The 2009 Tokyo Auto Salon kicked off last January 9 at the Makuhari Messe. Being the biggest custom car show in Japan, it attracted more than 600 car displays and dozens of exhibitors showcasing the latest in tuning and modifications.

Arguably the two hottest machines in the show were the world beating R35 Nissan GTR as well as the newly announced Nissan 370Z (Z34). Despite being barely two months old, several tuners were already on hand to display modifications done to the latest iteration of Nissan’s Z Car. Companies such as Fujitsubo, Sunline Racing, Impul, Cockpit, etc. all had their modified Z’s on display. Zele International had a pair of matching orange R35 GTR and Z34. The two cars were being sold by Zele in limited numbers as completely built, pre-tuned machines.

Also incredibly popular were Mitsubishi’s new Evolution X and Subaru’s STI. Several companies were on hand displaying modifications available for the two rally-bred machines. One of the more interesting Evos was the HKS CZ200S Evo X. It actually wasn’t part of the Auto Salon itself but was displayed outside rather inconspicuously. The white Evo barely had any graphics on it but a closer look revealed just how much HKS has been able to squeeze out of the current Evo. Just a week before the Auto Salon, HKS took the Evo to Tsukuba and with Super GT driver Nobuteru Taniguchi behind the wheel, the car was able to hit the 59+ second barrier, making it the fastest Evo X in Tsukuba.

The Hondas also made a large showing in TAS 2009. Honda Motors Corp. brought out its Fit and S2000 Modulo concept as well a FD Civic Type R Super Taikyu race car. Renowned Honda tuner J’s Racing brought out their Fit (Jazz) and a nice widebody AP1 S2000 designed to commemorate the model’s 10th anniversary. It’s hard to believe that the S2000 is already 10 years old, with countless companies still churning out parts and modifications for it. Arguably the most impressive Honda at this year’s event was the Mugen NSX RR Concept. Outfitted with a full Super GT style widebody kit, Mugen pulled out all the stops, even replacing the standard 3.2 liter NA engine with a 2.4 liter supercharged one.

This year’s Tokyo Auto Salon also featured an “Import Auto Salon”, a separate event catering to mostly non-Japanese vehicles. Popular European cars such as the BMW E92 M3, Porsche 911 series, as well as supercars from Mercedes and Audi were all on display. Some of the more outstanding cars included the ASI equipped widebody Bentley Continental GT, the Rauh-Welt flat black Porsche 930, and two diamond-encrusted Mercedes Benz SL series convertibles.

The Tokyo Auto Salon has traditionally been the place where new cars from the most talented and popular drifters were unveiled. This year was no different as two of the most anticipated new machines were unveiled for the first time. Nobushige Kumakubo of Team Orange showed off his RWD Evolution X for the first time. The car was able to give a few demonstration runs outside to the delight of the crowd. Takahiro Ueno of T&E unveiled his BMW E92 M3, complete with a full widebody kit from T&E’s Vertice Design series. The car was a distinct departure from Ueno’s usual bright red Toyota Soarer drift car. However it wasn’t entirely different as the BMW has had its original 4.0 V8 engine replaced with a 3.1L 2JZGTE engine, similar to the engine used in his previous Soarer.

With all the news about the global economy and the losses incurred by most major auto manufacturers, the 2009 edition of the Tokyo Auto Salon seemed to bring some sort of good news. As the automotive tuning and modification industry proved to be alive and well.

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When the Nissan 350Z was first introduced in 2002, it quickly became an instant hit. The combination of its striking good looks, adequate 3.5 liter V6 engine, and very competent chassis drew praises from the automotive world. With the demise of the inline six engines due to emissions, tuners also found a new market with the V6 engine of the 350Z.

This particular 350Z is a special 35th Anniversary Edition that Nissan built to commemorate the 35th Anniversary of the debut of the Datsun 240Z. It has a slightly more powerful engine than normal Z’s, with other changes mostly with aesthetics.

