Gas Magazine and KZN Drag Racing have come together to create a competitive drag racing list to give our fellow racers a benchmark to shoot for, and after two months of sleepless nights sorting through years of results and at least a thousand phone calls later, that list is finally a reality!
Featuring 15 competitive classes that all drag racers can relate to, #TheList is the first of its kind in Kwa-Zulu Natal and is definitely a step forward for our legal drag racing scene. As it becomes more competitive with each race, Gas Magazine and KZN Drag Racing hopes to get the opportunity to take the top 3 racers from each class to race among South Africa's finest for the very first time. To qualify for #TheList, you would need to post a competitive drag time here with proof of your results as reference. Please note that this list is open only to KZN residents for obvious reasons. Without further adieu, here is #TheList as it currently stands in October 2017: 4 CYLINDER NATURALLY ASPIRATED - FRONT WHEEL DRIVE 1. Aslam Seedat – 11.33 2. Seshum Naidoo – 11.80 3. Clinton Ramluckan – 12.08 4. Roysen Chetty – 12.30 5. Collin Moodley - 12.398 6. Trivolan Pather – 12.4s 4 CYLINDER NATURALLY ASPIRATED - REAR WHEEL DRIVE 1. Sanjay Ashopal Jagesar– 11.67 2. Collin Naidoo – 11.94 3. Vigen Naidoo – 12.41 4. Pat Reddy – 12.63 5. Mithen - 12.72 6. Donovan Govender - 13.01 7. Adil – 13.1 8. Altaaf Singh - 13.3 4 CYLINDER TURBO / NITROUS / EX - FRONT WHEEL DRIVE 1. Zareef Basha – 10.33 2. Shaun Naidoo – 11.04 3. Alvin Pillay – 11.231 4. Richard Raja - 11.343 5. Andrew Ramsamy – 11.51 6. Shedan Murugas – 11.55 7. Brandon Moodley - 11.572 8. Donovan Govender – 11.60 9. Melvin Moodley – 11.66 10. Leon Ramdeen - 11.68 11. Saeed Ahmed – 11.70 12. Ershen Naidoo – 11.76 4 CYLINDER TURBO / NITROUS / EX - REAR WHEEL DRIVE 1. Poovern Ganesan – 8.64 2. Kruben Naidoo – 8.69 3. Donovan Govender - 10.26 4. Anesh – 10.47 5. Karthy Naidoo – 10.64 6. Feroz - 10.657 7. Donny Naidoo - 10.78 8. Dean Govender – 10.81 9. Marlon – 10.83 10. Fiaz Sayed – 10.91 4 CYLINDER - ALL WHEEL DRIVE 1. Nick Naidoo – 9.88 2. Marsh Padayachee - 10.129 3. Shabir Hoosen Scotty – 10.14 4. Preyan Govender – 10.48 5. Anthony Sivalingam – 10.85 6. Brandon Govender - 10.901 7. Trishen Govender 11.00 8. Zareef Basha – 11.01 6 CYLINDER TURBO / NITROUS / EX - FRONT WHEEL DRIVE & REAR WHEEL DRIVE 1. Nishal Singh – 10.33 2. Shawn Moodley – 10.83 3. Kamir Maniram – 10.88 4. Tilly – 10.9 5. Anand Naidoo – 10.9 6. Leon Ramdeen – 11.01 7. Kas Moodley 11.01 8. Marlan moodley - 11.06 9. Ridwan Ally – 11.13 10. Morgan Ramadu - 11.20 11. Riashan Govender - 11.358 12. Clive Naidoo – 11.40 13.. Dean Marimuthu - 11.47 6 CYLINDER