Story David Pratte Photos P eter T arach , M ich ael

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Story David Pratte
Photos Peter Tarach, Michael Schwartze and David Pratte
f you’re a serious
go-fast geek and
car buff, chances
are you’ve enjoyed
the recent jousting between
Nissan and Porsche regarding the claimed Nürburgring
lap times for the R35 GT-R
and are well aware of the
important role this legendar y
circuit plays in the world
of OEM vehicle testing. As
a result, the Nürburgring
Nordschleife—an absolutely epic piece of twisty
tarmac that covers 14 miles
and 73 turns through the
Eifel mountain region of
Germany—has become a
central part of global car
culture and a list-topper
on just about every driving
enthusiast’s Bucket List. The
fact that a trip to Germany
also means spending some
time tickling the speed limiter on the autobahn highway
system and visiting some of
the shrine-like car museums
that can be found in almost
every major city just makes
the trip all the more enticing.
Throw in a visit to a Formula
1 racing circuit and a blast
down a world-famous alpine
road like the Stelvio Pass
and you’ve got a European
vacation that’d make Chevy
Chase green with envy.
STELVIO PASS FAST FACTS
>> At 9,045 feet (2,757 meters), it’s the highest paved mountain
pass in the Eastern Alps and second highest in the entire Alps
mountain range.
>> Built between 1820 and 1825 by the Austrian Empire, the north
side of the pass has 48 numbered hairpins.
>> Known as the Passo dello Stelvio in Italian and Stilfser Joch in
German, it’s sometimes referred to as the “three languages peak”
because it’s where the Italian, German and Romansh languages meet.
>> In 2008 Italian motorcycle manufacturer Moto Guzzi started selling a Stelvio model named after this famous mountain pass.
MODIFIED MAGAZINE 41
PART 1: JDM INVADES GERMANY
For us, the Ultimate Road Trip started more
than a year ago while emailing with Stephen
Clark from AI Performance. We were featuring
Stephen’s WRX wagon (July ’08) and in the
process learned of a customer car he was
building in Germany. Stephen suggested a
trip to visit this customer, an American soldier
stationed in Germany, and take his U.S.-spec
We’re proud to say that this speed was achieved legally!
God bless the autobahn!
’04 Subaru Impreza STI for a rip around the
please.
yes,
.
.
.
Umm
ng.
Nürburgri
As the trip approached, a flurry of emails
were exchanged between the three-man crew
from Modified, Stephen at IAP and our man
with the plan in Germany, STI owner and U.S.
Air Force grunt Jon Herman. Jon suggested
we check out Stelvio Pass during the first few
days of our European power tour, a road we
were familiar with from a memorable episode
of “Top Gear” where hosts Clarkson, Hammond
and May set out to find the greatest driving
road in the world. But what would we drive to
Stelvio in and what would we tour Germany
in? There was no way we’d all fit into Jon’s STI
with all our camera gear and luggage, so with
some help from Maurice Durand at Mitsubishi
and John Shilling from Nissan, we found ourselves in possession of two rather tasty press
vehicles to flog for the week: a Nissan 370Z
and a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X MR.
What we didn’t realize before landing in
Frankfurt and taking delivery of our press
cars was just how rare these Japanese beasts
would be on the autobahn. As we soon
The EVO X’s cockpit proved to
be quite comfortable for the
learned, the German government is rather
long drive to Stelvio Pass
protective of its auto industry, meaning the
so
is
importation tax on Japanese vehicles
high that only the most die-hard fan would
consider buying one. This must make it a parbegan to change—rolling hills turned into
is no doubt the quicker car, but during the
ticularly tough market for carmakers like Nisthe slippery mountains and straight multi-lane highways
san and Mitsubishi, but it put an unexpectedly high-speed runs on the autobahn
turned into twisty single-lane ribbons of
Z simply walked away from the boxier X. Part
cool spin on the trip for us because we found
asphalt. And tunnels, lots and lots of tunnels,
c
automati
7-speed
of this was due to the
ourselves piloting machines with a higher
some stretching as long as 16 km. These
very
initially
were
we
(which
Z
the
in
gearbox
rarity factor than a Ferrari or Lamborghini. As
but paled
disappointed to see, but as we learned during made for some great photo ops,
a result, we were viewed by the locals, or so
vistas that
ing
breathtak
the
to
on
comparis
in
transthe trip it’s actually a very responsive
it seemed to us, as wealthy foreigners driving
be honTo
Pass.
