‘Mikan’ is the Latest RWB Creation, and This Custom 911 Has a K20 Engine Stuffed in the Back
The RWB team is known for building wild, widebody 911 creations, but this beauty stands out thanks to Honda power.
Akira Nakai founded RAUH-Welt BEGRIFF (RWB), a Porsche tuning shop in Japan that is known for building widebody classic Porsche 911s. The cars are stunning to look at, and Nakai has made the build process a show itself. He often has throngs of onlookers watching as he creates his one-of-a-kind Porsche. He recently built another one in Alberta, Canada. The build took place at Sub60R, a retailer that specializes in high-end JDM wheels, parts, and performance upgrades. Why would a Porsche be built at a JDM shop? Well, this RWB creation known as ‘Mikan’ is a little bit different. It has the usual widebody looks, but the flat-six Porsche engine is gone. It has been replaced by a K20 Honda unit.
Porsche purists will not be at all pleased to see a classic 911 being pushed along with a Honda engine. However, the Honda K-Series engines are some of the best engines ever created. These engines are reliable, but also modification friendly, and capable of making big power. Plus, they are less expensive and more available than a classic Porsche 911 engine. It might not look right under the engine lid, and the familiar flat-six sound has been replaced. But if you just want a vehicle that makes reliable power, sticking a K20 engine in it is a great way to do it. A video was uploaded recently to the Huesaflash Media YouTube channel that shows this RWB being born.
The Car
RWB always uses an air-cooled 911 as the basis for their builds. These cars are getting scarce and more valuable all the time. But RWB is not interested in preserving the car. RWB is interested in turning the old, air-cooled car into a head turning beast. Doing this is not cheap. There is no price information listed for the ‘Mikan’ build, but an RWB build is typically at least $50,000. And that price does not include the donor car. But these machines are more about passion than money.
The Show
The build process is really a show. It is like watching live performance art. Nakai is not locked away with the car in a clean room with massively expensive equipment. He is on the shop floor surrounded by fans. And his tools are relatively low tech. And during the build he takes time to interact with his fans and autograph memorabilia. He is as much a showman as he is a car builder.
Finished Product
By the time Nakai walks away, the classic Porsche 911 has been totally transformed. The big story in this build is the Honda engine, but that is not the only modification. The car now wears massive fender flares and a gigantic wing. The wheels, the interior, just about everything is far different than it was when it left the factory in Germany many years ago. And these RWB cars are meant to be driven. There is a roll cage inside for when the owner decides to take it to a local racetrack. And if the owner doesn’t tell anyone, the other people at the track might not have any idea that they were just passed by a Honda.
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