How to modified car?

But what is it about Japanese cars in particular that holds such an appeal?

“If you want a fast, sensible car that ticks all the boxes you’d go for a German car, ” says Mark Riccioni, professional car photographer and Japanese car fan. “But there’s something of the underdog about Japanese cars, and the tuning culture around them is wilder and more relaxed than it is for European cars. Plus you’ve got the influence of driving games like Gran Turismo and Need for Speed introducing young people to both the cars and tuning firms like Spoon and HKS.”

But not every face at Japfest is fresh. Ed Green and his wife, like me, closer to 50 than 20, are here in their menacing black previous-shape Honda Civic Type R, and have their eyes on the latest 306bhp turbocharged version. Richard Monk has just taken delivery of his and has already started planning a multi-thousand pound spend on a car that’s the fastest production car round the old Nürburgring as it stands.

One thing seems certain. Although the once massive Max Power magazine was forced to shut its doors in 2010, it wasn’t a lack of passion among enthusiasts that caused its demise. The modified car scene is alive and kicking.