Stelvio
of
top
on
us
awaited
of
out
fun
little
ly
surprising
mission that takes
wildly exotic cars they could only dream of
thrilling,
that
all
isn’t
est, the drive up Stelvio
the driving experience), but the Z’s superior
owning. This meant that we were hotter than
the countless (OK, there are 48 on the north
engine
ing
high-revv
and
drag
of
t
coefficien
David Hasselhoff.
side we drove) severe 180-degree hairpin
highe
certainly contributed to its impressiv
Having flown overnight into Frankfurt, we
turns requiring extreme caution because it’s
from
Starting
ion.
accelerat
speed stability and
loaded up the EVO and Z and immediately
is approachour typical cruising speed of about 160 km/h, both difficult to see if a vehicle
headed south toward the Alps and the famed
because
and
direction
opposite
the
from
ing
both cars would accelerate strongly to about
Stelvio Pass. Despite the jet lag and sleep
with
road
narrow
very
this
sharing
you’re
200 km/h, but from there the EVO seemed
deprivation, the efficiency of the autobahn
as
well
as
lists
motorcyc
cyclists,
countless
out
ran
also
and
wall
mic
to hit an aerodyna
highway system was immediately apparent.
getting
kept
just
view
buses and RVs. But the
of revs at around 245 km/h, whereas the Z
Germans are the most disciplined drivers in
better and better as we climbed toward the
up
way
the
all
train
a
like
pulling
on
kept
just
passing
the world, only using the left lane for
9,045-foot peak of this ancient pass, origiOf
to its top speed of more than 270 km/h.
and always getting out of the way of faster
nally built by the Roman Empire more than
tage
disadvan
weight
a
at
course, the EVO was
moving cars. As a result, we were able to drop
1,000 years ago and paved in the 1820s by
trunk full of
the hammer and make some serious headway given the extra passenger and
luggage, so from a practicality standpoint the the Austrian Empire.
whenever driving in the deregulated (meaning
After enjoying the view of the nearby glacier,
Mitsubishi certainly shined brightly throughout
no speed limit) sections of the autobahn.
some pictures of our sure-footed
snapping
the trip.
This is when we discovered just how long the
press cars overlooking the mountain peaks
Once we crossed into Austria, the terrain
370Z’s legs are. From 0–60 mph, the EVO
42 MODIFIED MAGAZINE
You can see Jon having to check around the corner
for cars coming down the pass because the corners
were so tight that one car could maneuver them at
a time.
You could shoot car catalog
photos up the pass. It was
that picturesque.
The EVO was a bit of a thirsty car. Luckily, we
brought fuel canisters!
and scarfing down some street meat, we
made the far more enjoyable drive down Stelvio’s north face. With the steep downhill entry
into the switchback turns, it was now quite
easy to see if there was any oncoming traffic,
which meant we could chase a group of nutters on motorcycles and really put the brakes
and handling of the 370Z and EVO X to the
test. Both machines performed admirably, the
EVO’s turning radius presenting some challenges in the tightest turns but its all-wheel
drive providing tremendous grip out of the corners. The 4B11T engine under the EVO’s hood
was no slouch, either, launching us forward
violently as the MR dual-clutch transmission
made razor-sharp and lightning-quick shifts
in Super Sport mode. With its lower seating
position and long nose, the 370Z felt like a
bigger and less agile machine on these very
tight roads, but its rear-wheel-drive configuration allowed it to rotate and accelerate out of
the switchbacks with surprising composure
and precision. But watching the EVO rocket
out of another hairpin and blast down toward
the next one, one thing was clear: the Z may
dominate on the autobahn, but the EVO and
its rally heritage reigns supreme on these
winding alpine roads.
