SPOTLIGHT: Carl Taylor's S13 Rocket Bunny

The recent CSF x Players event at CSF Radiators HQ drew a host of SEMA builds out of their garages for a day of sunshine, good food, music and people. There was one car that kept drawing our eye, however – Carl Taylor’s not-so-subtle Nissan 180SX.

Carl’s not known for his subtlety when it comes to color, with his clothing or with cars. The orange rocker cover on the SR20DET had people checking their white balance all day. On the standard car, this would be red or black, but Carl chose to key it into the amber indicators on the front bumper, just one of a host of small details that adorn the car.

Obviously, the exterior is striking. Vibrant paint and a rocket bunny kit is the recipe for catching attention, but this car isn’t just about that exterior surface. Inside the engine bay and in the cabin you’ll find expertly finished fixtures and fittings. There’s nothing out of place. Aside from the ultra low stance, there isn’t actually anything to suggest that the car is on air. With the help of Gino at Vaderwerks, Carl hid the Air Lift Performance setup behind the passenger side of the dash.

This leaves the boot area clean and uncluttered and allows that green paint to sing. It’s much the same on the outside, originally the car wore a white stripe down the side but we much prefer it in the simple green and black guise.

High quality carbon work and die-stamped aluminium finish off the race car look. It’s rare to see a car where there is not one bolt head out of place, not one rushed bracket or untidy area. It really is a fantastically complete build, but that’s the achilles heal of the car builder – with one finished, it’s on to the next project. We wonder what might be up Mr. Taylor’s sleeve next, and we can’t wait to see it!