On Days Like These - Italian Job Intro: NSX Style

[sassthathoopie]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOD0q...e=channel_page

The first trip I made after buying the NSX was a 2 week trip round Europe with my brother. Alpine passes featured highly! We managed eight countries and 145mph on the autobahn.

All the kit needed for camping and walking was squeezed into the car, by utilising the space behind the seats.

I've finally edited the Italian Job tribute that we filmed, although fortunately we managed to avoid pushing the car into a river! Here's the original in case you need a memory jog.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpq1_AphUSY

[TheSebringOne]

Fantastico! I love the scenery obviously and the sound of the Taitec! One of the great " must do drives " and one day I will experience it myself hopefully! Love the music too!

[sassthathoopie]

I have great memories of this trip that will last a lifetime. I figured that I may not always be in a position to own a red mid engined supercar in which to tour Europe so I ought to live out my dream as soon as possible!

3 point turns in tiny Italian piazzas with the Taitec are particularly entertaining (and suprisingly popular with the locals! )

[Ewan]

Cool!

Me & the Mrs are doing a Mark Cole-inspired Euro Hoon later this year - France, Switzerland, Italian Lakes, the Parma/Modena/Bologna area, up and over Stelvio, Davos, Austria, Bavaria, Autobahn, Nurburgring ...

Can't wait! Seeing your vid just makes it all the more exciting!

[markc]

Good stuff Gavin, looks like you had fun

Nice attention to detail with the credits, correct font and colour etc.

I think you need the cigarette to be quite as cool as the Muira driver

The Muiras' driving position looks fairly horrible doesn't it!

Cool!

Me & the Mrs are doing a Mark Cole-inspired Euro Hoon later this year - France, Switzerland, Italian Lakes, the Parma/Modena/Bologna area, up and over Stelvio, Davos, Austria, Bavaria, Autobahn, Nurburgring ...

Can't wait! Seeing your vid just makes it all the more exciting!

Have you planned the whole route and booked hotels yet Ewan? That in itself is good fun

Still trying to work out how I can fit the "Route des Grandes Alpes" trip into this years holiday schedule.

Cheers

Mark

[Ewan]

hi Mark - yep, we have some of the stops already planned ... we're planning on the following destination on each day:

1: Reims
2: Lausanne
3: Montreux
4: Lake Maggiore
5: Lake Como
6: Parma
7: Bologna
8: Bologna
9: Merano
10: Davos
11: Davos
12: Fussen
13: Nurburg
14: Home

Total of (I think) about 2,300 miles.

If anyone cares to suggest alternatives/must-do things, I'm all ears

cheers
Ewan

[markc]

hi Mark - yep, we have some of the stops already planned ... we're planning on the following destination on each day:

1: Reims
2: Lausanne
3: Montreux
4: Lake Maggiore
5: Lake Como
6: Parma
7: Bologna
8: Bologna
9: Merano
10: Davos
11: Davos
12: Fussen
13: Nurburg
14: Home

Total of (I think) about 2,300 miles.

If anyone cares to suggest alternatives/must-do things, I'm all ears

cheers
Ewan

Fussen... famous for "The Great Escape" film? Fussen to the Nurburgring is a HUGE leg!

Surely got to do a Champagne House tour in Reims. I recommend Pommery as one of the best and most impressive.

Are you into watches? You'll be going through "Watch valley" on days 2/3 so it might be worth trying to book a tour of one of the manufacturers in the area, Blancpain or Audemars Piguet at Le Brassus would be my choice, or a taking in the Horological Museaum at La Chaux de Fonds.

Mark

[Ewan]

thanks Mark!

Yes, we're due to stay in Reims - I was thinking of doing the Veuve Cliquot tour, it gets pretty good writeups on Tripadvisor and The Widow is our pop of choice, usually

I do like watches but I think I'd have a hard time persuading Kirsten on the merits of hanging around watch museums, and there's always the danger that I'd feel compelled to buy something ... it's going to have to be strictly foodie and petrol head heaven, I think.

Fussen, famous for Neuschwanstein castle... which was indeed in the Great Escape (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang & doubtless many others). According to Autoroute, it's about 340 miles from there to Nurburg, so it's a day drive. I don't think I'll actually drive the 'Ring; not 2 up with a car full of luggage etc, and no time to really enjoy it. We'll probably just mooch about and see what's occuring on the track, then head off to make it back to Calais in one schlepp.

cheers, Ewan

[NSX 2000]

we're planning on the following destination on each day:

1: Reims
2: Lausanne
3: Montreux
4: Lake Maggiore
5: Lake Como
6: Parma
7: Bologna
8: Bologna
9: Merano
10: Davos
11: Davos
12: Fussen
13: Nurburg
14: Home

If anyone cares to suggest alternatives/must-do things, I'm all ears

cheers
Ewan

Hi Ewan For stop 1 I would highly recommend staying at l'assiete champenoise, Just of the autoroute as you go into Reims. You need to have the tasting menu it is wonderful!
For stop 4 I would recommend Hotel Castello del sole, this is on the Swiss, Italian border and again this hotel comes highly recommended and it's grounds (14 hectares) back onto the lake with it's own private beech.

HTH
Paul.

[markc]

I was thinking of doing the Veuve Cliquot tour, it gets pretty good writeups on Tripadvisor and The Widow is our pop of choice, usually

Been into Verve and the shop but we've not done the full cave tour yet. It's Siobhan's fav bubbly as well. Piper Heidsieck is quite good, it has a nice "train" so that you don't have to walk around the caves.

I don't think I'll actually drive the 'Ring; not 2 up with a car full of luggage etc, and no time to really enjoy it. We'll probably just mooch about and see what's occuring on the track, then head off to make it back to Calais in one schlepp.

cheers, Ewan

It'd be a shame not to go for a lap of the Nordschleife while you're there just to say you've done it, assuming it's a public day of course and you get there in time after that long trip from Fussen. It's really not that scary and you're under no obligation to drive fast.
I'd see how busy it is, have a coffee in the Grune Holle Resturant, chat with a few Brits who're there, try an blag a passenger ride or two and see if you feel comfortable. Maybe early the next morning before heading for home?

The museum at the new circuit is worth going to as well. Get a pic of yoursef sitting in the bronze Maserati 250F scultpure outside the museum building.

Como to Parma can take you past Monza if you plan to skirt Milan to the East. Monza is just North East of Milan and the circuit (Autodromo Nazionale) is set in a big park (Parco di Monza). The park is lovely and has sections of the old unused banked track visable at various points. Worth turning up on spec and seeing if anything's happening on track. When I went back in 2002 there was a Superbike test day in full swing. The sound of a Ducati's hammering down the looooong straights and the sound echo'ing around the trees was superb

I assume you'll be doing the Ferrari/Lamborghini/Pagani/Maserati/Ducati thing or a combo of them while you're down at Bologna? It's all good stuff

Cheers

Mark