Japan does car meets and events differently.
And no, I’m not talking about going to Daikoku PA and checking out the cars parked there. If you have ever been to an event organized by the Underground Tokyo or Peaches, then you’ll know what I’m talking about.
However, Luftgekult Tokyo just set the bar even higher, not just for Japan, but around the world. It was held in a closed section of the Shuto Expressway, and it might be the only time a car event would be held at such a location.
From the moment the gates opened, it was heaven on earth for enthusiasts and photographers alike.
There were over 200 air-cooled Porsches, which were all curated and positioned meticulously in specific sections of the almost 2-kilometer-long stretch of road to match the vibe they gave off.
From the 356 to the 993 and even the 962 race cars, there was an air-cooled Porsche for everyone.
Porsches that frequently ran the Japanese expressways were positioned along the toll booth entrance. The cars were all spaced out to make it look like they were ready to hit the C1 loop or even run the Wangan or the Yokohane line.
The highlight? Auto Garage TBK’s 911 Turbo, which was recently restored for this event. It was grouped with members of the Bayshore Knights, who also run the Wangan to this day.
Some cars even drove all the way from other parts of Japan, like this 993 race car on TE37s, which drove from Nagoya.
At the curved section of the expressway was a group of Porsche race cars, from the 962 to the 993 cup cars. It gave the perfect look of race cars taking over the streets of Japan.
However, the most special cars would be the ones in display boxes. The boxes would also include a short description of why these cars are special as compared to the other Porsches at the event.
Just how special are these cars? There’s the first-ever Porsche 911 Turbo officially sold in Japan.
If that’s not special enough, then maybe the RUF BTR “NATO” prototype might pique your interest more. Originally a Porsche 930 Turbo, this car was originally a test bed for the RUF BTR before eventually making its way into the hands of a Japanese collector.
Maybe you like the really rare and limited 911s too. At first glance, this might look like a standard 964 body 911 Carrera RS, but it’s actually 1 of 21 limited RS N/GT “Macau” cars.
Interestingly, there were a few more of the limited Carrera RS N/GT cars at the show, but they did get lost in a sea of 964s and 993s.
The main star of the show is the Taki Racing Team Porsche 910 driven by Testu Ikuzawa. It’s featured in all the posters and art materials for Luft Tokyo, which, by the way, was designed by Filipino artist Jaykee Evangelista (@groundworksdesign).
As someone who’s never seen the Porsche 910 in person before, it’s a beautifully designed car. It looks very different from the Porsche 956/962 race car I’m more familiar with, and even more so from Porsche race cars today.
Of course, there were also a few standout cars that caught our attention at the event. In fact, I’m sure there’s one car that would stand out for everyone at the show.
One of my favorites at Luft Tokyo is this 993 Carrera RS finished in Rubystone Red. It ticked all the right boxes if I were to own an air-cooled Porsche.
Another car that made me stop and admire it for a long time was this RUF CTR “Yellowbird”.
Despite being a legend in its own right, I found that most people were overlooking this car. Then again, it’s hard to blame them, considering the huge number of Porsches on display.
Madlane’s Porsche 935ML took center stage overlooking the Ginza area. It was definitely the perfect backdrop for a Japanese-tuned 935.
There were a bunch of 356s lined up together, and it was interesting to see how the owners set up camping chairs near their cars to eat breakfast and hang out together.
With the buildings around Ginza serving as the backdrop, it was the perfect mix of old and new.
Speaking of old and new, Porsche Japan also supported the event by having the new EV models parked together with a clean 356 coupe.
It’s not just Porsche Japan present, though. Restomod companies also had their own displays with the Tokyo backdrop.
Singer Vehicle Design showcased its latest creations at Luft Tokyo, one of which is a 911 DLS.
This might have been one of the few times people can get up close and personal with a Singer-built 911.
Meanwhile, Gunther Werks had this beautiful 993 Speedster on show.
Towards the end of the expressway, the more modified Porsches were parked together.
It’s also in this area where I saw Kawaii Fitment’s new demo car. A 993 with an itasha livery slammed on HRE wheels? Only in Japan.
This 930 slantnose built by MadLane also caught our attention, given how clean it looked.
This being the first Luftgekuhlt event held in Japan, there was no shortage of personalities in attendance.
Junya Matano of Kith, Shinsuke Takizawa of Neighborhood, Jon Sibal, and even drivers like Max Orido and Tetsu Ikuzawa were there. It was a place to meet your heroes, both in cars and people.
As the sun started to set, the show looked even better in photos. The Tokyo nightscape mixed with air-cooled Porsches gave a totally different vibe from the day.
But of course, the best part of Luft Tokyo was the rollout.
Seeing the cars driving out or being loaded onto the trailers was a special occasion on its own.
It’s not every day we get to hear multiple 962 race cars being driven. At the same time, the car trailers probably cost more than some houses here in the Philippines.
By the end of the day, we were all tired and had logged over 20,000 steps. But did we regret any step of it? Definitely not.
We asked the organizers when and where the next Luftgekuhlt Japan would be held, and they couldn’t give a direct answer.
With that said, this might be the first and last time Luftgekuhlt or any event would be held on an expressway in Tokyo. A proper send-off for KK Line Expressway? Definitely.
One thing is for sure, though. I’m excited for what they have in store for the next Luftgekuhlt Tokyo, and I will definitely be attending the next one.
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