The story of how this widebody CLK came to be
starts with an ordinary boy—Masaaki Yoshimori from Japan. Decades ago,
Masaaki was an avid collector of toy cars—what normal boy didn't play
with Hot Wheels or Micro Machines?! But unlike most kids, Masaaki
favored European and exotic cars—when a toy Porsche costs the same as a
toy Nissan, the choice was an easy one for him! But little did he know,
his preference in toys and addiction toward throwing them down hallways
would seal his fate in the automotive industry.
Photo 2/15
| Insert big plans here…
So naturally, when Masaaki enlisted in high
school, he landed his first job doing grunt work at an auto-related
manufacturing plant. He worked part-time until he graduated, at which
point he became an apprentice at a full service repair shop. Every day
he had practiced his abilities as a mechanic, which included everything
from oil changes to dismantling entire cars. Having become well versed
in diagnostics and repair, Masaaki moved on to study the art of beating
panels and laying paint.
Photo 3/15
| Sarto Racing Mercedes-Benz CLK240 -Tailor Made
A few more years passed at the body shop and in
'04, Masaaki decided to start his own business. He founded Tailor's
Garage—a full-service shop with a very short list of things he couldn't
handle. In '13, Masaaki expanded his business by opening up an import
and distribution company, Various Lines, which also laid down the
foundation necessary to introduce Sarto Racing to the world.
For more than a decade, Masaaki had been itching
to try his hand at aero design, but he needed help with a design that
the cool kids would love and enthusiasts would buy. He eventually
encountered the Rocket Bunny line from TRA Kyoto. It's no mystery the
Rocket Bunny body kits for the S-chassis, FR-S/BRZ/86 and more were huge
hits, not just in Japan but internationally. Knowing this and the
brand's obvious marketability, Masaaki contacted TRA Kyoto founder Kei
Miura to help him create a design that would stay true to his vision
while simultaneously appeal to the masses.
The name Sarto Racing was born, and the first
test mule to receive the treatment was an E36 BMW 3-Series. An unusual
car to debut an aero line, but Masaaki saw past the outdated lines and
technology of the '90s BMW and stood by his belief that this was a more
than capable platform. Due to time constraints, finding a base chassis
to install the kit became a challenge with only one month away to finish
the car for a local show. Masaaki and Miura decided to make use of a
convertible that had been rotting in the back of TRA Kyoto—but the
result was breathtaking. The bolt-on widebody kit wearing the Sarto
Racing name was a huge success as the car received an overwhelming
amount of post whorage on social media and the web.
Photo 7/15
| Sarto Racing Mercedes-Benz CLK240 -Tailor Made
Sarto Racing had made its mark with enthusiasts,
and it was time for Masaaki to concentrate on completing his CLK before
last January's Tokyo Auto Salon. The W209 was never a particularly
popular chassis, especially in Japan where aftermarket support was all
but nonexistent. But Masaaki had a very specific vision and he felt the
original lines of the CLK would perfectly complement Miura's signature
style—switching to a different platform was out of the question.
Photo 8/15
| Sarto Racing Mercedes-Benz CLK240 -Tailor Made
0 komentar:
Posting Komentar