There has always been one thing that has bothered me about Japanese tuners. Don’t get me wrong – like you and I, I appreciate the sometimes raw approach that some shops have over here, concentrating only on the important things on a car: those upgrades that make the car faster around a track and benefit it purely on a functional level. But at times you can’t help but wonder, ‘You know, if they’d paid a little more attention to detail in say the interior or tidied up things in the engine bay, it would be such a perfect car.’ I’ve had plenty of discussions with you guys in the comment sections regarding controversial aspects like roll cage construction and racing harness placement among other things, and it’s definitely made me notice these sort of things more. So when I caught a glimpse of the Bulletproof FR-S at the Tokyo Auto Salon, it got me thinking.
The car was shipped over from the US and showcased at the RAYS booth, sitting on a fresh set of impossibly cool new Volk Racing ZE40s. We’ve seen this car before; it was in fact unveiled at SEMA a few months back, but to see it up close at TAS… well, let’s just say I didn’t dismiss it as just another show car. What seemed to set it apart was its substance. Here is a car that was built to look good and feel good out on the street, as well as tick all the right boxes when it’s time to take it to a track. In fact, one of the main reason that it was sent half way around the planet is because it had an appointment at a certain little track in the Ibaraki countryside and with a guy called Nobuteru Taniguchi. But more on that at a later date…
There was only so much I could check out during the hustle and bustle that is the Auto Salon, so as soon as the show finished, I called up Ben at Bulletproof Automotive and asked him if I could take out the car for a couple of hours and indulge in its detail. That’s why a few days later, I found myself at Power House Amuse, who not only have collaborated in the build of the FR-S but are entrusted to look after it during its stay in Japan.
Matsui-san, who after Tanabe’s death a few years back has taken over the famous and renowned brand, was keen to make sure I found a cool location to shoot the car, so after a little consideration we headed to one of my favorite locations on the Chiba side of Tokyo Bay. There, as I walked around the car, I was finally able to take in all the details – and believe me there are plenty. If I had to categorize this ZN6, I’d probably call it an extremely authentic JDM tuned car; it wears all the right sort of parts from brands that Bulletproof Automotive import into the US, starting off with the full Varis widebody kit. We’ve seen this kit fitted to Varis’ own demo car, but the black color they chose for that car I feel never did the kit any justice to be honest. There are a complexity of lines, flowing beautifully from the front all the way to the rear.
Along the way, air intakes, vents and outlets spice up the design that has obviously taken a few styling cues from Super GT race cars. I’m not saying they’re all functional – they haven’t tested the aero in a wind tunnel or anything – but their know-how alone would guarantee that some gains in downforce and a reduction in drag are obtained. There’s plenty of exposed carbon fiber to act as a contrast against the faultlessly applied flat white pearl Lamborghini color; a great choice that couldn’t show off those lines any more dramatically if it tried.
Bulletproof weren’t just going to leave things at that, so added the bespoke touch in a variety of places like the custom carbon detailing around the front bumper as well as gold graphics and logos. One thing I instantly noticed was the custom headlights featuring BMW-style angel eyes around twin HID projectors.
The wheels followed next, and while the car was shown at SEMA sitting on a set of 19-inch RAYS Volk Racing G25s, it was running 18-inch ZE40s at TAS and at the time of our shoot. This new 10-spoke racing wheel is the strongest forged rim that RAYS has ever made, every aspect of its design set around lightweight construction and max rigidity.
Wrapped with grooved 275-section Toyo Proxes RR slicks, the 18×9.5″ rims are a superb match to the FR-S.
The Original Runduce suspension has been set pretty low, not for looks but for the fact that its initial Tsukuba shakedown had been held a few days prior to the shoot. The adjustable and remote-reservoir dampers are matched to 12 kg/mm springs front and rear: a good compromise between comfort and outright performance, maintaining that all important compliance that well-balanced sports cars need to offer. Suspension upgrades don’t end there – on top of the Cusco front and rear strut tower braces, a rear lateral arm kit from the same parts maker was also added.
Hiding behind the thin contoured spokes of the ZE40s is the Original Runduce brake package consisting of six-pot calipers at the front and more compact four-pots at the rear. Grooved and drilled oversized rotors complete the package, a set-up that offers the sort of braking power you would need on a car that now has more than double its stock power level.
For me, the best angle of the Bulletproof FR-S is definitely the three quarter rear view; it’s here that you can see the full aggression of the Varis kit, the wide vented fenders, all the carbon detailing and the way the car just sits so square on its wheel and tire combination.
