This is the most fun I have had in a very long time, not new car delivery fun, not stage 2 remap feels quick fun, but proper inner child, giggling to yourself, stretching second gear to 7000 rpm kind of fun. Welcome to the Race Concepts Turbo Zen, a car that makes very little sense on paper and complete sense the moment you drive it.
Power to Weight, The Real Story
Let us start with the numbers, 195 horsepower to the wheels, close to 260 Nm of torque, and roughly 850 kilos, maybe even less. That is more wheel horsepower than many stage 3 Polos out there, except this weighs significantly less and carries none of the excess. There is no ABS, no traction control, no electronics trying to save you, just you and the machine, and the machine is seriously potent.
Boost, Balance and Pure Mechanical Feel
The turbo spools at around 3000 rpm, and from there to 7000 rpm it pulls relentlessly, like a bat out of hell. What stands out is not just the pace but how linear it feels, there are no violent spikes, no unpredictable surges, and surprisingly no torque steer either. The team at Race Concepts has dialled in the steering geometry and suspension so well that you can push this car hard, really hard, and it simply eggs you on.
Not Built for Comfort, Built for Smiles
This is not a daily driver, there is no AC even though the factory panel is still there for nostalgia, the clutch is a stage three race unit that demands respect, first gear requires skill and a fair bit of slip, refinement is not part of the brief. Yet none of that matters, because this car exists for one reason, to put a massive smile on your face, and it delivers instantly. The first time I slotted it into first, rolled into second, and let it build boost, the grin simply refused to disappear.
Miami Blue and Wide Body Drama
Finished in Porsche Miami Blue, this Zen looks nothing like the polite hatchback most of us grew up seeing. It sits wide and aggressive with flared arches at the front and rear, 15 inch alloy wheels wrapped in Linglong tyres, upgraded brakes, and a vented hood secured with latches. It looks like a track toy, and it absolutely backs up the visual drama once you open the bonnet.
Inside the G13B Transformation
At the heart of this build is the legendary G13B, derived from the humble G10 but bored out and reworked into a 1.3 litre configuration. The bore now measures 75.5 mm, and inside you will find forged rods, forged pistons, and a fully worked cylinder head, along with a reinforced oiling system to ensure reliability under boost. A lightweight flywheel and shorter final drive keep the engine in its power band, while a stage three clutch handles the abuse. Forced induction comes courtesy of a Garrett GBC turbo rated for 300 to 350 horsepower, and this setup is currently running low boost, producing 195 horsepower at the wheels. The wild part is that this combination is capable of around 250 horsepower in its current form, and with a larger GT series turbo, Joel says 350 to 400 horsepower is entirely possible, the internals are built to take it.
Old School Cabin, Purposeful Touches
Step inside and the nostalgia continues, the original seats remain, the factory AC control panel is still in place, although the system itself is long gone, there is a MOMO Racing steering wheel that suits the era perfectly, a Sparco gear knob, a boost pressure gauge, a tachometer, and custom in house Race Concepts pedals. It feels old school, mechanical, and purposeful, easily one of the most complete G13B builds in the country.
The Price of Passion
Now let us talk money. A Zen can be picked up for around 75000 to 1 lakh rupees depending on condition, but the transformation is where the real investment begins. The engine build alone comes close to 3 lakh, the transmission and stage three clutch add another 1 lakh, the turbo setup is approximately 3.5 lakh, a standalone ECU costs 1 lakh, tuning around 40000, the exhaust and ancillary parts add roughly 1.12 lakh, bespoke suspension is 95000, brakes cost about 40000, and chassis restoration and reinforcement come in at around 1.5 lakh. The total stands at approximately 13.25 lakh, and that does not include the countless hours of research and development behind it.
Logic Versus Emotion
Yes, for that kind of money you could buy something bigger, more modern, perhaps even build a stage three Octavia. But that completely misses the point. This project is not about logic or resale value, it is about unfinished business, about taking a car that once defined cool in the nineties and turning it into the monster you always wished it could be.
The Real Question
The Race Concepts Turbo Zen is not refined, not practical, and not trying to be, it is raw, loud, demanding, and gloriously alive. And when it hits 3000 rpm and the boost needle swings right, you realise something important, sometimes happiness does not need to make financial sense, it just needs to make you feel alive.
