Kuala Lumpur’s scorching heat and dense humidity didn’t stop the roar of engines and the pulse of car culture from igniting the tarmac at SpeedFest 2024. Set against the urban silhouette of KL’s skyline, the decommissioned military airbase known as KL Base transformed into a petrolhead paradise — gritty, cinematic, and unforgettable.
Rumoured to face redevelopment soon, this may be the first and last time such an event hits this raw, industrial venue. But if it is a one-off, SpeedFest made sure it left a mark.
Chapter One: A Post-Apocalyptic Playground
Arriving at KL Base felt like stepping onto a movie set. Think Fast & Furious: Race Wars — only real. Banners flapped in the wind, tents brimmed with polished machines, and modified monsters lined up like an army of four-wheeled warriors.
Against the backdrop of crumbling military infrastructure, SpeedFest’s visual identity was perfectly matched — raw, mechanical, chaotic, and cool.
Over 1,000 cars officially entered the show, drift and drag categories — and that doesn’t even include the spectator carpark, which felt like a car meet in itself. More than 50,000 visitors passed through the gates, from Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, Brunei, Thailand, and even the UK.
Chapter Two: Global Legends, Local Passion
What made SpeedFest truly special wasn’t just the cars — it was the people behind the culture.
Fans had the once-in-a-lifetime chance to rub shoulders with Japanese tuning legends, including:
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Daijiro Inada, founder of Option magazine and Tokyo Auto Salon — a true godfather of JDM.
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Shoji Inoue, mastermind of Star Road’s iconic Z restorations — one of which, a mid-restoration Devil Blue 240Z, was on display.
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Sakamura-san of Garage Active, who spent the weekend signing diecast models of his all-carbon R32 GT-R, much to the delight of local collectors.
These guests didn’t just show up — they mingled, signed, posed, and shared stories. The sense of community was strong, and the respect from fans was tangible.
Chapter Three: RAUH-Welt Royalty
For Porsche fans, one display stood above all: eight RAUH-Welt Begriff (RWB) builds, one of the largest gatherings outside Japan. Malaysia’s newest RWB — a wide-bodied 997 built just weeks prior — made its public debut.
Teoh from RWB Malaysia, owner of Malaysia’s first RWB “Miyabi”, gave fans a tour of the fleet. It was a proud showcase of Malaysia’s rising status in the global RWB scene, and a nod to the deep love for air-cooled meets art.
Chapter Four: Brick By Brick, and Boost by Boost
Amongst carbon fibre and big turbos, two cars stole the spotlight for pure novelty: 1:1 Perodua Myvi and Proton Satria replicas made from Lego-style bricks. Fully functional with working doors, lighting, and sound systems — and complete with Panda passengers — they were a whimsical twist in a sea of horsepower.
From playful to purposeful, local fabricator Kevin Lim debuted a radical Honda Prelude with a full custom carbon fibre bodykit. Under the hood, a turbocharged H22A VTEC making 300hp ensured this build had bite to match its bark.
A few steps away? A 13B rotary-powered Bluebird 910, samurai-sword-equipped, sporting R32 Skyline tail lights and police livery. Unhinged? Yes. But also brilliant.
Chapter Five: Rally Dreams & Race Monsters
Inside the massive hangars, the diversity was staggering. Some highlights:
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CraftLab’s rally tribute trio: Evo III, Subaru GC8, and Celica GT-Four, all faithful replicas of Group A legends.
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A lightweight Ginetta G58, dripping in exposed carbon and powered by a 6.2L V8 — pure motorsport madness.
Every corner of the space told a different story — from showroom-quality classics to manga-style chaos, from street builds to track-focused beasts.
The Final Word: Malaysia’s Car Scene Arrives
SpeedFest 2024 wasn’t just an event — it was a statement. It showcased the depth of talent, the diversity of style, and the fierce community pride driving Malaysia’s car culture forward.
From midnight turbo swaps to lifelong restoration projects, from backyard builders to international icons, the message was clear: Malaysia belongs on the global car culture map.
If this was a one-time-only event at KL Base, it couldn’t have gone out any better. But here’s hoping it’s just the start of something even bigger.