The owner of this yellow example certainly wasted no time in upgrading an already potent car. On the engine side, a Blitz exhaust manifold is partnered with an Espelir JGT500 exhaust system to produce a sound that rumbles at idle, but screams up top. Additional modifications to the VQ35 engine include Skunk 2 high rise plenum spacer, HKS oil cooler, ARC Titanium Radiator Cooling Plate, as well as a custom titanium airbox built by the people at Autoplus Sportzentrium in Mandaluyong.

The 350Z already has very good handling as attested to by different publications. But to make this Z handle even better, a set of Tein Type Flex coilovers was added. Since the car already came with Brembo brakes, only a set of Project Mu brake pads were added to make stopping distances a little bit shorter.

With an already gorgeous car, some aesthetic modifications were added including Mine’s Carbon Fiber front lip, Mine’s carbon fiber air inlet, Nismo carbon fiber B pillar garnish, as well as a menacing Esprit carbon fiber rear wing.

With the Z’s already wide stock body and RWD platform, nothing less but the biggest and lightest wheels will do. In this regard, a set of staggered 19 inch Volk Racing TE37 wheels were used; they measure 8.5 inches up front and 9.5 at the back. These are paired with 265/35R19 Bridgestone Potenza S-03 Front Tires and 285/30R19 Bridgestone Potenza S-03 Rear Tires.

On the street, the car rides like a dream. The suspension is firm but very compliant even in rough roads. It is on the track that this machine really stands out. Body roll is kept to a minimum while the torque of the engine ensures adequate power going out of corners, even in low rpms.

Engine: Blitz Exhaust Manifold, Espelir JGT500 Exhuast System, Blitz Air Filter, Skunk2 High Rise Plenum Spacer, HKS Oil Cooler, ARC Titanium Radiator Cooling Plate, Autoplus Titanium Airbox
Suspension: TEIN Type Flex Coilovers, Brembo Brakes, Project Mu Brakepads
Interior: NISMO GT Shift Knob
Exterior: MINE's Carbon Fiber Front Lip, MINE's Carbon Fiber Air Inlet, Esprit Carbon Fiber Rear Wing, NISMO Carbon Fiber B Pillar Garnish
Wheels: 19 x8.5 Volk Racing TE-37 Front Wheels, 19 x9.5 Volk Racing TE-37 Rear Wheels, 265/35R19 Bridgestone Potenza S-03 Front Tires, 285/30R19 Bridgestone Potenza S-03 Rear Tires

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The Porsche GT3 is the road going homologation of what is arguably Porsche’s most successful racecar. It is designed to be the perfect racecar for the street, combining decent road-going civility with excellent trackday dynamics.

This particular GT3 is of the body type 997, the newest body for Porsche’s Carrera line of sports cars. Unlike most Porsches seen on the streets though, this car has been extensively modified to extract even more performance.

The heart of the GT3 lies in its 3.6 liter dry sump flat-six engine producing 415hp with the ability to rev till 8000+ rpm. Extracting more power from this normally aspirated and highly strung engine is no simple task. This particular example has a fabspeed intake and a custom exhaust system fitted. The custom exhaust maximizes airflow out of the engine, but it also gives a more important benefit than simply extra horsepower, it is lighter by 40 lbs as compared to the stock exhaust. In a car that weights just close to 3,200 lbs and with the engine at the back, a 40lb. reduction is a big one.

There are also some aesthetic modifications that may not be immediately obvious, carbon mirrors, carbon rear wing, Rennline mats and pedals. The car rides on ultra exclusive 19 inch Volk Racing TE-37 wheels. The wheels and tires used now are lighter than the stock ones by 60lbs. This reduction in unsprung weight translates to quicker acceleration and better braking.

The result is a car that can easily do more than 300km/h as has been proven several times. Project Mu brake pads help to make sure that the car will stop when needed.

