In mid-April this year, RennCurator invited me to spend a day at The Magarigawa Club in Japan, where the Madlane 935ML was being run and fine-tuned. Even before the first laps, it was clear this would be no ordinary track day.
Hidden among the mountains, The Magarigawa Club has a striking atmosphere that makes every moment feel heightened. From the paddock to the circuit itself, the setting added something special to an already unforgettable experience.
Before getting into the car itself, it is worth understanding Madlane. More than a workshop, it feels like a direct expression of Kazuki Ohashi’s philosophy. Every project carries a strong visual identity, but never in a way that feels forced. Whether the base is a Porsche, a Honda, or something more exotic, the result always feels deliberate, bold, and cohesive.
That balance is exactly what makes the 935ML so impressive. In person, it has the aggression of a race car, but also the clarity of something carefully resolved from every angle. And once it was on track, that impression only grew stronger. Some cars lose part of their magic in motion, but the 935ML did the opposite. Watching it sweep through Magarigawa’s corners, with its long tail, wide stance, and massive wing cutting through the landscape, made the whole design feel even more convincing. It did not just look extreme; it looked right.
The 935ML is powered by an air-cooled 3.8-litre flat-six fed by twin turbos that produces 500 to 800 horsepower depending on the boost setting. But what stands out is not just the number itself; it is the way that performance is delivered.
RennCurator described it perfectly when he said, “The turbo is crazy; my head hit the seat when it kicked in!” That single line says a lot about the car’s character. It is thrilling, but intense enough to demand real respect. Supporting that setup are details like an aluminium intake manifold, an Inconel exhaust, and a top-mounted fan that nods to the original 935 while fitting the car’s more modern engineering.
That same mindset carries through to the rest of the package. Gear changes are handled by a Holinger Engineering sequential gearbox taken from a 997 RSR and installed in reverse to improve weight distribution and keep the centre of gravity low. The suspension has also been extensively reworked, with a layout influenced by cantilever systems seen on RUF-built cars. Together, those choices make it clear that the 935ML was engineered to perform, not simply to impress visually.
Even the wildest elements, like the Lamborghini Diablo GTR-derived rear wing and restored 18-inch BBS racing wheels on Yokohama slicks, feel purposeful rather than excessive.
What stayed with me most was not just the speed of the car, but the way the team worked around it. After each run, RennCurator, Kazuki Ohashi, and the Madlane team went straight back into analysis, adjustment, and discussion. Nothing was casual. It showed that the 935ML is not a finished showpiece, but a machine in constant evolution.
At The Magarigawa Club, surrounded by mountains, the car felt completely at home. It reflected Kazuki-san’s vision, the team’s craftsmanship, and the obsessive care behind every detail.
A huge thank you to RennCurator for the invitation and for making the whole day so memorable.