NATURALLY ASPIRATED - FRONT WHEEL DRIVE & REAR WHEEL DRIVE 1. Yureshen Moodley – 11.8 2. Shawn Moodley – 12.24 3. Amith Singh – 12.31 4. Cleo Moodley – 12.33 5. Goolam Hanniff - 12.382 6. Sue Hurdayal – 12.32 6 CYLINDER - ALL WHEEL DRIVE 1. Anthony Sivalingham – 9.26 2. Leeshan Naidoo – 9.5 3. Ugan – 9.79 4. Junaid Ally – 9.93 5. Riaz – 10.03 6. Karen Naidoo – 10.08 7. Terrence Naidoo - 10.10 8. Nabeel Dawood - 10.232 9. Marlan moodley 10.2 10. Shawn Moodley – 10.26 11. Clifford Christian – 10.40 12. Yugen Chengadu – 10.43 13. huvashan varshen govender – 10.853 14. Kubeshin Pillay - 10.856 8 CYLINDER - NATURALLY ASPIRATED 1. Zareef Basha – 11.23 2. Marlon Moodley - 11.349 3. Roxanna Maary – 11.349 4. Roysen Chetty – 11.38 5. Junaid Ally – 11.51 6. Nathan Sewspersad - 11.55 7. Ashley – 11.56 8. Trishen Govender 11.60 9. Mckyle Essop – 11.64 10. Mageshan - 11.68 8 CYLINDER TURBO / NITROUS - ALL WHEEL DRIVE 1. Yougesh – 10.20 2. Basil Myburgh – 10.41 3. Niven – 10.45 4. Farhadd Khan - 10.6 5. Bhabi – 10.5 6. Clint Myburgh – 10.67 7. Kiran – 10.87 8. Des Chetty - 10.89 9. Dean Marimuthu – 10.9 10. Ved – 10.9 DIESEL 1. Ricardo De Sousa – 11.826 2. Leeshan Naidoo – 11.9 3. Brandon Ames - 12.447 4. Suhayl Ali Khan – 12.455 5. Marcus Hendeson– 12.69 6. Tyrone Pierrot – 12.8 ROTARIES 1. Neal Singh 9.08 2. Julian Ramluckan – 10.46 3. Rudy – 10.7 4. Kreelan – 10.8 5. Terry Yannikakis - 11.30 6. Siven – 11.38 7. Huvashan Varshen Govender – 11.56 5 CYLINDER - ALL WHEEL DRIVE 1. Mojo – 10.792 2. Loven – 10.8 3. Afzal – 10.9 4. Faheem - 10.9 5. Junaid Ally – 10.979 6. Rashid – 11.00 7. Kerusha – 11.08 8. Jeslin – 11.0 9. Kumesan – 11.033 10. Amir – 11.08 5 CYLINDER OPEN 1. Trinesh Govender - 12.38 2. Sungren Chetty - 12.95 3. Theo Pandaram - 13.04 4. Dinesh Sukdeo - 13.08 5. Shaun Naicker - 13.09 BIKES 1) Gary 9.04 s 2) Faiz 9.2 s 3) Jaco Viviers 9.3 s 4) Jaco Olivier 9.3 s 5) Coenrad 9.31 s 
In conclusion, we would like to applaud the ladies and gentlemen from Gas Magazine and KZN Drag Racing for their continuous involvement in making legal drag racing a possibility in Kwa-Zulu Natal. We wish you all the best with this venture and we look forward to seeing everything that's still to come of it!
Stay updated with the latest results by liking #TheList's Facebook page here. 
The GT-R has become a way of life that most people can only dream about. We often see them on tv or in video games, but seeing them in person is usually a rare occurrence. Seeing one is a sight to behold, and we recently managed to get 7 (yes, you read right - SEVEN!) of KZN's meanest GT-R's to come together for a one of a kind Godzilla Gathering to explain the history of the legendary Nissan GT-R!
