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BAGGED S14A: CABIN FEVER

We all went a bit loopy when lockdown kicked in. Life became about nothing but TV and crisps, all the days blurring into one. But not for Jake Hughes – he spent the mid-2020 lockdown building this awesome bagged S14a.

Feature first appeared in Fast Car magazine. Words: Dan Bevis. Photos: Mark Loony

If you take a straw poll around the Fast Car office to see what everyone’s opinions are of the borderline-retro boyband Blue, you’ll get some mixed responses. Midge loves them, obviously, because their brand of radio-friendly motherloving beats feeds into his nature as a sparkly little pop tart. Glenda has a surprising fondness for them too, having once spotted Antony Costa in a branch of Costa Coffee; the coincidence seemed like a glitch in the Matrix, and now he reckons Blue are just a pan-dimensional troupe of buccaneers masquerading as a slightly shit boyband. Jules isn’t really bothered either way, as long as they don’t interrupt the snooker. Initial G hasn’t paid much attention to the hit parade for a while, all these young whippersnappers making a racket. And me? Well, sorry, but I’ll have no truck with that sort of nonsense. It’s not so much the cheesiness of the lyrics or the cliched production that puts me off, but the fact that ‘All Rise’ presents a thoroughly illogical image of how courtrooms work. They haven’t even done the most basic research. And worse than that, their claim to “have the city on lockdown” in ‘Fly By II’ may have sounded cool back in 2002, but it’s a slap in the face for all of us in 2020. The very idea that they were cruising around in a lowrider with the system up and the top down, while the rest of us were confined to quarters and working our way through the deepest recesses of Netflix – well, frankly, that’s a total dick move.

Not everyone, however, was watching ‘The Last Dance’ and baking banana bread throughout lockdown. A small percentage of people managed to drag their arses away from the sofa to achieve something useful; some even made it as far as the garage, and that’s precisely where you would have found Jake Hughes throughout the early peak of the pandemic. A government-mandated decree to bolt the front door and hide away from other organisms of all types was just the push he needed to crack out the spanners and build the Nissan S14a of his dreams.

This is all really a natural progression for Jake, as he’s been keen on taking cool cars and making them cooler for a fair few years now. “I first started modifying cars around 2014,” he explains, which was round about the time Blue were revelling in the success of their fourth studio album ‘Roulette’ (which, we have to admit, we’ve literally never listened to – because, FFS, why would you?). “My first car was a Honda Civic EG; I grew up loving Hondas as all my friends had them. They were all into the track look while I was the only one who really wanted to stance one! Then as the years went on and I bought more Hondas, I got myself an EK VTi that had been in a crash and was repaired without going through insurance – so I had no idea about the damage that had been repaired. Me and my mate Ryan Davies tried our best to get the front wheels to be equal, but it didn’t play ball at all…”

With all of this garage-based swashbuckling, Jake couldn’t help finding his eye wandering over to the corner where Ryan’s Nissan S14 was sitting. “I’d wanted one of those for so long, and I said to him that if I couldn’t get the EK fixed up, I was going to sell it and find an S14a,” Jake recalls. “After driving his one, and being a passenger in it so many times, I knew the time was finally right to find one for myself.”

All of this was inevitable really. Once the seed of the idea has been planted, there’s no way it’s not going to happen. It’s the same feeling you get if you’re sitting on the sofa watching telly and start idly wondering about having a Jaffa Cake, or if you’re on a road trip and begin questioning whether you might need to stop for a wee: basically, if there’s any doubt, there is no doubt. So the EK was ousted and Jake started searching in earnest for just the right S14a to make his dreams come true.

“I put a post on Facebook asking if anyone was selling one, and that ultimately led to me finding this one with a bloke called Connor in Blackwood, Wales,” he explains. “The car looked like it had been sitting for a while; it was in okay condition, I wouldn’t say it was brilliant. There were rust holes covered up with metal plates that had been cut out and bonded on over the holes in the wheel arches… it had Rota wheels and an exhaust, and a bodykit of unknown brand, but otherwise it was pretty stock.”

