Las Vegas, NV, Nov. 02, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ENEOS – Japan’s largest oil company and supplier of motor oil and transmission fluids to the majority of Asian vehicle manufacturers – returns to SEMA and AAPEX this year. ENEOS will be part of a special activation with leading Japanese manufacturer RAYS Wheels, which is making its first official brand display in the Silver Lot in front of the Las Vegas Convention Center. RAYS has invited select industry partners – including ENEOS – to activate within their space, and ENEOS ambassador Jimmy Oakes will display his Ferrari V8-swapped Porsche 911 in the ENEOS pop-up booth, outfitted with a set of classic Volk Racing VRX-10 wheels, produced by RAYS in the ‘90s.
The V8-swapped Porsche theme continues with ENEOS ambassador Faruk Kugay performing drift demos at the Optima driving exhibition in SEMA Bronze Lot using his ENEOS-sponsored Porsche 911 GT3. Attendees may remember the car from 2023 when it debuted in the ENEOS booth with a Subaru STI motor, which has now been replaced by a monstrous 458hp LS2 V8.
Additionally, ENEOS will present its new Import CVT S High Torque lubricant, along with its entire catalog of products in AAPEX booth # V3665.
JIMMY OAKES PORRARI V8
After debuting his insane Porrari – a widebody 1978 Porsche 911 SC fitted with a Ferrari-built Maserati F136 V8 – with ENEOS at Formula DRIFT Round 4, automotive content creator and engineer Jimmy Oakes will display his creation in the ENEOS SEMA pop-up booth located inside the RAYS Wheels Takeover in Silver Lot.
Since its YouTube build series and public debut, the reception to the Porrari has been incredible, so it made sense to bring the 911 to North America’s biggest automotive event. SEMA attendees will get to see the incredible attention to detail by the Oakes Garage crew, restoring and transforming the 48-year old “narrow” body into a widebody that blends raw Italian performance with German engineering and Japanese motorsport heritage in one cohesive package.
The engine swap was far from easy but the team improvised with Link ECU G5 Voodoo Neo 6 engine management, custom Stainless Bros headers and fabricated exhaust to ensure the F136 flat-plane crank V8 would fit the tight 911 engine bay. To help the engine climb to its 8000rpm rev limit, custom ITBs were fitted using parts from the E90/92 BMW M3 S65 engine with 3D-printed custom adapters/trumpets.
Cog-swapping is provided by a 996 Porsche 911 transmission mated to a Kennedy Engineered Products bellhousing and supported by a fabricated cradle.
Additional space in the engine bay was created by removing the torsion bar suspension and fitting Stance Suspension coilovers in the fully restored and braced bodyshell. And while replacing many of the exterior body panels, the roof was scrapped and replaced with a carbon fiber panel to add rigidity and contribute to a lower center of gravity.
Central to Jimmy’s vision was a set of period-correct Volk Racing VRX-10 mesh wheels, fitting perfectly into the RAYS Wheels takeover theme and boosting the Japanese-inspired aesthetic.
“From the beginning, my vision was clear; to create a JDM-influenced Porsche that blends the performance and design with the unmistakable influence of Japanese tuning and motorsport culture,” Oakes said. “From the iconic ENEOS livery to the overall stance and presentation, every part was carefully selected to give the car an authentic, purpose-built feeling, details that have defined Japanese performance culture and influenced American tuning for decades.”
SEMA attendees can see the Jimmy Oakes Porrari in the ENEOS booth # 22811 in the RAYS Wheels Silver Lot Takeover.
The Porrari Tech Spec is listed below.
FARUK KUGAY PORSCHE 911 GT3 V8
Making a return to SEMA is ENEOS drift ambassador Faruk Kugay, bringing a project he debuted at the 2023 show in the ENEOS booth: a 2007 997 Porsche 911 GT3. Discovered as a damaged bodyshell, the car was revived at Faruk’s DEVSPEED workshop. They started by adding a VAD Design GT3R widebody conversion and installed a Subaru STI EJ25 four-cylinder boxer engine. But since then, the GT3 has undergone another makeover with the goal of drifting the German sports car.
Taking lessons learned from competing in Formula DRIFT competition, the team installed a 6.0L LS2 V8 engine equipped with LS3 cylinder head, which he felt was better suited to the demands of drifting. Helped by the work already done to accommodate the STI engine, a Chavis Performance & Engineering installation kit made the V8 swap a breeze. The kit also included a mounting plate for a sturdy 996 Porsche 911 Turbo transmission. All it then needed was a Link ECU and wiring harness to get the engine running.