With all the mountains in Austria and Germany, we
drove through plenty of tunnels.
MODIFIED MAGAZINE 43
PART 2: PORSCHE MUSEUM
On the return trip from Stelvio, we knew we’d
be passing through Stuttgart, home of both
Mercedes-Benz and Porsche. Both of these
German automakers have state-of-the-art
museums open to the public, but for us it
was the unique history of Porsche and its rich
racing heritage that claimed our $10 entry
fee. Having just opened in January 2009, the
architecture of the Porsche museum itself
is almost as impressive as the machines
it houses, but once inside you’ll no doubt
be just as impressed as we were by all the
race cars and street cars. One of our favorite
displays was the Paris-Dakar 959 race cars,
which took the top two spots on the podium
in 1986.
PART 3: HOCKENHEIMRING
As our host, Jon Herman, brought to our
attention, the world-famous Hockenheimring,
a regular stop on the Formula 1 circuit, is
frequently open to the public on Thursday
evenings. And we don’t mean open for a tour
of the facilities, we mean lapping around the
4.5km, 13-turn German Grand Prix circuit at
full steam. Of course, the official policy is that
there’s no racing during these “tourist driving”
sessions, but as we experienced first-hand
there are some very quick race-prepared
machines out there hammering around at
full tilt and there’s also some senior citizens
tootling around like it’s a Sunday afternoon
pleasure cruise.
When we arrived at the Hockenheimring
at about 6:30 pm, a car session was out on
the track and the motorcyclists were lining
up along pit lane waiting for their 20-minute
session (cars and motorbikes drive separately
in alternating groups). We were shocked to
see close to 200 bikes lined up and even
more shocked to see the MotoGP pace the
frontrunners were setting on the very first
lap. Our collective reaction was somewhere
between horror and bewilderment, since there
was such an obvious skill level and machiner y
gap between the Valentino Rossi wannabes
and the average tourist out there. It felt like a
recipe for disaster, and as if on cue one overly
adrenalized rider pegged the throttle too hard
coming out on the front straight, popped an
out-of-control wheelie and was launched over
the handle bars at 80 mph when he put the
front end down too hard. Fortunately, the rider
walked away unharmed, but we were starting
to have second thoughts about putting our
Evolution X press car out there in such a wild
environment.
What, you thought we’d go all the way to
Germany and miss out on the opportunity to
rip a few hot laps around a publicly accessible GP track? We paid the €12 fee for the
session and jumped in the pit lane lineup.
Although there were “only” 90 or so cars ready
44 MODIFIED MAGAZINE
Yes, that’s the pack of bikes that were on the
track at once. It’s no wonder the ambulance was
on track moments later to clean up someone who
had just crashed.
At the front of the pack
there were several
997 Porsche GT3 s and
a C6 Z06 Corvette that
were absolutely flying.
for action, it was certainly a very mixed bag
of machines. At the front of the pack there
were several 997 Porsche GT3s and a C6
Z06 Corvette that were absolutely flying, and
at the other end of the spectrum there was
a ’66 Ford Mustang convertible driven by an
older couple with their Siberian Husky dog in
the back seat. That’s right, a dog was allowed
to ride in the back seat while lapping the
Hockenheimring.
Meanwhile, our intrepid Editor-in-Chief,
Peter Tarach, was out there in the EVO X MR
mixing it up with everything from R35 GT-Rs
and E46 BMW M3 CSLs all the way down to
Smart cars. Here’s what he thought about his
Hockenheim experience:
“Being able to drive Hockenheimring was a
real treat, but I wish I could have experienced
it in a more controlled environment rather
than a 90-car free-for-all. Forget safety or
track rules in Germany. There are none during
these ‘tourist driving’ days. You pay and go
drive on the track regardless of the shape your
car is in or how competent a driver you are.
