People have been modifying cars in all sorts of ways for many, many years. From those pioneering hot-rodders in the 30’s to the modern day tuners, the idea of creating a custom car is far from new. However one name that has risen to prominence in recent times is Akira Nakai from Japan. Ever since he started working on Toyotas in his shed, he’s had a passion for motoring and making truly unique rides that blend art and engineering seamlessly. His current brand, RWB or Rauh Welt Begriff, partly means “Rough World” – a name which he put on his Toyota AE86. Begriff supposedly means “concept”, but I don’t think it’s a word in German so perhaps something was lost in translation when Nakai-san created this brand. Anyway, he specialises in making some truly wild body kits for Porsches, personally fitting all the pieces HIMSELF for clients all over the world. The method in his madness has captured the hearts and minds of automotive artisans, becoming a household name in the process. You cannot talk about cars without mentioning Nakai-san or RWB at least once. His appearance in the Need For Speed 2015 game definitely helped propel his image to new heights, placing himself right next to the icons of car culture. Today’s post will showcase the first RWB 997 built in Australia, finished with a truly stunning colour that everyone can appreciate. Owner Dave wanted to make a statement and it’s fair to say that he has, considering the discussions that went on around the car. Let me show you what it’s all about in this special feature.

The 997 generation Porsche 911 replaced the controversial 996 generation in 2005, and many considering it a return to form for the famed model. This car started life as a standard Cabriolet without any bells or whistles. It wasn’t a wrecker but it wasn’t pristine either, making it the perfect base to build from. In regular guise, the cabriolet wouldn’t turn a lot of heads in the same way that a GT2 RS could with it’s carbon fibre bonnet and aggressive rear aero. Dave knew this and with the new RWB kit released for the 997, a huge opportunity arose to create a truly special car that would set tongues wagging from the Top End to Tassie and beyond.

The car was sent off to Polo Body Works in Braeside for a fresh coat of paint, but the colour was anything but normal. A three coat pearlescent “flip” colour called Midnight Purple from a special edition of the Nissan R34 GT-R that was only sold in Japan. This insane colour changes depending on the lighting conditions and your viewpoint, so even your mum can appreciate it despite not having the strongest connection to the automobile. Successfully applying such a complex colour is no easy task but team at Polo Body Works did and the result is truly stunning. There’s no bad angles and your constantly fascinated by the range of hues that come and go as if by magic. The exclamations made by all the people standing around it was quite amusing to hear, and the constant stream of people taking photos with smartphones and cameras illustrated the gravitas generated by this exquisite build.

Now don’t get me wrong, the colour is excellent but the show wouldn’t be complete without a proper widebody kit. The signature RWB style has been developed over a number of years, primarily with the air cooled variants of the 911 (930, 964 and 993) as they all retain the same basic chassis and proportions. Nakai-san skipped over the first water cooled variant, the 996, and went to the 997 which I suppose is a result of the latter’s controversial styling. His style is influenced by the Porsche racing cars of the 70’s and 80’s, with flared wheel arches (more so in the back) to put the power of the rear-engined turbocharged flat six down. This was especially true in the case of the iconic 935. Nakai-san has adapted the aesthetic of the legendary racing cars to a modern piece of machinery, and the result is nothing short of spectacular. The way it sits on those massive tyres is just perfect, with an excellent fitment courtesy of some professional suspension tuning. Wheel and tyre fitment is one is those things that can make or break a modified car. If it’s done poorly it looks like shit, but when it’s done right, it’s extremely satisfying. They tuck into those massive wheel arches flawlessly, underlining the attention to detail that Nakai-san puts into every build. He’s a master craftsman who honestly creates pieces of art that should be placed in the National Gallery. However Nakai-san would probably disagree as he wants his cars to be driven and not stuffed in the back of a garage. That’s the beauty of it all.

Complimenting the widened body is a set of deep-dish 5 spoke wheels, also made by RWB, finished in gunmetal grey and copper. These wheels are far detached from the silver and black that you’ll usually see on other cars. Dave chose well because they don’t overpower the body colour and show the drilled brake discs with red calipers. Contrast is an important artistic principle which must be considered if you want each element to stand out on it’s own and not cast others into shadow so to speak. Dave must have some level of creative understanding, as the wheels create a good level of contrast compared to the body colour. Bloody hell, I can’t say enough good things about this car. Oh, and one other thing, that ducktail spoiler is a fantastic little finisher that wraps up a truly sublime package. Not too stupid but not too small either, helping to offset the dramatically widened bodywork and track.

This car won’t destroy the decibel readings, it won’t destroy other sports cars in a straight line and it won’t burn it’s tyres in a massive cloud of smoke, but that’s not the point. It’s about the way the car drives, so the engine has been left mostly untouched, with the only modification being a different air filter. This is not a case of all show and no go, unlike a lot of the builds you might see at MotorEx or Summernats. Or, going even further back, a Mitsubishi Lancer from the Australian Auto Salon with the ugliest interior you’ve ever seen, too much power and no grip. Some of you may remember the days of Sex-spec car, and then want to forget them immediately. All that aside, I compliment a well-rounded build where the main objective is to make yourself and others happy without pissing off the people who don’t like the combustion engine.

I also have to mention the cleanliness of this modification. You wouldn’t think that it was put together by one guy because everything looks solid. All the pieces have been laid onto the original body with a supreme level of care that only a steady par of hands could muster. However it’s not just clean because of the installation, but rather the design of the kit itself. The original body lines are kept intact and the bumpers are smooth pieces that aren’t disrupted by extra lines or an unruly number of appendages. You can immediately tell that this car is a Porsche.

I’d have to say that being able to capture this car was something that filled me with enormous pride. There aren’t many cars that can garner the approval of everyone who comes across it, so being able to see one which does is fantastic. This was the car’s first official public outing after it was shown at Polo Body Works, and seeing it amongst some of the rarest Porches in Melbourne at Art Neun made the early start completely worth it. What a machine Dave, I hope you never let it go.