If you were asked to think of some cars that you consider to be staples within the Japanese tuning scene, what would you come up with? Would it be fan favorites like that of the Toyota Supra or the Nissan Skyline? Or would you prefer to talk about the blue-collar heroes like that of the Honda Civic and the Subaru BRZ? No matter what you come up with, there probably is a good chance that you wouldn't mention Porsche; after all, they are German, right?
While they are very much Germanic, that hasn't stopped heavily modded versions from popping up all over Japan's streets, race circuits, and car meets. If you're wondering why this is happening, you can probably thank a company named RAUH-Welt BEGRIFF (RWB) for this phenomenon, as they have made quite a name for themselves within the niche segment of Porsche tuning in Japan.
Let's take a look at everything you need to know about Japan's premier Porsche tuning company RAUH-Welt BEGRIFF.
An Enthusiast Named Akira Nakai Started The Company
Throughout the mid-1990s, a man by the name of Akira Nakai was becoming more and more relevant within the automotive world via his involvement with the Rough World Drift Crew.' While in the group, he would also work at a local body shop, which allowed him to fund this slightly expensive hobby. Additionally, this would also allow him to explore the limits of his own car (a Trueno AE86), as well as expose him to plenty of Porsche 911s.
This combination of experience and exposure would lead Nakai to purchase a damaged Porsche 930 and restore it to his liking. The result was the creation of the first RWB Porsche, which was named 'Stella Artois' (after his favorite beer). Soon after this, in 1997 in the town of Chiba-Ken, Nakai would officially start RAUH-Welt BEGRIFF (or "rough world"), which was likely named after his old drift crew.
It's Basically The Rocket Bunny Of Porsches
Although no two RWB Porsche 911s are exactly the same, the company does employ a general recipe when it comes to designing their vehicles. Specifically, this involves significant changes to the body, which almost always includes a widened track width. Additionally, RWB also swaps out the bumpers, side skirts, and spoilers to produce a truly unique and eye-catching appearance.
Further, Nakai's company also offers a variety of optional extras for those who truly want to differentiate themselves from the crowd. This includes everything from minute details like that of adding rivets and canards to fenders and bumpers to that of adjusting and installing specialized suspension. Basically, when all is said and done, clients are left with a seemingly brand new vehicle.
More Than 1,300 Porsches Have Received The RWB Treatment
One of the most interesting business practices of RWB, is the fact that they will only create one RWB Porsche for each customer. Apparently, the rationale behind this rule is the fact that Nakai bases his design on a combination of both the customer's personality and his own. Essentially, he is saying that the car he makes for you, is as perfect as it'll get. So, as a result of all of this, if you're lucky enough to own an RWB you can rest assured that you won't be seeing another car on the road that looks exactly like yours.