One of the most distinctive features of the new swap is the exhaust system: designed by German engineer, Christian Koegler at Maisteer, the header tubes were CNC-bent at CageKits and the stainless steel collector was before the final pieces were meticulously welded by Stewie Brown at Rennstufe. You can see them poking out from the engine cover and you’ll definitely hear Faruk arriving!
“We deployed our extensive vehicle development and fabrication experience to rethink every major system of the Porsche,” Faruk told us. “We were able to deliver improved performance, driveability and reliability on track without losing the character that makes the 997 GT3 such a distinctive platform.”
Witness Faruk throwing down in his LS2-powered GT3 at its first large-scale public demonstration in the Optima driving experience in the Bronze Lot. And if you’d like the opportunity to sit beside him for a SEMA ride to remember, visit instagram.com/eneosusa for an opportunity to ride-along with Faruk. Entrants must be over 21 and have SEMA credentials.
The 911 GT3 LS2 Tech Spec is listed below.
NEW ENEOS CVT LUBRICANT
ENEOS is introducing a new product to the North American market at AAPEX 2026 to underscore its commitment to precision-engineered, OE-grade formulations that meet the latest manufacturer specifications.
The new addition to the ENEOS portfolio is ENEOS Import CVT Fluid Model S High Torque – a CVT fluid engineered specifically for Subaru Lineartronic CVT transmissions.
More information will be available from ENEOS representatives at the ENEOS AAPEX booth # V3665 in the Venetian Expo Level 2.
Full technical specifications and part numbers are available in the updated 2026 ENEOS Product Catalog, accessible at garage.eneos.us/brochure.
TECH SPEC
1978 Porsche 911 SC “Porrari” V8
Builder: Jimmy Oakes
Engine: 2007 Ferrari/Maserati Quattroporte F136 flat-plane crank V8, Wired by Tap custom wiring harness, Link ECU G5 Voodoo Neo 6 engine management, custom Stainless Bros headers and exhaust fabricated by James “Bopper” Moran, custom ITBs with Ding Dong Drift 3D-printed custom adapters/trumpets, Radium fuel cell, ENEOS performance lubricants
Transmission: 996 Porsche 911 transmission with Kennedy Engineered Products bellhousing, custom clutch and flywheel
Brakes: Porsche Boxster four-piston Brembos, EBC rotors; ChaseBays brake lines
Suspension: custom Stance Suspension coilovers, Accurate Fabrication custom rollcage
Wheels & Tires: 17x9.5” (front), 17x10.5” (rear) Volk Racing VRX-10 wheels, 235/40 R17 and 255/40 R17 Accelera 651 Sport tires
Exterior: Porsche Guards Red paint, custom widebody metal fenders by Brian Hall, EP9 Autosport carbon fiber roof skin, paint and bodywork by Anthony Mendoza
TECH SPEC
2007 997 Porsche 911 GT3 V8
Builder: Faruk Kugay at DEVSPEED
Engine: Dry-sump 6.0L LS2 V8 engine on custom engine mounts from Chavis Performance & Engineering, custom exhaust, CNC-bent header tubes, 3D-printed stainless collectors/steps, Nuke Performance fuel system, DeatschWerks fuel pump and injectors, Link ECU engine management and wiring harness, ENEOS Racing engine oil
Transmission: Porsche 996 Turbo transmission, custom OG Giken two-way limited-slip differential, ENEOS transmission fluid
Brakes: 997 Porsche 911 GT3 brakes with custom brackets, hydraulic handbrake
Suspension: Wisefab front angle kit, Techno Toy Tuning custom front wheel hubs; suspension development DEVSPEED
Wheels & Tires: 18x10” (front), 18x13” (rear) Rotiform KPS wheels, 265/35 R18 (front), 295/40 R18 (rear) X Comp H/P tires
Exterior: VAD Design GT3R widebody conversion with DEVSPEED hood scoop
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EDITOR’S NOTE
Larry Chen images of both the Jimmy Oakes and Faruk Kugay Porsche 911 V8s can be found here for editorial use only: dropbox.com/scl/fo/ipiwgufkcxz8pjdxghs6a/AH-SV1ZB99bpI5degy6O4Vg?rlkey=irgpalxroxidkmp7fpsn5fatb&dl=0
Attachments
Satomi Yamashita
ENEOS USA Inc
s.yamashita@eneosusa.com
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