Then of course there’s the rear end, highlighted by the glossy Varis lightweight carbon trunk lid and the centrally supported GT-wing.
Suming up all these additions makes you quickly realize that this is one project that has had a focused goal before work even started on the car. The true goal of this ZN6 was to aspire to something so much higher than the class it belongs to from stock, turning what is in all effect an affordable entry-level sports car into an outright supercar. But wait. Is that even possible? Are we kidding ourselves here? No matter what the final result is, can a car like this ever be defined a supercar? Let’s continue looking at the remaining details before we attempt to answer that question.
Ticking all the boxes
To be taken seriously and when attempting to play with the big boys, you really have to make sure that you address every single aspect of a car and as I continued to look it over, I really couldn’t find any faults or omissions. Take the roof for example; even here the Bulletproof touch was applied, the stock steel roof being removed and in its place, an extremely light Esprit dry carbon replacement bonded down in place. This, as you know, is something you would find on any pure driving machine, helping to shave weight off the top of the car to lower its center of gravity and thus improving its handling behavior.
Aesthetically it seems all boxes have been ticked: style, aggression, function, details and bespoke touches all very much present. But a car is as much about performance as it is about all of the aforementioned parts, so what’s been done to the engine I hear you ask?
One quick look under the Varis vented carbon hood reveals quite a lot, starting off with a base rebuilt FA20 sporting oversized forged pistons and reinforced connecting rods. These were necessary upgrades because the stock 200hp just wasn’t going to cut it in the big bad world of supercars, where this car wants to be judged. Joining the strengthened engine is a Power House Amuse turbo kit based around a latest generation Borg Warner EFR 6758 turbocharger, positioned in front of the engine.
The blower has been set up along with an Amuse ECU to supply two distinct settings, the first using low boost of 1 bar for 400hp – what was used at its first outing at Tsukuba – and then the second high-boost map running 1.2 bar, good for 500hp. The Amuse touch includes a full titanium exhaust system, all the way from the turbo outlet pipe and the front pipe.
It ends with a twin-exit, twin silencer set-up that really stands out for the usual quality of construction and finish that Amuse has been known for over the years. 900cc/min injectors join the stock direct-injection set-up to provide the necessary fuel supply for the little two liter to crank out well over double the horsepower it came with from factory. With the engine barely run-in, and only 300 miles on the odometer, Matsui-san was able to extract a 1:03.2 lap at Tsukuba. The goal is to get around the 1:01 mark with the high boost setting, which would make the FR-S as fast as pretty much any supercar has ever managed to lap the little technical 2km circuit. In fact, that’s what an LF-A manages. It all begins to make sense now, right?
Color-matched highlights have been used to spice up the engine bay – things like the Cusco strut tower bar and engine cover. To get the car looking as mean as possible for the pictures, Matsui set the camber to its furthest negative setting, but this is not what they were running at Tsukuba with the 19-inch G25s and street rubber.
I though this was a cool little touch, and I emphasize the little because that carbon-fiber-shelled Braille lithium-ion battery is quite small and extremely light. I was beginning to think this might be a nice addition to Project GT-R but then I found out the actual price these batteries go for! Still, it’s just another example of the no-compromise approach that has been used to put this car together.
Do you like carbon?
What sets supercars or any high-end car a notch above your entry level sports cars is always the interior – the materials used and the way everything is put together; so it was very refreshing to see that even this side of things didn’t escape the guys at Bulletproof. Everywhere you lay your eyes, all you will see is either beautifully-executed glossy carbon fiber or soft, plush red alcantara.
No surface has been overlooked; a true tactile experience for your fingertips… and rear end when it meets with those soft, yet supportive Recaro RS-Gs.
I wasn’t joking when I said every surface. Plus check out the quilted door trim.
Bulletproof have built the FR-S as a one-off concept, with tons of bespoke parts and trim at a substantial investment.
Safety has not been forgotten thanks to the color-matched Cusco roll cage and Willans harnesses, completing the meticulously-appointed cabin.
So after seeing it in all its details, the question remains: can an FR-S really be turned into a supercar? Can a tuner car based on an entry level affordable sports car ever be considered as such?
I’ll let you answer that one for yourselves, but you definitely can’t ignore the fact that in each area of its abilities, everything this FR-S has set out to do has hit the mark full on. I can’t wait to see what Bulletproof’s next complete car project will be!