The first Skyline GT-R was released on 4 February 1969, marking the start of a new era for petrolheads around the world. It was available originally as a four-door sedan and was equipped with the 2.0 L DOHC S20 I6 producing 160 hp (120 kW) at 7000 rpm and 177 N·m (131 ft·lbf) of torque at 5600 rpm. A popular name for the PGC and KPGC10 Skyline GT-R was "Hakosuka", and a total of only 1,945 PGC and KPGC10 Skyline GT-Rs were produced which explains why you've probably never seen one. The Hakosuka's successor was the KPGC110 which was released in 1973. Powered by a 1989 cc I6 S20 engine, this edition of the GT-R was also known as the "Kenmeri" Skyline, due to a popular advert featuring a young couple (Ken and Mary) enjoying the Hokkaido countryside. Unfortunately, the second generation GT-R was unsuccessful due to a gasoline crisis in the early 1970s, drying out any demand for high-performance sports cars and only 197 cars were built by the end of its short production run. For the next decade, this was the last GT-R until the production of the R32 in 1989 which eventually turned Nissan's luck around. The R32 was a car well ahead of its time which solidified Nissan's mark in the automotive industry. Australia was the first market the R32 GT-R was exported to before eventually reaching the rest of the world and the Australian auto press called the car “Godzilla” because it was a new monster from Japan. The name quickly spread and remains a common nickname for the GT-R to this day!
The E-BCNR33 (R33) was developed in 1995 as a successor to the R32 model. The engine in the R33 was nearly identical to the R32. It used the same turbochargers and the same specifications for the manual gearbox, although the syncros were stronger. The engine corrected the R32's weak oil pump drive collar, which tended to fail in higher power applications, by using a wider collar. The R33 ended production on 9 November 1998 and the last one that rolled off the line came in a R34 colour, as it shared the same colour code.
The GF-BNR34 (R34) Skyline GT-R and GT-R V·spec models were released in January 1999. In February 2002 Nissan released a final production model of the R34 GT-R called the Skyline GT-R V·spec II Nür. The Nür was named after the famous German Nürburgring racetrack where the Skyline was developed. In total only 1000 R34 GT-R Nür(s) were made - 750 were V·spec II Nürs' and 250 were M·Spec Nürs'.
The Nür model featured an improved RB26DETT based on the N1 racing engine. The standard turbochargers were upgraded to larger versions with a slight increase in boost and the ceramic blades were replaced with steel versions. This had increased lag, but to compensate the turbo's durability was improved while being able to handle a bigger boost increase. This allowed tuners to increase the boost safely with standard turbos up to 340 kW (450 hp) at the crank!
The V.spec II Nür is based on the regular V·spec II model, and the M·spec Nür was based on the regular M·spec model. Other than the addition of the Nür engine, the Nür models also included a speedometer reading up to 300 km/h. Due to Japanese car industry norms at the time, the car was advertised as having 206 kW (276 hp) but it actually had over 246 kW (330 hp) when it left the factory. Abdullah's R34 GT-R V·spec II Nür is by far the meanest of its kind in KZN - read more about it here.
Similar to the later generations of the Skyline GT-R's, the Nissan GT-R is four-wheel drive with a twin-turbo 6 cylinder engine and has the signature four round tail lights. However, the GT-R is an entirely new model sharing little with its Skyline siblings and is a complete redesign from previous Skylines rather than an incremental evolution; the four-wheel-steering HICAS system has been removed and the former straight-6 RB26DETT engine has been replaced with a new V6 VR38DETT. Because of the GT-R's heritage, the chassis code for the all-new version has been called CBA-R35, or 'R35' for short, carrying on the naming trend from previous Skyline GT-R generations.
Nissan chief creative officer, Shirō Nakamura, has likened the new GT-R to the giant robots of the Gundam series. Nakamura stated: "The GT-R is unique because it is not simply a copy of a European-designed Sports car; it had to really reflect Japanese culture."
Something you may not know is that Polyphony Digital, the creators of the Gran Turismo series of motor racing video games, were themselves involved in the development of the GT-R, having been contracted to design the GT-R's multi-function display. No wonder it looks so good!
