Akira Nakai
{{short description|Japanese car tuner}}
File:Stunningly mad be-winged Porsche - Flickr - Supermac1961.jpg
{{nihongo|Akira Nakai|中井 啓|Nakai Akira|lead=yes}} is a Japanese automotive tuner, founder of Porsche aftermarket tuning company RAUH-Welt BEGRIFF (RWB), who specializes in the design and installation of custom wide-body kits for classic and modern Porsche models.{{Cite web |last=Ruggieri |first=Lou |date=Apr 10, 2023 |title=What Is an RWB Porsche? |url=https://www.motortrend.com/features/rwb-porsche/ |website=Motortrend}}{{Cite web |title=Akira Nakai - Japan's Most Precious Porsche Tuner │Yokogao Magazine |url=https://www.yokogaomag.com/editorial/akira-nakai-japans-most-precious-porsche-tuner |access-date=2024-10-07 |website=Yokogao Magazine |language=en-US}}
Earlier examples sported a sticker {{langx|de|"Sekund Entwicklung"}} on the back, which was later changed to {{langx|de|"Zweite Entwicklung" || "second development"}} to fix a German language mistake.{{Cite web |title=RWB • Curves Magazin |url=https://www.curves-magazin.com/en/blog/rwb/ |access-date=2024-10-07 |website=www.curves-magazin.com}}
Life and career
= Early life =
Born on October 19, 1970, in Chiba, Japan, Akira Nakai became attracted to cars at a young age.{{Cite web |title=Akira Nakai {{!}} RAUH-WELT BEGRIFF PORSCHE |url=https://rwbuk.com/akira-nakai/ |access-date=2025-02-11 |website=RWB |language=en-US}} He was inspired by American race car movies such as Gone in 60 Seconds and The Cannonball Run which influenced him to take up an automotive career.{{Cite news |date=2010-11-09 |author=Greg Emmerson |title=Rauh-Welt Begriff Porsches - Rough-World Concept |url=https://www.motortrend.com/features/eurp-1011-rauh-welt-begriff-porsches/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20241225024056/https://www.motortrend.com/features/eurp-1011-rauh-welt-begriff-porsches/ |archive-date=2024-12-25 |access-date=2025-02-11 |work=MotorTrend |language=en-US}}
= Spark of interest =
Nakai started his career with a drift crew called Rough World, working on a Trueno AE86, stretching the limits of what the car could bear, whilst drinking his preferred beer, Stella Artois. He started to work on Porsches while employed by a body shop when he came across a damaged Porsche 911 Turbo, which he bought off its original owner, with it later becoming the first RWB Porsche, named 'Stella Artois' after his preferred beer in the late 90s.{{Cite web |date=2021-02-01 |title=The Porsche Art by RWB - Rauh-Welt Begriff {{!}} ColumnM |url=https://columnm.com/the-porsche-art-rwb-rauh-welt-begriff/ |access-date=2024-10-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210201205625/https://columnm.com/the-porsche-art-rwb-rauh-welt-begriff/ |archive-date=2021-02-01 }} This spark of interest, along with a little personal touch, is what led Nakai to create his Stella Artois inspired Porsche and many similar projects.{{Cite news|url=http://www.superstreetonline.com/features/eurp-1011-rauh-welt-begriff-porsches/|title=Rauh-Welt Begriff Porsches - Rough-World Concept - Eurotuner Magazine|date=2010-11-09|work=SuperStreetOnline|access-date=2018-11-27|language=en-US}}
= Company =
Nakai later started his own company called RAUH Welt BEGRIFF (which means Rough World Concept) and eventually became known for modifying Porsches, giving them oftentimes extreme body alterations. His usual modifications include a new front bumper, rear bumper, side skirts, wheel arches and spoilers. In addition, he offers several options such as new fenders of various widths, suspension adjustments and smaller aesthetic additions, like canards and special rivets. The track width of the "RWB" Porsches is particularly widened.{{Cite web |date=2020-11-12 |title=Rauh Welt Begriff: The Story of Porsche's Most Polarizing Tuner |url=https://oppositelock.kinja.com/rauh-welt-begriff-the-story-of-porsches-most-polarizin-1688741469 |access-date=2024-10-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112004911/https://oppositelock.kinja.com/rauh-welt-begriff-the-story-of-porsches-most-polarizin-1688741469 |archive-date=2020-11-12 }} Nakai's and his company's modifications are said to have reached a "cult status" and his aesthetics are described as "singular".{{Cite news|url=https://www.excellence-mag.com/issues/190/articles/rough-world#.W6uzmuSWyUk|title=Rough World: The wild 911s of Rauh Welt|first=Dino dale|last=Carbonare|magazine=Excellence|access-date=2018-09-26|language=en-us}}
= Tribute =
People who admire both cars and video games were pleased when Nakai was featured as the "Build Icon", appearing as himself in the 2015 video game Need for Speed. The widebody kits designed by him were available for players to use on select Porsche models, and his "Stella Artois" custom Porsche 911 Turbo could be earned in-game.{{Cite web |title='Need For Speed' reboot to feature real-life legends |url=https://www.topgear.com.ph/features/feature-articles/need-for-speed-reboot-to-feature-real-life-legends?ref=article_tag |access-date=2024-10-07 |website=Top Gear |language=en}}
File:RWB-champagne-4-1024x674.jpg|One of Nakai's completed projects, named RWB Champagne after where it was built in Champagne, France.
File:Porsche 964 RWB Hoonigan.jpg|RWB Hoonigan, based on a Porsche 964 and built for Brian Scotto, the co-founder of Hoonigan.
File:Red RWB 993.jpg|Another RWB project based on a Porsche 993.
File:Tuning World Bodensee 2018, Friedrichshafen (OW1A1312).jpg|RWB Porsche 964 with a livery paying tribute to Bob Garretson's Apple Computer-sponsored Kremer 935 K3 that raced in the 1980 World Sportscar Championship.
References
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