FEATURE SECONDSECONDPETER PANG’S BENSOPRA GT-R TIME’STIME’S Story by Micky Slinger Photography by Rob Robson AA CHARMCHARM wealth of widebody kits out there for the Nissan GT-R though, why did Pang gravitate towards Ben- Sopra first with his second GT-R? Honestly, it was the kit he wanted in the first place. “The BenSopra is the kit that I actually like, but the price was just too hard to justify,” says Pang, beaming at his car. “I got an op- portunity to get a really good price on it, so I jumped on it. The Liberty Walk car had the right timing, but this car is the one that I’m building for myself.” BenSopra is a Japanese aero company that seems like it’s been around forever in the JDM scene, yet has only had their doors open since 2011. So far, BenSopra offers a kit for the R35 GT-R, Lamborghini Gallardo, and Nissan 350Z, but only advertises the first Sometimes you need to let go of something two on their website, which pleas- to get ahold of something better, or maybe ou may know of Pang’s with deep pockets, who followed “I was very fortunate that should also mention that Pang antly plays Time to Say Goodbye even something you wanted all along. In work through his first R35: up with Pang after one of their someone was willing to offer a re- is the owner of Nextmod, which by Andrea Bocelli as soon as you Peter Pang’s case, this couldn’t be more a gorgeous white example show appearances to discuss buy- ally good price on the white one,” has since become renowned for open it. Pure class. donning the first Liberty Walk ing the car outright. Initially, Pang explains Pang. “I wasn’t look- pumping out some of the most Their kit for the GT-R is heavily true or unexpected. This is the man who widebody kit in Canada, if not was hesitant to let his pride and ing to sell, so when he gave me standout widebody cars with influenced by Japanese Super GT built an already amazing R35 GT-R, reluc- North America. This car would joy go, but the amount he was of- the money, I knew I had to build quality parts in Canada, and even racing, if that wasn’t obvious at tantly sold it, and then turned around and tour around to meets and shows, eventu- fered made it hard to say no. We’re another one. I needed to build in some areas south of the border. first glance. The hood and front started building another, arguably better Yally landing at the Canadian International not saying it was Dr. Evil amounts another car.” So much so, that the name “Next- bumper are merged into a cowl, Autoshow in 2015. Through all this exposure, of money, but the cash was good If the name and the car weren’t mod” was recognizable to the fine plus the receded, veined, front one, right away. The product of project GT-R the wide GT-R caught the gaze of someone enough to buy Godzilla. already ringing any bells, we people over at BenSopra. With the fenders, and chassis-mounted GT 2.0 is the incredible car you see here now. TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2017 STYLE BOOK // 4TH EDITION PASMAG 47 FEATURE wing that sprouts from the rear bumper are definite telltale signs. For the cowl setup, the OE hood, front bumper and fenders are all tossed and replaced with the BenSopra goodies. To open the “hood,” you need to pop it up after it’s released, slide it forward a little, and then have someone get on the other side and help you raise it forward. It’s a little more complicated, but the effect is oh so worth it. The install of the cowl is also particularly compli- Pang says, shooting a glance body-fill it. Not Ng. If there was cated, as I’m told by both Pang, over in Ng’s direction. “It took an imperfection, he would cut the and Dave Ng at MS Auto, who put a long time to adjust everything. bumper in pieces and re-fiber- this beast together. The headlights don’t move, so glass everything to make sure it “I know there are kits out there when the hood closes, it has to was perfect. where you can’t even open the be perfect every time. There are “I’m surprised we’re still hood all the way up because the shortcuts to get it done, but he friends,” jokes Pang. “Right, Dave?” installers didn’t do a good job,” didn’t take any shortcuts.” From across the shop, Apparently, if there’s a little Ng raises his middle finger in gap somewhere in the kit, Pang’s direction. some people will Another shop that was monu- mental, especially in getting this GT-R moving, is Advance Power- house, or APH as they’re more well known. The R35, affectionately referred to as “Ben” now, received the full HKS GT800 treatment, SECOND TIME’S A CHARM