This particular 997 GT3 epitomizes the racing legacy of Porsche. By throwing in additional modifications to make the car quicker, stop faster, and handle better, the result is a car that’s, for lack of better words, bad ass. And let’s not forget how ferocious it looks…

Engine: 3.6-liter Porsche factory tuned flat-six engine, Fabspeed Intake, Custom Lightweight Exhaust System
Suspension: Project Mμ Brake Pads
Interior: Carbon Fiber GT-3 Seats, GT-3 Clubsport Package, Rennline Sport Pedals, Rennline Floor Mats
Exterior: Carbon Fiber Wing, Carbon Fiber Side Mirrors
Wheels: 19 x 8.5 Volk Racing TE37 for Porsche front and 19 x 12 rear Wheels, Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 235/35/R19 front and 305/30/R19 rear tires

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The Nissan 200SX, or more popularly known as the Nissan Silvia, has gotten a bit of a surge in popularity over the past few years. The emergence of drifting, as well as the anime Initial D, has made the 200SX a legend. Here in the Philippines, 2nd hand units are commanding high prices despite the car being around 10 years old. Being a 2 door coupe and seeing as how Nissan Philippines only imported a limited number of units, making a Silvia stand out from the crowd should not be too difficult of a proposition.

The S14 Silvia you see here is the result of meticulous attention to detail. Starting life as a completely stock green unit, the car has transformed to a red hot coupe that is bound to turn heads. Since most units imported by Nissan were equipped with an Automatic Transmission, the first order of the day for this Silvia was a Manual Transmission conversion. With that taken care of, careful attention was paid to extracting the most power out of the already potent SR20DET. A Turbonetics T04E turbine is matched to a Greddy 24R Intercooler and Greddy E-manage to force feed the engine. A Sard fuel regulator and Sard 550cc high flow injectors take care of the fueling needs. Finally, a full 3-inch exhaust system with titanium Espelir muffler finishes off the engine work, yielding an astonishing 308 horsepower and 298 lb-ft of torque at the wheels.

Power is nothing without control, but in the case of the Silvia, people usually want to lose a bit of control by drifting. Tein Type HE Drift Spec Coilovers were installed on all four corners to better instigate oversteer. Tein, Nismo, and Greddy bars and braces add to the stiffness of the chassis. A Brembo brake system from a R34 Nissan Skyline GTR was installed at the front and coupled with Endless brake pads to ensure that if the going gets too tough, the brakes will always bite.

Arguably, the thing that sets this Silvia apart from most is the exterior. A full M Sports widebody kit including front and rear bumpers, front and rear oversized fenders contribute to the hulking stance of the car. M Sports carbon fiber front canards and diffuser adds to front downforce while a Sard carbon fiber GT Wing adds downforce to the rear. Finishing touches include M Sports carbon fiber hood and C-West GT style carbon fiber mirrors. A bright shade of red was painted over the car by the professionals from Alex Car Restoration. Finally, a set of rare and wide 18 x 9.5 Volk Racing CE28N wheels were mounted on the front while an even wider pair of 18 x 10.5 were mounted on the rear.

The interior is kept simple but all parts installed are of the highest quality. BRIDE ZETA II seats ensure that the driver and passenger are kept snuggly in place during wild oversteering maneuvers. A Nismo JTC Steering wheel and Nismo GT shift knob is utilized while Sard gauges ensure timely monitoring of engine vitals.

With a Silvia that looks and performs like this car, it’s no wonder that Nissan’s sports coupe is as popular as ever.

