by Japanese Tuning Atelier Kuhl Racing Unveils Its New Outroad Project
Specialists from Kuhl Racing, known for their aggressive wide-body kits, did not miss the opportunity to prepare a project for the 2026 Tokyo Auto Salon. They took the Toyota GR86 and Subaru BRZ sports coupes as a base and transformed them into lifted, turbocharged cars with rally car features, naming the project Outroad.
This comprehensive conversion package turns the Japanese sports cars into an affordable alternative to models like the Porsche 911 Dakar or Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato. This is a car for those who dream of adventures on off-road trails without having a supercar budget.
After a series of teasers and renders, the first completed Kuhl Outroad car is now ready for journeys both in the city and beyond.
Transformation from a Road Car to an Off-Roader
The conversion begins with new front and rear bumpers, which integrate larger air intakes, a skid plate, and compact “bull bars.” Wide fender flares create space for more aggressive tires, and roof rails with an LED panel add touches characteristic of off-road vehicles.
Despite these off-road details, the visual drama remains typical of Kuhl. Pronounced front and rear spoilers do not improve approach and departure angles, but they emphasize the car’s aggressive stance along with headlight covers and a hood with ventilation holes.
The most noticeable feature is the rear, where louvers cover the rear window, a large “ducktail” spoiler rises above the bumper’s own design, and custom taillights complete the look. The project’s authors admit the tuning was inspired by the “Mad Max” film. Black 18-inch forged wheels from Verz Wheels along with an optional matte wrap continue this theme.
Suspension and Performance Updates
As with most rally-inspired projects, the Kuhl Outroad sits higher than the stock model. A sport coilover kit increases ground clearance by 76 mm, and an optional hydraulic lift system adds another 40 mm when needed. Along with the suspension updates, upgraded brakes are installed.
Under the hood, the 2.4-liter boxer engine received a turbo kit from Trust, a remapped ECU, and an oil cooler. The company does not provide detailed specifications, but the turbo is expected to add at least 50 horsepower to the standard 232 hp.
Both donor models, Toyota and Subaru, offer a choice between a manual or automatic transmission. However, power is sent exclusively to the rear axle.
Project Cost
Kuhl is already accepting orders for the Outroad in Japan. The car is available either as a fully built model or as a parts kit for owners of these cars. The full body kit along with optional accessories costs 1,771,000 yen (approximately $11,800). The wheel kit adds another 440,000 yen (about $2,800).
The most expensive individual component is the Trust turbo kit, which costs 1,250,000 yen (about $8,300). To complete the performance tuning, the coilovers will cost 202,400 yen ($1,400), and the brake upgrade — 603,900 yen ($4,000).
A fully completed car, built on a Toyota GR86 RC version with a manual transmission, will cost 4,150,000 yen (approximately $26,600). This version includes most cosmetic changes but does not have the performance and chassis upgrades. The Outroad demo version can be seen at the Kuhl Racing booth at the 2026 Tokyo Auto Salon.
The emergence of projects like Outroad clearly traces a trend in the tuning market: transforming affordable sports cars into versatile adventure machines. This is not just a change in appearance, but a comprehensive approach that includes increasing ground clearance, adding power, and reinforcing the structure for operation in difficult conditions. Such conversions make the dream of a car capable of anything more achievable than ever, especially against the backdrop of growing popularity of crossovers and SUVs. The success of such offerings will depend on how well it is possible to balance the sporting character of the base model with new, more rugged capabilities.
