I think you will agree that when I call out the following brands; RS*R, Recaro and Work, it may not be the Honda Fit that will spring into your mind right off the bat.
That however didn’t stop Shingo Matsumoto from taking one of Japan’s most common vehicle on the roads and turn it into a well executed sporty beauty that will leave us thinking.. “Maybe I should get a Honda Fit for daily..”
This particular 2009 Fit’s permanent residence is in Chiba City, which is just on the outskirts of Tokyo. One could not be blamed to think that the famous Tokyo nightlife had an impact on the car’s appearance.
So far Shingo has focused mainly on the exterior of his joy and pride and I must say he has done an excellent job at pulling off a Mix’n’Match with his choice of Aero elements for the car.
On the front you got the J’s Racing’s bumper with it’s typical aggressive lines on the lip, transforming the car into something that resembles it’s bigger brother the EP3 Type-R. This theme is carried along the side of the car with a Mugen skirt, which compliments the factory door lines. The deal is then sealed with Modulo bumper with it’s “racy” diffuser like middle section.
Trusting that everyone who’s reading this is as much of a petrol-head as we are, I am sure that the Fit-ment has already caught your eyes. Let me assure you that this is indeed static and it sits on a set of very rough (10k spring rate on the front and 8k on the rear) and very prestigious RS*R Black-i coilovers.
As far as the wheels are concerned you cannot go wrong with Work Meisters and neither did Shingo. The all around 17″ 8.5J S1R’s with the VIP touched chrome lip and black center plate fits the car like a tailored suit fits a man. These are all wrapped in a lightly stretched 195-40/17 Nankang rubbers.
Perfection..Huh?
The interior and the engine bay remains a relatively uncharted territory for the time being with the exception of a pair of Recaro SR7 seats and a top fuel chamber intake.
However if I look through the execution and details on the car so far, I have no doubt in my mind that there are plans in the making. I never thought I would use the word “sporty” to describe a Fit but it just fits!
While writing this there was one thing constantly lingering around in the back of my mind.
With the economy being at where it is currently; the fuel prices and the taxes over large displacement engines are on the rise, could it be that Shingo is a visionary that showed us a glimpse of the future?
I can certainly see this having the potential to spread like wildfire throughout the youngsters, but feel free comment below and share your opinion about the topic and of course the car! 😉
As far as we are concerned, I will leave you guys be with a couple more shots of this gem.
– Verti
2009 Honda Fit
Photos: Yuuki Kouno
Engine mods:
Top fuel Power Chamber intake
Chassis mods:
RSR Black-i coilovers (F:10k; R:8k)
Work Meister S1R 17″ wheels (F:8.5J; R:8.5J)
Nankang tires 195-40/17
Exterior mods:
J’s Racing front bumper
Mugen side skirts
Modulo rear bumper
Interior mods:
Recaro SR7 seats
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