The condition wasn’t too much of a concern, though. Having wanted one of these cars for so long, and with a vision in his head of building a white one with wide WORK wheels, this was simply the first step towards the masterplan of success. It was an S14a that he could buy, that was enough. So, with ruthless efficiency, Jake dragged it home and started tearing it to bits, ready to slice out all of that rust and build it up as the badass brawler he’d always imagined.

“The car’s had many looks over the last two years of owning it,” he says. “It didn’t take long to start the stance look after I crashed it into a kerb, that was when the changes really began to happen! I took the car to my mate Axel Richardson and he cut all the rot out and replaced it, as he’s a been building S14s for many years. He also tubbed it so I could fit 18s without mega amounts of camber.”

To achieve the correct wheel results, Jake acquired a set of tired WORK Equips from JDMDistro and busied himself rejuvenating them. They were in fairly ruined condition, so he spent days and days on end sanding them down, before building them back up with new lips sourced from Rimscarnated. While all this was going on, Jake was patiently waiting for all his new body bits to arrive from Origin Lab, stacking up a nice little pile of parts ready to give the Nissan the aesthetic makeover it deserved.

“I slowly started to build the car up in my unit with my mate Owen Caines, who painted and helped me with all the panels,” he says. “The bodykit is a DMax Type 3, which has been custom-made to fit the car to get it spot-on, as fibreglass ain’t the best to work with! The bonnet, overfenders and front arches are from Origin, and I also have a JDM kouki grille and a custom jack bar made by me and my friend.”

The aesthetics really are on-point, it’s true testament to how the lockdown blues can be chased away by having a manual task to despatch, and it’s equally important to note that this car isn’t just about looking pretty. The freshly rebuilt SR20 is now packing a fireball 320bhp or thereabouts, kept in check by an R33 Skyline brake conversion at either end, and those radical lows you’re witnessing are brought to you courtesy of a full Air Lift Performance suspension setup. Jake’s vision of a white bagged S14a on wide WORKs has been comprehensively achieved, and it was well worth missing out on ‘Tiger King’ for.

“The hardest part of it all was building this car through lockdown,” he assures us. “That, and getting all the fibreglass to fit right. I went through five sets of Origin arches to get the best ones!”

And now that the lockdown restrictions have eased a little and it’s possible to take the finished product out and about, Jake’s sublime hand-crafted creation is certainly turning heads. “People can’t believe that I daily the S14, they say it’s too nice,” he laughs. “But I don’t believe in building a car not to drive it – and I really do love driving it.”

The central part of all this is that it was achieved in circumstances way beyond anyone’s control, but Jake refused to just sit back and let 2020 pass him by. Out there in the garage, usually with just the radio for company, he’s created something to be truly proud of; something positive out of such a negative year.

He probably wasn’t listening to Blue though.

Tech Spec: Bagged S14A

Styling:
DMax Type 3 Aero bodykit, Origin bonnet, Origin overfenders and front wings, JDM kouki grille, custom jack bar

Tuning:
SR20DET 2.0-litre turbo – freshly rebuilt, stainless exhaust system, front-mount intercooler, Tomei radiator, torque damper, stock SR20 transmission

Power:

320bhp

Chassis:

10.5×18-inch (front) and 12.5×18-inch (rear) WORK Equip 05 wheels (custom-built by owner), 225/35 (f) and 275/35 (r) tyres, Air Lift Performance suspension, front strut brace, R33 Skyline front and rear brakes

Interior:

BRIDE Low Max seats, full interior retrim in BRIDE fabric to match, Grip Royal steering wheel, Nismo gearknob, AEM gauges (boost, AFR, oil temp)

Source

April 21, 2021
First drive review: The 2022 Porsche 911 GT3 is the best 911 yet

As good as the current generation of the Porsche 911 is, I feel like it has lost something. Not in the sense of raw numbers and speed—those are still there in spades—but in the sense of detachment. The electronics have gotten so good and the car so big that it has lost some of its edge.

I was afraid the same would be true of the 2022 911 GT3, which finally joins the 992 generation. That would be a shame, the GT3 is supposed to be the driver’s car of the bunch, the one that really rewards on the road. A Carrera 4S can regard winding roads with a yawn, but to see the GT3 go down that route would feel like a loss.

