Rocket Bunny FRS
Thursday 23 May, 2013 | By Ken
The introduction of the “86” concept brought back strong feelings of nostalgia. Reminiscent of the original “Hachi-Roku”, the similarities are there, and the masses have long awaited a second-coming. Now, with the Scion FRS (and it’s twin sibling, the Subaru BRZ) roaming the streets, the enthusiast and tuners of the world wasted no time in getting their hands dirty. From eye-opening numbers with bolt-on turbo kits, to extreme suspension modifications, to swaps of all kinds, right down to some of sexiest body kits available presently, the world is on fire for the new player on the street.
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When Darren Balico was still driving his Scion Xb, he was known for the quality of work he put into his ride, and the presence it had when it rolled up to meets and shows. His Xb was a fine example of a proper detail-oriented build. From the inside-out, he touched all aspects in an effort to make it unique and beautiful. If you happened to miss his Scion, click here for the last Feature we had of it. So when he announced that he was parting out his Xb and moving on to a new project, it definitely raised eye-brows in the car community. Apparently, the drift bug had bitten Darren, and he was now looking to focus his attention on an S14 Sil-Tundra build that is actually still under-wrap.
Enter the 2013 Scion FRS. A car he shares presently with his brother since the S14 is still under-the-knife, Darren pulled out his bag of tricks on the stock (at the time) FRS. Not one to leave a vehicle alone, the potential of the FRS was just too much for him to ignore, and he ended up adding his own personal flair to the latest Scion in the family’s garage. Thanks to friends in Chicago, he was able to piece together an East Coast-first Rocket Bunny TRA KYOTO body kit and the latest ultra-concave Work Kiwami.
As mentioned before, the attention to detail is what sets apart the work Darren puts into his builds from your other average-run-of-the-mill modified rides. It’s for this reason that Darren decided to go with the Rocket Bunny Kit. As you can see by the incredible detailed shots taken by photographer, Raul Singson, the wide, aggressive stance of Darren’s FRS only tells a part of the story. It’s the details, in the fenders, side skirts and moldings that bring out a beauty that can make your girlfriend jealous if you stare too long.
Aggressive.
The Work Kiwami Ultra-Concave wheels are 18×9.5 +20 in the front and and 18×10.5 -5 rear and were powdercoated by NeedPowderCoating.
The Four-Six Customs decal adds perfectly to the story.
Darren is officially a Hoonigan. Not because of the big sticker that lines this pretty rear-end, but because he loves to drive like one.
The Feature-shoot took place during the debut of this particular Rocket Bunny FRS. The pictorial imagery is powerful, and although this is just the beginning of Darren’s journey with the FRS (he has a whole host of plans for it) his Scion was already breaking necks everywhere and wow’ing enthusiast from New York to Chicago. During it’s first week, fresh out of the shop, Darren went half-way across the U.S. to attend Touge Factory’s first FRS/BRZ meet. Touge Factory, well known for their awesome builds and amazing products, was largely responsible for working directly with Darren to put together this FRS. So it was fitting that Darren would take the trip to visit and chill with his Chi-town friends. Check out this awesome video by Mike Maravilla.
Making it’s presence known in the Windy City, from the highways…..
…to the back alleys. The FRS looked beautiful in whatever setting you put it in. Photographer, Zandbox Photo aka Zandro Zafra had fun capturing the moments including Darren getting loose with a nice burnout.
Back home in New Jersey, I caught up with Darren the night before he was heading out to Chicago. Clearly the same guy that used to drive an Xb, enthusiastic as ever, but yet different this time around. Sure he still had to be mindful of the potholes, dips and imperfections that came along the roadway, but when we hit the turns and sweepers of the local hills in Edgewater, Darren laid into them and put the chassis, suspension and tires of his FRS to good use. It’s more than just about “looks” these days.
The FRS right at home on the streets of New Jersey.
The beginning of something beautiful. Stay tuned for more from Darren and the FRS.
Photography by: Raul Singson | Zandbox Photo | Kenny Bascon
Videography: Mike Maravilla of Unscene Media
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2013 Subaru FRS
Rocket Bunny TRA Kyoto | Mh Coilovers | 18×9.5 +20 and 18×10.5 -5 Work Kiwami Ultra Concave powder coated white by NeedPowerCoating.com | Federal 595 255/35 and 265/35 | Morimoto hid kit 5K
About the author
Co-founder, Managing Director, Photographer, and editor for SNTRL. To many in the Tri-State, Kenny aka "MAD JDM" needs no introduction. Always out there, always ready, always down.