A moment behind the wheel

Everywhere

By Emmanuel van den Brûle

April 9^th, 2019

To say that I've been driving a lot over the last few months would be an understatement. Most of my time between work has been spent in some sort of car, from family SUV's to lightweight sports cars. And while I was driving this morning, I tried to remember all the good times I've had lately and thought it might be good to put in writing (and not just keep a shuffled folder of images on my hard drive). Interested? Keep on reading.

This whole streak of test drives started in full swing in September, when I've been invited in Sicily to try the new Jeep Cherokee (for our website called Drivetime, if you don't know it check it out!) The Cherokee wasn't a really big change, but taking it through the sometimes wild, sometimes trashy Sicilian countryside proved how much of a good all-rounder this beast is. Also, it can take a pretty wild beating offroad and not break a sweat.

The next adventure, between Sicily and a pretty busy Zoute Grand Prix, was taking the Volkswagen T-Roc through some Belgian B-roads. For those who don't know, those roads are my raison d'être, the only thing that will get me out of bed before 5AM on a weekend. I had good fun, and enjoyed a pretty light to immortalise a blue car in green landscapes.

The following one was a really good memory. After a failed attempt to review this Megane RS in September that saw a truck destroy the right rearview mirror, the conditions were even better in early November when fall colours were in full swing and we took advantage of one of the only sunny days to drive a few hundred kilometers through the Eifel. Cracking car, lovely day.

Of course I had to include the second rally that we organised with Drivetime. While the first one was already a great success and really good fun, the second one strikes me as an even better memory because of the positive atmosphere, despite the terrible weather. Say what you want about car enthusiasts, nothing will stop them from having fun.

Again a day on Belgian B-roads in a blue car, but an Italian one this time. I expected a lot of this Alfa Giulia, and wasn't disappointed. Those guys south of the Alps really put the fun in a diesel family saloon.

Just after driving the Giulia, I was invited for a day on their development circuit in Balocco, Italy. DAMN. What. A. Day. One of the best memories of the year for sure, taking those really sharp chassis through a twisty track and hearing a symphony of cylinders all day long. Burning rubber always feels good, but this was on another level.

In the same way that I was excited for the Alfa, I had heard so many good things about this Up! GTI (and only had driven it in the city before) that I couldn't wait to try it properly. I took it to the best of the best: the roads of Luxembourg, and that was an awesome moment. Lift-off oversteer everywhere and a cracking little engine. Great recipe.

Here was a completely unexpected crush. The mighty (if you don't know why it is, Google it) Fiat Panda 4x4 was a surprise but it now haunts my dreams. With its explosive two-cylinder engine, its divisive yellow paint and of course its offroad abilities, the Panda was a great moment of fun and quickly earned its spot in my all-time favourites. No joke.

Another offroader, at the beginning of 2019 this time, marked my second meeting with the new Jeep Wrangler. Unstoppable couldn't even describe it. From river to steep muddy hills, it didn't flinch once and got us to unthinkable places. Doesn't it look better in brown too?

Ali Baba's cave. No other words. A quick visit to a semi-private collection of old Porsche got me putting money on the side. It's not yet much, but at least I really know what I need to save for. Or do I?

Another time where the weather didn't do us any favour. With our feet wet from 10AM, we decided to not care and continue blasting through Luxembourg, Germany and the East of Belgium. Top tip: drifting isn't that difficult in an Abarth 124, even when your shoes are soaked.

Maybe not the most exciting car here, but the memories of this windy day where all roads were blocked by trees just can't go away. Massive laughs, cool landscapes and some chainsaws make the best Sundays. Ever.

Now here's the massive crush. If I had to keep one, regardless of price or even practical considerations, it would be this one, no doubt. The new Alpine A110 is the best sports car I've ever driven, not because of its performance but because of its smiling-factor. From people waving on the streets to the most car-unfriendly passengers, every one couldn't help but give a thumbs-up when seeing this car. And in those times where cars are ever more criticised, the least it should do is make us happy.

Of course this story is constantly updating, and every week brings new memories, but these are the ones that I'll remember the most and the moments where I've had the most fun lately. You can keep up with all of these on my Instagram account if that's your thing, because it's usually easier to post a pic than write a complete story. But I'll try to update this website more often cause it feels good to relive all those memories.