OFFICIAL SPEEDHUNTERS SUPPLIERS
SUGOI !!!!! thats what im talking about. this has got to be my favorite version of the fr-s/brz next to the gt300 brz.
This is one of my favorite GT86 next to the BRZ GT300 and the Rasty GT86 time attack car.
Cool car! But something is bothering me though... There are a pair of exposed screws on the wheel arch extension to the front bumper... What are those for? It kinda ruins it for me... Nice article and pics BTW.
meal stub Quick release screws to help remove the bumpers quickly
Probably one of the best tuned cars out there. It takes the best out of both worlds and produces the best possible blend of style and performance. Sure, there are faster, more powerful hachiroku's out there as there are more aggressive and bad-ass ones, but from the beginning the idea of this car was about balance, and the guys at Bulletproof took it to the next level, Great story, and I can't stop looking at these shots!!
TokyoCarGuy Thank you Mr. TCG
Theres something about this car that seems like it's trying too hard to balance the two worlds. Not sure if it's the quilted door panels, red accents on the exterior or maybe just the stock steering wheel. Though my words are merely just opinions and to answer your original question, a tuner car and super car are set apart by more than just power and lap time capabilities. Super cars are all about originality as in the way it sets it apart from other cars not by adding more parts. No disrespect to tuner cars because tuner cars are in a class of it's own.
Looking at this car and answering the question "Can it be a supercar?" can be difficult. As enthusiasts we all love to see cars go fast and look good, but in this case... I'm on the fence. Seeing as the owner wants a 1:00:00" lap time, then I think the carpet needs to go and powder coat the floor back. But as the tuning of the car can change and put down a 59-second lap at any time, puts me on the fence. Very interest to see if it will get to the 1-minute mark or faster.
This is what I want to see. An FR-S with a built FR-S engine, not some 2jz swap. Although they are nice as well..
I am not hating at all, but why dont companies get their body kits designed in a wind tunnel I love how the car looks and the build but if you had the money to spend wouldn't you want more than looks
Finally a 86 that does not have a rocket bunny kit. Love the way it looks and it has the power to back it up. Only not too sure about the interior. All the red and gold just makes it look....pimped out? And that is not meant as a compliment. But as they say, different people, different tastes.
Nice pictures Dino, awesome job again.
speedhunters_dino meal stub Do they actually matter. Race cars are held together with screws. Drift cars, cable ties =)
neurite Pretty much comes down to costs I'd say
neurite Usually it costs ALOT just to even rent a wind tunnel for one session. Imagine how many revision these kits go through and having to constantly revise it. However, proven aero companies like Varis already have engineers that understand the general gist of what goes on and can safely assume what will work and what won't and to what degree. Look is also 80% of the selling point so just because it's functional doesn't mean it will sell like hot cakes and we know profit is what drives a company.
Jason0110 neurite speedhunters_dino Varis is a company after all and they need to make money, I understand that. I am asking question based on a lack of knowledge, how much do computers come into play when designing airflow?
This! This is by far one of my favourite posts! This FR-S is simply stunning and makes me want it! Stunning photography!
neurite Jason0110 speedhunters_dino Not sure if speedhunters_dino can answer that but I'm not sure myself. I know companies like APR uses computer models to check their downforce, drag, and ect. but I'm not so sure on what Varis does. I'm sure they use it to make sure they work but I can't say for certain.
mrBlonde My thoughts exactly. A bit of subtlety in the interior would've made this worthy of supercar comparisons to me.
Jason0110 neuritespeedhunters_dino I might need to do some research
Best GT86 I've seen
I think I just had a small crisis, that thing looks amazing. I always liked the Varis demo car (black) but you are right speedhunters_dino the white really sets it off.
Although minor complaint is the interior, just a little too much for me, but it is great craftsmanship
neurite Jason0110 speedhunters_dino Most of the stuff engineers do in windtunnels is confirmation tests to see if the stuff they calculated and envisioned to be aerodynamic are actually that. It helps a lot with the final tweaking but most of the work is done inside the heads(and computers nowadays) of the engineer.
I helped build a prototype EcoMarathon(fuelefficiency race) car that was designed to be aerodynamic using flow simulations and rough calculations by hand in excel before it was tested in a windtunnel. The cost to start up a windtunnel is already 10k euro's and another 5k per 30min. And this is a small one, not large enough to fit a whole car
For me the BMW angel eyes have to go.
mrBlonde Yes but you have to admit the Rocket Bunny kit is just spectacular
Got a weight figure on it?