In conclusion, the Skyline GT-R has become the flagship of Nissan performance and has become an icon throughout the world. Through generations of progress, it has become a dream car for many and after seeing all these, its easy to see why!
Photography by MNI Photography
Being the owner of an S13 before, Pranesh Sewraj already knew what car he wanted long before he got it, but finding one turned out to be a little harder than he initially thought. He eventually decided to get in contact with Steve Clark from No Sweat Racing, an auto haven that does it all. Steve had previously tuned and modified a S13 and pointed Pranesh in the direction of its owners. The owners were of course reluctant to sell but after a bit of negotiating, Pranesh got his way and became the owner of the mint beauty you see before you.
Pranesh was ecstatic that the car already had a full race setup and at the same time was a reliable, street legal car. The car was built properly the first time round and no expenses were spared so after purchasing it, all that was left was to get behind the wheel and enjoy.
Powering this beast is a full race setup with a roll cage and fuel cell. A 1.8 twin cam 16 valve engine sits tight in the hood while the Haltec Engine Management system enhances the power it makes, resulting in 338kW @ 1.4bar boost. Not bad at all, and with only 48000kms on the clock, this car won’t be slowing down anytime soon.
A Koni Race Suspension system ensures smooth driving and Pranesh’s choice of 18”rims adds that extra bit of style.
The exterior has been kept stock standard and the car looks like it has just come out of the showroom. Talk about a sleeper!
We all remember that “one night at the drags” when Godzilla itself made an appearance. Some of us got to witness the beast first hand and those who did will remember the tragic ending. Nabeel Ismail was one of the lucky few who was there that night and for him it was love at first sight. This legendary Nissan Skyline BNR34 GTR VSPEC2NUR, owned by Abdullah Sindhi, was the very reason for starting his Instagram page known as DBN Auto (@dbnauto) and also the reason behind his passion for GTR’s. Little did he know he would get the opportunity to do a full photoshoot on his dream car just two years later.
Now fully repaired and badder than ever, this beastly GTR is powered by a RB26 engine, a Brian Crower 2.9 stroker kit, Nismo N1 block, Greddy intake, an Endyne tuned cyclinder head, Nismo carbon drive shafts & propshaft, and a Garret GTX4202R Turbo for that extra bit of BOOST! Who said money can't buy happiness?
An Apexi N1 Exhaust system carries the gas from the powerhouse under the hood through its journey out the tail pipe.
An Ohlins Coilover Suspension kit has been equipped to maximize the friction between the HRE P40 Monoblock Wheels and the road surface, resulting in a smoother and faster driving experience, and a Varis Big Brake Kit ensures this beast comes to a halt as quick as it takes off!
Abdullah opted to keep the interior stock for the most part and only added a black Alcantera Sued Interior which keeps things simple yet classy.
The Rundown:
Brian Crower 2.9 stroker | Nismo N1 block | Greddy intake | Garret GTX4202R Turbo | Endyne tuned cyclinder head | Olhens coilover suspension | Nismo carbon drive shafts & propshaft | OEM HRE P40 Monoblock Wheels | Full Alcentera interior | Vari big brake upgrade kit | Apexi N1 Exhaust System | Z-Tune Aero Kit 
Overall, this car is a dream come true and Abdullah is enjoying every bit of it! He plans to continue turning heads and blowing eardrums with no intention of selling anytime soon.
Photos by MNI Photography
A prized possession is often passed down through the family to continue its legacy in a new generation – this mint Corolla RXI was no exception for the Surju family. Bought in 2006 by Kimesh Surju, the car was handed down to Vikesh Surju in 2010 who again handed it down in 2012, this time to Prenesh Surju who is still the proud owner to this day.
These 3 passionates are responsible for all mods that the car now sports but credit ultimately goes to their old school car enthusiast father ‘Ravesh Surju’ who started his passion for modding cars at the tender age of 18. He’s a supportive dad to these young men and he's always willing to give a helping hand when necessary.
