was an M Roadster variant, with its S54 engine snarling and screaming right behind your ears with the roof down. It was, and still is, one of the most exhilarating drives I’ve ever had. A drive so enjoyable I emptied two full tanks of fuel over a weekend. Interestingly, having sampled multiple variants of the Z4’s second generation over the years, the final iteration of BMW’s roadster had eluded me, due to both scheduling and availability issues. Seven years after its launch, and sadly a year before the model’s decommissioning, it was finally time for me to have a go. With some beautiful ribbons of tarmac ahead, I truly couldn’t think of a better way to fall in love with driving all over again. With a full day of driving ahead, it made plenty of sense to set off bright and early; this is Tokyo, after all. After a relatively mundane and uneventful series of highways and byways, my next stop beckoned, Mt Haruna. Nestled in Gunma Prefecture, Mt. Haruna rises to 1,449 meters and is crowned by the serene Haruna Lake, a crater lake formed within the caldera of an ancient volcano. The area has long been a destination for nature lovers and hikers, offering well-marked trails that range from gentle strolls to challenging ascents, each framed by lush forests and seasonal blooms. At the summit sits Haruna Shrine, a centuries-old Shinto site offering panoramic views of the mountains and Kanto plains. On this crisp morning, though, none of that was the focus. What mattered were the mountain’s twisting roads. Tight hairpins, flowing sweepers, and steep gradients. The legendary roads upon which the iconic panda AE86 danced with perfect finesse. The only difference today was the mighty bellow of the B58's 382 horses over the Toyota's screaming 4AGE. As the beautiful Z4 powered up the steep inclines and sharp corners, it showed little hesitation, slightly pushing its tail out while remaining steadfastly poised, its perfectly specced Michelins gripping tightly as it charged through each directional change with the B58 howling away, joyfully soaking up the roads and daring you to bury the throttle even deeper. Haruna’s roads are tight, narrow, and intensely technical, defined by relentless hairpins and rapid elevation changes, but such a joy it was to drive that at the end of the hill climb, I turned around, went back down and did it all over again. That said, the view across Haruna Lake at the summit was reason enough to slow things down for a moment. A little further down was a lay-by that I'm sure fans of the show would most certainly recognise. Where everything began. There were Initial D references throughout the area for fans to spot. While I would have loved to hang around to spot more Initial D references and take in the sights around Haruna Lake, it was time to charge toward Mt. Akagi. But not without stopping for a spot of lunch at a random, yet rather fantastic udon restaurant. It was seriously good. With lunch settled, it was time to continue towards Mt Akagi, a short 40 kilometres away from Mt Haruna. While Mt. Haruna and Mt. Akagi sit relatively close to one another, their roads could not feel more different, each shaped by the character of the mountain it climbs. Mt. Haruna is tight and technical, its roads sometimes closing in around you, demanding focus at every turn. Mt. Akagi, by contrast, opens itself up. The road feels broader and more expansive, with longer sweepers, wider lanes, and higher average speeds, offering fewer back-to-back hairpins and far more room to breathe. Rising almost 400 metres higher than Haruna at its peak, Mt. Akagi’s more gradual elevation changes encourage a smoother, flowing rhythm, one that feels perfectly suited to big turbocharged power. This time, not from an FC or FD, but a BMW Z4. And if the view of Haruna Lake was lovely, Lake Onuma at the summit of Mt. Akagi is simply breathtaking. Framed by dense forest and open sky, its still waters feel worlds away from the pace of the drive leading up, a place that invites you to pause, step out of the car, and take it all in. Steeped in local folklore and closely associated with Akagi Shrine, I'm sure it is also familiar ground to fans of Initial D as the backdrop to the Akagi RedSuns’ territory. The calm, mirror-like water at the summit feels worlds away from the intensity of the racing battles that made these roads legendary in pop culture, yet seeing it in person makes the anime’s reverence for the mountain suddenly tangible. With more than half the day behind me, it was time to leave my reflections behind and head toward the final 峠 of the drive: Irohazaka. Little did I know just how epic the roads ahead would turn out to be. Nikko awaits.

https://www.sgcarmart.com/used_cars/info.php?ID=1069763&fbclid=IwAR2LLyaRYnRt4U9AqaLKtzJcLF4PLeB_p1XNWNsCCJp-lESzrSCX_TsKxTo Anybody know what's the story behind this car kenna 1 big accident ah?

https://www.motortrend.com/news/toyota-corolla-ae86-factory-heritage-parts-gazoo-racing <Toyota Corolla AE86 Gets Factory Heritage Parts From Gazoo Racing Now is your chance to revitalize your mid-'80s Corolla with genuine factory replacement parts. Those in the know are already well aware of the love and admiration Toyota's fifth-generation Corolla garners. It's a love affair that has continued to burn some 30-plus years on. A hit for the automaker, the fifth-generation Corolla would go on to see over 3 million sales worldwide in the mid-1980s. Today, fans around the globe continue to restore and modify the E80 front-engine, rear-wheel-drive version, but often come up short when hunting down OEM replacement pieces which have long been discontinued—until now. Continuing The Tradition Toyota Gazoo Racing is rolling out OEM replacement parts for both the iconic AE86 coupe and liftback models under its GR Heritage Parts program. If you recall, a similar program is currently in place for the 2000GT, original Land Cruiser, and A70- and A80-generation Supra models. Known as the Levin and Sprinter in Japan, both of which are nicknamed "hachi-roku" or eight-six (designation derived from the A engine series; E Corolla platform; 8 for the 5th generation chassis; and 6, the variant within the model run), the 1983-87 chassis are far and away the most sought after Corollas by enthusiasts around the globe. Praised for its classic drivetrain layout and lightweight chassis, the affordable, sporty people mover immediately became a fan favorite among young drivers in the '80s, and that spirit lives on to this day. A massive aftermarket supports suspension makeovers, aggressive body modification, and a laundry list of engine swap ancillary parts. OEM pieces, however, have become virtually nonexistent. This new run of production pieces will be made available through Toyota dealers, just like current model genuine parts, though Toyota notes that they will only be produced for a limited time. Once production ends, whatever is left on the parts shelves will continue to be made available and once those sell out, it's a wrap. Ready For Delivery In addition to the in-person purchases, you can find a list of available parts on the Toyota Gazoo Racing website and even put in your order through the web. As of today, the site lists new disc brakes and steering knuckles for the AE86, with rear driveshafts expected next month and more parts to be added in time. >

