Tokyo Auto Salon Weekend 2019
Busy. Hectic. Fulfilling. Exciting.
Tokyo Auto Salon weekend was all of those things for me. The festivities began with the annual Rauh-Welt Begriff meeting and party at Hard Rock Cafe. From what I’ve been told, this year may be the final year for the event at Hard Rock Cafe, and with it being well publicized, there was no shortage of car tourists and YouTubers in addition to the usual Idlers crowd. The meet was exactly what one would expect; RWB customized Porsches during a freezing cold night in the heart of Tokyo. The party required a cover charge that included an all you can eat and drink buffet. Nakai-san definitely knows how to host. I linked up with some old friends, both Japanese and American RWB owners and we chopped it up for a while.
It’s been said that the natural progression for Subaru enthusiasts is to get a Porsche. I don’t necessarily disagree with that. Admittedly, I’m hesitant to get a 911 or a Cayman because of money and the stigma that they’re “widow-makers.” I still whole-heartedly love Subaru as a brand and have every intention on purchasing a brand new BRZ STI Sport as soon as my finances allow me to do so. Affirmation, right? While having this very conversation with a 993 owner, he understood where I was coming from. For him, his daily is a VAB WRX STI and his weekender happens to be an RWB 911.
The following day had me and Fuji Select cohort Ben sitting in some vicious traffic on the way to Tokyo Auto Salon. We had advance, VIP tickets for Friday which meant we got to avoid the bigger crowds. Having a head start means that we could freely move around to the different halls of Makuhari Messe without much of a headache. Unfortunately, we were traveling from Kanagawa during rush hour traffic. What would typically be a little over two hours became a nearly four. I thought ahead and drove the family car instead of us sitting in stop-and-go traffic in the cockpit of an NSX. Once there, it was all good.
I’ll put together an album that’s a bit more focused on the TAS coverage so things feel a lot less cluttered in a blog entry. There was so much heat. Shown above is the Mugen RC20GT, a workover of the new Honda Civic Type-R (FK8). It’s gaudy, obnoxious, aggressive, and absolutely beautiful.
I must admit that I have no idea why people dislike the new Supra. The body lines are nice and it will serve its purpose well. I can see this car being a favorite among those who want a fairly luxurious, comfortable, grand tourer. Then again, it’s always those on the internet who don’t have the means or intention to purchase debut cars with the most to say. I, for one, look forward to renting and driving this when it becomes available.
I will never pass up an opportunity to shoot the GT300 BRZ and buy merchandise from Subaru, even if I don’t need it. Here’s hoping that this upcoming Super GT season results in a podium for STI and me owning the engineering for myself. Again, affirmation.
Of all the vendors at TAS, I enjoy Deep Lifestyles the most. DPLS is a streetwear brand based out of Los Angeles. They have representation in Taiwan and have collaborated with some of the who’s-who of the automotive world for clothing and other merch. As you can see, they’re in bed with both RWB and Car Guy, giving them more than enough credibility here in Japan. Additionally, their booth plays the best music, has a lively group of models, and are stylistically light years ahead of most other brands.
Check out the album. I’ll post additional photos from TAS as well.
Peace.