Looking from behind, you'll see that this RXI has received a custom rear bumper that has been tweaked even further. It now has mesh inserts with a molded in lower lip and has been flattened to give it that flush look.
Up front we have a debadged mesh grill and smoked headlights. The headlights are enhanced further with the introduction of an H.I.D kit that lightens the road ahead when Prenesh decides to shoot by.
This beauty has been resprayed in factory blue with silver flakes that have resulted in this car taking home the Midas Show & Shine Facebook competition title, and Prenesh has plans to win many more competitions in future.
Wheel wise, Prenesh decided to keep it OEM and swapped out the Twin Spokes for the much loved Blade rims which are mated to 195/50/15 Bridgestone tyres. Thus resulting in a clean style that’s not too over the top.
Performance wise, the cars 20v lump has received a Primaforce 57-60mm Exhaust, Vernier Pulleys and Intake. The stock standard ECU is still in play.
Audio wise, the car has been fitted with a Pioneer MP3 USB head-unit upfront with Pioneer 6inch mids and 6x9s, as well as a set of tweeters for them high notes. No subs, because sub + box = weight. Racers should know what I’m on about…
Prenesh aims to be one of the few fast stock ECU, fully trimmed, daily driven 20v's in Durban. He plans to install BC Racing Coilovers as well as some TODA headwork in the near future so this definitely won’t be the last we see of this RXI!
Photography by Vitesh Sampath | Words by Andhisha Cassilall & Vitesh Sampath
In an era where modern supercars dominate the streets, we often forget about the iconic “Ferrari-killers” of yesteryear – and in particular the cars that shaped our views on the speed-dominating culture today. For me that was none other than the Toyota Supra made famous by The Fast & The Furious Franchise. Driven by a thirst for street and strip dominance, the Supra was intended to do one thing and one thing only – haul ass!
Combining a hefty 3-litre 2JZ-GTE 6-cylinder engine with a twin turbo Hitachi turbo setup saw power figures exceeding the 239kw mark in stock European and American derived guise, with the sprint to the 100km/h mark from standstill being hit in sub 5-seconds – not too bad for a model produced in 1993!
Deon Visser, the man behind Remus Exhausts South Africa, is the blessed owner of this example of Japanese Fury. After initially seeing the car taking part in local drag races in the United Kingdom, Deon knew that this would be his ultimate weekend toy, and immediately set the ball rolling on purchasing it and having it shipped through to South African shores.
With an ultimate goal of producing a showstopper on any stage, be it a show and shine contest or a drag race, Deon’s aim for this toy was to produce the perfect weekend toy; one that delivered respectable power to enjoy without being too wild and uncontrollable, and had the looks and ride quality to take it out onto practically any tarred road at any time. In saying this, having a Supra running stock gear is like doing a sprint in sneakers – it can be done but is better with high performance sprinting spikes.
Like anabolic steroids to Arnold Schwarzenegger, the twin turbo setup was binned in favour of a much larger and more capable charger in the form of a Trust T88 turbocharger – so large in fact that is capable of swallowing a small pet whole! With an increase in boost comes the need to adequately cool this addition in airflow, and to do this, Deon slotted in a massive Blitz front-mount intercooler – replacing the two smaller stock units.
The standard 550cc injectors together with a pair of high-pressure aftermarket fuel pumps and Earl fuel lines deliver the 95-Octane pump fuel through to the thirsty power-plant. A set of feral HKS cams ensure that the intake and exhaust valves stay open just a little longer. Controlling the chaos under the bonnet is performed by none other than a home-grown GoTech Pro-X system, whereas the rumble of the rich and deep exhaust tones are harmonised with one of Remus’s signature Wild Label performance exhaust systems. All of these additions have seen the power translate into 340kw being planted directly onto the rear wheels, and at only 0.9bar! With the wheels spinning all the way into third gear at such a low rating producing more than enough of a thrill for even the biggest boost lovers out there!
