RWB: Rauh Welt Begriff – Between genius and total madness?
Love and Hate
From my experience talking to car enthusiasts, when you mention those three letters in the context of a Porsche, there is usually one of two possible reactions. One side loves them; the other absolutely despises them. Itโs not that hard to see why they are so polarising and we will not try to persuade you why one is better than the other. RWB or Rauh Welt Bergiff is not like other tuning houses. The skilled hands of its owner and founder, Akira Nakai, produce a very unique style: custom Porsches with big wings, absurdly wide bodies and deep dish wheels unlike anything else on the road - cars that will always turn heads. Considering current car culture and the media landscape, in a world looking for attention and views, you'd be hard-pressed to find a more perfect car. But RWB is far more than just a car-tuning garage. Its story, modus operandi and final product are more akin a philosophy than anything else. So take a comfortable seat, crack open your favourite Coke flavour and light a cig as we in a world of RWB Porsches. And while weโre at it, letโs take a look at one of the best RWB models currently available, which you can buy at a relatively affordable price right now โ especially when you compare it to the almost identical Hot Wheels version, the RWB Porsche 930 from FG, a side brand from Focal Horizon.
What sets this model apart: At first glance, it may resemble the 1:1 scale Hot Wheels 930 RWB, number 4 of 5 from the then-unknown Hot Wheels Premium Silhouettes series, released around 2019. However, whilst that model was finished in matt black, the proportions and design of the FG model give the impression that a 3D cast was made of it to conjure up the absolute best version, one that puts Hot Wheels in the shade. And thatโs true across the board, because in 2025 Hot Wheels had also released a Red Line Club version based on this 930 RWB Porsche for the first time, which sold out within seconds on Mattelcreations.com.
The Spectrachrome Blue colour was simply mind-blowing, in the best possible way! Whatโs more, the doors and tailgate could be opened. But anyone who now thinks FG couldnโt possibly have done the same is mistaken. Because FG can do even more! Just like the PGM models, which cost well over $100 in shops, absolutely everything can be opened. And the attention to detail is a full two levels higher than on the Red Line Club model. This is evident from the detailed engine bay alone, or the tow hook at the front, which are not present on the Red Line Club model from Hot Wheels. And hereโs the kicker: whilst you can now buy the Red Line Club Hot Wheels RWB online on eBay for between $119 and $139, the FG 930 RWB was priced at around $29! Yes, you read that right. It was actually cheaper than the Hot Wheels model when it was available to buy on the website back then โ this FG model is a perfect illustration of everything thatโs currently going wrong with that section of the Hot Wheels community that sees its interests solely in terms of making money. So, for anyone who fancied the RLC model back then but wasnโt prepared to spend more than $120 on a model, hereโs the perfect opportunity!
Origins of RWB
What is a better way to start our story than with the creator. Akira Nakai was born in 1970 in Chiba, Japan and from a young age he loved cars. In the early 90โs he started a drift crew called Rauh-Welt or Rough world in German. The name likely came from the fact that his cars werenโt ideal spec and he always pushed them to the limit of their capabilities. At around the same time he started working at a body shop to fund his club, and thatโs where he was introduced to Porsche. He later bought an old 930 chassis and completely modified it. He gutted the interior, added new wheels and suspension, upgraded the engine to push around 360 horses and, of course, introduced the signature ultrawide bodykit with massive wings. He painted the car matte black and covered it in gold stickers with the carโs name: Stella Artois (named after the beer). As he raced it, people noticed and appreciated the style. Soon friends started asking if he could do their Porsches, too. In 1997 Akira created RWB or Rauh Welt Bergiff (Rough World Expression in some translations) and still owns it to this day.
What makes a RWB Porsche
In short, A RWB Porsche is a Porsche 930, 964, 993, 996 or 997 that was modified by Akira Nakai. And in this sentence is the main caveat. You cannot buy a body kit and install it yourself. You have to first contact the original company or one of their officially supported shops. Then you have to submit a request and provide the model of your Porsche. If it's a car that Akira is willing to work on, you work closely with the company and decide together what your car will look like. After that you order parts. For most of the cars there are pre-existing kits already,but for newer generations a la 996 and 997 you will have to wait a bit longer as they create them from scratch. Then comes the longest and annoying part: waiting. Because demand for RWBs has exploded in recent years, new buyers sometimes wait over a year before they get their slot. In the meantime, it's on the buyer to fully prepare the chassis for installation.
