Innehållsförteckning för Summer 2016 från Fast Car

It doesn’t matter if you’re a Jap car fan or not. The simple truth is that whatever you’re in to, their car culture would have influenced your car in some way. Whether it’s an OEM option, or an aftermarket part, stuff we now take for granted, like satnavs or punchy small capacity engines. If they didn’t invent it, they would have refined it, made it affordable and brought it to the masses. But what I really love is their enthusiasm for car culture in general. They are nuts about modifying. You just have to look at their modifying subcultures. It’s like nothing else in the world. From Kyusha to Kaido Racers, Shakotan to Dekotora, they literally modify everything, in all different ways. If you’re wondering what those aforementioned scenes are,…

“It ain’t subtle. But it doesn’t half look good” Ever heard of the phrase, ‘the difficult second album’? For those not in the know, it refers to the perceived difficultly various bands and artists have when it comes to producing a decent follow up to a successful, critically acclaimed first record. Why am I prattling on about music in a magazine dedicated to car tuning and culture? Because the phrase can just as easily be applied to various examples of our favourite modified motors, the Subaru Impreza being a prime example. The GC, GF, GM, GD and GG series cars (classic, bug, blob and hawkeye to me and you) enjoyed huge success across the world, so much so that Subaru was understandably inclined to leave the recipe well alone for…

fifteen52 Formula TR Size: 8x16-inch, 9x16-inch PCDs: 4x100, 5x100 Offsets: ET28 and ET30 Finishes: Speed Silver and Carbon Grey FIFTEEN52 FORMULA TR, from £200 (Each) One thing we absolutely love about American firm fifteen52 is they always dare to be different. In fact, that’s most likely why they’re so popular with all the cool kids in the States. Not to mention proper Hoonigan heroes like Ken Block and his nutty motorsport chums. There’s a lot to be said for bravery in design too and that’s exactly what makes these new Formula TRs stand out from the usual crowd of mesh wheels on the market. First appearing on Ryan Tuerck’s Scion FRS in the Formula Drift Series, the ‘TR’ bit stands for ‘thick ring’ and obviously refers to their distinctive lip…

VIBE CVEN V-SERIES ACTIVE BASS ENCLOSURE, £220 This here is the most compact enclosure in the entire VIBE range and, trust me, that’s no mean feat because nowadays these guys make an absolute truckload of different products. Its small stature comes in particularly useful though, it’s designed to get plenty of bass in cars like convertibles and mid/rear engine coupes where space is at an absolute premium. In fact, being only 3-inches high, this one is perfect for stashing away under seats or in rear compartments bringing 120-Watts of grunt in motors where you wouldn’t normally be able to fit any woofer at all. That can only be a good thing, right? What’s also pretty evident is they’ve packed-in plenty of decent tech for such a small, not to mention…

Where and how old were you when you saw your first Fast and the Furious film? If you’re a petrol head and a modified car fan with even the most fleeting of interests in films, then chances are you’ll know exactly where you were when you first met Dom, Brian, Letty and the rest of the gang. Me? Well my introduction to brake calliper-less Jettas, endlessly long gearboxes and suspect tribal vinyl graphics happened back in 2001, when me and a group of mates snuck our way into the Milton Keynes multiplex cinema overloaded with popcorn and coke, and I’ve been a fan ever since. Plenty of you clearly feel the same way, as not only has the F&F franchise grown out of all proportion, but it’s left an indelible…

The Focus ST is a very capable car in stock trim with 225bhp on tap, plus bags of grunt from the Volvo-sourced five-pot. But when an engine responds to a spot of tuning like the I5 Duratec Turbo, it’s simply rude not to indulge in a few performance upgrades! With so many tuning parts available for the ST from a wealth of different tuners, we were faced with the rather pleasing problem of having almost too much choice when deciding which route to take with our competition car. We were after something that would provide a noticeable increase in both power and torque, but wouldn’t lose any of the drivability of the standard car. Therefore we set ourselves the target of finding the best performance package available that retains the…

