Purists would say this is blasphemy. As much as we have nothing but the utmost respect for German engineering, there’s something about engine transplants that tickles the mind. And Filipino Ingenuity calls for the raw and reliable grunt of turbocharged JDM power. And in this case, Toyota 1JZ power into this Atoy Customs Mercedes-Benz 190E. The result is one of the most competitive drift cars in this this side of the world.

See the rest of the gallery below…

Photos taken during the 2014 Trans Sport Show. Drift shot during the 2013 Drift Muscle Championships.

Related Stuff:
- See more customized and tuned drift cars here
- See more customized and tuned Mercedes Benz cars here
- See more coverage of the Trans Sport Show here
- See more coverage of the Drift Muscle Championships here

Atoy Customs is at it again! Just when I thought they’ve already changed the game with the Amuse Vestito Rocket Bunny kit, they’ve upped the ante once more with the M&S Hyper G Rocket Bunny kit you see here installed on Mr. Atoy Llave’s own Turbocharged Hyundai Genesis Coupe, as featured in the 2014 Trans Sport Show.

…to the side skirts…

…rear fender…

…back bumper and finished by that super awesome spoiler.

And also to show that this isn’t all just about the looks, it showcases some added performance mods. Look at that super clean underside with straight-through exhaust…

…going to that Borla exhaust.

And of course a big brake kit for stopping power. Black wheels go well with the entire black and grey theme of the car.

Some may like it, some may not, but overall, we think this body kit is a game changer in the Hyundai Genesis Coupe wide body kit arena. And having this will definitely make it stand out from the crowd. Agree?

Want this kit? Contact us for details!

Related Stuff:
- See more coverage of the Trans Sport Show here.
- See more customized and tuned Hyundai Genesis Coupes here.
- See more custom creations by Atoy Customs here.

The Toyota Vios is one of those cars you’ll see just about everywhere. It’s no wonder, because it’s economical, looks sleek, is reliable, and is quick enough to get you from point A to point B zipping through traffic. But with so many of them out there, one of the challenges owners face is finding their car in the parking lot. In fact, one of my nephews put a toy lobster on top of the rear speaker deck, visible from the back glass, just so they can identify their car.

Well, the Toyota Vios you see here was made so different from everyone else’s that it’s not only easily identifiable, it’s actually a neck-breaking headturner. You wouldn’t care what other people think. They’ll say you’ve sacrificed purpose and driveability by stancing-out the car? Well what if your purpose was to get from point A to point B in style? Who cares if you have to slow down on bad roads? And doesn’t the roof rack give it more purpose? Just check out the picnic kit! LOL! Gives you an idea how nature-loving and down-to-earth the owner is, especially with how “down to earth” the stance is, right?

So what do you think? The Toyota Vios you see here was made so different from everyone else’s that it’s not only easily identifiable in a sea of similar cars, it’s actually a neck-breaking headturner. AGREE?

Photos as shot during the 2014 Car Mavens Auto Show.

Related Stuff:
- See more customized and tuned Toyota Vios cars here
- See more awesome stanced rides here
- See more coverage of the Car Mavens Auto Show here

Previously, we’ve shown you a white Toyota bB on silver BBS RS mesh wheels. We’ve received a lot of positive response about how it enhances the appearance, and makes the squareish Toyota bB look more elegant.

Though white and silver are colors that are really more attuned to elegance, today’s featured car showcases just about the same style of mods – a Toyota bB, stanced-out, rolling on BBS RS mesh wheels, but this time on a more “sporty” color combination of red and black.

Now I don’t know about you guys but I personally think that the final package looks stunning.

But despite that, I’m loving the stance on this thing.

Here it is shown with the green S14 which was another favorite during the 2014 Car Mavens Auto Show.

Related Stuff:
- See more customized and tuned Toyota bBs / Scion xBs here
- See more awesome stanced rides here
- See more coverage of the Car Mavens Auto Show here

I should say, Rieger Tuning makes some of the best looking body kits for Euro cars. And as you can see here, they can make the Audi TT look fantastic. In fact, this Audi TT by Jworks Unlimited won the much coveted Best of Show contemporary award during the recently concluded 2014 Trans Sport Show. Being one of the biggest car shows in the country, that is a feat in itself. Of course, the body kit played a huge role in bagging that award.