“Despite all that, having to dodge traffic and
outrun slower cars was satisfying, especially
in the EVO X, but there were instances where
we were four-wide going into a corner and
that was downright scary. I was checking my
mirrors as often as I was looking forward.
Thankfully, the EVO performed like a champ
and provided solid power delivery and excellent braking, which allowed us to do the
passing rather than being passed. There were
a couple of 911 GT3s and a GT-R that flew
past us, but otherwise the EVO didn’t have
much competition and this was in stock form
with worn rubber.
“I can see why Hockenheimring is such an
exciting track to watch professional racing
at. The long straights combined with the tight
corners make it ideal for passing. Driving into
corner 9 and onto the front straight where the
120,000-seat grandstands start felt particularly cool. I can only imagine how it would feel
when they are jam-packed with race fans.”
Look closely and you’ll see a dog in the back seat
of this Mustang!
We thought it was a good idea to go to the back of
the massive line of cars waiting to hit the track.
HOCKENHEIMRING PASS FAST FACTS
>> Built near the town of Hockenheim, Germany, in 1932, it currently hosts the annual Formula 1 German Grand Prix.
>> The current Grand Prix circuit was built in 2002, covering 2.842
miles with 13 turns and very little elevation change.
>> The complex has numerous grandstands with a total seating
capacity of 120,000 and also has a quarter-mile dragstrip, a 320meter long kart track and a museum housing a full range of historic
and modern racing cars and motorcycles.
Our EVO X doing its best to
fend off the GT-R behind it.
MODIFIED MAGAZINE 45
The STI about to be
hoisted up at the
tuning dungeon.
Nitto set us up with a fresh set of their NT-05 tires
to ensure we would have some good grip around
the ring.
PART 4: THE TUNING DUNGEON
Before heading to the Nürburgring, Stephen
from AI Performance needed to spin some
wrenches on Jon’s STI. We also arranged to
have Nitto ship Jon a set of its new NT05 extreme-performance summer tires because we
wanted to experience the Ring with a fresh set
of super-sticky rubber underneath us. Hawk
Performance also set Jon up with front and
rear DTC-60 brake pads, a true motorsports
compound with tremendous stopping power
that’s easy to modulate and control.
Having installed the new tires and brakes
before heading to Hockenheim, Stephen just
needed to bolt up some goodies from Cobb
and Kartboy, including a Cobb oil cap and
battery tie-down and Kartboy shift knob, rear
46 MODIFIED MAGAZINE
Forget dyno tuning, it’s way too expensive in Germany. Tuning is done on the autobahn and here you can
see the wideband installed in the STI’s exhaust.
diff outrigger bushings, transmission crossmember bushings, rear subframe lockdown
bolts and a full set of end links. Installing all
the suspension and chassis goodies without
a lift would have been a bit of a nightmare,
but there just so happens to be a shop on the
Air Force base where Jon is stationed that’s
affectionately called the Tuning Dungeon. A
suitably old and grungy building, the Tuning
Dungeon has hoists and tools available for
a modest hourly rate. After clearing security
and getting the Subie up on a hoist, Stephen
handled the wrenching duties while we all
stood around snapping pictures and whistling
“The Final Countdown” (our cheesy ’80s hair
band theme song for the trip).
PART 5: NÜRBURGRING NORDSCHLEIFE
We had finally arrived. The Nürburgring!