“Hitoshi’s stuff is very polished, meticulously executed and beautifully refined” Little did I know that those widened and overly winged Porsches I used to see at Tsukuba 10 years or so ago would have become the sensation they are today. No longer relegated within the confines of Japan, Akira Nakai of RAUH-Welt Begriff has been spreading his vision on every corner of the globe. RWB is a brand in serious demand, with a waiting list stretching to almost a year now. That’s because each car, to be truly and authentically identified as an RWB creation, must be put together by Nakai and Nakai only. And with so much demand coming from outside Japan, domestic customers have to get in line too! Thankfully Hitoshi Hoshino got his request in with the…

Tokyo nights It’s hard to get jaded in Japan. I often get asked by people who don’t quite get the whole car obsession, if I ever get tired of covering the same old stuff in Japan. Of course I don’t! If you ask me a silly question like that you probably don’t get it. I may have been doing this for 15 years now, but I’ve barely even scratched the surface of what Japanese car culture has to offer. And no, it’s absolutely nothing akin to what you have seen in The Fast and the Furious. Japan enjoys cars on a far more real basis than Hollywood may want you to believe. It all spans from an inherent way to stand out, a product of their own society that forces…

Let’s get one thing straight: love them or hate them, superbikes are fast. Like stupidly, ridiculously fast. Winding the throttle on a big 1,000cc machine is like spitting on an explosion. There’s a reason people call them ‘crutch rockets’. So when Rukus Customs boss Craig Rukus told us he has raced all sorts of fast bikes in his heavily modified Evo IV and beaten every single one, we were surprised. Partly because this doesn’t look like an Evo IV, it looks more like a VI. But also because that would put his car into a very elite group, one that even supercars struggle to gain membership of. Then he casually mentioned he also rides an eight-second drag bike too, a bored-out and turbocharged GSX-R slingshot no less. Our jaws hit…

The Cultures • Kaido Racers• Shakotan• Vanning• Dekotora• Kei Trucks So you’ve all heard about VIP Style, Liberty Walk and RWB wide arch builds, Bosozoku gang cars and their love of drifting but that’s only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Japanese car culture, they have trends on trends and here are a few of the more obscure ones. Kyusha It may just be the Japanese term for classic car but it’s one that has come to describe the whole scene that surrounds older metal from the land of the rising sun. Screw keeping cars pristine and period correct, the Japanese embrace tuning, resto-modding and evolving old rides to take full advantage of the amazing products that keep being developed to maintain precious heirlooms form yesteryear. It’s a great demonstration of supply…

ROTA REEVE Sizes: .......8.5x18-inch, 9.5x18-inch PCD: .........5x108, 5x100, 5x114 Offset: ......ET20-42 Finishes:..Black, Hyper Black, White ROTA REEVE, FROM £220 (EACH) We’re absolutely loving these race-inspired brand-spankers from Rota UK. A time-honoured multi-spoke design with a sweet concave twist, the Reeve is definitely one of our hot tips for 2016. They’ve been more than a little clever with these ones too because 8.5 and 9.5-inch wide 18s are some of the most versatile sizes out there for modern-ish motors, they’re certainly some of the most popular on the street. They’ve also had the foresight to back this up by offering a few of the most sought-after PCDs for both ‘all-round’ and ‘staggered’ 18-inchers, including the VAG (and Subaru) 5x100PCD and Jap 5x114PCD. Perhaps most crucially though, Rota haven’t overlooked the almost…

Quick fire Questions Age? 28 How long have you been drifting? eight years How long have you been pro? five years Most expensive car you’ve drifted? Bentley GT Favourite UK drift venue? Silverstone and Lydden Hill FC: Hey Baggsy, what brings you to Samco HQ? B: I’m here to pick up the silicon hoses that are going on my 2016 competition car, a PS13 with a Nissan VQ lump. Ah, nice! When’s the PS13 going to be ready? Our first outing should be in Drift Kings, Silverstone. Do you get through a lot of Samco hoses? Not at all – they never fail! They only get changed if Samco want to use a different colour, or if I’m building a new project. If anything, I ask for more pink hose…