Check out the rest of the gallery below…

Ultra neat engine bay!

Related Stuff:
- See more coverage of the Trans Sport Show here
- See more customized and tuned Audis here

Photos by Philip Aragones and THE aSTIG

In this day and age where some people believe that looking good gains you more respect, while being cost-effective is synonymous to wealth, how would you like to have what is probably the most economical hardcore petrol (read: non-hybrid) sports car in the world? Add modifications from Concept One and Atoy Customs, and you have yourself a winner in the Suzuki Cappuccino, would you agree?

Check out the rest of the gallery below…

Photos as shot during the 2012 Manila Auto Salon and 2013 Manila International Auto Show.

Related Stuff:
- See more coverage of the Manila Auto Salon here
- See more coverage of the Manila International Auto Show here

Photos by Philip Aragones and THE aSTIG

When you see a Chevrolet Corvette on the road, it’s already unmistakable as it is. With its long swooping hood and sleek knife-like impression, it looks as if it was a tool that was created with the specific purpose of achieving high speeds on land.

Add a ground-hugging appearance thanks to adjustable air suspension, then it becomes more purposeful-looking. But when it’s murdered-out with all-black everything, you’ve got yourself a car with a menacing appeal, as villanous as an American Ninja warrior.

That’s what Ian King of Car Porn Racing has achieved with his C6 Corvette. And or course, as with all project cars, this is still a “work in progress,” with more mods to come. In the meantime, check out the rest of the gallery, along with a bonus video at the very end…

Photos as shot during MFest.

And for those questioning the car’s driveability…

That helmet and handbrake lever will probably give you a hint…

That air suspension can still handle.

Check out the video below, showing Ian King drifting the C6 Air-Bagged Corvette. Enjoy!

Related Stuff:
- See more customized and tuned Corvettes here
- See more air suspension rides here
- See more from Car Porn Racing here

Photos by Philip Aragones

With the trend nowadays going like “widebody this” and “widebody that,” it seems like the approach is to make cars look more and more aggressive. So it’s always refreshing to see some tuners veer away from that school of thought and go a different route altogether – being different.

Check out the Honda Civic EK Sedan Orthia conversion you see here. It’s definitely something different, and to the uninitiated, will make you do a “what the!?” double take.

Apart from the Orthia conversion, rather than bulking up with a widebody, the approach was to take what’s normally there and then make it different. So these mods aren’t really “add-ons,” but rather, it’s a complete revamp, from exterior to interior.

Check out the rest of the gallery…

Now check out that interior. How can you take a seeingly stock interior and turn it into something that looks more exotic? Change the color! Now this sort of reminds me of the color of luxurious interiors found in some supercars and hypercars, don’t you think?

Wheels are to a car as shoes are to a woman. It’s something that completes the package. Though I personally prefer the look of wider wheels with more tire stretch, it’s all a matter of preference. But what we have here isn’t something I would give a demerit for, because nonetheless, the overall package comes together nicely. I should say, this Civic Orthia is something that I wouldn’t mind being seen in. How about you?

Related Stuff:
- See more customized and tuned Honda Civics here
- See more awesome stanced rides here

Photos via Philip Aragones and THE aSTIG

Even though 3 out of 4 times, some people, including me, would probably choose an E30 BMW M3 over a Mercedes 190E, there’s something about Mig Dizon’s car that makes me wanna change my mind completely. Maybe it’s the color-matching, or the Cosworth kit, or the race car fitment, or all of the above, it just all goes together to make a gorgeous 190E.

There’s a saying that goes something like “It’s not a matter of how many modifications you’ve done to a car. Rather, it’s all about not doing anything wrong. It’s about making things work and blend together in harmony.” And I think it’s been perfectly executed here. Would you agree?

Don’t you just love functional fitment?

Recaro seats with harness. You’ll probably understand why because it’s a DTM Philippines race car.

To sum things up, I would still probably choose an E30 BMW M3 over a Mercedes 190E. But if it were a 190E that looked like this, I’d go for this. How about you?