Double the horsepower on one bar of boost is a very tidy figure.
What an interior for that exterior. Inspiring.
And I'll say yes it's a supercar. The money put to make it is supercar-money-ish. Plus it got the lap time to back it up.
speedhunters_dino neurite i wonder if Varis uses CFD to design their kits? incredibly cheaper than a wind tunnel with very similar results
CFD = Computational Fluid Dynamics (What FEA is to destructive testing, CFD is to areodynamics)
westhave neurite Jason0110 speedhunters_dino
what software package did you used for CFD? how did you like it? ive used the one included with solidworks and it seems reasonable.
While that is a striking car, I really cannot understand why the Japanese love their Cusco Bolt in Cages. They look really funny to me when I see the amazing tubing and then a huge bolt. If you are going to integrate a cage into a car, I feel that custom weld in is the only way to go. Past that, I'd rock that car, in black
yanesnyawai The results are indeed hard to ignore. And I know there is more to come:)
aussieANON Maybe Bulletproof can chime in with that figure
2bAUS speedhunters_dino OK, red is maybe too much for some, but imagine the same quality in say black? There is substance there, and that's the important thing. Color is a superficial thing that purely depends on individual taste right?
Lachys114 Thanks!
maxvr6 mrBlonde Red was probably picked for impact. I'd take mine in black with red stitching for example
@Mike westhave neurite Jason0110 speedhunters_dino Yeah CFD is the lesser expensive option, but it takes an aerodynamicist with experience to get results. I mean look at what Andrew Brilliant manages to accomplish with his skill and good use of CFD
Option86 2JZ swaps are fun yes, but I find it pretty impressive the abuse that FA20 can take for an all-aluminium, boxer motor. Mind you it is pretty advanced compared to the EJs that Subaru continues to use
spazegun2213 Because they are better than nothing? Seeing the application of the car, I don't see it being much of an issue
Bulletproof is soo legendary. The fruit dont fall from the tree, this company puts out just shattering vehicles
Pacman23 You know I'd be saying the same thing most of the time, but for once I actually liked them. The install looked pretty high end
speedhunters_dino I go back and fourth on whether they actually are better than nothing. IF they are not providing significant rigidity to the chassis or extra safety what is the point? But that is a moot point when you take into account the application of the car... so I digress, but I still wonder about cusco cages in general.
@j_kouki Totally agree..one of the best FR-S in the world built by one of the best rounded companies in the U.S ,i mporting the best products form around the world..LTHis is one beastly bespoke, functional Monster!
@j_kouki Totally agree..one of the best FR-S in the world built by one of the best rounded companies in the U.S ,i mporting the best products form around the world..LTHis is one beastly bespoke, functional Monster!
A bit too much for my taste. The exterior is balancing on the edge, just a little too much details. I find the interior horrendous, way too tacky. I always have problems with cars pretending to be something they're not, it's like a Ferrari kit car based on a MR2. Just doesn't work. But hey, it's a demo car. Demo cars usually derails. Loose the gold, alcantara and the headlights and I would have liked it much more, I could live with the wild aero
bit fast and furious but i like the look
I'll be honest--I love the exterior but the engine bay is lacking a bit! For the effort they put into the interior (which although a bit much for me is certainly impressive) I was expecting a spotless, shaved, tucked engine bay without the tacky gold painted bits here and there and the blue silicone clashes with.. well, everything. I would've expected black silicone tubing + gold heat wrapped intercooler piping and a black filter perhaps? Something along those lines.
On a final note--I LOVE THOSE WHEELS!
speedhunters_dino spazegun2213 I see where you're coming from with this but look at it this way. This is a street/track car, as you guys probably drove it to the shoot location and didn't trailer it. I'm sure you guys didn't wear helmets, so you're risking huge damage to your head should you get into an accident and for what? A cage that looks pretty?
If I'm going to put a cage in a car that sees the street, it better do something... Cusco cages aren't one of those cages. It's introducing massive risk for absolutely no benefit at all. It should be welded in and padded. And even then it shouldn't be used on the street without a helmet. On the track a helmet is a given.
Great shots, Dino! Thanks for the great work.
