It’s fair to say that Tokyo Auto Salon is the foundation of most automotive tourism in Japan, and the resulting meets surrounding it in January definitely make for a busy, yet exciting month.
First up this yr was RAUH-Welt Begriff’s annual Latest Yr Party – or more specifically the RWB Automotive Meeting that precedes it – held on the Hard Rock Cafe in Roppongi on Thursday evening before TAS 2024 kicked off.
You would possibly have noticed recently that the Porsche 911 has seemingly re-established itself as a pop-culture icon. 964s are getting used in fashion commercials and even the brand recent 992 GT3 is making its way into conversations with friends you didn’t even know were into cars. I’m sure that’s partially the reason why the crowd at this yr’s RWB meet was unfathomably large; the opposite is the actual fact a lot of individuals are on the town for TAS.
I’ve attended this event for a few years now and it’s all the time breathtaking seeing so many wide-bodied 911s in a single place, and nearly every little thing from early-model G-body coupes to 997 cabriolets.
Because the years press on, we’re beginning to see quite just a few RWB 997s – a comparatively recent offering from Nakai-san – in the combo. Whether you want them or not, they’re definitely a refreshing addition to the RAUH-Welt Begriff lineage. There have been just a few flavours at this meeting.
I used to be delighted to see a few narrow body 911s amongst the group too, beautiful in their very own right but serving as a glaring reminder of how wide these RWB Porsches proceed to get.
And naturally, it wouldn’t be a central Tokyo automobile meet without some type of police presence. Whilst the group continued to grow, several officers observed from afar, satirically playing into the well-established RWB outlaw culture.
With seemingly no explanation, this truck was sitting out on the foremost road – an interesting sight considering this 997 has license plates and the ethos of this meeting – coaxing RWB owners into driving their cars out within the wild.
RWB 911s are known for dividing groups of enthusiasts, but irrespective of which way you take a look at them, they’ll all the time be very polarising cars. Having seen several of those attack the Motegi Twin-Ring circuit is proof enough that a minimum of a handful of them get driven the way in which their aero suggests they ought to be.
As much as I do benefit from the RWB meeting, it was a straightforward, white AE86 that made me the happiest to see. Back in January 2019, I visited Japan and this RWB meet for the primary time, taking a photograph of this exact Levin, on this exact location. Fast forward five years, I’m back, in my very own AE86 alongside the identical white automobile. This was possibly probably the most full-circle and rewarding moment of my time in Japan up to now.
One other great yr of RWBs in Tokyo, and even higher to be back on the Hard Rock Cafe in Roppongi after a bit while away. If this meet gets any larger, perhaps next yr a fair larger venue could also be a necessity though.
Alec Pender
Instagram: noplansco
Tokyo Auto Salon 2024 on Speedhunters
This Article First Appeared At www.speedhunters.com
