2005 Boxster & 2007 Cayman S - Porsche Pandemic
Osaka's answer to two of Porsche's most disregarded cars
David IshikawaWriter
0:00 / 0:00
While we continue to marvel at cars such as AP Garage's Hakosuka, Speed Forme's Fairlady Z, and Hurtling's Supra elsewhere in this issue, there's a growing appreciation and affinity for European cars in Japan, especially Porsches. Large tuners and small shops alike have set the bar high in terms of craftsmanship and style when it comes to modifying their Japanese cars, but it's the up-and-coming Euro projects that are gaining the most attention and respect, and that's exactly what Osaka's 9010design did this year at Osaka Auto Messe.
Established back in '13, 9010design started out as a small, humble shop that focused on custom interiors with the mind-set that proper styling can be appreciated on all types of cars. Things were going so well at the shop that last year, owner Atushi Oka relocated to a bigger facility so he could offer more customization services in addition to his upholstery work. And to boost more awareness, he decided to unveil a pair of demo cars at Auto Messe using two of Porsche's dark horses.
Now, we're all familiar with the numbers "911," but do you know what the "987" is? 987 signifies the second-generation Boxster, which also includes the inaugural Cayman. The 987 is a model that is underrepresented within the tuner community and is often considered by many to be "not a real Porsche." Oka saw a lot of potential with the car, so he began working on his silver '07 Cayman S first.
Oka ripped out the original black leather and had the upholstery redone in suede and leather, using a couple different shades of green and some accents of triangle stitching. The matching upholstery and Pneumatec air setup under the hood is definitely one of our favorite features.
Keeping things under the Japanese umbrella, he didn't just go out and throw in some predictable aero package or wheels from German or U.S. tuner, but reached out to Kei Miura of TRA Kyoto for his signature Pandem kit with riveted-on over-fenders. A set of forged Barramundi Design wheels, also designed in Japan, were custom-built for a perfect fitment. Once Oka's Cayman was wrapped up, he moved on to Mao Nakai's '05 Boxster.
You might remember Nakai's name because his V37 Skyline was featured in our June '17 issue. Back on the scene with a completely different platform, he tells us he chose the 987 Boxster for the sole purpose of having the first Pandem widebody on the convertible Boxster. He's also an avid sneaker head, so he found a way to incorporate both of his passions (shoes and cars) into this unique build.
Inspired by the Air Jordan Retro 12 "Bordeaux," Nakai trusted 9010design to transform the interior using the burgundy-like colors of the iconic sneaker. To go with the customized interior and locally designed widebody, three-piece Work Meister S1 wheels on Pneumatec air suspension completed the look.
Oka plans on doing some ECU tuning on his Cayman next, while Nakai plans to build a show-worthy air management seteup for his Boxster, which you can bet 9010design will be in charge of. Both 987s don't have a whole lot of mods and aren't built to be best-of-show winners, but they're a breath of fresh air for the Euro community with complementing mods, sweet interiors, and swagger you'll only be able to find in Japan