First off, amazing article, and drop dead gorgeous shots!! This showcase really does this car justice, well done. This car is not only great to look at, and one hell of a build, but its a pioneer in this slice of the hot rod world, as I believe its the first US built car to be featured at TAS and to run at Tsukuba, correct? That alone is incredible, and a big congrats to BP for all their hard work. This car is a shock to the senses at first for sure, but every time I see it, I find something else I like about it, which is important for a demo car, the enjoyability over a course of however many years it will be shown. As far as performance, I'd say its damn near a perfect balance, at least on paper. It was never intended to be an all out time attack machine, which is nice, but over the top just as a supercar should be. Like you said Dino, they hit the nail on the head. Congrats to Bulletproof for pushing the envelope that much further as always...
All that top notch work and done with nothing but the best parts yet... A bolt in cage.
Thanks guys! We are truly honored to be on SpeedHunters with this project!
To clarify in terms of circuit performance at Tsukuba, our targets can be found here:
http://fastestlaps.com/tracks/tsukuba.html
(we are hopeful on our high boost setting that later this month we can have a chance to perhaps hit #1 on that list)
As with all projects we decided the focus and vision for the car before we began and we have not strayed from that vision despite the occasional temptation that may arise. So although it would be tempting (as one person commented) to remove the carpet and perhaps other luxury items that weigh down the car to enable a faster lap time, that wouldn't be inline with the purpose of the car. If we wanted to try and make the fastest car at Tsukuba we would have produced the car differently from the start and put emphasis and budget in other places.
Our goal as Dino so eloquently explained it was to make a fitting baby brother for the LFA and to try to push the 86 platform to supercar levels overall that are not just emotional and subjective but that are competitive on track and in all environments. When Scion North America provided us the opportunity, our goal was to build a well rounded car that exemplified the traits and details that make a Supercar what it is. To make a car that excels in a single one dimensional purpose (a time attack car for example) would have been an entirely different project with a far different strategy from the start. In this case and as always we have a philosophy that we should never sacrifice our purpose and that our vision with each project should be well defined and held to. That's why in this case it was a special moment for me to drive this car from Tokyo to Fuji and back in the same spec we are running Tsukuba. It is meaningful to our purpose that the car performs and functions in all aspects like a Supercar. For us it is more satisfying to be able to drive this car on public roads in Japan or the US or anywhere in the world, to run with the fastest Supercars in the world at Tsukuba and to be able to proudly display it at events and have it feel at home in all situations.
Of personal note, I have a soft spot for lightweight cars and manual transmission cars. This is also one of the main reasons why we took on this project car. The 86 is one of the few remaining pure drivers cars being sold (sadly). Undoubtedly the modern gadgets on supercars can provide faster performance but often bloat the cars and numb the driving feeling. So there was something satisfying with the idea that we attempt to make this analog and in some ways more pure 86 platform outperform the more expensive LFA and to do so on a comparable overall playing field that accounts for similar levels of interior quality/materials, attention to detail and Supercar feeling.
Thanks so much for the feedback everyone. We at Bulletproof love all of the comments and passion that have out of this. Whether it be positive or negative comments, what is important to us is that the car evokes some sort of emotion and feeling...and with that, every comment is meaningful so we are grateful for this chance to share this demo car with you all.
speedhunters_dino aussieANONI wish I had that data for you but we have not had a chance to weigh the car. I suspect it is perhaps 50lbs heavier than stock. We could have done more to make it lightweight but it would have sacrificed the overall concept to strip it out so we added weight in some areas to add luxury and removed weight in other areas when there was no downside to create a balance and to hit our goals. Weight out: titanium full exhaust, dry carbon roof, light weight battery, carbon hood and trunk, etc...Weight in: extra interior materials, roll cage, rear over fenders, turbo, intercooler, oil cooler. I'm not quite sure how it nets out weight wise in the end, but if we ultimately run on full boost a 1:00 at Tsukuba or something near that I won't care to be honest.
speedhunters_dino 2bAUS To be honest, if this were a build for a client of ours we would not have done the red interior unless they pushed for it. We produce each car for the strategy and purpose of each build. In this case the interior is red for a simple point...this is a demo car made to create an impact and immediate impression. When you see coverage of SEMA, TAS or other events most cars get a single picture and a sentence or a paragraph at most. When people go to an event most cars get just a couple of seconds to make an impression before someone passes by to the next car. To put all of the effort we did into the interior and to make it in black would be absolutely great for a client's car as a daily driver but for a demo car nobody would have looked twice at the details. Whereas our goal was to get the interior details noticed and by putting a full dashboard in red we knew everyone who saw the car would notice something going on with the interior because you can spot it from outside the car or in any photo. We are proud of the details in the car so the goal was to give people a reason to take a second look. We are doing another car now with the exact same level of interior work and with all Lamborghini charcoal alcantara with white stitch and all the same level of crazy custom carbon work. That is more my personal taste for a car to live with daily but it will be 10x more likely to go unnoticed (which is fine for this other build if that is how it works out).