You know that feeling when you’re about eight years old and it’s Christmas in the morning? Well, it’s been a long time since I’ve felt excitement like that. I get the odd flutter here and there (normal when he’s in Burger King – Midge), but nothing quite on that scale. Well that was until the boys at MStyle gave me a call and told me to come and get the BM. Whoop, whoop! I’ve been without her for a few weeks as she was given a complete respray in BMW Frozen grey with gloss black detailing. They also added a new bonnet, to give the front end some aggression and some side lips, to help give the illusion of her sitting that little bit lower. While she was there, and…

One important element of rotary ownership is the understanding that, even when you’re convinced one part is broken, chances are it’s actually quite a few more. Last month the RX-7 ended up on a flat bed. By some miracle it wasn’t the dreaded engine failure, but instead no drive from the gearbox (which hadn’t been happy for a while to be fair). Replacement gearbox ordered it seemed like a relatively straightforward fix. That was until I actually looked under the car… A snapped driveshaft complete with a haggard differential case turned out to be the ACTUAL problem. Bugger. Worst of all, this tends to be a common issue with RX-7s due to the amount of play the diff/ gearbox mounts have even when new. Because impending engine doom wasn’t enough…

There’s no getting around the fact that, even for a country blessed with an impressive number and variety of car shows, Wheels Day is unique. Organised by the Surrey Street Rodders, the event has been a constant on the car show calendar for decades. An intriguing mix of cars, car cultures and styles are attracted to Rushmoor Arena, a stone’s throw from Aldershot. Often appearing more like a cross between Glastonbury and a county fete, Wheels Day nevertheless draws a simply awesome mixture of cars, and 2016’s turnout saw some absolute gems. The sheer variety of machines on the day meant it wasn’t uncommon to see a ’69 Charger sharing turf with an ‘oval window’ Beetle, a ‘bubble arched’ Mk1 Escort cosying up with a Dodge pickup, or a Chevy…

That’s right folks, the lovely people at both Eibach and Demon Tweeks have teamed up with us to give you the chance of winning the ultimate chassis upgrade for your ride! Eibach are renowned for making some of the best suspension kit around and with winners and champions in F1, BTCC and the WRC their pedigree isn’t just proven it’s unsurpassed. You too can team up with Eibach to produce the car of your dreams. Whether that’s a show-stopper or a track beast, or indeed a combination of the two, Eibach has the product you need to make your dream a reality. This amazing prize allows you to choose from (where appropriate) Eibach’s vast range of award winning products, be it Pro-Kit or Sportline springs, coilovers, wheel spacers, anti-roll bars…

“Big bodykits, lairy paintjobs or Lexus-style lights. They do what they want” When talking about international car shows, Heaven on Wheels, held at the Cora shopping centre in Anderlecht, Belgium, on the face of it, doesn’t sound that exciting and sounds more like a cruise rather than a full-on car show. But when that show draws in over 2,000 cars internationally, is now in its 13th edition and growing bigger each year, it’s clear the organisers know what they’re doing. We’ve made the trip over for several years now and each time we’re blown away with the standard of cars that attend. And it’s clear to see that standard growing year on year. In the past the show “VIP cars” were placed in separate areas to the rest of the…

“It was filthy, with dents all over it, but it was now or never” You know you want a certain car pretty badly when you’re knocking on elderly people’s doors to see if they’ll part with their example of it for your cash. This exact scenario was taking place a few years ago for Lewis Webb here, who got the urge to bag his own fourth-generation EF-shaped Civic saloon after seeing a few crazy modified examples over in the States. “It’s the only Honda I really like,” he says. “This was before they really exploded in popularity. But I still found it really difficult to find a decent one.” Eventually, Lewis was resigned to the fact that he was better off getting something more sensible, and spent two years rocking…

