Sunday, June 22, 2008

Smart forTwo Cabrio Widebody by Konigseder

If you are told about a widebody kit for the Smart forTwo Cabrio, you could be forgiven for having that quick glance over to the calendar checking if it is April 1st, but we have to say the experts over at Austrian tuner Konigseder have pulled it off with a great deal of success.

The kit widens the model by an additional 30mm in each direction and consists of wheel arches housing new 17 inch wheels, side skirts and a restyled front bumper with larger air intakes and an additional lower spoiler.

The rear stays largely unchanged but the rear wheel arches get extra air intakes for additional cooling for the brakes, the look is completed with a flowery (yes, that's flowery) exterior body artwork on its white livery. Beneath the bodywork, the forTwo has been left alone apart from a set Eibach sport springs which lower the overall ride height of the vehicle thus improving the driving dynamics.

Lexus IS-F by Wald

The Lexus IS F was recently launched in Europe and the States following the successful introduction to its native Japan last year where it is going head to head with the likes of the BMW M3 and Mercedes C63 AMG. Despite a pretty formidable package under the hood where you will find the 417bhp 5.0-litre V8 engine mated to an eight-speed paddleshift transmission, the exterior styling does not show the aggression to match.

This is where renowned Japanese tuner Wald International comes in with this new tuning program for the high performance machine. The most notable feature on these newly surfaced photos is the addition of a new huge rear diffuser which optimizes air flow under the car, other features on the rear include additional air vents on the sides of the apron and a new rear wing. The front fascia gets small modifications with the a new front spoiler lowering the ride height and additional air-intakes on the sides.

9ff Cayman CT-78 E85 Wins SportAuto Readers Award

Back in April, Porsche tuning specialist, 9ff , made a world record attempt for the fastest production car with their 987bhp GT9 but came up a bit short at 409 km/h. Currently the record to beat is the SSC Ultimate Aero TT with 412.28 km/h ( 256.18 mph). However, it seems 9ff's work with combining high performance Porsche's with alternative fuel, as displayed with their E85 bio-ethanol fuel 9ff Porsche Cayman CT-78 with 780 hp could be a more successful road worth traveling for the Dortmund based tuner. German car magazine SportAuto conducted a readers polls which contained 14 categories for series-production vehicles and 11 tuning classes. With more than 10,000 readers taking part, they awarded the CT-78 as the sportiest tuned coupe beyond EUR 80,000. In times of the CO2 discussion, this is a particularly valuable distinction.

Thursday, June 19, 2008

2009 Audi TTS



Audi TTS

SPECIFICATIONS
Model: Audi TTS
Price: £33,390 coupé, £35,390 Roadster
Engine: 1,984cc, four cylinders, 16 valves, direct injection with turbo, 272bhp at 6,000rpm, 258lb ft at 2,500-5,000rpm
Transmission: six-speed manual, four-wheel drive
Performance: 155mph, 0-62 in 5.4sec, 29.4mpg average, CO2 191g/km (all with super unleaded; normal unleaded will reduce performance)

THE RIVALS

BMW 135i M-Sport coupé: £29,755
It looks dumpy, but it has a 3.0-litre straight-six with twin turbos and 306bhp, plus wonderfully interactive rear-wheel-drive handling. Good value next to TTS.

Nissan 350Z: from £26,795
A bargain in this company, with its 3.5-litre, 313bhp V6, great looks and enjoyable rear-wheel-drive dynamics. CO2 of 280g/km is its downfall.

Porsche Cayman 2.7: £36,220
One of the most dynamically pure cars you can buy, but this 'base' 2.7-litre version isn't particularly quick. Unusually, costs more than its open-top relative, the Boxster.

Monday, June 16, 2008

VÄTH V63RS Clubsport based on Mercedes C 63 AMG

As one of the first Mercedes tuners to come forth with a comprehensive tuning package for the new Mercedes C 63 AMG, German tuner Väth have put together a tasty package. With a modestly redesigned front bumper fascia that closely resembles the original, the rear gets more dramatic with three prominent diffusor vanes protruding outwards plus the boot spoiler gets another boot spoiler on top of it.

For performance Väth has reprogrammed the engine control unit, added a freer flowing exhaust manifold, and stainless steel sport exhaust. The result is an earth pounding 585 hp (430 kW) and 690 Nm of torque compared to the already potent 457 hp (336 kW) with 600 Nm of the stock 6.3 liter V8 engine. With the speed limiter removed top speed climbs to a lofty 202 mph.

Other upgrades include sport suspension, bigger brake rotors (390mm), sport brake fluid, 19-inch wheels, new sport seats, revised instrument cluster, TV/DVD unit and many other customizations. The V63RS Clubsport can be yours for approximately EUR 125,000.

