Yamasa Raggio – From Ridge Racer to Real-World Supercar

Pixelborn Power - In a world where fantasy often stays locked behind screens, it's always a pleasant surprise when something born in digital pixels gets a shot at life in the real world. From sci-fi gadgets to iconic outfits, fans and creators have a way of bringing the virtual into the tangible. But perhaps nothing feels quite as thrilling as seeing a fictional car roar to life — especially one with the kind of flair and backstory that makes heads turn both on-screen and off. 

The Yamasa Raggio made its public debut and took its first test drive at Japan’s YZ Circuit in October 2005. (Picture from: Obscure Supercar on X)

That’s where the Yamasa Raggio comes into play — a car that isn’t just a nod to its video game roots but a full-on tribute to bold creativity and cross-cultural collaboration. Originally known as the Soldat Raggio in the Ridge Racer universe, this sleek machine began as a digital dream. 

In the Ridge Racer universe, the car is known as the Soldat Raggio, blending the drama of a Ferrari Enzo with the sharp finesse of a Honda NSX. (Picture from: Jalopnik)

In the lore of the game, Soldat is imagined as a French car manufacturer that absorbs an Italian company named Rivelta. It’s a fictional merger that echoes the real-world prestige of something like Bugatti — another Franco-Italian fusion of performance and style. With the Raggio (which fittingly means “ray” in Italian), this digital supercar combined the drama of an Ferrari Enzo with the sharp finesse of a Honda NSX. On screen, it looked fast. In reality? It was even better. | uiq64mxCfWo |

Turning a video game car into a physical showstopper isn’t a task for the faint of heart. But Yamasa, a Japanese company known for its flashy pachinko game machines, saw real potential in bringing the Raggio into our world — and found the perfect partner to make it happen. The build was entrusted to Project Mu, a respected name in high-performance braking systems.

The Yamasa Raggio was built on a Honda NSX frame and chassis, featuring a wildly customized aluminum body and powered by the NSX’s 3.2-liter C32B V6 engine. (Picture from: RidgeRacer on Reddit)

With an NSX as the base, the Yamasa Raggio was born and made its dazzling debut at the 2006 Tokyo Auto Salon. It wasn’t just a display piece, either. This car ran, drove, and handled with surprising poise, even showing up in a promotional video tied to Ridge Racers 2 for the PSP — a fitting blend of real and virtual.

The Yamasa Raggio featured a slightly shorter nose, a flatter rear, and a longer wheelbase — understandable compromises when working from an existing NSX frame. (Picture from: RidgeRacer on Reddit)

Underneath that wildly customized aluminum body, the car still held onto the soul of the Honda NSX’s 3.2-liter C32B V6 engine. But Project Mu didn’t stop there. It was upgraded with parts like an Ogura Racing clutch, a high-performance ARC radiator, a bespoke exhaust system, and a custom suspension setup — all tuned to match the flair and performance that its game counterpart implied. Of course, no Project Mu build would be complete without those iconic turquoise brake calipers showing up at all four corners.

The Yamasa Raggio offers a supercar-like cabin experience, highlighted by a sporty three-spoke steering wheel and a clean, driver-focused dashboard and center console. (Picture from: RidgeRacer on Reddit)

Even though the final product wasn't an exact one-to-one recreation of its digital ancestor, it was close enough to thrill fans and precise enough to impress engineers. The nose was slightly shorter, the rear a little flatter, and the wheelbase longer — understandable compromises when you’re working off an existing NSX frame. What really sold the illusion, though, was the full set of decals and branding from other Ridge Racer universe staples like Rally-X, Tekken, and Mappy. It wasn’t just a car — it was a full-blown tribute to an entire game culture.

What truly sold the illusion of the Yamasa Raggio was its full set of decals and branding from Ridge Racer universe staples like Rally-X, Tekken, and Mappy. (Picture from: RidgeRacer on Reddit)

But where is this eye-catching machine today? That’s a little murkier. While a blog post from Japanese detailing company Keeper Pro Shop gave brief hope that the Raggio might still be tucked away in decent shape, a closer look revealed that the photos likely dated back to 2005 or 2006 — around the same time of the car's reveal. Since then, sightings have been scarce, and the current condition and location of the Yamasa Raggio remain unknown, adding just a little more mystique to its already fascinating story. | Y3dSnULpV50 |

Still, even if it only popped into our world for a short time, the Yamasa Raggio proved that with the right blend of passion and skill, something once limited to game controllers and pixelated screens could tear across real pavement. It wasn’t just a build — it was a moment. And for those lucky enough to witness it, it’s one that’s hard to forget. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | JALOPNIK | GTPLANET | FORUMS.FORZA.NET | OBSCURE SUPERCAR ON X | JAPANESE RACING CARS ON FACEBOOK | RIDGERACER ON REDDIT ]

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