@Mike speedhunters_dinoneuriteThere has been a lot of talk about the aerodynamic efficiency and performance of VARIS in this post. There has been some general assumptions perhaps made that these parts are primarily for show or are not functional. The reason we chose VARIS for a partner in this project is because they are one of the very few aftermarket aero companies that actually produce functional aero and have past and current experience producing aero for Super GT. In fact I can't think of any aftermarket aero brands for the 86 or other cars that are actively producing aero for current generation Super GT cars.
While I can't comment on what methods they use to develop or test their aero, I can say that they have produced the aero for the Studie GLAD Z4 Super GT car which has been very competitive and that VARIS has also been one of the oldest companies involved in Super Taikyu aero design. So I feel all of this talk is a bit misleading as I don't know of any other aero parts makers for these category of cars with a more proven track record for aero performance than VARIS. This is why we partnered with them for the project and also one of the reasons why they are such popular parts with our clients cars.
http://www.varis.co.jp/varis/super_gt/super_gt.html
KLO101489 speedhunters_dino spazegun2213 My bolted cage in the RX-7 is just fine
Great stuff! Haha ahead again Dino? Fuck yeah!
Congrats to the first three commentators to call out the bolt in cage.
And the winners are:
#3: Anon
#2: KLO(and a bunch of numbers)
#1: spazegun2213
Your prize is here: http://www.iwsti.com/forums/891596-post10.html
Really digging the interior
This looks awesome. There just isn't a bad angle! Interior actually looks like a nice place to be too. Wheels look ace, and I'm glad people are doing things with the awful head/tail lights on these, just finishes it off. I agree the bay could be tidied a little though, compared to the rest of the car, but it's pushing an impressive power and everything else is perfect.
Wonder if they'll start making the lights as a purchasable item?
Ben Schaffer speedhunters_dino2bAUS
MatthewDear Everything on the car are items Bulletproof offers for sale, including the custom lights. sales@bulletproofautomotive.com
MatthewDear Yes, they are available to purchase and we can do custom colors as well.
ra64freddy!
Thank you guys so much for your support. It means the most coming from those who KNOW what's up.
MattAtDoyle Glad so many people like the shots:)
zephoto Everyone has their own taste, so I can't comment, but yeah - those ZE40s are something else
AlanPeterson1 LOL
MatthewDear Yeah well it's a boxer engine, there is only so much you can do while the kind folks at Subaru/Toyota equip it with a plastic intake plenum FFS LOL
This reminds me so much of 90's street/ (I'm sorry but) F&F style with over dramatic lines and vents, Just a little to space invaders for my taste.
Although I love Japanese tuner cars too, I have to agree with you Dino, there is almost always some aspect that is half-assed. One that comes to mind is the ECU tie-strapped under the dash.
Wreckleford Well the ECU, that's where stock ones are usually located on older cars so I can understand them wanting to keep piggy back units close, but yeah it's the small things. Most tuners still don't have the mentality of making their cars really shine and look good in PR/media. That's why I carry cleaning products, I almost always need to clean things like engine bays myself for example
There's nothing quite like a well-balanced car. Nice job guys, both speedhunters_dino and Bulletproof Automotive, enjoyed reading through the article. The OEM-look and feel of the interior is especially impressive. An OEM level full interior refresh is no easy task, it's all in the details that's for sure. Thanks for sharing!
RyanGates speedhunters_dino Bulletproof Automotive Glad you liked it
Carbon Fibre everywhere, awesome weight saving battery, retains the light alloy low mounted boxer motor.... then keeps those mufflers? WTF?!
Nice to see an FR-S/86 without the Rocket Bunny kit for once!
Apart from the rather over the top interior, I quite like this. Everything is modified, but in a well rounded. It's got the power, suspension and brakes to match the looks.
Plus those wheels are just to die for.
@TimeAttackSupra What can possibly be wrong about running an Amuse titanium exhaust system???
