Meet Europe’s First Ever Ferrari 458 Liberty Walk Silhouette

 

Meet Europe’s First-Ever Ferrari 458 Liberty Walk Silhouette

When it comes to supercars, most people think they are wild and crazy enough. That’s everyone except supercar collector, Chris. He decided that a normal 458 Spider wasn’t crazy enough for him, so he decided to build Europe’s First-Ever Ferrari 458 Liberty Walk Silhouette. In fact, it could be the world’s only Liberty Walk Silhouette 458 Spider. Either way, this car is a definite 1/1 as the spec on it is ludicrous.

It may just be the coolest 458 ever made. Of course, purists would hate it but who cares? Life isn’t about blending in and you will see that throughout the Liberty Walk brand. The whole project cost a lot of money and also a lot of time. The results though speak for themselves, and just one look at this car and you’re in awe. It truly is an amazing vehicle and a massive feat of engineering.

The owner, Chris loves his cars. His other cars include a 1000hp McLaren 12C Coupe, an 829hp Lamborghini Aventador, a 305hp Toyota Supra Twin-Turbo Manual, a 310hp Ariel Atom, and a 610hp Range Rover Sport SVR. He is also a well-known figure in the car world, partaking in events such as the Canon Run car rally, multiple times per year. He has also owned many JDM cars in the past too such as the Nissan GTR and the Toyota Supra.

To own a garage like this, you have to be hard-working, focused, and dedicated. Chris owns an eCommerce empire selling fireplaces, which he has ran now for the past decade. It hasn’t always been high points for him just like every entrepreneur, but he has battled through it all and now is enjoying life to the fullest.

We managed to interview Chris to see his views on his exciting new supercar. We will also dive into the world of Liberty Walk and see how their brand changed the supercar world forever.

Picture via: jhck.photo

Chris’ Views On His New Car

picture via: imaprilfools

Arran: What made you build the car? What was the spark that got you to get up and decide to let it happen?

Chris: I was browsing the Various body kits for a 458, see the LBWK one, and decided I had to do it!

Arran: Why choose a Ferrari 458? 

Chris: I didn’t want a turbo Ferrari (488). I wanted a raw naturally aspirated v8 and never even driven a Ferrari. It was in budget and when I saw the kit, it made the decision for me.

Arran: What was the hardest part about the project?

Chris: The wheels, Ford bought all the raw materials for the inner barrels, due to covid and left the market completely bare. Therefore, Vossen and rotiform, etc really struggled. Took months but we got there in the end

Arran: What are your thoughts on the car now it’s complete?

Chris: The car is amazing in every way. But the most amazing thing is how it drives! The air suspension is amazing and the sound of the exhaust is unreal! Then there are the looks!

Arran: What’s your favorite feature of the car?

Chris: Favourite feature is the front end. To me, it looks like a La Ferrari but better. To some of the purists out there who don’t like modifying classic shapes they won’t like it and that’s their choice but I love the car and the look.

Arran: Is it your favorite car out of the collection?

Chris: Yes, my favorite.

Arran: Would you do another LBW build after this? Say a Liberty Walk Silhouette Lamborghini Huracan maybe?

Chris: When I bought my Aventador it was a choice between this and a Huracan. A perf. I didn’t go for that as it’s very similar in drive etc to my McLaren. I would love to do a Huracan but think my collection is complete for now!

Arran: Any last words?
Chris: Cannon run……. fam.

What Do I Think Of The Car?

picture via: joshedwardmedia 

There’s nothing like this on the road today. I think it looks insane and every single angle of this car looks wild. Like Chris, my favorite feature is the front due to how aggressive it looks. I also like the side profile a lot too, as the body kit looks really flush. The rear spoiler really sets of this car too and gives it that extra bit of personality.
The rear of the car is complemented by a massive diffuser and wide arches, as well as a large spoiler. Surely, all of these parts increase downforce? Either way, it looks completely insane. There are also Liberty walk decals around the car which in my opinion really finish the car off nicely.
The wheels are also completely custom, and they’re fully forged and they’re made by world-renowned wheel manufacturer, Rotiform. I’ve been following Chris on social media for a while now and I have seen his struggles with this car. There was a delay with the alloys a few weeks ago, and I remember him saying it may not be ready for months. When I first heard about Project X, I actually thought it was going to be a track car of some sort. I know he has the Atom, but he loves racing so I thought it may have been something like a BAC Mono.
As the months went on, my thoughts changed. Initially, I thought it was going to be a Ferrari 488 but when he leaked a picture of the seat of the car, I instantly knew it was a 458. I couldn’t have dreamt though in my wildest dreams that it would be what it is today. I think this is the same with many petrolheads out there since it’s the first time for most they have seen a Liberty Walk Silhouette kit fitted to a car.
The exhaust is also a cracker. It’s an FI (Frequency Intelligence) system, which is the exhaust brand fitted to most Liberty Walk supercars. This one is the F1 system, so it is made to sound similar to an F1 car. I haven’t heard it in real life yet, but even on video, it sends shock waves throughout your body. Tunnel runs are about to get a million times more fun now.
The interior is very nice too. There have been small touches to it including the Liberty Walk logo. It’s a fully red interior, just like the exterior. That’s quite a rare combination too, but it was not red on red from the factory. Originally, this car was white on red which is a very popular specification for this car. The red on red now looks far sexier and so much more unique.
I don’t think there is one Ferrari 458 in the world that looks as good as this. A company called RACE! in South Africa has also built a Liberty Walk Silhouette 458, this time in coupe format. It doesn’t look half as good as Chris’s whatsoever. The black paint hides the curves and the Forgiato wheels don’t look as good as the Rotiform ones. Sure it’s still a very nice car, but not as nice as this 458 Spider.
I do think Chris should build a Huracan though. It would be the perfect duo, and he would be the only guy in the world to have two Liberty Walk Silhouette cars in his personal collection. If he was going to, it would have to be lime green maybe or white with chrome red Forgiato, Vossen, or ADV1 wheels. An exposed carbon hood too, and an FI exhaust system. Maybe even a twin-turbo setup and an exposed rear bumper. Once he reads this, he’ll be straight to the drawing board with plans to build this car!