As mentioned before, this Supra is not all go and no show. As you can clearly see, Deon definitely did not go the regular route of a simple bodykit and a paint job. A genuine Veilside bodykit adds more flare to the exterior, while a combination of blood red, jet black, and silver from DNA Paint’s costly HolaSpex range makes it look like no other. This paint coat really is the business, incorporating special metallic flakes which flip the colours in the sunshine. Other exterior additions include upgraded side mirrors, headlights and taillights, mirror tint on the windows, as well as a carbon fibre drag rear boot spoiler that has been sprayed in the same blood red as the rest of the partial body.
The interior has remained relatively tame in comparison, and sees the carpets being redone, as well as the seats which have been enveloped on upmarket and fresh black leather. Pointing the Supra in the right direction is the job of the Momo steering wheel, while a variety of gauges aftermarket Greddy gauges assist Deon in monitoring the anarchy that’s taking place under the hood.
No show car would be complete without having the full package – from power to eardrum blowing performance so Deon enlisted the help of Ebie from Creative Rides to give the Supra a proper once-over and to give a strong system that will be pleasing to the ear. Nothing but the best components were used for the custom build with the amplifier, subwoofer, and split system all coming from the Rockford Fosgate stable. Finally, a JVC in-dash DVD unit was tossed in to keep your eyes and ears happy if the hum of the 2JZ becomes too much to handle.
With a build as extensive as this, the wheel and tyre setup has to match the power and killer looks. Under the arches, a set of 20-inch Route II wheels in Yokohama rubber take their place, while meeting of the arch and rubber is brought closer thanks to Tein electronic suspension with height adjustable shock absorbers. Further stability control comes from TRD front and rear anti-roll bars, along with special custom polyurethane suspension bushes. Deon’s desire to build a showstopper has come to life with this Supra, and it’s an ideal platform to use to showcase his exclusive Remus range of exhausts.
Words & Photography by Ryan de Smit
There have been quite a few VW Polo's popping up in the scene lately, and for good reason. They’re quick, efficient and they make the perfect canvas for a car enthusiast like Charlene Naidoo. As popular as they may be, Charlene’s Polo is definitely one of a kind. We recently hung out with Charlene and got a closer look at “Blush”, the Polo with serious AIRTITUDE.
Charlene started her work of art by getting the grill, roof, bonnet, windshields, rims and beadings dipped in blue which already changed the cars appearance in a huge way.
Next up was to decide on a set of rims which was is no easy task when millions of designs are available in today’s massive wheel market. A set of HRE rims were tried on first, followed by a set of Rotiforms, but Charlene finally settled on a set of BBS LM rims that she had sprayed ice white.
The horrid wheel gap that stance addicts despise is no longer an issue thanks to the Tabeo air suspension kit fitted by Stance Engineering. Now Charlene can raise and lower her car with just the touch of a button. Does this make Charlene the first female to own a bagged car in Durbs?
The exterior also sees the addition of a Cupra lip hugging onto the front bumper and custom colour coded eyelids that give the front-end that aggressive look. A head turner indeed, and that’s before you even get to see the interior.
The seats have been reupholstered in blue leather and checked cloth. The dashboard panels as well as the A, B & C pillars and vent surrounds have been sprayed the same shade of blue as the seat leather. These changes flow perfectly together with the Polo's stock dash lighting.
Sound wise, this baby has been fitted with an XTC audio double din that splits the signal to the XTC audio 4channel amp and Boss audio monoblock. Pioneer mids and tweeters supply the mid/high frequencies and the bass is supplied by a trio of Targa street series 12inch woofers, but that’s about to change because Blush is always under construction.
The car was built to be a head-turner so performance mods were kept subtle with just a Primaforce branch and exhaust in play. A custom engine bay cover has been made to match the exterior with some of the names of contributing companies that helped get Blush to where she is now.
