FlashBackFriday to when I first drove a Civic Type-R

As I’m testing the current Honda Civic Type-R here’s the pants-soiling story of when I first drove one!

#FlashBackFriday to the first time I drove a Type-R – it was at the UK launch of the EP3 Civic Type-R in 2001 on the Isle of Man, where we got to thrash it on the TT Course with the roads closed off just for us, and Police Honda Accord Type-R sweep cars – although perhaps not quite ‘closed’ enough!

Just as I started to gain confidence and began to cut the apexes using the opposite side of the road, a little old hatchback (I vaguely remember that maybe it was a VW Polo) came trundling down the hill from the other direction!

Turns out he was on some side road that had already been shut because of foot-and-mouth disease and wasn’t supposed to have been there. Having survived dicing with 12 Type-Rs driven by mad journalists up the mountain, he got to the bottom of the road a nervous wreck and was promptly arrested!

The police in the Accord’s were extremely apologetic to us and sincerely hoped it hadn’t spoiled our enjoyment of the car and the road – well it may have spoiled my underwear, but certainly not the fun I had that day!

I fell in love with the Isle of Man right then, but sadly have not been back since. One day… in the current Type-R maybe… oh wouldn’t that be epic?! #FBF