It doesn’t even matter where the show is, Liberty Walk has made a habit of standing out at every single event it participates in.
From SEMA to Tokyo Auto Salon and then Essen, its crazy over-fendered exotics and wild kyusha rides have been spreading the LBW style with the energy, excitement and enthusiasm that Kato-san and his staff have for their cars and the lifestyle surrounding them.
Their TAS display turned out to be a close battle for attention; new versus old. It was a Ferrari 488 against a Mazda Savanna RX-3 coupe that’s just been added to Kato’s ever-expanding vintage car collection.
This is a full build; every detail was approached in a very classic way and nothing was overlooked, including the custom bridge-ported 12A rotary engine that provides 200hp worth of brap-brap fury.
The car shared the same McLaren P1 GTR-inspired coloring that the LBW 650S show car has too. You might even remember this particular McLaren, which was white when I first showed it to you. Expect a twin feature of these two cars coming up next week…
Sitting center stage was Liberty Walk’s ‘oh my God I can’t believe they did it’ 2017 show car – a brand spanking new Ferrari 488.
Fitted with the new LBW aero kit, the car is the final piece of the puzzle, one that started with the 458, moved on to the 430 and was recently completed with the 360 Modena.
No doubt this will anger the purists, but at the same time there are those out there who feel a stock 488 just isn’t enough for them to stand out. And that’s where Kato-san comes in.
On the far side of the main display was the LBW 360 Modena, the oldest of the V8 mid-engined Ferraris, but one of the last to get the Liberty Walk treatment.
While LBW cars are usually so easy to spot, there was one other example at TAS this year that I bet a lot of people didn’t even notice.
And that’s because it was a collaboration between Liberty Walk and VIP specialist K.Break of Osaka.
The Lexus LS is the perfect illustration of just how far VIP style has evolved in Japan. It was once a very defined way of doing up your domestic saloon, but thanks to companies willing to push the boundaries, like Bee Dragon for example, we’ve seen the style branch out over the years.
And this candy red Lexus is definitely a very specific kind of VIP. It’s the flashier type, a fusion of bippu and a certain US show-car flavour that’s been inspiring Japanese shops for a long time.
It’s definitely different, and different we like!
I hope you’ve enjoyed this slight tangent in our TAS coverage; stay tuned for more from Japan’s biggest modified car show.
Dino Dalle Carbonare
Instagram: speedhunters_dino
dino@speedhunters.com
OFFICIAL SPEEDHUNTERS SUPPLIERS
The Liberty Walk kits do an excellent job of following the factory styling cues on the Ferraris.
The RX-3 is like an awesome midget out looking for a party.
This is like in Zoolander when he does the same pose for every single event regardless of what it is. Yet, when he finally goes to do Blue Steel everyone goes "OH MY GOD! I CANT BELIEVE HE DID THIS AND CHANGED THE GAME FOREVER" when all he did was the same damn pose.
do the rear doors open??
so are they cut to open at the front of the fender flare or bolted shut....inquiring minds want to know. or at leas my inquiring mind.
JamesMiller7 I was just about to post that LOL! Knowing LB, they just slap on the cartoonish fenders right over the door. They're already destroying to functionality of the performance, why not the functionality of the seating?
It's just a damn car...get over it.
Nickgenerazio32 It's just a damn opinion... get over it.
Looks like the trolls and keyboard warriors have already invaded the comment section. Good going so far y'all..you've done nothing but made yourselves look like immature children.
People like you are the cancer of the car community.
What do you suggest that they do differently? Better yet, go start your own business, and become more successful than Kato-san. After you do that, then your idiotic post will have some worth to it.
Nickgenerazio32 I see you couldn't get over it.
As 370hemi said: still, still not over it then? Opinions are just that, pos or neg. Oh, and those doors will never open - not with all that mastic under rivets going on...
"It's just a damn car".
I think you've come the the wrong site bud.
rook56 preach
Hangingonathread non functional doors got it...
coming from a minitrucker with a "useless bed" i get it.
lastly, i've seen my share of door jambs and doors modified to still allow for the use (though compromised ) of the rear door after running huge wheels and fender mods. so i'm not coming from way out in left field questioning the mod
Take or leave the cars, but the comments are always great!
The rivetty/caulk bits do an excellent job of pasting the plasticky over fenders on the Ferraris...
Didn't expect that big ol' Lexus in this article
Hey Dino, I have a question. Does Liberty Walk store all their show cars after they are displayed, or are they sold off? If they are stored, is there by any chance a garage somewhere in Japan full of all LW cars that you might possibly be able to get access too? It would be surreal seeing a collection of dust covered LW cars just sitting in storage somewhere....
Hangingonathread Still looks good though
Because you know, people buy an LS for performance.
3nigm4 They get sold... They are often ALREADY sold when at shows...
http://www.woltcash.com/
Flavien Vidal I thought Kato-san had his own collection of cars? Surely he has to store them somewhere, unless they're the cars parked up at Liberty Walk HQ.
The problem with LB -- and it's not really the design (as that is subjective) -- and yes we know the owners OWN the cars so they can do whatever they want with it.