When your time comes you have to paythe airfare, accomodation and all associated costs for Nakai-San to fly out to you. He will cut up the car himself and install all the parts of the kit. Itโs a relatively quick process and on average this part takes no more than 48 hours, depending on which options the customer decided to check on the build sheet. The most unique and controversial part of this experience is definetly the way Akira Nakai works. He doesnโt use fancy tools and he doesn't check every milimeter of the car. He marks the lines with tape, then takes his air powered saw and unceremoniously cuts off the original fenders, guided by the tape and his eyes. This garage-esque way of working is used on every single part of the kit. During breaks the performance continues, as the master can mostly be spotted having a cigarette or a can of Coke or both. And while those items are not included in the final bill, he sure wonโt mind having a supply on hand.
The Economics of the show
Safe to say that whole perfomance doesnโt come cheap. Letโs take a look at a theoretical build for a Porsche 964 wide style. Prices are taken from RWB EU and all are in US dollars. The starting price of a kit is 24 000$ and it includes the front and rear bumpers, front and rear wide fenders, rockers GT2 or 3.8 RS-style wing and other miscellaneous bits and pieces. The wheels, if you decide to go with them, cost an additional 5500$. They are SSR set with adapters and tires. If you want suspension directly from RWB, then prepare to cough up more money, because the Aragosta suspension system will cost you another 5 and a half grand. If you want a different wing from the ones already included, you can opt for the Champion wing, which will cost you an additonal 1300$. And then there are special options such as fender wings, HAKAMA rockers, canards and Royal wide rear fenders all priced at a premium. An additional factor to consider is that those costs do not include shipping and tarrifs. Then, of course, the afore-mentioned flights and accomodation for Nakai-San. The buyer also needs to provide the car, obviously, and prepare it for the procedure according to specifications. So in short, the process is expensive, and only the parts will cost you at least 60.000 โฌ with shipping and taxes.
If you donโt want to go through all this hassle, RWBs do appear from time to time on auctions, but their prices and specifications vary significantly. Japanese auction sites are your best bet. Some of the cars that have appeared through the years were even part of Nakai-San's personal fleet (for example the 930 named Violetta). Although foreigners have a way to aquire them through special providers and import companies, most of the time, the cars stay with their original owners.
Personality matters
There are at least 400 RWBs in circulation worldwide, most of them in Japan and the USA. But the appeal of RWBs isnโt only due to their price or rarity; it's the uniqueness of every single build. Nakai-San will never build more than one car per customer. Not only that, usually every owner heavily customises their machine in very different ways. Custom suspension, one-off paints and wraps, engine swaps, interior modifications,... there isnโt a single thing that issnโt done to them. There was even one that had an EV conversion and was showcased at SEMA years ago (its name was E-RWB). That's another way to differentiate between these cars: every single one has a name. Stella Artois, Hoonigan, Army Girl, Masterpiece, Ichiban Boshi, Southern Cross, John Wick, RWBY, and Apple are only some of the many iconic RWBs built. There is no time in the world to cover them all in detail. A great resource for anyone who wants to check them out is the RWB Registry. This community-driven site tries to keep tabs on all RWB models in all the countries of the world.
Small size, big heart
Considering the big cultural appeal of the brand, it comes as no surprise that many diecast brands created mini versions of RWBs in recent years, licenced and unlicenced. The first famous exaple was Hot Wheels, with the apperance of the 930 Stella Artois in their 2018 mix of Car Culture named Silhouettes. It became a massive success , with prices skyrocketing to the moon. Later they did other variants, and in 2025 they created two models which became extremely collectible, one a standard-release in the Silhouette mix in white and the other as an RLC in spectraflame blue. Tarmac Works also released many fully licenced RWB builds in their HOBBY64 line. Notable recent examples include Army Girl, Shinya, Southern Cross, Liberty Walk, Veronika, Midas Touch and many more as special editions and variants. Additionally, they launched a card collection named RWB Volume 01 with Tarmac Cards, in which the main chase was an Akira-San signature card. Pop Race has done some RWB castings, as well. They have some 993s and 997s and just lately they announced 2 fully licenced models; the first is a Stella Artois with an opening engine bay and the second, created in collaboration with American diorama, is a model of Apple which includes an Akira Nakai figurine holding his iconic saw. Both models are avaliable for preorder. And last but not least there is PGM, known for some of the most detailed models you can get in 1:64 scale!
Be unique, be rough
For us, enthusiasts, cars are more than just transport. They are extension of our souls, representations of our inner selves. And I think that RWB captures this philosophy perfectly. Theseare cars that are not afraid to be what they are and are meant for owners who do not care about the opinions of others. They are the ultimate expression of their owners and you will never fully understand why the car is built the way it is without knowing its owner and vice versa. Thatโs a good thing. Nowadays it sometimes seems that we are trying to hide what we really are but RWB is a pleasant antidote to the mundane and fake. That is what RWB represents and why it is so special to many.
Thank You so much for reading this feature.
Good morning, good day or good night, wherever you may be, dear reader!
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