Thursday 29 May 2014

Kent's Copper Red NC2

Kent's car is a 2009 RS Coupe model in Copper Red Mica from the Kanagawa region of Japan. This is one of the popular colours that has been available every year since the introduction of the NC. It's a classic sports car colour that is less obvious than say True Red and Sunflower Yellow, it gives the car a more premium and sophisticated look. Similar colours were available on previous generations named Vin Rouge on the NA and Garnet Red on the NB.

The exterior of the car is kept pretty much standard with the only changes being the front grille and alloy wheels. The standard plastic grille trim has been removed and replaced with mesh and the inner part painted silver. A custom front numberplate bracket relocates the plate lower down, with a Roadster emblem to finish. The RS model had blanking trim pieces instead of foglights. Here these have been modified into vents and fitted with black mesh for a discreet look.

The alloy wheels are Racing Service Watanabe F8F 16" eight spokes. These are a size down from the standard fitment on the RS model and are 6.5J with an offset of 40 and a polished rim. The wheels are complete with genuine RS Watanabe centre caps and nuts, and fitted with Dunlop Direzza 205/50/16 tyres. These were a great choice and work so well with the car.

Inside there is a Nardi 75th Anniversary steering wheel fitted to a Works Bell boss. The centre console and dash trim panel are finished in 3M carbon vinyl, and there are leather gear and handbrake gaiters by Zoom Engineering. The standard carpet mats have been swapped for a black and white flaxy chequered design by Karo.

To improve performance on track the car has a few upgrades fitted. The flywheel is a lightweight Maruha Motors part, a Racing Beat muffler, Maxim Works manifold, Cusco front brace, and brake pads from Maruha Motors were added. The ride height has been lowered with Nopro spring mounts on Bilstein dampers, and an AutoExe filter with Odula cold air feed and Nopro silicon elbow help the car breathe.