Who Is Liberty Walk?

LB-WORKS | Liberty Walk | リバティーウォーク

picture via: libertywalk.co.jp

Who is Liberty Walk? Good question!

They are one of the world’s leading body kit companies, and they’re based in Japan. Liberty Walk was founded in 2008 by Waturo Kato after a friend of his came up to him to talk about his desire of owning a new Lamborghini Murcielago. He didn’t just want any normal Murcielago though. He wanted the most aggressive one and one that stood out from the crowd. This sparked a flame in Kato’s heart and was the beginning of a new automotive movement.

Then comes 2009, one of the most important years for the brand. They reach the world-famous Sema car show for a world debut of their brand. Many people were fascinated by the cars and the reception by fans was largely positive. Unfortunately, due to how new the brand was, it would take a lot more work and time to get customers and garages on board.

In 2012, Liberty walk redesigned the Murcielago again. The new car was called the “Works Over Fenders” and the brand was re-branded as “Liberty Walk Works.” The one thing which stunned people was the fact that they had cut and ground into the body panels of these exotic cars to fit the kits. This would be a concern for many car owners, but the results were just beyond spectacular. Liberty walk was changing the game, and their fanbase kept increasing.

A year later, they released the Liberty Walk Works Ferrari 458 and Nissan GTR. These cars were insane, especially the GTR. They were outrageous and soon customers were lining up to transform their cars. In 2014, they launched probably their most famous car. The Liberty Walk Works Lamborghini Aventador. This was beyond wild and the FI/Armytrix exhaust system fitted to the car shot flames like there was no tomorrow. It was literally a flame thrower on wheels.

The large arches, the huge spoiler, the big alloys, and the air suspension were beyond crazy. For some, completely over the top. However, it was a huge success and it has allowed the brand to grow and grow. Nowadays, there are over 200 Liberty Walk cars in Japan and over 350 elsewhere in the world. Everything from Toyota Prius’ to Lamborghini Aventador’s.

Each Liberty Walk car is unique to its owner. They are all hand-built to the customer’s specification, and no two Liberty Walk cars are the same. They take a long time to build, but the results are completely worth it. Each Liberty Walk car is built by hand-picked garages, all of which are very sophisticated. The people who built this Silhouette 458 Spider, were The Performance Co, which is Europe’s only Liberty Walk dealer.

The inspiration from these cars is from the “Kaido Movement” in Japan from the 1980s and 1990s. This was a car culture that was full of completely over-the-top cars, with huge body kits, exhausts, wheels, etc. This culture quickly became famous worldwide. Unfortunately, in the US or the UK, you could never get away with a Kaido car. It’s just too extreme, but if you could just imagine how crazy the car scene in these countries would have been.

Kato took inspiration from this and decided to take things to the next level. Previously, people only fitted these big body kits to Japanese sports cars or sedans. Cars like the Datsun Fairlady or the Toyota Chaser. Kato decided to fit them onto exotic supercars, something many would never even dream to do. His designs are full of imagination, and they are so colorful and aggressive. A Liberty Walk car is a car that breaks necks everywhere it goes. There is no car body-kit company like Liberty Walk and no car in the world can get as much attention as some of their cars.

Our Verdict

picture via: joshedwardmedia

There will be many people who do not like this car. They will say it ruins the heritage and that Ferrari’s should be left alone, etc. However, this car makes every other 458 looks boring. That’s impossible though? The 458 was one of the best-looking cars ever, how can it look boring all of a sudden?

This whole build is completely wild. It blows everything else out the window and in all honesty, it gets more attention than a hypercar. This is the Kaido movement in Europe, and we can guarantee that many other 458 owners will follow suit. It’s expensive, but if you can afford it then you may as well do it. You only live once and these cars are completely tailored to your personality.

These sorts of cars speak for the owner. It reflects their personality. It shows they want to stand out and that they don’t care what others think. That is the whole point of not only the Liberty Walk brand but Japanese car culture in general. It’s about being the most extreme and the craziest. Nothing is insane enough of over the top for the Japanese.

This will be a hard car to park though which at first will be an issue. Though I doubt it will ever be entering any multi-story car parks any time soon. It will though be at many car shows probably across Europe and maybe even the world. It will definitely be put on the cover of many car magazines worldwide too. Be sure to keep your eye on it when it comes out.

We love this car and hats off to Chris for building it!

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