I’m in Ireland; there’s a group of lads contemplating a cross Europe trip which will finish at “The Ring” towards the end of the summer. I’m finished college in May and have a job sorted so all going well I should have a mint S15 Nissan Sivia imported direct from Japan just before the trip. I’m driving one of it’s baby brothers at the minute so won’t be goin unless I have the Silvia. Check out my ride page if you like, http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2647155 , thats where the pictures will be posted if I go….

Colin, with a Silva, where in the world are you?

Allen, the 440 refers to the model (220, 330, 440) not the displacement. All Americans, up to the second half of 1966 were 6-cylinder. Basically this was a Top 10 driving roads story; I simply listed the cars I drove each with, with the exception of number 10, which I will be driving next month.

The Scotland drive would’ve been nice, but I think I’ll do it in a 3 series coupe.

And BTW, your car list is not bad at all, its a little full of cars with not sporting-soul at all, and next paycheck if I were you I’d put some money down on an S5 or something. But I respect the 64 440, had one myself once…. well it was a Rambler Convertible but it wasn’t a 440 engine. A school bus would fly by me in that car in a blur of yellow.

Colin, I would suggest that just to familiarize yourself with the ‘ring, the video game will help…a bit. Next would be, before you drive the track, to schedule a ride in the BMW Ring Taxi. Not sure what the cost would be, but I’m sure you can find out easy enough at one of BMW’s European sites. And before you start your planning process be sure to check out Ben Lovejoy’s execllent Nurburgring web site at http://www.nurburgring.org.uk/. There you will find many resources – including the public days schedule – that I’m certain will make your trip more enjoyable as well as safer. Once you’re on the track, take a few laps to just get the feel of the place, soak it all in; you’re not in any sort of a race. Try, as I did, to simply try to take the best possible line and try to make progress with each lap. Be careful of faster cars overtaking you and watch out for the guys on the bikes. Driving the ‘ring is like a free-for-all and every time I’ve been there I’ve seen accidents. You’ll pay through the nose if you wreck and remember, NO car rental insurance anywhere in Europe will cover you if you wreck.

Good luck and tell me all about it when you get back.

Great article, dream job… Ranks up there with the lads at Top Gear who race Veyrons across Europe for the sake of it! Have you got any tips to anybody, who doesn’t have Armin Hahne to give them several laps of instruction, heading to Germany to tackle the Ring? I will be doing a few laps later this year in an S15, if I ever get the money together to get one!

OK, first, to Ted, the original list is in no particular order. These are the drives and the cars I’ve made each trip in. The drives should be ranked 1 to 10 in the order of the text and photos. I’ll ask the cardoamin.com online editors to edit and re-order the list. And when you come to think of it, how can these drives really be ranked 1 to 10? On any given day…

I actually flipped a coin for one and two, the Challenger drive won. Both were singular drives. And yes Ted, I am warped!

To Bryan and any others interested, here’s a list of my current fleet of cars:

1964 AMC Rambler American 440 convertible 196-6
1968 AMC Rambler Rogue 2-door hardtop 290-V8
1969 AMC Rambler American 440 station wagon (B-scheme SC/Rambler paint) 290-V8
1969 Kaiser Jeep Super Wagoneer 350-V8 (OE Buick)
1969 Mercury Colony Park 10-passenger station wagon 429-V8
1978 AMC Concord Hatchback 304 V8
1984 IRM Pontiac Fiero 150-4 (First Fiero SEMA car)
1988 AMC Eagle station wagon 258-6
1988 Pontiac Fiero 150-4 (has prototype electronic power steering system)

Yes, I know what some of you would say, if I sold them all I could buy one really nice car, say an BMW M3 or something like that but as I get invited to a lot of press events, I drive just about everything with four wheels.

I would like to invite you all to venture over to Automotive Traveler and check out what we’re doing. A direct link to issue 1 is:

automotivetraveler.com/magazine

There you’ll find the details in depth on drive #6 which could just have been #3, the drive in the 599 from Lima to Quito.

I’m glad my list has sparked some comments. Feel free to add some of your own great drive/car itineraries.

Maaaaan… I’m being perfectly honest when I say I would give body parts to drive the ring in a GT. I’m not talking auto body parts, either.

The Nurburgring in a Ford GT ranked 7th? beneath such things as an undetermined base rental car in the UAE?
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Either this list is in no particular order, or this guy is very experienced BUT very warped.