Giddy as a bunch of school girls at a Justin
Timberlake concert, we parked in the main
Nordschleife paddock and “pit lane” area
where each tourist lap starts and finishes
about halfway down the almost 4km main
straight. Porsche GT3s were thicker than Honda Accords in a mall parking lot. BMW M3s of
every vintage were just as plentiful. There was
no shortage of European exotics, either, from
Ferraris to Lamborghinis to a Porsche Carrera
GT, plus a surprising number of Hondas, a few
Nissan 350Zs, and even one or two EVOs and
STIs. There were also some odd-ball machines
in action, from a KTM X-bow to a Wiesmann
GT MF5 to some seriously old vintage race
cars from the UK. And although you can’t take
a standard rental car on the Ring, there were
plenty of Ring-specific rentals in the paddock
from companies like RSRNurburg.com and
rent-racecar.de. In fact, “Lotus Dave” and the
guys from RSRNurburg.com, who have an
impressive collection of rental cars from FWD
hot hatches like the Renault Clio Sport all
the way up to RWD monsters like the Porsche
GT3, let us store our gear at their shop in
Nürburg and showed us the best spots for
food and photography.
Although the Ring was supposed to be
open for touristenfahrten, or “tourist lapping,”
from 5:30 to 7:30 pm the night we arrived, it
was closed for an accident cleanup. This is an
all-too-common event during tourist lapping
at the Ring, where talent and road run out
and overzealous drivers find themselves sitting
in a bent car against the Armco barrier that
lines the track. We were determined not to be
One of the more scenic corners on the ring.
That’s right, you have to contend with motorcycles as well as cars on the track.
one of those guys, particularly since we’d be
driving Jon’s modified STI and Mitsubishi’s
loaner EVO. Crashing either of these wasn’t an
option, so after a good night’s sleep at a local
B&B we headed back to the paddock for the
8 am opening so we could get some clean
laps in before the tourists started bouncing
off the Armco again.
Jon’s done more than 100 laps of the Nordschleife in his STI, so he knows his way around
pretty well. Following him in the EVO, it was impossible not to hoot and holler like a bunch of
frat boys at a strip club as we dropped down
into the famous banked concrete CaracciolaKarussell for the first time. Sure, we’d all
blasted through this carousel while playing
Forza2 plenty of times, but this was different.
This was real, and the feeling was electric.
Without Jon leading the way in his angrysounding STI, hissing and popping and shooting flames out its tailpipe, we would have
been completely lost. With 33 left turns and
40 right turns over a 22.8km lap that rises
and falls almost 1,000 feet, it’s not a circuit
you learn in a lap or two. The tighter and
more technical parts of the track are easier to
remember because each is quite distinctive,
but the high-speed “straight” sections that include countless small bends and blind crests
are very difficult to distinguish from one and
another and are therefore quite intimidating.
It’s really pretty easy to get lost out there, so
rather than thinking about lap times or the
racing line, the main objective during our first
few laps of the Ring was to stay off the Armco
and begin to get a feel for the place.
But with only a single day of lapping to
work with and with each lap costing €19 (we
NÜRBURGRING NORDSCHLEIFE FAST FACTS
>> Built in the 1920s around the village and
medieval castle of Nürburg in the mountainous
Eifel region of Germany.
>> Originally featuring four track configurations
that totaled 17.563 miles in length, today only the
14.173-mile Nordschleife (North Loop) and 3.2mile GP-Strecke (Grand Prix) circuit remain.
>> The Nordschleife has remained a one-way
public toll-road for nearly 80 years except when
it’s closed for manufacturer testing purposes or
racing events.
>> The famed Caracciola Karussell is named
after early Ringmeister (Ring master) and six-time
German Grand Prix champion Rudolf Caracciola.
>> With growing safety concerns and Niki Lauda’s
fiery crash in 1976, the German Grand Prix was
moved to the Hockenheimring in 1977.
>> Nicknamed The Green Hell by Scottish Formula
1 driver Jackie Stewart, the Nordschleife is widely
considered the most demanding and most dangerous racetrack in the world.
Accidents occur every half hour at the ring. This
guy’s BMW wont be the only repair bill he’ll be
paying. The ring charges you for any damage that
you do to the fencing. Not only that but the police
can come and actually charge you with a driving
offense!