Engine: SR20DET, Turbonetics T04-E turbine, Blitz Exhaust Manifold, Espelir JGT500 Muffler with full 3-inch exhaust system, GReddy 24R Intercooler, GReddy E-Manage, GReddy Blow-off Valve, Tial Waste Gate, SARD Fuel regulator, SARD 550cc high flow injectors, GReddy Radiator Cap, GReddy Oil Cap, GReddy Oil Catch Tank, ARC Titanium Cooling Panel, 308whp, 298lb-ft dyno'd at Autoplus
Suspension: TEIN Type HE Drift Spec Coilovers, TEIN Tension Rod, NISMO Power Brace, GReddy Front Tower Bar, GReddy Rear Tower Bar, R34 GT-R Brembo Front Brakes with Endless Pads
Interior: Bride ZETA II Seats, NISMO JTC Steering Wheel, NISMO GT Shift Knob, 5Zigen Pedals, GReddy Turbo Timer, SARD Gauges (Boost, Oil Temp)
Exterior: M Sports Carbon Fiber Hood, M Sports Carbon Fiber Canards and Front Diffuser, M Sports Full Widebody Kit, SARD GT Rear Wing, C-West Carbon Fiber GT Mirror, HID Xenon Headlamps
Wheels: 18x9.5 RAYS Volk Racing CE28N front wheels, 18x10.5 RAYS Volk Racing CE28N rear wheels, Volk Racing Lugnuts, Dunlop SP9000 tires

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In the world of car tuning, most people are happy with bolt-ons and simple aesthetic mods. Few enthusiasts take the route of changing their car to become something else. We’ve all seen how creative people here modify one brand of car to look like a totally different one, but few have gone the painstaking route of a conversion of this caliber.

At first glance you might think that this is a normal Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI Tommi Makinen edition. The truth is, this car is a humble 1997 automatic transmission Lancer GL daily driver that was painstakingly converted to an Evo TM edition. The reason behind this was because the owner found the license plates to have sentimental value. But before we get to the details, a quick history of the Evo TM edition is in order.

The Evolution VI Tommi Makinen edition is a limited edition run produced by Mitsubishi in 1999, named after the famous rally driver. Difference from the standard Evo 6 include a larger intercooler, redesigned front bumper, high performance muffler, special tarmac tuned suspension, redesigned alloy wheels, a titanium turbo tuned for better low end response, and special Recaro interior. These changes produce subtle improvements in acceleration and handling.

The owner of this lancer was fortunate enough to get his hands on complete TM Edition EVO parts. Some of the things changed include the fenders, flares, bumpers, hood, doors, and trunk. The interior was also converted to full TM edition. But the most remarkable thing is that the entire powertrain and drivetrain from the Evo 6 was swapped in to this normal Lancer. The work proved difficult and required several modifications to the chassis. The end result however, is an Evo that you wouldn’t even imagine was a normal Lancer a few months back. The entire 4WD drivetrain, Evo suspension, and 2.0 turbocharged engine was swapped in. Even the paint matches and a set of the special WRC-red livery on real deal Evo 6 TM editions was ordered from Japan to make it complete. Right now the car is still stock save for an upgraded exhaust system, HKS boost gauge, and some Cusco chassis stiffening parts, but plans are underway for more modifications.

“This project was quite a challenge for me. But I am very proud of what it has become. This painstaking conversion also required getting some parts from another Evo which we were luckily able to source to make it complete. We really wanted the conversion to be right, no shortcuts,” said Mr. Adel Ayroso, who took charge for the conversion of this vehicle to a monster.

The owner spent quite a significant amount of time and money on this conversion, but the results speak for themselves. This is one Evo I wouldn’t mind having.

Engine: 4G63T Tommi Makinen Edition, Custom stainless exhaust manifold and downpipe, Custom stainless exhaust system, Turbosmart Blow-off Valve
Suspension: Cusco front tower bar, Cusco front cross bar
Interior: Evo VI TME front and rear seats, Evo VI TME sidings, Ralliart Shift Knob, Evo VI TME instrument panel
Exterior: Evo VI TME front bumper, fenders, hood, Evo VI TME doors and rear flares, Evo VI TME rear bumper, trunk and rear spoiler, Evo VI TME Makinen decals
Wheels: 17x7.5 Evo VI TME Pearl White wheels, Bridgestone Potenza RE-01 tires

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For most devoted fans of Japanese supercars, the Nissan Skyline GT-R is considered to be the most desirable of them all. The combination of its potent twin turbocharged engine, ATTESA all-wheel drive, and HICAS 4-wheel steering ensures immaculate performance whether in the straight line or through corners. The fact that it was never made in LHD just adds to the exclusivity and appeal. It is known by car enthusiasts simply as “Godzilla”.