Related Stuff:
- See more customized and tuned Mercedes cars here

When two classic old school rides – a Celica, and a Corolla, clad in paint more orange than your juice, roll by the parking lot, it’s hard not to take notice… especially when they pop their hoods to reveal clean immaculate engine bays.

I won’t say much, because at this point, I think I’d rather shut up and let the pictures do the talking. I guess you can just stare in awe as I did. All I can say is that these cars are just fantastic restomods. Enjoy the rest of the gallery…

When you thought it was a gorgeous but simple Corolla on the outside…

…seeing those velocity stacks under the hood let’s you know it has it’s performance aspect dialed in.

So what if this 1st Gen Celica is missing a front bumper?

You’ll drool anyway about what’s under the hood…

Photos taken during the 2014 Car Mavens Auto Show.

Anyway, just for fun, if you had to choose just one, which of the two would you pick?

Related Stuff:
- See more coverage of the Car Mavens show here
- See more customized, tuned, and restored Old School Rides here

It’s Thursday again, so we’re taking it back to the old school. What we have here is one of my favorite old school rides, because of its uniqueness and rarity (at least here in the Philippines). While you’ll see an old school Corolla in car shows here and there, it’s not common to see a 3rd Gen Sprinter in car shows, more so rolling the streets. So I believe this deserves a place here at Custom Pinoy Rides. Don’t you think?

Read on for more…

Here’s an archived image (source: Toyota Motor Corporation) of the 1979 Toyota Sprinter 1600 GS 4-door

While what you see here is a present day restomod. In a way I think of this as a Baby Cressida. But if you were to ask me to pick between this and the Cressida, it would be a tough decision to make. How about you?

Photos taken during the 2014 Car mavens Auto Show.

Related Stuff:
- See more coverage of the Car Mavens show here
- See more customized, tuned, and restored Old School Rides here

Photos by Philip Aragones and THE aSTIG

Whether these were intended, or happened by coincidence, this is probably what happens when Star Wars geeks have their way with their cars. Whatever the make and model, it seems like you couldn’t go wrong with the Star Wars Stormtrooper theme. Check out the rest of the gallery below, featuring American, Japanese, and German cars, all clad in Stormtrooper outfit. Enjoy!

Moving on from the Ford Focus above, while this Hyundai Sonata looks awesome, I still think it could use either a lower stance, smaller wheels, or perhaps both. But that’s just my personal preference.

While this Hyundai Genesis Coupe by Atoy Customs looks swell!

Like German? Even a Porsche looks great with a Stormtrooper theme!

And so does this BMW M5, slammed on Air Suspension.

Or course, the Stormtrooper theme works well with JDM as well, such as on FWDs like this Honda Civic FD…

and Honda City…

How about AWDs? Check out this Lan Evo…

and Subaru Impreza…

You couldn’t leave out the drift cars as well. Check out this Nissan R32 Skyline…

Toyota Cressida…

and Toyota Soarer…

What do you think of the Stormtooper think? Like it? Share your thoughts in the comments!

For sure this is one way to make a Mercedes-Benz SLK stand out. I’ve placed “???” at the end of the title as I don’t think this is one complete kit, but rather a mix and match of things that seems to have blended together harmoniously to form a head turning Mercedes SLK.

Correct me if I’m wrong guys, but what I see here is a front bumper inspired from the Masonry Renovatio Mercedes-Benz SLR Mclaren, grafted onto an R171 SLK, fitted with a Rex Accelero Wide Body Kit…

What do you think guys? I think it flows together quite nicely. Thoughts?

Photos taken during the 2014 Trans Sport Show.

Related Stuff:
– See more customized and tuned Mercedes cars here
– See more coverage of the Trans Sport Show here

I don’t believe there’s any other car that comes into mind when you hear the words “Passion Orange” other than the venerable EK Honda Civic SiR. Would you agree? Now the good thing is that since the EK Civic SiR has been around for some time already, people who own them have have already customized these cars according to their personal tastes, all while retaining the factory passion orange color.

Here’s a pair of Passion Orange Honda Civic SiRs, with different takes – race, and stance. Enjoy the photos…

Photos shot during the Car Mavens Auto Show.

