Lamborghini Gallardo | Random Snaps

Forced Fed Subtlety | Porsche 997 Turbo

When it comes to cars, I was always into something that might not be too great as it is but it has the potential of unleashed capability. Thus, that's why I always look at cars that is purpose built and capable of doing real world performance and reliability that is better than their stock counterparts. That's what I always look for to put in this little website of mine. But there are always those occasions where you come across something that's already quick in stock form.

Now I'll be honest, I am not really a fan boy when it comes to the Porsche 911. The shape never changed for almost 50 years and it is known to be the type of car that could eat you. Thus, the nickname "The Widowmaker". But I guess that is why the 911 was and always is an icon. But on a positive note, the 997 version got quite a character that will make a seasoned driver to at least give a hats-off.

So back to that night, I was given a call from my friend who brought me the Porsche 993 that I shot a couple months back telling me a friend of his dad is willing to lend his beloved 997 turbo to shoot. He just had to since he saw the photos I took of the 993. Like I said, I'm not a fan but if I can spend one night to fire shots at a Porsche, it wouldn't take much thought for me to say yes.

That night, we took the 997 out to the usual spot in the nation's capital. My so-called outdoor studio. Just taking a look at the 997 under the white LED street lights against the pristine white paint, it just looks picture perfect. Not much of the shape has changed but some of the details have been brought up to date like the LED rear lights and the rear fender that kind of looks like hips.

 Continue to the inside, the timeless style ques of the 911 is still unmistakable with the huge tachometer in the middle. Beside that, got the nice touches in chrome and leather. Something you would see if the car was made for cruising and comfort. In fact, the 997 moves in silence when you roll in low revs down the boulevard in the middle of Putrajaya.

The subtlety continues when we took it out for a spin. It has no Ferrari roar and when rolling through a crowded area. Therefore, it's not as neck breaking. But it is always a thrill to see a car like this roll in the cover of night. But once you open up the throttle, that's when you hear the boost surging in even if the Porsche is already at the end of the block. A reminder that this is a forced induction car that's ridiculously fast. Just three seconds to hit 100 from standstill.

After that night, I was impressed and finally understood why people still love the 911. it might not be appealing to me on the exterior but this car has character. Now safer and faster than the previous 911 Turbo that came out before, this car definitely deserve my hats-off. I might not really look at it if it was in Sepang, but seeing this car on the city streets at night, it puts a whole different mood.

The Ghost Whip | Spark Motorsport's S15 Silvia

Slightly different to most places around the world, Singapore has very strict policies when it comes to the road worthiness of cars. The most well-known policy would be Certificate of Entitlement (COE) regulations. Due to this, it became a major factor why performance cars in Singapore are considered a rare commodity. Even though the S15 Silvia is not really that rare of a car, but the story behind this one is somewhat of an interesting tale.
 

I first encountered this car last year when my friend Ivan drove it up to Kuala Lumpur. That night we met up for a round of drinks with a few other close friends at the Rock Café in Sunway’s Industrial Park. It was after that Ivan decided to show us the S15 he drove up with. My first impression on the car was that it was subtle and aggressive at the same time. Somewhat interesting, especially for a guy who loves S-Chassis. Then he exposed the engine bay and the first thing I noticed was the welds on the intercooler pipes. That is automotive art right there.
 

Second time around, we met at the same place that we met a year before. Only this time, we were accompanied by another friend, Dennis with his Honda EK Hatch. As I asked more about the car, I later found out that the rightful owner of the car is always out and abroad. Even if he was in Singapore, the car itself hardly comes out. In other words, the owner is practically a ghost. Therefore, most of the time the S15 ever sees daylight is when Ivan have the car under his watch.
 

The S15 was sent over to Spark Motorsport for a fresh build on it. The car was destined to be a privateer drift spec car but the S15 never had a chance to see track action ever. Due to that, in 2012, it was converted back to a street tuned car. The S15 now doesn’t look like a serious track ready car though. In fact, it is as if it has a unique character on its own. It’s not every day you’ll see a Mickey Mouse hand as a shift knob don’t we?
 

But even though with character it portrays, the motor that’s sitting inside isn’t a slouch. The SR20 was built up at Spark Motorsport with a nice list of parts dropped in including some overnight parts coming from the land of smiles. It was fitted with a HKS 2.2L Stroker Kit for the bottom end and force fed with a Garrett GT28 series turbine. The intercooler pipes I mentioned earlier, those were titanium custom welded at Spark Motorsport which caught my attention in the first place.
 

The S15 has quite an interesting exterior. May not be as loud and attention seeking compared to some cars but it can still spark interest when a person looks its’ way. The wide Vertex ridge aero kit with the Grigio Telesto grey paint on the S15 is not exactly eye-catching but it can make you wonder who the antagonist that drives that car is. It gives a presence yet it blends in the urban landscape of Singapore. It could even make you question if you have actually seen a ghost.   
 

TUNING MENU
Owner: Anonymous
Model: 1999 Nissan Silvia Spec R S15
Location: Singapore

ENGINE:
2.0L SR20DET Inline-4,
HKS 2.2L Stroker Kit,
ATI Crank Damper,
SARD Fuel Regulator,
Clinic 1000cc Injectors,
Oil and Transmission Cooler,
Garage Defend GT Radiator Cooling Panel,
Thailand-made Intake Manifold,
S90 80mm Throttle Body,
Blitz Air Filter,
Fujitsubo Exhaust System,
Garrett GT2871R Turbine,
APEXi Intercooler Core,
Custom Titanium Intercooler Piping by Spark Motorsport,

DRIVETRAIN:
Custom Dog Box Transmission Thailand Made
NISMO LSD

SUSPENSION, CHASSIS AND BRAKES:
BC Suspesion Adjustable Coilovers,
Driftworks Caster Arms,
Driftworks Rear Camber Arms,
Driftworks Toe Arms,
Front Strut Bar,
Brembo Front Brakes,

WHEELS AND TIRES:
Works Meister S1
Front 17 x 8.5jj
Rear 18 x 9.5jj
Low Profile Tires
Front 235/45/17
Rear 265/35/18

EXTERIOR:
VERTEX Ridge Wide Aerokit
Lamborghini Grigio Telesto paint

INTERIOR:
GRIP Royal Steering Wheel,
GReddy Profec B Boost Controller,
Defi 2-Din meter (Oil Pressure, Boost)
Napolex Mickey Mouse Shift Knob,
 

BONUS IMAGES