Koenig. Gemballa. Carat Dutchatelet. Glenfrome. Zender. Arden.
These firms may not be making headlines today, but in the ‘80s, their often extensive modifications to luxury and exotic vehicles became a worldwide phenomenon. Wild body kits. Wild paint jobs. Wild new features. Car magazines were full of fantastic interpretations of what an exotic could become, but then the world seemed to turn on these (often) garish beasts.
Today’s post was inspired by the Porsche 928 S4 “Version III” by Strosek, the deep grey beauty seen above. Its almost solid wheel covers and slatted body kit may not be to your taste, but there’s something undeniably right about how quickly it can open a time warp to the period it was designed for.
Of course, exotic car tuners haven’t disappeared—they’ve just adapted to the times. Garish, often plastic body kits are now created in carbon fibre, engines are still tuned to the maximum, and interiors are lined with every manner of endangered species…yes, sometimes even whale penis leather. Sadly, I’m not 12 years old anymore, so various scoops, louvres, and flares do more to repel my interest than attract it. Except for that Strosek, of course.
Are these personalized vehicles always uncool, or do you think they’ll someday hold some sort of appeal? If you’d like to see a great roundup of similar vehicles, check out the well-researched 1000sel.com
Image Sources: carinpicture.com, mbclub.co.uk, autoruote4x4.com, autowp.ru, oldmerin.net, arden.de, xj40.com, arden.de, pelicanparts.com, koenig-specials.com, carsbase.com, carsbase.com, diecastxchange.com, a-a.d-cd.net