A few other extras include a Webasto tilt and slide sunroof, dice tyre valve caps, an assortment of stickers, an H.I.D kit and Lamin x lights.
Charlene would like to thank her husband Tyrone, Stance Engineering, and everybody else involved in getting Blush to where she is today. We can all agree that she’s a real beauty and we’re sure this won’t be the last we hear of her!
It’s not every day that you see a lady pulling up in a bright pink Nissan R35 GT-R kitted to the tee and sporting all the right bits in all the right places. Then again, it’s not every day that you get to meet a lady like Simone Steyn.
We were fortunate enough to meet with Simone recently to discuss her racing addiction and her 1000+hp machine.
Simone started racing in 2014 and has been hooked ever since. She has competed in numerous events including the ‘’SA Top 20 - Street Outlaws’’ event where she currently still holds the No. 1 spot and she also just happens to be the 16th fastest in SA over the 1000m. To put things into perspective, this beautiful beast runs a standing 1/4 mile of 9.5 seconds and fly’s down the 1 km strip at an incredible 305km/h!
For the car to do these incredible times, the guys at NXGen have fitted the VR38DETT with the Alpha 9 kit including the upgraded Alpha 9 Turbochargers, 1600cc injectors to fuel the hungry beast and a healthy dose of Nitrous to top it all off.
The car also has a full HKS Exhaust System which sounds absolutely amazing. As soon as it starts up you know it means business and at full power it’s breathtaking to say the least. The internals were swapped out in favour of some forged Manley goodies to make sure everything stays together whilst pumping out 1000+ hp. The car also has COBB intakes and Ecutek software to keep everything in check. All this power combined currently makes an astounding 1087hp!
A few other small trick bits like the GT-R badges being made pink to tie in with the rest of the car add the perfect touch and the decals warn other road users that this is no ordinary GT-R. Simone’s GT-R also sports the Premium GT-R LED Taillights and HID headlights with the LED daytime running lights.
To set her GT-R apart from the rest, Simone had the car wrapped in the stunning shade of pink you see before you which really makes the gloss black accents of the roof and wheels pop.
Under the bonnet things look almost completely stock standard besides the Nitrous foggers and COBB intakes, I personally think it is a testament to how amazing these VR38DETT motors are and how quickly they respond to aftermarket parts. The gearbox has also had some custom work done to it in order to shift through the high power the car is making.
Looking at the wheels, you'll notice that they are wrapped in super sticky Toyo R888 semi slicks to make sure all that power can be put down, and the factory Brembo’s make sure things come to a halt as quickly as they go.
Being a Premium Edition GT-R, the interior of the comes stock standard with almost everything a person could ever want or need so Simone only added strictly the necessary items like the anti-roll cage, the Sparco racing harnesses and of course the magical ‘go baby go’ button on the steering wheel that engages the NOS tank sitting snuggly in the boot.
Simone would like to thank her husband Graeme for introducing her to the sport of drag racing and for building her one of the quickest GTR’s in the country. She would also like to thank Craig, Basil and Riaan from NXGen as well as everyone else involved for all their hard work in getting the car to where it is today.
Often spotted at shows in and around Durban, this chisel nose corolla never fails to turn heads. Rishaad Rajmun became the proud owner of this beauty when it was handed down to him in stock standard pristine condition by his dad, but any true petrolhead knows that driving a standard car is never an option so Rishaad decided to spice things up a bit.
First up was the paintwork. The car was sent in to Autosport Panelbeaters for a full respray in Monza red with silver flakes that comes to life in the sunlight. With the paintwork on par, it was time to get a good set of wheels to take his ride to the next level.
G-Force tyres came to the rescue and in went a set of OZ Racing Turbo reps wrapped in Nankang 185/35/17 rubber for that slight stretched effect. The arches were brought closer to the ground by a custom set of lowering springs made by Stableride.