Singapore has its very own Takumi! (The main character of Initial D, btw) A video of a car with unknown origins racing against a Suzuki Hayabusa has received over 40 shares under 5 hours! If you haven't already seen the video, here you go! The original video is from District Singapore's Facebook page. What's happening? In the video, it starts with the Hayabusa abruptly cutting into the cam car's lane and causing the car to swerve and spin out of control. But, the car driver somehow manages to retain back control and continue on his merry way. The kicker? Image: New Initial D Legend 1: Awakening (Sanzigen, Liden Films, Sentai Filmworks) That's not even the best part! If you were observant, you would have noticed a bunch of coins on the dashboard of the car. Watch the video again. The coins barely move even with all the spinning and swerving! Very much like the cup of water Takumi uses in Initial D no? What the people say Hayabusa good siol Confirm There’s that possibility Lol I’m just glad no one got hurt.

I am sure most of you are aware of Initial D, the Japanese manga comic/animie and movie about a kid who started out delivering Tofu to a mountainside resort with his father's old Toyota Levin Trueno. The kid in question became so good at delivering Tofu until he could actually beat the best illegal hillside racers without even realizing it. Of course, this was the premise only as the chap eventually became one of those illegal hillside/drift racers and taking on challenges along the way. This had made me want to share my own set of stories about hillside champions. These drivers actually use these hillside roads on a daily basis without a care in the world. Like second nature. They aren't actually racing you up and down the hill slopes but they just want to get to where they are supposed to be and you actually happened to be in the way. I shall tell a few tales about these unsung 'heroes' that ply the windy roads in and around Peninsular Malaysia. One story is my own, the other two told to me by two of my old friends. The first one is that tale where I was headed down from the Genting Highlands in my own Subaru Impreza 1.6ts. This happened sometime in 2005 and I was actually belting it (a little). I remember even outdriving a late 1980s Mitsubishi Colt Turbo which seemed to be pretty highly modded and my car stock with the exception of 17 inch wheels and tyres. The Colt was only fast in a straight line as it only managed to catch up with me when the road started straightening out and when it was close to the Karak toll booths at Gombak. But this wasn't a tale of David vs Goliath or handling over power as behind me was a gargantuan Toyota Landcruiser based Lexus LX470 V8. This SUV was actually keeping up with me. Imagine that, a tall and heavy Toyota Landcruiser keeping up a decently driven small sedan. I was surprised, but I wasn't that surprised as I somehow noted that this was a vehicle used by the staff of the Genting Resort. It was exactly like how a person who basically knew the road like the back of their hands would drive. Even if it was a tall and heavy (albeit powerful) SUV. The second tale of woe (actually the first tale of woe as the first story is about my respect for a well driven SUV) is when a friend of mine told me the tale of his business associate who was driving an Alfa Romeo 146 1.7 at the time. He was actually enjoy a spirited drive on the roads around Kota Tinggi in Johor when out of the blue he was tailed by a very noisy old Ford. Noisy old Fords are nothing new in Malaysia but this wasn't no ordinary noisy old Ford. It was a Ford Econovan with a cheap noisy exhaust. Now the chap driving the Alfa Romeo wasn't going to let some old beat up van beat him. Unfortunately by the time he dropped a cog the van actually overtook him at a hairpin and then started pulling away from the chap in the Alfa. It was actually jaw dropping and eventually the chap basically heard the drone of the cheap exhaust further and further away. The shocking thing according to my friend was that the chap driving the Alfa caught a glimpse of the van driver and he was totally nonchalant about what he was doing. It was like second nature to that chap as he sped away. Amazing what an old van can do sometimes. Now the third tale that I wish to share is one I actually liked hearing. There was once a self proclaimed king of the Ulu Yam 'Ring'. Ulu Yam is the road where car enthusiasts usually use for the sunday drives up Genting Highlands and this chap actually owned a workshop (or was it a tyre shop) somewhere near Ulu Yam and drove one of those Japanese rally specials. As he drove this stretch daily he assumed that he knew every nook and cranny of the roads there. This chap actually believed that he was like the chap in Initial D. But last I heard he was whooped silly at Sepang and he actually crashed one of those all-wheel drive cars at Ulu Yam. Not much was heard from him after that. Of course, fiction follows fact most of the time and I think the stories told in here proves this fact quite well actually. The drivers in Initial D may actually exist in one form or the other. He could be a van driver in Johor or a SUV driver in Genting. But definitely not a rally special in Ulu Yam. - This.....- -....was beaten by this-