There are some great rivalries in the Japanese car scene: Impreza vs Evo, Supra vs Skyline, Fast Car vs Banzai. OK, so the latter might not be so much of a rivalry, more like sibling banter, but even so, the two magazines are going head-to-head in the hotly anticipated, best magazine stand competition, at Japfest Donington on 1st July and The Fast Car Festival on 2nd July at Donington Park.
In the red corner…Fast Car
Fast Car magazine has been defining car culture since 1987 and it’s promising to bring along an eclectic mix of past, present and future feature cars that sum up its love of all things automotive.
You’ll find everything from restomodded Celicas to Rocket Bunny RX-7s, Bosozoku-styled Nissans to big powered Supras. But don’t just take Fast Car’s word for it. Get over to the displays located in the middle of the paddock and judge for yourself, as showgoers get to decide the winner.
And that’s not all. Everyone who votes will be in with a chance of winning a huge bundle of ValetPRO car care products.
Here are just a handful of the cars you can expect to find on the stand…
Rocket Bunny RX-7
Fresh out of the blocks is this amazing RX-7, thanks
to the hard-work and dedication of Sean Malone, the proud owner. Amongst other things, such as the bolt-on fenders, it boasts 14-inch wide rear wheels. Now that’s some serious girth!
Boso Sunny
Bosozoku is a subculture that often takes a lot of explaining. We’re talking sump-clattering ride height, surreal caricaturised bodykits, jutting sharknoses, comically extended exhausts and in-your-face retro colour schemes. It’s a deliberately jarring aesthetic and Robin Whitfield’s Nissan Sunny is quite simply all of the above. After missing out on Japfest Silverstone, due to a slight technical failure, it’ll be back in all its glory at Donington.
Chrome Subaru Impreza
If you like your Japanese metal more on the subtle side, this crazy Scooby probably isn’t for you. Still, it’s worth taking a look around anyway, as the attention to detail is mind blowing.
And in the blue corner… Banzai
To represent the UK’s biggest and best-selling Japanese tuning magazine, Banzai will be at the show in full force. You can expect to see plenty of the very best feature cars to have passed through Banzai’s pages over the years, from awe-inspiring Evos to stunning Skylines and hot Hondas. Some of these cars have since gone through further changes, so what better chance to catch up with them?
On top of that, the stand will be offering showgoers a sneak peak at a couple of jawdropping feature cars going into the magazine soon. So make sure you stop by the stand, to see into the future!
Banzai say they won’t give it all away here, but you can see a little taster of what they have coming up…
Time Attack-inspired Evo VI
Nick Simmons’ outrageous Evo was a Banzai cover back in August 2016. Although it’s a road car, the styling is all Time Attack inspired and it’s got a fearsome bite to match its bark, thanks to a proven 665bhp from the heavily worked 4G63!
Boosted DC5
Soon to be featured in Banzai is Bobby Valentino’s stunning Honda Integra DC5. The show car exterior finish is matched with a turbocharged K-Series engine that’s putting out some big numbers. So it’s safe to say this car ticks all the boxes and is certainly a jaw-dropper!
Wide-arch Subaru
Dan Salt at the Scoobyclinic will be bringing along his Impreza with a twist. The two-door classic has been fitted with a wide-arch bodykit, to give it a 22B look. It’s backed up with a whole host of engine and chassis tweaks and looks the perfect part.
R32 Skyline GT-R
Editor Simon Holmes is bringing along his own project car, a 1992 Skyline GT-R. The tweaked ex-track car has recently been treated to a full respray, although the roll cage, suspension and engine mods remain, now joined by a huge set of 10.5×18-inch deep-dish Rotas.
Back issues
Have you missed a copy of Banzai or Fast Car and want to get your hands on one still? We’ll be there selling a range of past copies, along with a stash of other great merchandise that might take your fancy.