BUT even if you are the owner of a car, you are not gonna be driving that car forever. It is important to keep that in mind. So this is where the "resell value" question comes in. What value does a chopped Ferrari have? You can't sell it back to Ferrari. You can't resell it to Ferrari collectors (I'm talking about the real collectors). What do you do with it once you won't be driving it anymore? That's the thing. And until these kits are reversible it's really not recommended.
Moralbro I would think that the people who do this to their cars aren't looking for resale value. I'd imagine they're the type who would just store it and buy something else whenever they want a new car.
3nigm4 I'm sure there are people like that. But I think it is fair to say that there are people who did this to their super car and later regretted it. I'm not generalizing as that would be unfair. I'm saying there are surely those who regretted doing so. It's no different from someone who bought a car from a dealer and then later regretting it. Buying kits or any other parts is no different, especially when the effect it does on your car is irreversible.
Can somebody name the wheels on the Ferrari 360 Modena? They're absolutley gorgeous!
Gianluca FairladyZ 3SDM wheels
Can somebody name the brand of the yellow headlamps in the very first picture? The one like a cat.
Fuck me, the panel gaps on that RX3 are HORRENDOUS, as is the front flare / tyre ratio..............
hypodermic *period correct
Moralbro I figure most people that modify their cars.............they don't generally have resale value held at the top of their list for priorities. They have "I wanna do this" as their priority. If resale value is the number 1 priority, those cars usually get parked and not driven or modified.
JamesMiller7 from looking at the other kits it don't quite think that one is in its final stages. All the other kits seem to split where there is a seam in the cars body parts. This looks no where near as finished as the others do so maybe it is just a prototype they put on there to make it to the show.
VincentFontenot Because you know, people buy a 4-door car for FOUR door access.
S.E.V Marchal
PttyBlue43 You are the MVP.
hypodermic seventies lol
Moralbro Just like an RWB car I'm sure one would be trying to sell it to a like-minded person. Pretty sure nobody would even remotely give a single thought to the resale value when asking Liberty to build a car like this
3nigm4 Kato does have a pretty cool collection of cars, and the demo cars are kept at the main shop in the garage across the road, but most of the cars you see are already customers cars and once the show season is over they return to their respective owners.
Mitsuru The element of surprise ...
JamesMiller7 certainly doesn't look like it! Pre-produciton, show only kit maybe?
█Stay at home mother Kelly Richards from New York in the wake of leaving from her throughout the day work made sense of how to typical from $6000-$8000 a month from outsourcing at home... This is the way she done █ HERE ►.....>>>> http://www.start.jobs34.com/
Start your home business right now. Spend more time with your family and earn. Start bringing $60/hr just on a computer.http://www.start.jobs34.com/
I'm in shock that some people can earn $8528
in four weeks ................
http://www.fl-y.com/3m6j
as Pamela explained I cant believe that any one able to make $5109 in a few weeks on the computer . have a peek here ►►► http://ow.ly/B2NC307MUYC
I cannot believe that some people can earn $9216
in four weeks ...............
go to the website............. http://www.fl-y.com/3m6j
The 360 Modena is absolutely primed for the LBW treatment. They have gotten to be reasonable affordable (by Ferrari standards) and the looks were a bit dated. It was crying out for Kato san's touch! The result is perfect!
I am stunned that anyone can make $6428
in weeks ..............
view............. http://www.fl-y.com/3m6j
I'm amazed that a student can earn $9412
in four weeks ............
http://www.fl-y.com/3m6j
http://www.woltcash.com/
Sadie . I agree that Rosa `s c0mment is cool... on friday I got a great Toyota from having made $4558 this - 5 weeks past and would you believe, 10-k last-month . it's by-far the most comfortable job Ive ever had . I started this five months/ago and right away began to bring home minimum $83... http://www.woltcash.com/
I'm stunned that a stay at home mom able to earn $8053
in a few weeks ............
read here............. http://www.fl-y.com/3m6j
I am amazed that a mom can make $9849
in 4 weeks .............
http://tinyurl.com/youtube-have-jobs
Can you guys make your photos 1920x1080p because everytime i try and use your photos which are awesome i cant because once i make it my desktop background it gets blurry
hypodermic May have something to do with the bonnet propped slightly open?
Nickgenerazio32 Sorry I offended you as its quite clear that I hit a nerve. Everyone has an opinion and I am expressing mine. Last I checked you don't need your own body kit company to have an opinion, but I digress.
What I suggest they do differently is exact that -- something different. They've been sticking the same overfenders and disproportionate spoilers on every make and model for the past decade. Seeing some diversity in their creative approach and styling language would speak volumes about Kato-san and his lasting success.
I just saw the LB works stand at Geneva and I gotta say I was already a fan before but after seeing the 488 and 650S in the metal, I'm totally sold! The style, presence, quality fit and finish and the owner, history and what it all represents... definitely a big highlight of the Geneva Motor Show for me!
Send a photo
Communication is a vital tool for anyone living in the world. It is often regarded as something to express in the form of speaking, writing or some other medium @ https://www.lineforpcdownload.com/ line for pc
https://www.tangoforpcdownload.com/ tango for pc is another way of using Tango Application itself. It is an instant messaging and video calling application.