Why Car Enthusiasts Are At War Over RWB’s ‘Butchering’ Of Classic Porsches

If you’re into the tuning scene, there’s no doubt you would’ve stumbled upon the work of Akira Nakai-san.

While his name might not be immediately familiar, he’s better known as the mastermind behind RWB (Rauh-Welt Begriff), renowned for his controversial widebody Porsche designs.

We stumbled across the latest behind-the-scenes video of Nakai-san (as he’s best known) working on his latest Porsche 911 (993) creation (yes, another one!).

It reminded us of the recent opinions we’ve seen circulating on the internet, and how the once highly regarded tuner has faced an increasing amount of backlash in recent years.

Watching him chain-smoke his way through cutting up a classic 911 with basic power tools (while wearing pajamas, toe socks, and Crocs, of course) reminded us why he’s understandably misunderstood. 

This up-close-and-personal video offers a great insight into why traditional Porsche enthusiasts think he’s committing automotive sacrilege, yet how he still appeals to those who understand his unique style and approach.

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Why RWB Is Dividing Opinions

In recent years, RWB builds have split the car world like nothing else.

You’ve got traditional Porsche purists who view Nakai’s modifications as straight-up vandalism of automotive history. Then there’s the JDM crowd (and beyond), who can appreciate his rebellious, rough-around-the-edges approach to customization.

The recent “glue controversy” threw even more opinions into the mix on both sides. At 25:35 on the video, you can see Nakai (once again, awkwardly) sticking on the tow hook.

Admittedly, this is far from an ideal approach, but these garage queens (in this case, a detailing company) will probably never be used as intended.

Regardless, it was later clarified that the glue was a temporary measure used for placement before being bolted down, but good luck trying to explain that to the angry internet crowd!

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The “Butchering” Approach Isn’t For Everyone

If you watch the video, it won’t take long before you get to see Nakai’s shameless ‘freehand’ approach to cutting up these rare Porsches. He literally eyeballs the cuts using angle grinders and air saws, admittedly often creating lines that are rarely the most aesthetically pleasing.

The approach is the carefree Japanese style, matching Nakai’s laid-back vibe, tackling it with the same approach you’d expect from drifters repairing a crash-damaged old missile. In this case, it’s usually where the fenders have seen so many blowouts (or are plagued with rust) that covering them up with overfenders is now the only option.

It works great with old JDM beaters that would otherwise be sent to the scrapyard if they weren’t getting thrown sideways. For fans of mint classic Porsches, the RWB vibe doesn’t sit quite so well.

Traditional Porsche enthusiasts expect perfection. They often feel that if a Porsche needs a widebody kit for whatever reason, it should be done by companies like Singer. Their entirely different approach to Porsche modifications is more akin to surgical precision and typical German engineering standards, where they’ll accept nothing but the best.

Meanwhile, the Japanese style is more about appreciating things from a distance and not scrutinizing the details too closely. Think of a carbon-clad drift car, for example. You just accept that the fitment and alignment will never be perfect, but they look fine from a distance. That just doesn’t compute with typical German standards.

The exposed rivets and questionably rough lines that RWB fans know will be hidden under the kit anyway? Nakai’s critics view it as a sign of laziness, poor workmanship, and a betrayal of the classic Porsche.

It’s not just the fans that feel this way, either. Rumors suggest that Porsche itself has blacklisted RWB. These modifications typically void Porsche warranties entirely, and dealers are reportedly unwilling to service the cars after such extensive bodywork changes.

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The Garage Queen Irony

The “downfall” of RWB (as many have recently claimed) is partly due to the shift in the culture. 

Many aren’t aware that Nakai-san has a deep history as an old-school Japanese street racer (and drifter), and this is the true origin of the RWB philosophy.

Before his Porsche (or RWB) journey began, Nakai started as a member of a drift crew called ‘Rough World’ where he was seen behind the wheel of none other than the legendary Toyota Trueno AE86. Rough World is best known on the street drifting scene for aggressive driving and heavily customized AE86s.

The name Rauh-Welt Begriff is German for “Rough World Concept,” in a nod to his OG drift crew, and this is where the RWB style we know today was born. RWB’s entire concept is built around being “rough” rather than perfect.

His first Porsche was a crash-damaged 930, which is where the ‘Stella Artois’ RWB build was created. Its purpose soon shifted from a street car to a dedicated track weapon, focused on performance.

This wide, angry widebody RWB Porsche, which was saved rather than ‘ruined’, is where the RWB story we know today began. For us, the aggressive styling, matte black paint, multiple spoilers, and ‘roughness’ demonstrate exactly why we’ve always loved RWB Porsches.

Somewhere along the way, things got a little twisted…

RWB’s ethos celebrates rough, utilitarian street racing culture. However, like with most things these days, people see these cars appearing in their social media feeds, have the money to splash, and decide they want one too. 

What was initially intended as a rough-around-the-edges trackday Porsche has now become pampered collectibles and garage queens that can barely be driven on the streets of the countries to which Nakai gets flown to build them.

Nowadays, these Porsches rarely see actual street use, let alone the track. They’re primarily built for Instagram clout rather than performance.

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Has RWB Lost Its Way?

With his work commanding six-figure fees, this has led some to accuse him of “selling out” his anti-establishment roots.

Many suggest that the brand has lost its underground authenticity as it has become commercialized, despite Nakai’s personality seemingly remaining largely unchanged (as evident in the video above) along the way.

Instead of appealing to hardcore drifting and track day racing fans, he’s now dealing with mint classic Porsches and upsetting hardcore enthusiasts who are often heartbroken by his approach.

It’s a complex situation. After all, if people are willing to pay you six figures to “butcher” their cars in the same way you’ve always done (and probably enjoy), would you say no?

Perhaps the real question is whether it’s the owners paying for these RWB Porsches who should be ‘blamed’ rather than Nakai-san. After all, I’m sure he’s aware from his motorsport history that tow hooks aren’t meant to be glued on – he’s probably crying inside just as much as we are!

Part of the beauty of the Japanese tuning scene will always be its rebelliousness, which intentionally deviates from societal norms. Nakai-san clearly still endorses this philosophy, even if his methods don’t suit everyone’s preferences.

Customizing and modifying cars, especially classics, is always going to be a controversial topic. Different people have different perspectives and tastes, which is what makes the car culture so fascinating.

Nakai’s intentionally rough approach – the pajamas, chain-smoking, and carefree attitude proves he’s deliberately staying true to his roots.

At the same time, modern-day classic Porsche owners insist on throwing substantial cash his way as they’re left to try and push down the panel gaps.

Sure, his style won’t suit everyone. And that’s okay.

One thing we can (hopefully) all agree on, though, is that his burnout at the end of the video was on point!