This particular example is one of the most extensively modified Nissan Skyline GT-Rs in the world. The base car is a R34 GTR VSPEC II Nür, which is a limited edition final run of the GT-R before Nissan decided to stop production. The car was sent to Skyline Motors in California which worked on the LHD conversion for almost one year. There are two reasons the GT-R is extremely difficult to convert to LHD. The first one is difficulty in finding the right dashboard. Since there was never any LHD GT-Rs, most choppy conversions used the dashboard from an Altima. This was simply unacceptable to the owner. Skyline motors fabricated an immaculate carbon fiber dashboard wrapped in leather. Looking at the interior, you would never believe that this car was converted. The second reason for the difficulty is Nissan purportedly placed the turbos in the space where the steering column would be should the car be converted. This was taken care of through a special order steering rack from Nismo and custom downpipe work from Skyline Motors.

After the conversion was done, the car was shipped to Croydon Racing Developments in Australia for the engine work. Croydon racing is responsible for building the third fastest GT-R in the world (fastest outside of Japan) and they have used their experience and capability to build this beast. A custom ordered Jun 2.7 liter engine and a pair of HKS turbos were utilized to build power. Other engine pieces include a custom ignition system, a custom ARC 4” exhaust system, and Motec M800 for engine management. An especially nice touch is the custom fueling system Croydon racing made with switches and a fuel cell in the trunk of the car. To enable the car to get the power to the ground properly and ensure good quarter mile times, a custom sequential transmission was ordered from Hollinger. An OS Giken Quad Plate clutch is responsible for hard first gear launches (the clutch isn’t needed except when taking off from first gear and reverse). A Jun modified drag coilver system is utilized at all four corners.

After 2 years of painstaking work, this GT-R arrived in Manila July of 2004. The car was immediately treated to aesthetic improvements such as a Nismo carbon fiber hood, Electra carbon fiber trunk, Mines carbon fiber side mirrors, Veilside side skirts, and a set of very exclusive 18-inch Nismo LM-GT4 wheels in Black JGTC centerlock style.

After strenuous sessions on the dyno, this GT-R was tuned to a ’safe’ 700whp for street use on local high octane pump fuel with 1.5 bar of boost. The potential of this car is much more and is estimate to produce about 1000whp with C-16 race fuel and a higher amount of boost. With this amount of power, a set of special ordered Project Mu front and rear brakes were called in for stopping duties.

This Skyline GT-R may very well be the most powerful car in the country today.

Engine: JUN fully prepped 2.7L RB26DETT Race Engine, Motec M800 w/ datalogger & adv. lambda, Blitz SBC ID2 Dual Boost Controller, HKS GT3240 Twin Turbo Kit, Trust BOV, HKS tubular stainless steel exhaust manifold, HKS racing wastegate, Custom ARC 4" Titanium Exhaust System, Apex-i Drag VMAX SPL Intercooler, JUN Oil Pump, CRD 9-litre sump
Suspension: JUN Drag suspension shock absorber and spring, JUN rear drag cross member, Nismo front and rear stabilizer bars, Nismo front strut bar
Interior: Nismo white face gauges, Nismo MFD2 upgrade, Custom CRD Shifter, Custom LHD Conversion, Leather wrapped custom carbon fiber dashboard
Exterior: Top Secret front bumper, Nismo carbon fiber hood, Electra rear carbon fiber trunk, Veilside side skirts, Nismo rear carbon fiber spoiler plane, Mine’s side mirrors
Wheels: 18 x 9.5 NISMO LM-GT4 Black Limited II (JGTC Center Lock Style), Bridgestone Potenza RE55S Intermediate tires

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