Throwback: 5 Vehicles from PASMAG in 2010

Vehicle Features Adam Gordon

As we turned the page on the first decade of the new century, PASMAG was also now celebrating more than 10 years in business and countless feature vehicles up to this point. The weird and wild of the early 2000s was still echoing, but the timelessness of minimalism and a "less is more" mentality when it came to visuals was starting to emerge. Pop culture had modified cars in the spotlight with video games and movies. As part of an ongoing series for our 25th anniversary here at PASMAG, we've been taking a look through the archives of the last 25 years, and some of the stuff we've found deserves to be shared with you all.

This week we're looking at the year 2010 in all its glory.

1. Isac Mion's Rear-Engine Mini Cooper

Is this one of the most bonkers Mini Cooper builds ever? We're inclined to say so. Custom widebody work, a healthy dose of carbon fiber, BASF paint, and - oh, we didn't mention the engine behind the driver. This rear-engine Mini was the brain child of Isac Mion and his sponsors, and it's safe to say it turned heads and won awards at shows for years to come. Opening the trunk lid reveals a beautiful exhaust system and a turbo peeking through.

2. 20 Hertz Chrysler 300C

Following up the world's wildest Mini Cooper is arguably the world's wildest Chrysler 300C from the mad masterminds at 20 Hertz Audio. If you were around the show circuit in these years, there's a good chance you've seen this car before, especially at Importfest in Toronto. Built to be a true show car, this 300 was altered from top to bottom in every way possible, from body work, to the engine, and of course, a full audio and entertainment system - hence the TV ascending from the trunk at the push of a button.

3. Unitronic VW R32

By 2010, the secret of the VW R32 was already out of the bag - this platform had potential, and lots of it. Among the first to take the R32 to its highest level (at least back then) was Unitronic, with this featured vehicle. The custom widebody and HRE wheels are among the immediately noticeable modifications, but looking under the hood reveals a bespoke turbo system with lots of bits from Unitronic.

4. ECS Performance Subaru Impreza 2.5RS

The Subaru Impreza 2.5RS is a rare sight these days, and they weren't exactly everywhere back in 2010 either. ECS (East Coast Swappers) Performance decided that the modest performance of the 2.5RS wasn't nearly enough for their tastes, and swapped in an ECS-built Stage 2 STi engine and drivetrain from the same era. Now pushing well in excess of 450 whp, this was more like it. A unique paint color and a deleted rear wing make this 2.5RS look incredibly unique, and they were ahead of the curve with the TE37 usage.

5. Final Konnexion R34 Skyline

Final Konnexion is a name synonymous with JDM style, and when this kit for the R34 hit the world, it was one of the most talked about body mods for the fanboy-favorite platform. This car from the brand themselves in Japan embraced the tuner culture of the era in its entirety - deep dish color-matched wheels, tinted [perhaps too much] headlights, and a shopping list of sponsor decals.

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