Inside the Hidden World of RWB With Akira Nakai and eBay Motors

The renowned car designer traveled to Canada to enhance a Porsche 997.

Automotive 
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Akira Nakai is a legendary Japanese car designer and owner of famed Porsche tuner garage RAUH-Welt BEGRIFF (RWB). While he’s globally renowned for his iconic RWB wide-body kit modifications on classic Porsche models, he’s also respected in Japan’s car tuner scene, racing and drifting his custom Toyota AE86. Nakai’s signature design is his knack for lowered body profiles alongside super-sized arches and wheels. Throughout his career redesigning cars at body shops, Nakai developed a deep interest in classic Porsche 911 models.

Just this August, Nakai traveled to Canada to work on a special Porsche 911 for a lucky customer – it was the first commissioned 997 project Nakai built outside of Japan. In addition to applying his signature wide-body RWB kit to the Porsche 911 (997.1), the car was made drivable and aesthetically unique to the owner’s liking with parts sourced from eBay Motors. This included aggressive camber plates, carbon fiber headlight covers, a difficult-to-source rear deck cover and mirror covers, and even a stereo unit with Android Auto.

Since RWB Porsches are extremely low with 13”+ wide tires on the rear, highly-specific camber plates were a must-have for this build. Luckily, the camber plates were ordered on eBay.ca/motors from a Porsche manufacturer in Germany and arrived within days, emphasizing the platform’s effectiveness for being an efficient global marketplace customers can trust. The specialized carbon fiber headlight covers, rear deck and mirror covers were also hard to come by but they were eventually ordered with ease all thanks to an international seller from eBay Motors’ global community.

RWB body kits are holy grails in the world of auto modifications. These days, fans and enthusiasts mimic the low profile and wide-wheeled aesthetic popularized by designers like Nakai. However, to acquire the highly-rated accessories and be considered an official RWB-modified Porsche, one must have their model assembled by Nakai. Only a select few are lucky enough to be able to commission Nakai for his impressive workmanship. Nakai heading to Canada for a customer is the stuff of dreams for the truest Porsche customization enthusiast.

Nakai’s legacy in car design all started when he purchased his very own Porsche 911 930. He revamped the car by lowering the chassis, adding a rear wing spoiler, wide fender arches and custom wheels. The wide body result was an exaggerated aesthetic, but ultimately blended the best of Japanese and European design. The personalized kit gained local recognition and fanfare, rallying niche car communities around the globe. Nakai eventually opened a body shop devoted to crafting his now popularized RWB wide body modifications kit for vintage Porsche models, replete with personalized, one-of-a-kind accents. Additionally with eBay Motors’ global marketplace and community readily available today, designers like Nakai are not only able to source rare parts from sellers, but also connect with a wide network of like-minded fans who can share tips and tricks when it comes to customizing cars.

Tuner culture is now a global phenomena, migrating outside of Japan and Europe into North America, adding a new element to the ever-expanding car community in Canada. “The state of tuning culture in Canada continues to grow – enthusiasts have way more access to Japanese Domestic Market (JDM) parts, information, and inspiration for their build than they did even a decade ago,” said Ryan Baltjes, Head of eBay Motors Canada. “Much of the enthusiast community in Canada had the opportunity to grow up with the inspiration of a Supra or Skyline up on their wall – eBay allows tuners to source JDM parts that are not widely available in Canada, or import hard to find ones directly from sellers in Japan.”

eBay Motors aims to provide car lovers with the tools and resources needed to make their dream builds come true. The platform’s “Fits Your Vehicle” green checkmark allows shoppers to search for parts and accessories specific to their make and model. Users also have worry-free purchasing power with eBay’s Money Back Guarantee, making it stress-free to acquire products that are rare or hard-to-find. Whether you’re doing minor car enhancements or giving your favorite Porsche an extreme facelift, eBay Motors has the inventory, tools and resources needed to complete any custom project.

Shop the parts and accessories for your next passion project at eBay.ca/motors

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