An original Gli twincam executive lip now hangs on to the front bumper while a Webasto tilt and slide sunroof adds to the aesthetics of this fine 80s sedan.
The interior is where things really get exciting. A-Class Auto Trimmers did a flawless job reupholstering the stock seats and dashboard in Oxblood leather. A Yaris multifunction steering wheel now replaces the stock one and Rishaad has even gone the extra mile by getting all the buttons to work the way they were suppose to.
All audio equipment and wiring is from the Rockford Fosgate stable except the headunit which is a JVC double din that is housed in a custom made fascia panel wrapped in oxblood leather. Upfront we have a RF 6.5” split system (P165-S), with the mids mounted on custom door cards and the tweeters in the a-pillars. The rear parcel shelf is now home to a set of RF 5” mids (P152) with a blow through port in the middle to allow the bass from the RF P2D2 12” subwoofer to enter the cabin. The speakers are powered by a RF T600-4 amplifier that is more than capable to run the entire system. A RF 2 farad capacitor helps keep current flowing when those heavy bass notes hit and is housed in it’s own custom side panel while the amp found its way into the custom false floor.
The cabin and boot has received a layer of STP sound deadening that helps eliminate road noise and reduce vibrations. The install is a DIY job but is so well put together you would swear it was done by a pro.
No show and shine vehicle would be complete with out a sparkling engine bay. All bolts in the engine bay have been replaced and the tappet cover has received a splash of Monza red and silver flakes as well. A custom battery cover now hides a Deltec deep cycle battery that supplies the juice to the Rockford goodies.
Overall, Rishaad's Corolla is one hot ride that will be turning heads for years to come!
Words and photography by Vitesh Sampath
The BMW M3 has always been one of the most wanted cars for car fanatics around the world, and for good reason. It remains the only car ever to have earned more titles than the venerable Porsche 911 in Motorsport, and is also the most successful touring, and grand touring car ever to have participated in racing. Besides the impressive performance history, its a stylish modern luxury that many can only dream to own.
Making his dream come true, Sumeet Dharampal eventually got his M3, but being the elusive guy he is, his dreams consisted of much more. He is no stranger to the car scenes - his garage has seen the likes of many well-known cars like his popular Golf 6 GTi which graced the pages of many performance magazines in its time, but nobody expected what he had in store.
Sumeet purchased his stock standard alpine white 2008 BMW M3 E93 back in 2014 and immediately began the customisation process. As most would say, the M3 has everything you could possibly desire in a car, however Sumeet had other things in mind. First to go were the standard springs which were replaced by a set of H&R lowering springs. Shortly afterwards came a set of 20-inch wheels, however they did not stay on for very long. Sumeeth says: “I get bored of the same look very quickly”.
The E93 M3 comes packing with a V8 engine and to give it the racers treatment, but Sumeeth still fitted a performance exhaust system as well as Excede Performance software. The interior came standard in a dashing ox red leather seats and trims. The convertible features a special leather surface for the seats that reflects sunlight. This reduces the tendency of the seats to become uncomfortably hot with the top down. Keeping the standard deck, he replaced the original speakers with Harmon Kardon. A carbon fibre front lip, rear diffuser, and side markers were the the only extras added to the body because afterall, what more does this drop top need?
The car currently sits tightly on a set of 20-inch red Zedd Wheels which Sumeet had custom made in Taiwan. He recently tapped into the wheel industry by opening up The Wheel Emporium and has already taken the market by storm.
No surprises here, Sumeet opted for a complete Air Lift Performance kit fitted with complete Air Lift struts controlled by a V2 Autopilot management system which allows him to control the height of each wheel. He plans to upgrade to a full ACCU-AIR management system soon so that he is able to control his ride height via his phone. Soon we can expect to see this M3 fitted with a Liberty Walk bodykit, taking every petrolheads dream to new heights. Watch this space because we'll be sure to cover it first!
A few extra shots...
Photography, words and video by Jitesh Mohun/Streamline Culture
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