I had one morning with the car to find out, so I took it up my favorite road: a mountain highway northeast of Los Angeles that dead ends after about 15 miles and sits untouched on weekdays. That gave the car plenty of room to stretch its legs.

Faster, but how?

Direct evidence of the new GT3’s performance bona fides are found in its impressive Nürburgring time. It circles the ’Ring in less than 7 minutes, 6:55.2 to be exact, which is 17.5 seconds quicker than the previous GT3 and even narrowly beats the times of the last-gen GT3 RS and the 918 Spyder.

Trying to make sense of the new 911 GT3’s absurd ’Ring time though the spec sheet is difficult. How could a car that didn’t really add power or take off much weight shave more than a second per mile off of the time put up by the old car? Well, it improved nearly everything else.

2022 Porsche 911 GT3

2022 Porsche 911 GT3

2022 Porsche 911 GT3

The updated body work provides a significant increase in downforce. The adjustable spoiler and front diffuser can flip between street and performance configurations. In the standard street setup, the 911 GT3 has 50% more downforce, but putting the parts into their most aggressive posture results in 150% more downforce.

Wider tires are also a factor. The offset 20-inch front wheels and 21-inch rear wheels have both grown by 0.4 inch, improving grip.

Those updates all inch the needle forward on the GT3’s performance apex, but the biggest change (and the one you’ll feel the most on the road) is to front suspension. For the first time, a double-wishbone front axle comes standard on a 911 production car, this one adapted from the suspension of the 911 RSR Le Mans car. It adds a needed dose of lateral stability to the GT3’s front end and unites the whole car in a way the outgoing model needed.

Porsche still paid close attention to the GT3’s weight. Even though the new 911 is longer and wider than its predecessor, it’s only gained 11 pounds. Weight has been yanked out of nearly every portion of the car, thanks to additional carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic for various body parts. Sound deadening material and the rear seats have been yanked out, the glass is thinner all around, and 22 pounds have been trimmed out of the exhaust. The GT3 even opts for a 7-speed PDK over the 8-speed PDK unit found in the other 911s, which saves another 44 pounds. Curb weights sit at 3,164 pounds for the PDK model and 3,126 pounds with the 6-speed manual.

My test vehicle was further outfitted with two options that shave off even more weight: carbon-ceramic brakes ($9,210) and carbon-fiber bucket seats ($5,900), which shave 39 and 33 pounds, respectively. Porsche says more than half of GT3 buyers pick these two particular options.

Accessible speed

There are times when changes like these to improve a car’s performance at the limit don’t translate to the street, and that’s what I feared with the GT3. Sure, it can circle the Nürburgring a lot quicker in the hands of a professional, but will it feel different to an enthusiast on a canyon road? I was delighted to find that these changes both push the GT3’s envelope to new heights and make it more fun to drive on weekend jaunts.

The front suspension change has done wonders. It’s the most noticeable update to the car’s performance. The older 911 GT3 felt similar in terms of straight-line speed, but you had to be very careful when rolling onto the power coming out of a corner. The additional lateral stability of the new setup solves this problem. The nose felt so planted I could get onto the gas earlier and launch out of corners with more confidence. Turn-in sharpness is much improved, and pulling weight out of the engine and exhaust system in the rear makes the car feel less nose-light and more evenly balanced.

Steering feel is spot on. There’s plenty of feedback from the wheel and the weight is perfect, Porsche has nailed its electromechanical setup in a way that other automakers haven’t dialed in yet. The variable steering ratios are predictable, and it let me put the GT3 right where I wanted in each corner.

Still, the 911 GT3 demands to be approached with respect for its capabilities. With more than 500 hp and an engine hanging over the rear axle, some caution is wise.

2022 Porsche 911 GT3

The engine may not have much more power, it makes 502 hp and 346 lb-ft of torque (modest gains of 2-hp and 7 lb-ft over the outgoing car), but that’s fine. It still delivers plenty of punch, and its naturally aspirated rasp is even more intoxicating with thinner glass that allows in more sound. The 4.0-liter flat-6 is the same engine found in the 911 GT3 cup car. It doesn’t redline until 9,000 rpm and delivers power differently than the turbocharged engines found in the rest of the 911 lineup. Full horsepower doesn’t kick in until 8,400 rpm and torque until 6,100 rpm and while power delivery at low rpms is still satisfying, you really have to let the engine wind out to get its full kick. The good news is that PDK allows for this, especially in its most aggressive Track setting.

