Driven #40:- Honda Civic Sport '03

 

The Honda Civic Type R is the stuff of legends. Quietly, the initial EK9 iteration started to accumulate on British roads in the late ‘90s, beloved by a small group of “in the know” motorists. Then, when the replacement EP3 touched down in 2001, it suddenly hit the big time. It was nothing short of superb. It became the pin-up for aspiring teenagers who wanted a bit of banzai high-rev Japanese fun, a reputation was built, values stayed firm and insurance escalated.

It wasn’t for everyone. While brilliant, it was a car that demanded a lot of you. Personally, I wouldn’t have been able to live with one day to day. Awesome fun on the right road, but tedious on the 70mph crawl to work. Happily, Honda provided a second way.

The Honda Civic Sport. The Lo-cal, half-fat, pussy option.

 

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Driven #32:- Honda S2000

Note: I have also published the content below on Hooniverse.com

I'm not easily embarrassed. I can't afford to be, really; my height, Sideshow Bob feet, stupid hair and laughable fashion sense combined with my propensity for making stupid jokes make being thick skinned an essential defence mechanism. As a result, I can do things that are quite phenomenally idiotic because I don't fear looking a complete fool.

Usually.

On this beautiful sunny June day, I am in the company of a svelte, trim Honda S2000 roadster on a Sainsbury's fuel forecourt, but instead of enjoying all the envious glances, I wish the ground would swallow me up. For all my experience driving the good, bad and ugly, never before have I so comprehensively failed to open a fuel filler cap.

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