This RWB Porsche Situation is INSANE

In a viral video Akira Nakai, founder of RWB was filmed "gluing" a tow hook onto a customer's build. This video created one of the craziest controversies i've seen in a while, and it all seems wildly unfounded. But let's talk about it, and take a deeper look at why the cultures of american car builders, japanese car builders, and european car collectors may showcase a bigger issue with these cars..LMK your thoughts below!

I could seriously go for some subs & follow right about meow, so see the links below:

Timestamps
0:00 Is RWB Gluing Tow Hooks?
2:00 History of RWB in 60 Seconds
3:30 I Inspected 20 RWB's at SEMA 2024
5:00 The reality of RWB Builds
8:00 Asking People Their thoughts on RWB
12:00 The Cultural Controversy of RWB
15:00 Whats Next For RWB?

All music licensed through Epidemic Sound.
All video owned or licensed by Alex Martinez

[AlexMartini.]

Is the RWB hate justified? Lmk (& subscribe!!) ⬇️‼️

Personally, I had an opinion BEFORE seeing the RWB build at SEMA 2024. While I was “pro” RWB, I thought that it wasn’t improbable that a temporary Thing. It was only after NIT PICKING the hell out of some RWB’s at SEMA, plus being 2ft away from one being built that I realized that he’s better than the internet cares to admit. Is it perfect? No, the man has a crazy skill to eyeball just about all of it. But his “eye balling” is better than almost anything I’ve seen with the tools he had. Parts would come off 9-10-11 times just to make sure both sides were right.

And the team, the team was incredible. Being able to meet RWB owners who were able to share their personal story, as well as what they saw during their own builds told me there was so much more than the ominous TikTok edits.

I can’t express how thankful I am to have the experience and friends that could share more about this story than just what was found online. From TRA Kyoto visits, to taking a flashlight under Joe’s 993 to inspect cuts myself, the folks behind this story are some of the most incredible people.

So I hope you enjoy this one, and you let me know if I should’ve put my own tin hat on 😅

[deadpool]

ever since people online claimed that 500hp is slow, i don't listen to shit the online car community says

[GearSeekers]

Tiktok has ruined so many things for people

[nicolasenriquegarciacastil]

The internet has just become so toxic. Ricer vs tuner, american vs jdm or europe. People just pile shit on others for being different. The hate is unwarranted

[Turtlesauruss]

Broccoli heads with their clapped out G37s criticizing RWBs on social media is crazzyy

[FrancisWilly]

The internet made people forget how to disagree amicably. If RWB isn’t for you, that’s fine engage with the content and community that reflects you. If RWB is for you, continue enjoying Nakai-san’s work while he’s still here.

[hirevhoon]

I’m sorry, but the American car culture is not about individualism. It is purely about clout whatever everyone else is doing at the time or regarding at the time whatever gets you likes and subscribe to your social media. Your opinion changes when the trend changes.

[SpeedRacerJoe]

Maybe I’m being biased since I’m an RWB owner and that’s my purple RWB in the video haha….but the biggest misconception is that people think he builds these cars as a boutique item in your garage. Like a Singer for instance. It’s the complete opposite! We like that he doesn’t give a f**k and was never the purist’s pick anyways. Like going against the grain. He has been chopping up these cars for multiple decades before ppl even cared about these cars and they were super cheap and affordable. Now that 911s are the most desired cars recently, ppl are up in arms about it now.

Nakai developed this kit and installation method as a means for quick replacement during racing etc. Like if you damage body panels making contact with other cars, etc. Quick replacement and you’re back on the track the next day. Also, the technology and methods was different 20-30 years ago. Nakai is about 60 years now lol. The thing is, most of us owners don’t track but we’re still fans of this old school method because we love the racing and long history behind the RWB brand. Nakai has been building RWB cars for 30 years. That’s why there’s so many undocumented RWB race cars in Japan. Nakai himself and quite a few others have Tsukuba lap records and records at other major race tracks in Japan.

P.S. Thank you so much for this video Alex! It’s hard to express how awesome it is owning an RWB and I think you’ve captured the essence of that in this video.

[Kollinkingz]

bro is always dressed like its christmas morning and hes putting a new lego set together in his pajamas

[PatrickLee]

A major part of the RWB is hanging out with him and watching him build your car, working with basic tools, and just experiencing him and his craft. It's not about the value of the car. Any car we chop or customize is worth less than before because others don't want the same thing each of us wants in our builds.

[TheBitcoinLambo]

Small correction, Japanese culture is all about (really appreciating) your hobby. Like REALLY appreciating it. This is why such niche niche (and sometimes weird to westerners) communities are so deep and connected in Japanese culture. Only in Japan will you find a taxi-driver who is also a car guy. His taxi will be the cleanest taxi you'll ever seen. Spit-shined and perfect inside and out. The Japanese deeply value their personal expression and care very little for outside westerner biases and perceptions of acceptability. Nikai San is a perfect example of how Japanese culture supports and promotes individual style. Western consumerism adds the drama.

[Seyosi.]

“Nothing in terms of modifying a car is going to be financially worth it!”
13:12
Truer words have never been spoken.

[calalbert]

RWB used to be "punk rock" and against the grain, only to be gentrified by elitists that have him cut up pristine cars that will never be thrashed on track. Another wealthy fashion statement.

[thatboyking]

I don’t understand this hate train for rwb it’s weird and it needs to stop and the tow hook was glued on due the owners request so ppl need to stfu

[papimasfuerte]

It's just art. Taste is subjective. That's why some people look at abstract art and think it's junk, while others love it.

[apoplexic]

People that decide how the Porsche should look:
1. The owner.

[Metal_Siren]

if you work your ass off to pay off a why not do what the hell you want with it? If you put the work into the car....then why not make it your own? what is the point otherwise? If we are bound by the rules of the popular, then we are doomed to be boring.

[mtnman]

I think the RWB cars have been put on this pedestal that even Nakai probably would disagree with and this is just some rebound amplified by social media. Some of it could also be that body modifications have become quite advanced and this stuff seems pretty pedestrian by comparison, but these were never supposed to be Ruf or Gemballa. They were race car adjacent. I actually love that he hasn't really changed. There's purity in that.

[AutobahnVault]

You hit the nail on the head! Nakai remains true to himself and his art since day one. And that, is what makes these cars so special.

[Drewkombel]

I work for the Porsche Dealer that built the Englewood RWB seen in the video. We work with many purists that believe RWB is the worst thing that you can do to a Porsche. Once they sat and watched him build the car they understood that as Alex says, he’s a car guy but at the end of the day he’s just putting on the body kit for the customer.

Everyone complains that they’re cutting up a perfectly good Porsche doesn’t know that it takes a long time on the wait list to get the body kit put on personally by Nakai. Most of the people who get them done have been waiting 2-5 years to have him install the kit when the owner has been restoring the car to their preference. That’s why most of the newer builds look like they had a pristine shell when you look at the video of the car being built. You don’t see the time and effort the owner has made to get that car ready for the body kit to be put on. What people see on YouTube is a skewed version of what the build is based on what was recorded.

Most owners keep that car for the rest of their life. Most of them are never truly done like most car builds. Every person who modifies a car knows the build is never done. Just because the body kit was done and the engine is a bone stock 3.6 doesn’t mean eventually it’ll be changed.

Personally I’ve followed RWB way before our dealer decided to do this. I love the builds, I respect it being apart of the build now too.