My test vehicle came with the PDK and I was happy to have it. The take rate on the manual runs at 70% in the U.S. and I understand why, but the gap in performance between the two transmissions is wide. The PDK hustles the 911 GT3 from 0-60 mph in 3.2 seconds and that climbs all the way to 3.7 seconds with the manual. I would not begrudge anyone who wants to change their own gears this privilege and it remains a no-cost option from Porsche. But that automatic is just so good it’s hard to pass up. Shifts are instantaneous and it somehow knew what gear to be at all times, like it was reading my mind.

Stamp on the gas from a stop and with the traction control engaged, the computer is smart enough to put all of that power straight onto the road without any kind of launch control. The Michelin Sport Cup 2’s didn’t even chirp, all I heard was the engine wailing behind me as the speedometer climbed.

Dreams don’t come cheap

The 2022 911 GT3 starts at $162,450 (including destination) but it’s rare to find these cars bone stock. My test vehicle added the seats and brakes mentioned earlier, and a few other options that pushed the price tag all the way up to $196,070.

I’d deem the $3,670 front-axle lift system essential. All of that carbon-fiber bodywork up front sits very close to the ground and makes every speed bump or parking lot entrance a geometry problem. Better to lift the front and avoid those dreaded scraping noises. The system is also tied into the navigation as well, allowing you to GPS tag locations where the nose needs to be lifted for added convenience.

2022 Porsche 911 GT3

2022 Porsche 911 GT3

2022 Porsche 911 GT3

The practical side of me thinks that day-to-day life with a GT3 would come with some annoyances. It’s very loud inside, the suspension is stiff even in its most forgiving setting, and climbing in and out is an exercise in agility I should have stretched for (especially with the carbon bucket seats). Those more practical considerations did cross my mind, but I dismissed them almost immediately. The car’s highs are so high that the lows can be forgiven, or forgotten.

My fears were unfounded. The 2022 911 GT3 is the best 911 that I’ve ever tested. It’s more balanced with new-found handling confidence and grip that make it feel more accessible. offers supercar levels of performance in a package that remains fun even when you’re not driving at supercar speeds. The new GT3 is a visceral experience, with a raucous soundtrack coming at you from behind and G-forces threatening to rip you from the seat as the nose dives into corner after corner. It’s an absolute joy to drive, and after one precious morning with it, I am left wanting more.

Porsche provided a glorious morning in the 2022 911 GT3 for Internet Brands Automotive to bring you this firsthand report.

Source

April 20, 2021
MANSORY F8XX REVEALED WITH 220MPH TOP SPEED

Based on the Ferrari F8 Tributo, the Mansory F8XX is equipped with a new aero pack, increased power to 880hp and a 220mph top speed.

Unlike other Mansory kits, this one is a full makeover, receiving new aero styling, substantial performance improvements and typical Mansory details.

Here, the whole front end on the F8 Tributo is replaced on the Mansory F8XX, all made from forged carbon and featuring canards, new headlight surrounds, arch vents and a deeper front splitter.

Around the side, deeper sills house a new slat part way up the door, while the side intake vents gain a new blade to split the air towards both the intake above and intercooler below, although the standard F8 also features this. New wheels measuring 21 inches with a 255-section tyre at the front and 22 inches with a 335-section tyre at the rear complete the look alongside recalibrated suspension.

At the rear, a new split wing highlights its XX-inspired namesake as it replicates that from the FXX K track-only model from Ferrari. Also new is the aggressive diffuser, and less-restrictive exhaust system, while the whole car is finished in a special paint called Catania Green with various Mansory detailing.

While the engine itself, a 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8 codenamed F154, remains the same, tweaks to the ECU and the new exhaust result in an addition 158bhp and 140lb ft of torque, taking the total figures to 868bhp and 708lb ft. As a result, performance figures now read 0-62mph in 2.6 seconds with a top speed of 220mph, representing a 9mph increase in top speed.

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April 20, 2021