SP Rides: Bringing The Heat To The Streets
BY MICHAEL KITCHENS
Owner: Platinum Automotive
Year, Make, Model: 2009 Nissan GTR Liberty Walk Version 1
Color: Ferrari Russo Red
Engine: Front mount intercooler with 1000 cc injectors and full bolt-ons, Amuse Overtake 100mm titanium exhaust, tuned by Seth at JoTech to 580whp
Exterior: Liberty Walk Version 1 full kit with short spoiler, complete repaint done in Ferrari Russo Red done by Tech One.
Interior: Full custom Alcantara interior by Aloha Upholstery with iPad Air in-dash, Titan Motorsports roll cage, relocated controls
Suspension: Full AirREX digital suspension done by Marshall Lum
Wheels/Brakes/Tires: Rose Gold RSV 20-inch three-piece forged wheels, Toyo Proxes R888 tires, Amuse titanium lug nuts
Liberty Walk, by LB Performance, is one of the kits in the aftermarket industry. The name Liberty Walk means “Walk Free” and it’s one of the most expensive, sought after brands by tuning enthusiasts. Audi, Lamborghini, Ferrari, McLaren, Porsche, essentially the top branded car manufacturers — Liberty Walk has kits for all of them and all take their chosen vehicle to the next level when it comes to looks and performance. Combined, the result is absolutely jaw-dropping.
Take Platinum Automotive’s 2009 Nissan GTR. The first time I saw this car — all I could do is whistle and think that’s bad. Bad as in good. It takes a moment to take the details of the car in. The swooping lines, the overfenders, and the extreme width. The Version 1 body kit itself is about $15,000 to $16,000 before labor and although previously white, it’s now slathered in Ferrari Rosso Red. Adding this kit to the GTR is no small thing — you have to cut all four corners and there’s no going back once you’ve sliced off that sheet metal. Still, after two months of install, it’s practically gorgeous after it’s all said and done.
A complete air suspension with all of the fancy gadgets was installed by Marshall Lum of AirREX Digital Suspension, USA. This allows it to ride high over the tough roads of Oahu while also slamming to the ground at-will when needed. One of the eye-candy factors of this ride are the RSV 20-inch three-piece forged wheels. These are full-on customs from a high-end wheel manufacturer that have been coated in a gorgeous Rose Gold that’s impossible to ignore. Of special note are the utterly fantastic gold colored Brembo brakes while Toyo R888 are snugly stretched creating an ultimate blend of performance.
GTRs are no joke from the factory — they are one of the best performing cars on the market today but that hasn’t stopped Platinum from adding some additional go-faster bits. A superbly sounding Amuse Overtake 100mm titanium exhaust is the first thing you’ll notice combined with the massive intercooler visible from the front maw. 1000cc injectors and all of the bolt-ons have been added, resulting in a whopping 580whp after a strict tune by Seth at JoTech Motorsports from Garland, Texas.
You would think that it’s all about the exterior but when it comes to this LB ride, it’s not. The interior is a work of art. During discussion, there was a bit of distaste for the stock Nissan interior which left a bit to be desired thanks to its manufactured plastics. Instead, the entire interior has been disassembled and then wrapped and hand-stitched in Alcantara fabric by Aloha Upholstery. It really raises the bar and creates a look that screams dollars. Complementing this huge change is a custom iPad Air in-dash install, with the HVAC controls moved to the roofline in a custom enclosure. A Titan Motorsports roll cage helps provide additional stability as well as mounting points for harnesses when needed.
With all of this work — the expense involved — you would think this would be a trailer queen, garaged and only taken out during show time. That simply isn’t the case. This baby is driven daily and it’s treated like an A to B car. Road rash, rock chips, bugs, inclement weather, this baby has seen it all. It was made to drive and that’s what its owner intends to do. Just get out and drive.