GRIFFIN SURVIVOR SUMMIT, FROM £35 A recent survey said that 21 percent of consumers would rather break a finger than their mobile phone and that categorically proves that 21 percent of consumers are complete dicks. On the other hand, us 79 percent of normal people don’t really relish the thought of smashing our most important lifestyle companion either. So iPhone users will be particularly pleased to hear Griffin have just developed their most hardcore case yet. The Summit is designed to keep your device safe from drops of up to three metres (tested on solid concrete) along with all the splashes sand and dirt you can throw at it. To put it another way, this could be something of a workshop essential, especially if you happen to be a right…

“A Hollywood hero car built with the best elements of the US stance scene” Inspirational cars and big screen action have always gone hand in hand. It’s a pretty simple concept when you think about it. Everyone loves a cool motor, a high-octane spectacle and a spot of old-fashioned storytelling thrown in for good measure. What the most talented filmmakers strive for however is something more long lasting than instant gratification. The really special stuff is designed to leave a legacy ingrained in our memory and luckily us human beings are infinitely impressionable, even when we think we’re not. You see, the subconscious is a powerful thing. It stores every interaction throughout your entire lifetime and, every now and again, it’s no stranger to chucking a random thought or idea…

“Although I did it for myself, the response has been crazy” When it comes to modifying a small hatch, the Colt has never really been a contender. Even the few that do get modified usually go down the performance route. It means the potential for styling has largely been ignored, leaving the Colt somewhat neglected. Till now. Thankfully, Charley Pollock had the vision to see past the more popular choices, giving this mini Mitsi a mighty makeover and a real chance to shine. Having had two Corsas and a Clio previously, Charley is no stranger to small cars. But this one came about by chance. “I was passing a local car dealership and spotted the Colt,” she says. “I fell in love with it instantly and after a test drive…

I’ve been a very lucky boy this month. Not only did I find £4.59 down the back of the sofa, exactly the price of a medium Big Mac Extra Value Meal (with a Coke and BBQ sauce, in case you were wondering). But I’ve also been up to Scorpion Exhausts for a nice custom pipe. Now I know what you’re thinking, Scorpion don’t sell custom exhausts, right? Well, apart from on touring cars, MotoGP bikes and other such motorsport machinery, you’re correct. They don’t. The thing is though, I’ve known the guys for years and have invested in more than a couple of their stainless steel beauties. So when I was chatting to them about the possibility of developing a three-inch system (for TTs in a slightly higher state of…

STEVEN PACHECO’S LEON CUPRA R FC says : Steven has gone to town tuning his Cupra R, filling it with Gucci parts that have pushed its power to 300bhp! This one may have been built for speed, but it certainly looks the business, too. The candy white hue, 3SDM rims and healthy drop make this one an all round weapon. TECHSPEC SEAT LEON CUPRA R TOP MODS: Stage 2 tuning; Forge internals; ported head and intake manifold; Cobra exhaust system; Wellycooler front mount set up; SFS 80mm oversized turbo intake pipe; polished charge pipe, rocker cover and inlet manifold; Forge baffl ed sump; red silicone piping; Badger 5 remap; 3SDM 0.05 wheels; coilovers; Candy white respray. MARC CUNNINGHAM’S SCOOBY FC says: We had Marc’s Scooby in a few…

COOL CABRIOLETS Static slammed 350Z Beautiful BMW Z3 Sexy S2000 HARDCORE HARDTOPS Awesome Audi TT Evil Evo X Cool Caddy Fruity 5 Series Wicked Golf Wagon SHOWS Wörthersee We head to Austria for the pre-show that’s bigger than the show Japfest Europe’s biggest Japanese car show just got bigger! BONUS Spring Break Cannon Run, posters, show detailing prep guide, products, projects and general car-based awesomeness **Subject to change, just like the weather……