PETER PANG’S BENSOPRA GT-R which includes two GT II 7460 symmetry turbos, wastegates, intakes, exhaust manifolds, and other turbo-back exhaust-dispel- TO OPEN THE “HOOD,” YOU NEED TO POP IT UP ling goodies. APH also fabricated AFTER IT’S RELEASED, SLIDE IT FORWARD A the whole rear section of the ex- LITTLE, AND THEN HAVE SOMEONE GET ON THE haust system to mirror BenSopra’s Japanese demo car, and I’d say OTHER SIDE AND HELP YOU RAISE IT FORWARD. they nailed it. TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2017 STYLE BOOK // 4TH EDITION PASMAG 49 FEATURE “YOU EITHER STAY UNDER 700 HORSEPOWER, OR YOU GO TO 1,200 IS WHAT I'VE LEARNED... ONCE YOU GO THROUGH THAT BOTTLENECK, IT’S EASY TO HIT 1,000 HORSEPOWER." They even snuck in a custom tune while tinkering on Ben, which runs through a Cobb Accessport V3 and nets Pang 690 all-wheel- horsepower and 685 lb-ft of torque. These numbers may be a little underwhelming to en- thusiasts who are used to seeing R35s pushing 1,000 and above ponies, but this is because of a little-known bottleneck that slots in at 700 horses and above. “If you have too much horsepower, it ruins the transmission if it’s not rebuilt,” Pang cau- SECOND tions. “You either stay under 700 horsepower, TIME’S or you go to 1,200 is what I’ve learned. That bottleneck is like $40,000 difference, but once A CHARM you go through that bottleneck, it’s easy to hit PETER PANG’S 1,000 horsepower. The tough part is that you BENSOPRA GT-R have to rebuild everything once you go past 700 horsepower.” Another thing that can be dream crushing We’ve heard some heartbreaking and Toyo Tires carries the ideal to GT-R owners going the widebody route is not stories of owners going for their sizing for those wheels in R888 – sticking within the rolling diameter variance first rip in their new, wide, GT-R, 285/35 fronts and 315/35 rears. degree when picking out wheels and tires. With only to get a serious engine light Just right for the Work Gnosis the advanced AWD system that each Godzilla and a costly repair bill. Thankfully, CV201s he’s running in 20x10.5 houses, the system is very picky (as are most) in Pang is well-informed. and 20x11.5, which actually terms of what it’s willing to roll if what it’s rolling BenSopra sent over the exact have different center colors on isn’t close enough to that magic percentage. wheel sizing specs for their kit, each side – gunmetal on the TUNING ESSENTIALS // 2017 STYLE BOOK // 4TH EDITION PASMAG 51 FEATURE SECOND TIME’S A CHARM PETER PANG’S BENSOPRA GT-R ESSENTIALS 2010 Nissan GT-R INSIDE, OWNER > Peter Pang LOCATION > Markham, ON RECARO SR-7 BUILT BY > MS Auto, Advance Powerhouse, RUBY LIMITED Nextmod ENGINE > Nissan EDITION VR38DETT left, and dark bronze on the really livening up the original look 3.8L twin-turbo V6 SEATS BY ASM, HORSEPOWER > right. It’s a subtle difference, but from 2010, as well as KW’s Sleeve 690 awhp AND AN RH9 something Pang says he’s always coilover system, lowering the car TORQUE > 685 lb-ft CARBON FIBER wanted to do, and this was the to a perfect height and retaining perfect excuse. all the factory dynamic suspen- ENGINE STEERING HKS GT800 package (GT II Other touches outside of the sion goodness. Inside, Recaro 7460 & 7460R symmetry turbos, WHEEL FIT IN car are upgraded headlights and SR-7 Ruby limited edition seats wastegates, suction pipes, intakes) + Cobb Accessport V3 JUST RIGHT taillights to the 2015 model year, by ASM, which are worth more + APH custom tune than my life, and an RH9 carbon WITH THE EXHAUST fiber steering wheel fit in just HKS (exhaust manifolds, front- INTERIOR THAT right with the interior that still pipes, down-pipe, y-pipe) + APH custom exhaust system STILL HOLDS holds up seven years later. “For me, the building process WHEELS / TIRES UP SEVEN Work Gnosis CV201 wheels is the most exciting part,” Pang – 20x10.5 -5 et (f), 20x11.5 YEARS LATER. says, enthusiastically. “I mean, -37 et (r) + Toyo R888 tires – 285/35 ZR20 (f). 315/35 driving it and seeing the finished ZR20 (r) product is great, but designing SUSPENSION and deciding which parts to use is KW Sleeve coilover kit the fun part for me.” EXTERIOR With his BenSopra GT-R com- BenSopra (widebody bodykit, plete (aside from some cooling chassis-mount wing) + Nissan 2015 GT-R (headlights, parts in his future), Pang joins taillights) the ranks of less than 30 owners INTERIOR worldwide, approximately seven in Recaro SR-7 ASM Ruby limited edition seats + RH9 North America, and the only one carbon fiber steering wheel in Canada with this exclusive kit.