@TimeAttackSupra The Amuse exhaust system is 100% STTI titanium and lighter than most racing single exit mufflers. Don't let the size fool you. If you've ever picked up an Amuse exhaust you'll understand completely. Also the purpose of the car is to be street driven and comfortable so the quality of the exhaust note sound is important, an aspect which Amuse is famous for is their sound.
RyanGates speedhunters_dinoBulletproof Automotive Thanks Ryan. I really appreciate it as a fan of what you've done with your Evo project.
speedhunters_dino MattAtDoyleBecause the shots are epic. This is why.
Pacman23 I'm usually anti on the angel eyes too...but for this project we went for it because it looked right. For our GT-R twin projector HID headlights I usually recommend to our clients to not do the angel eyes...its a tough one but for me I was satisfied with how they turned out on this car and it was a risk worth taking on a topic that is indeed otherwise totally overdone like lambo scissor doors, etc. (which I would never do on any build btw)
2bAUS Ben Schafferspeedhunters_dinoThanks man...I took no offense to your earlier comment. I just wanted to clarify because sometimes it helps to get some background on the intentions and goals of a car to understand why things are what they are. The red interior wasnt done because its our favorite preference for a personal vehicle it was done for the purpose/intentions needed of this specific project. Without stating that oftentimes people quickly assume that we prefer full bright red interior which is not really the case...we prefer that the quality of the interior gets noticed by as many people as possible who see the car so they can have an excuse to look deeper because the car was made from a marketing purpose for our partners to get noticed. If it were understated and built as a regular daily driver with the same performance it might not have been noticed at SEMA or requested for Tokyo Auto Salon or featured here as a feature car here...you never know...at any rate, I love all the comments whether they're for or against our work/choices because ultimately the point of the project is to create conversations and give a reason for people to feel something.
Option86 Thanks, we wanted to keep with what Scion provided as a baseline out of respect for their intentions and out of respect for the integrity of the car's concept. My past love is with Honda S2000s and part of me would have loved to piss everyone off and put a F20C engine in there and tune it to rev to 10k naturally aspirated with ITBs...but then I would piss off everyone in the industry and I wouldn't have been partnered with Scion anymore. But yes for our purposes of this project we are proud to have kept with the original intent and not done any crazy engine swaps.
Ben Schaffer It's definitely appreciated, Ben. It does mean more to build off of what was originally meant for the car, and in this case especially. The FR-S represents a lot for Toyota, so it should stand on it's own merit, and not in the shadow of the Supra, or S2000..... But a F20C would be pretty nasty! Haha
HunterMcLeod IMO it's better than late 00's early 10's "street" style that starts with the letter "s".
@randomswede what is it pretending to be that it isn't? i don't see any Ferrari badges on it
KLO101489 speedhunters_dino spazegun2213 so without the cage, they wouldn't hit their head on anything? thanks so much for this lesson, i learned a lot. i think i will take my roof and pillars off my car to avoid any head injuries! thank you!
or if that is extreme, then a 1/4in thick piece of foam will save my head, maybe that is the better route. all this time i thought i was using common sense, but turns out i wasn't.
I agree 100% about the black disguising some of the body lines. At first I thought it was a different kit until you unveiled that it was the Varis kit. Those lines are amazing!
SchmittaMane Yeah, would love to see it in a variety of colors. I think red might look pretty sweet too.
speedhunters_dino SchmittaManeI photoshopped it quickly in a ton of colors before deciding our direction. It left me with a lot of ideas but I'm still really happy with the choice we made. This parts combination looks great in a lot of colors, Red is certainly one of them.
Call me crazy, but money aside I would take this over a LFA anyday.
ChasForaker Yes, you're crazy.
familycar KLO101489 speedhunters_dino spazegun2213 Lots of work in the factory and rule making rooms to ensure head / body contact areas are flat, collasable and at least a bit padded + make to collapse the right way. The minimal contact point for a round tube along with how much closer makes me agree with KLO's sentiment.
Try sitting in your car, seatbelt on. Push forward hard so it locks and note that in a hard frontal your head will be 250 - 300mm further forward than that. Yes, awareness of how much force is in a crash is very important.
Great photography!
I can't help myself but to keep coming back to this article to see this gorgeous car again and again. Absolutely love it, easily the nicest FR-S I've seen to date. LOVE this car.
Did this FR-S get a 114.3 conversion?
How much would it cost to buy one of these things? And can you buy them like this?
Petarkiteski They are available here: http://www.bulletproofautomotive.com/conceptone