When reading various biographies of successful people like Steve Jobs, Elon Musk and others you immediately realize that these are people who have turned their hobbies and interests into a business. It turns out one of the main drivers of successful business and entrepreneurship is doing the thing you really like, day in day out.
There are such people in Bulgaria as well. Those young people can proudly be called the Next Generation of business leaders. For them business and entertainment go hand in hand and they put their heart and soul into what they do. This story is exactly about that – it is the story of the interesting and fruitful collaboration between Carbon Touch and STi.bg.
The Partnership
The manager of Carbon Touch is Alexander Popov who has over 20 years of experience in the field of car improvements. Initially, his interests were focused on car sound then followed by interior and exterior car tuning. He is a longtime fan of Honda and Subaru. In the last eight years, Alexander has been mostly interested in working with carbon fiber and composites. Soon Carbon Touch was born - a company specializing in the production of carbon fiber parts in various industries - cars, industrial design, lifestyle accessories, jewelry, etc.
Kalin Benchev is a multiple rally champion of Bulgaria and the owner of Sti.bg. He has been a fan of cars since he was a child and his favorite brand is Subaru. Such is his racing car which he drives with his navigator Alexander Spirov. This is why an idea to develop his own car service emerged – one which would provide the best service to customers who trusted the Subaru brand. Over time, the business grew and began to develop successful import and distribution of original and tuning auto parts, both new and used. Its service station in addition prepares racing cars for Bulgaria and Europe. True Subaru fans can check in STi.bg for available, serviced and improved cars of the brand.
With so much enthusiasm and desire to work the creation of many remarkable projects was inevitable. Carbon Touch and STi.bg found a number of common interests in the faces of their owners. From the purely fun hobby element to the creation of significant joint projects, in which Kalin takes care of the car's chassis and power and Alexander - of the carbon fiber "wow" effect.
Their collaboration starts with a black Subaru Impreza Sti model 2012. You can learn more about the history of this car here.
The Project – Mercedes G500 BRABUS
Their latest joint project is the Mercedes G500 BRABUS - one of the iconic models of the German company. The car was brought in in a rather bad condition of the cabin which in the course of work undergoes a complete metamorphosis - and becomes a real beast on the road. From the body and engine through the unique red-black leather interior, it is elegantly accentuated by black exterior and red interior carbon fiber elements, meticulously done to the last detail.
Mercedes uses red carbon fiber for the first time in 2019 in the Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG Edition 1. Relying on the look of The Edition 1 the classic color combination of red and black is utilized and enhanced by the matte hue of the paint - ultimately the car is not left unnoticed.
Chassis and engine
The chassis is additionally reinforced, re-welded and treated with special materials. The body is completely disassembled into individual elements to the smallest detail before being painted together with the individual elements with a three-layer black pearl paint in combination with satin varnish, developed for the production of Lamborghini Huracan LP640-4 Performante.
The original metal sunroof as well as the entire top body has been replaced with a glass one. The brake system has also been completely replaced - discs, pads, springs, etc. The suspension is a new form of KW suspensions made especially for this model with rebound and compression adjustment. The exhaust system is stainless, with mounted catalysts and valves that allow operation in loud and silent mode. The chassis and drivetrain have been renovated. The engine has been replaced with a new one. From a technical standpoint, the car has been fully serviced and all parts checked and replaced with new ones where needed.
The Car`s Exterior
You can't miss the glossy carbon fiber decorative details with a 3D effect set against the background of the extravagant matte black color of the car painting. For this purpose, black carbon fiber with a small diagonal pattern was used. This is how the aggressive and attractive appearance of the car is achieved. The decorative trims on both sides are spectacular and somehow the gaze stops by itself on the BRABUS logo in red. They follow the natural extension of the car and smoothly pass through the door handles, which are also made of carbon fiber.
The same color combination is skillfully used in the mirror caps. The glossy effect of carbon is highlighted by a red line in the middle of the mirror. Carbon fiber air ducts shine elegantly on the matte black front cover. As an additional accent, the rim caps should not be missed. They are embossed with the BRABUS logo B. To emphasize the aggressive and luxurious look of the car, two symmetrical carbon fiber elements have been added to the bumper and on both sides in a carbon fiber circle, with the BRABUS logo B placed with a spectacular red color.
The whole exterior look of the car speaks of style, sophistication and luxury, perfectly accentuated by the combination of matte black paint and glossy carbon fiber parts. If you want to learn how carbon fiber parts are made you can read here.
The Car`s Interior
Although in the exterior carbon fiber is only a slight accent, in the interior of the car it is fully represented. To create the feeling of exclusivity, Kalin and his team had chosen a combination of red and black leather, as well as Alcantara with contrasting red stitching. The upholstery of the car is extremely important for the aesthetic and representative interior of the car. The upholstery of the doors, the seats in their central part and the armrest are made embossed and soft by means of a pad and decorative rhomboid seams. It yields while pressure, but due to its elasticity quickly returns to its original appearance. This type of upholstery is durable and resistant to mechanical stress.
By order of the designers of Carbon Touch red carbon fiber was inserted in the car interior to enhance the overall combination. All details are lacquered and the red carbon fiber thread is visible in depth.
The front panel is upholstered in genuine leather, black at the bottom and red at the top for accent. The carbon fiber elements are unobtrusive and elegantly complete the overall look of the dashboard.
The central part of the dashboard of the Mercedes G-Class has a relatively regular shape, but it is also quite difficult to craft in carbon fiber as there are many buttons that had to be lined up and installed. Almost all plastic details on the doors are covered with carbon fiber - the handles, the area around the buttons for the windows, the locking mechanisms of the doors themselves, etc.
The carbon fiber steering wheel is unique to touch - a pleasure for the hands when driving. The top and bottom parts are made of red carbon, smooth and with a 3D deep effect, and its sides are made of black genuine leather with a very fine relief, perfect for driving as the steering wheel does not slip out of the hands. Decorative red stitching completes the mainline of the steering wheel.
The center console has also been restored almost entirely with red carbon fiber. The top cover of the gear lever has an embossed logo B, black leather with perforation the same as the one used for the steering wheel and a smooth body, elegant and pleasant for touch.
The floor of the car is covered with black carpet and lined with black leather for greater durability. The insoles are specially made, on which the Brabus logo is embroidered in red stitching, and the very edges of the insoles are finished with red decorative thread. To complete the floor, the door sills are illuminated, made of red carbon fiber with a 3D red BRABUS logo built into it.
The trunk is not missing in the overall look of the car. Upholstered with black carpet, red leather on the door and spectacular carbon fiber plates with the car`s logo.
The Result
The restoration of this car is complex - from the engine and chassis to the interior of the car. This project took about 2900 hours of work, and it involved the teams of both companies. To start such a large-scale project, you must be aware that it takes time, money, a lot of energy and you must really love your work and cars.
The result is remarkable because it all starts with a dream and ends with its unique realization.
