Living the Wide Life: A Day with RWB Hikaru

What happens when you combine German engineering with the ‘roughness’ of a Japanese legend? You get something like this.

This is RWB Hikaru, Nakai-San’s 10th creation under Rauh Welt Begriff Manila. Back in December I had the opportunity to shoot this car for a couple of days. Prior to that, the closest encounter I’ve had with an RWB was seeing them casually parked at local car meets. The fact that I was able to get in one and drive it around Metro Manila streets was an experience on its own though.

I chose to shoot this particular RWB for a number of reasons, the biggest reason being the fact that I’ve seen this car’s evolution from stock form to what it is today. Unfortunately, we have no photos of it before the transformation - but it’s safe to say it was rather tame compared to this.

Like any other RWB, it starts out as a Porsche Carrera until Nakai-San and Car Porn Racing Manila work their magic to affix the new panels. The stock fenders get cut, wheels and suspension replaced, brakes upgraded, and some interior details were added. Some Porsche purists may not be a fan of this and even consider it sacrilegious, but in the company of other exquisite cars in the owner’s collection, this Porsche ought to have something to make it stand out.

To say that this car is “wide” is an understatement. The moment I rolled out of the shop, I instantly knew that taking this to the location of the shoot was going to be a challenge. There was something about the way the 265 and 335 cross section tires make you feel the road through the steering wheel. The Philippines isn’t really known for having the best driving roads in the world, so driving a car this close to the ground also kept me on the edge. Who would want to damage a bodykit that costs more than a normal car in the first place?

Luckily, RWB Hikaru was equipped with an Accuair suspension management system. The suspension had 3 preset heights to choose from - slammed, driving height, and fully lifted. Changing through these presets were quick and easy to access through the remote inside the cabin. Thanks to this piece, going through speed bumps with this car became a lot less terrifying.

StopTech brakes were also installed to complement these 18-inch Work wheels.

With all the changes to the exterior of the car, I am impressed with how the interior kept up with the car’s radical styling. The standard door sidings were replaced with leather door cards, and they even changed the door handle to a door strap. Rennline flooring and footrests were also installed for a much sportier feel. Supposedly a pair of Recaro buckets were to go into the cabin, but it appears the owner left the seats stock for now.

Since it was my first time to closely look at an RWB, I noticed some small details that really completed the look of the car. There was a Rauh Welt Manila logo on the Momo steering wheel, and there was an RWB logo on the ignition as well. But perhaps my favorite detail among them all were the laser etched Rauh Welt Begriff logos on the barrels of the wheels.

To top it all off, Nakai-San signed the dashboard indicating the number of this particular car.

The exterior and interior of RWB Hikaru aside, the best thing about this car is the experience of driving and owning one. Being able to drive a Porsche that wide and close to the ground was definitely something new for me. I was also able to experience first-hand how much attention this car gets while driving around. The current owners of these cars must be used to people staring and taking pictures of their car when driving around the busy streets of Manila.

I personally think that this is a type of car that does not seek the fastest lap times, but presents the driver with an experience like no other. This was a car I never expected to drive in my lifetime, so I am grateful to the owner, Emmanuel Santos, and David Feliciano of DMFDrift for this experience.

The current (and future) owners of these RWBs not only have a car that is guaranteed to turn heads in the street, but the story and novelty of owning one truly makes it one great conversation piece.

Words and Photos by Jaime Miguel Echavez

Porsche Carrera 993 - RWB Hikaru

Engine

• 3.6L M64
• Air-cooled
• Naturally aspirated

Drivetrain

• 4-Speed automatic transmission

Exterior

• RWB front bumper
• RWB front chin
• RWB cannards
• RWB side skirt
• RWB fenders (front and rear)
• RWB Wing

Interior

• Rennline aluminum floor board
• Rennline passenger floor board
• Rennline aluminum pedal set
• Track Mat driver and passenger side
• Momo Prototipo
• Custom leather door cards

Wheels/Suspension/Brakes

• Work Wheels Meister M1 3pc (MGM Center/Bronze Lip/ Gold Studs) 18x10.5” front/ 18x13” rear
• Kumho Ecsta V700 265/35/18 front and 335/30/18 rear
• Airrex Digital Air Suspension struts + AccuAir E Level management
• StopTech big brake kit