48 MODIFIED MAGAZINE
SPECIFICATIONS & DEtails
’04 subaru
impreza wrx sti
Engine
2.5-liter EJ25 turbocharged flat-four
Taking the famous banked concrete turns.
Engine Modifications
The EVO X doing its best to keep up with the STI.
Axis Power Stage 2 block, CP pistons,
ARP head studs, GReddy timing belt,
Kelford 272 camshafts, Supertech 1mm
over valves and valvesprings; Ultimate
Racing GT3076R turbo kit and Version 1
FMIC; HKS SSQV BOV, TiAL 44mm wastegate, Prodrive boost control solenoid,
APS intake risers/tumbler valve deletes,
PE 850cc fuel injectors, Walbro 255-lph
fuel pump, JIC Bullet Titanium after-cat
exhaust, Cossworth air/oil separator,
Samco rad hoses and ancillary silicone
hose kit; Koyo radiator, Process West
oil cooler, Cobb oil cap and battery tie
down; custom grounding kit, carbon fiber
alternator cover and cooling plate
Engine Management
Cobb AccessPORT V2 (road tuned on the
autobahn by Stephen at IA Performance)
Drivetr ain
bought several four-lap cards that cost €75
each), we had neither money nor time to
spare. So rather than spending the whole day
learning the track before taking Jon’s STI for a
few laps, we decided we’d better get our testing done before the expected track closures
started.
PART 6: A LAP OF THE NÜRBURGRING
IN JON HERMAN’S STI
It’s not often you find somebody with enough
brass to let you rip on their painstakingly built
(and rebuilt) track car, especially when that
ripping takes place at the most demanding
and dangerous circuit in the world. But Jon
Herman has brass aplenty, having spent more
than his fair share of time turning terrorists
into a little extra Iraqi desert sand. Listening to a few of Jon’s war stories is enough to
make an average man’s attachments shrivel in
humility, so it should come as no surprise that
he seemed cool as a cucumber while serving
as navigator during my lap of the Ring in his
highly modified ’04 STI.
After swiping our four-lap card at the
electronic gate that controls entry to the Nordschleife, we tiptoed through the cones that
limit entry speed for the first few hundred feet
and then laid into the throttle.
Km 1: We pass under the Bridge that indicates the start of the lap and blast downhill
toward the Hohenrain chicane and the fast
but technical Hatzenbach turns. I remember
this part of the track well from Forza2, so Jon
50 MODIFIED MAGAZINE
ACT 6-puck clutch and Streetlite
flywheel; Agency Power short shifter,
SubyDude shifter bushings, stainless
braided clutch line
This is the main paddock at
the ring. Automotive porn is
an understatement for this lot.
RSR Nurburg is an excellent place to rent a ride for the ring. We tried to trade our EVO X for the GT3
Porsche but RSR passed on our offer.
remains quiet as I find my way without too
much difficulty. The short gearing of the STI’s
transmission is an excellent match for the
tight, twisty bits of Hatzenbach II and III, the
TEIN Flex coilovers and Nitto NT05 rubber
providing enough confidence-inspiring grip
that we’ve already passed a few cars and
motorcycles.
Km 4: Climbing steeply up into Flugplatz,
the car feels light for a moment as we crest
the hill and Jon calmly barks out “deceivingly
fast double righthander.” Although it should
be treated as a single radius turn with a late
apex, I hold too tight a line coming in and
have to scrub some speed off mid-corner as
a result. No matter, a quick downshift and
we’re powering out onto the long stretch that
leads to the extremely fast downhill lefthander
known as Schwedenkreuz (could well means
“Pucker Factor” in German).
Km 7: Another set of extremely fast downhill
esses lead into Adenauer Forst, a turn Jon
warned me about while strapping into the driver seat. This slow reducing radius lefthander
catches a lot of people out, and even with Jon
yelling, “Slow left, SLOW LEFT!” I overcook the
entry and understeer off the line. Momentum
lost but no damage done, I downshift and
power out of the tight righthander that follows.