Related Stuff:
– See more coverage of the Car Mavens Auto Show here
– See more customized and tuned Honda Civics here

Yes, that’s right. This car was originally a Civic EG Hatchback. Having undergone an extreme makeover, it has just about lost it’s Honda exterior physique, and reshaped into something that looks to have been Lamborghini Gallaro-ish inspired. It’s now called the “King Spyder.”

Check out the rest of the gallery below…

So tell us, at first glimpse did you believe that this was originally a Honda Civic EG Hatchback? Share your thoughts in the comments!

We’re naming this Big-Body Toyota Corolla “Boso-Sogo” just because we want to. No offense to the owner, as we don’t know if that’s what he calls it, but that’s just what we thought of calling it, mainly because of the bosozoku-inspired theme, combined with the Sogo logo where, correct me if I’m wrong, has a Geisha peeping from behind a fan.

Up front, it features an AE101 FX JDM bumper, crystal headlights, awesome stance and camber, though you wouldn’t immediately notice the bosozoku-inspired theme from the front… until you view it from the back…

Yeah that’s what I’m talking about…

Check out the exhaust pipes. Attitude right there. A definitive stand-out. Agree?

Photos as shot during the 2014 Wheels & Machines Car Show.

Related Stuff:
– See more coverage of Wheels & Machines here
– See more Bosozoku rides here
– See more Stanced rides here

If you’ve been amazed at what A-Toy Customs has done in converting an R33 Skyline into an R35 GT-R, then all the more if you found out that the were able to convert an A31 Cefiro into an R35 GT-R, as you can see in our featured car today.

Like it? Check out the rest of the gallery below…

While the photos above are in “Falken” livery, here are some photos of the Nissan A31 Cefiro to R35 GT-R conversion in different “Hankook” livery…

You may ask what the advantage is of doing such a conversion? Well, I would just like to stress a point that this is a drift car. So rather than purchasing an actual R35 Nissan GT-R for a lot of money, only for you to “bastardize” it, for lack of a better term, by amputating its AWD capability and just turning it into RWD all so you can drift, doesn’t it make more sense to just start with an actual RWD chassis that has been tried and tested for drifting, and then make it look like an R35 Nissan GT-R for less the cost? Would you agree?

And if you think you’ll lose “driftability” with this modification, think again, because this car has already been driven to be a winner in just about every drift competition in the country.

See the Nissan A31 Cefiro to R35 GT-R build-up here! So tell us, at first glimpse did you believe that this was originally a Nissan A31 Cefiro? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Photos by Philip Aragones and THE aSTIG

Before the Rocket Bunny Toyota 86 / Subaru BRZ / Scion FRS became cool, there was the Rocket Bunny S13. I should say, even in though this kit is several years old, it definitely makes this RPS13 stand out in a sea of more modern customized and modified cars. All of a sudden, the RPS13 looks timeless and awesome at the same time. Combine that with super-wide wheels with aggressive offset and tire stretch and you have yourself a winner. Would you agree?

Check out the rest of the gallery below…

How do you set yourself apart from the many Mitsubishi Mirages that you see rolling around the streets? This is definitely one way. Would you agree?

Yes, you’re not hallucinating. This Mirage looks good. It’s really not how much customizations and aftermarket goodies you put; it’s how you make everything work together harmoniously. Sometimes, simple mods make a big difference.

Read on for more…

As you can see, there isn’t much that’s been done to make this car stand out. The big ticket items are the drop, wide wheels with aggressive offset, and stretched tires, all massaged together to create that awesome stanced look. And of course that “laglag-panty” sticker helps too.

This isn’t even the top-spec Mirage. But it seems the lack of spoiler, and tint-less look adds a lot of character.

From this angle you can see how the stance and fitment flows well with the factory lines of the car. The “cuteness” has gone, as it now exhibits more attitude, giving those curves a more muscular look, especially with the orange-colored wheels. Snazzy!

Photos taken during the recent Wheels & Machines Auto Show.

Awesome tribute to Paul Walker with this nicely done R34 Skyline. Brian Spilner’s favorite ride.

Check out the rest of the gallery below…

Photos taken from the 2015 Trans Sport Show.