Km 8: Metzgesfeld, Kallenhard and Wehrseifen make up some of the most technical
turns on the entire Ring. Unfortunately, we’re
stuck behind a smoke-puking Audi TT with
enough horsepower to match us down the
straights but nowhere near as much cornering
power, so we follow patiently and look for a
good passing opportunity.
Km 10: We finally get the inside line on the
Audi through a very fast righthand sweeper
that leads into Breidsheid, a reducing radius
lefthander over a bridge that marks the lowest
point on the track.
Km 13: Here it comes. The Karussell. Following the twin Porsche GT3s that just passed
us going into Steilstrecke, we drop down into
the steeply banked turn that looks and feels
more like a concrete berm than a racetrack.
Adding gas in pursuit of the Porsches, I can
feel the STI’s suspension compress.
Km 16: After climbing steeply to Hohe Acht,
the highest point on the track, I’m totally
disoriented coming down into Wipperman, but
Jon senses my hesitation and barks, “Left/
right combo leading into a fast righthander.”
Back on the gas, the GT30 turbo spools
up and my grip tightens slightly around the
Sparco steering wheel as the left tires jump
up onto the cobblestone curbing on the
outside of Brünnchen curve.
Km 18: After the high-speed run from
Pflanzgarten, we approach the second carousel turn on the Ring, this one a wider radius
lefthander at Schwalbenschwanz. Accelerating
aggressively out of the carousel, I grab fifth
gear approaching Galgenkopf, a very fast
increasing radius righthander leading onto the
main straight. Just as I begin to relax, we spot
a formerly pristine 997 GT3 parked on the
inside of the turn, the front end damaged from
an expensive encounter with the Armco.
Km 20: We pass under the Gantry bridge
that signifies the end of the lap, reducing
our speed as indicated by the signs as we
approach the track exit that leads into the
paddock.
Drained from 9 minutes of the most intense
concentration of my life, Jon and I take our
helmets off and I thank him for his well-timed
navigation. He asks what he and Stephen can
do to make his STI better. I pause for a long
while and can’t really come up with any obvious shortcomings. Time for a rollcage.
MORE
CARS >>
Suspension
TEIN Flex coilovers w/ EDFC; DC
Sports titanium strut tower brace (f),
Cusco strut tower braces (r), Whiteline
27/29mm adjustable front sway bar
and 24mm rear sway bar, rear sway bar
mounting kit, and steering rack bushings;
Kartboy end links (f/r), transmission
crossmember bushings, and rear subframe bushings and lockdown bolts, GrpN
transmission, engine, and pitch mounts
Wheels, Tires and Brakes
OEM BBS 18’’ wheels, Nitto 245/40ZR18
NT05 tires, Hawk DTC-60 brake pads,
Project µ two-piece rotors (f/r), ATE Super Blue brake fluid, StopTech ss braided
brake lines
Exterior
Kartboy extra long exhaust hangers, GT
Spec carbon fiber exhaust shield, Prodrive mud flaps
Interior
Defi BF gauges (EGT, Boost, Oil Pressure)
and Link II control unit; Sparco “Ring”
steering wheel, GrpN quick release,
Pro2000 racing seats, harness bar and
3” 4-point harnesses; harness bar camera mount, Splash CF trim kit, Kartboy
shift knob, Peter Solberg autographed
a-pillar cover
These were just some
of the wicked cars
that we encountered
at the Nürburgring
and Hockenheimring.
Ford’s new 300hp Focus RS.
European Civic Type-R.
A properly built Euro-spec S14 Silva.
Wicked-looking FD with proper wheel fitment. It stayed off the track, though.
To our surprise, there were a pair of Neon SRT-4s at the ring.
A rare and expensive ($250,000) Wiesmann GT MF5 was lapping the ring.
52 MODIFIED MAGAZINE