Range Rover AR7 Highlander by Arden

Arden have already tackled the Range Rover LM last year when they initially released the AR7, but clearly they felt they had unfinished business by going back to the drawing board and pumping yet more power out of the SUV and with more power comes a longer name - "Highlander" has been added.

Tata's favorite tuner who specializes on the Jaguar and Land Rover brands originally took the standard 400hp supercharged Jaguar sourced V8 engine and increased its displacement up to 4.5 liters to bring total power output to 480hp and 650Nm of torque – but that was soooo last year. Now in 2008 Arden have added a new high-performance twin-screw supercharger which brings the power up to 520 hp and 701 Nm of torque, although the performance figures remain the same with the0-100km/h time staying at 6.5 seconds whist top speed remains at 240km/h.

Press release:

  • superior 520 HP and powerful 701 Nm
  • Compressor motor with increased cubic capacity
  • High Performance Twin Screw Supercharger
  • sporty aerodynamic kit
  • resonant sound with stainless steel exhaust system / extravagant exhaust tailpipe design
  • 22” or 23” wheels, high performance braking system
  • elegant sporty interior

Elegance, discreet sportiness and understatement have always been the characteristics of British cars. The car enhancement specialist and registered automobile manufacturer from Krefeld was unable to resist the attraction of these vehicles over 30 years ago. It has for many years been a refuge for customers wanting it to individualise their Jaguar or Range Rover and emphasize its typical characteristics. Arden’s latest development is the AR7. It is based on the Range Rover LM, which Arden completely converts and provides with more overtaking prestige. The base vehicle which is impressive due to its sheer size becomes captivating with its extraordinary sporty look. Meanwhile enhanced performance of the Range Rover compressor motor contributes to the sporty driving performance.

Superior performance

Arden obtains not less than 520 HP from the from the supercharged V8, its cubic capacity having been raised to 4.5 litres and a high performance twin screw supercharger was added. Together with the torque which has been increased to an ample 680 Nm, this provides the not exactly light Range Rover with an appealing driving performance. The sheer power catapults the British SUV from nought to one hundred km/h in 6.5 seconds. Outstanding engine power goes without saying. Even if speeds beyond 200 km/h do not happen often due to the flow of traffic, the Arden AR7’s 480 HP make over 240 km/h possible.

Arden bodykit: better look, better driving behavior

Arden adapted its aerodynamic components to the Range Rover’s basic design in a masterly fashion. As usual with Arden, the kit looks as though it fits seamlessly. The completely re-designed, in total 6 cm wider front apron, which replaces the production part, features a hand-made stainless steel grill and air vents. These features emphasize not only the dynamic and powerful appearance, they also provide more effective air supply to the cooling units behind. Arden has made substantial improvements to the aerodynamics, effectively reducing lift to the front axle; this has a lasting benefit on handling performance at higher speeds. The LED daytime running lights deserve special attention. They comply with the future European standards and are harmoniously integrated right and left above the large air intakes. To complete the powerful appearance, Arden also enhances the Range Rover with wheel arch extensions, side skirts and a newly developed rear apron, which like the front apron features several grill inserts.

With regards to harmoniously designing the rear area, Arden adapted the design of the exhaust tail pipes of the stainless steel sport exhaust system, which was exclusively hand-made for the new AR7, perfectly to the design of the rear apron. The system which produces a marvellous resonant sound ends in rectangular tailpipes, with its openings characterized by a horizontal center bar, so that they do not appear too overpowering and meet Arden’s standards for understatement.

“Bigfoot”

The “Sportline” wheels have a large share in the appearance of the Arden AR7. Arden offers the three-part forged wheel in 22” or 23”. The increased size compared with the production Range Rover clearly improves the handling of the SUV and gives the driver more driving pleasure.

Whoever decides on enhanced power should also think of suitable braking performance. So that the Arden AR7 comes to a standstill as quickly as it accelerates, Arden incorporates at the front a 6-piston and at the rear a 4-piston braking system which distributes its power emphatically on the internally ventilated and perforated brake disks.

Elegant interior

The interior does not come off badly with Arden either. In the in-house saddlery all of the interior work is carried out to the highest precision and converted into the customer’s requirements with great attention to detail. Leather and alcantara are made to measure in any colour desired, a wide variety of high-grade woods are processed and also chrome, carbon and aluminium applications are made for customers.

Seat Ibiza by JE Design

Tuning firm JE Design have wasted little time in getting to work on the new Seat Ibiza by releasing first details of their tuning program for the new five-door model. Initial information states the sports package will get a set of lowering springs, new multispoke 17 inch or 18 inch alloy wheels and a smooth body kit featuring a front spoiler, side skirts and rear apron.

We are told by the German tuner that the full kit is still under development, a wing door conversion, thread chassis and other body components will be released in the future along with a bit of diesel engine tuning. The 1.4-liter TDI is set to get a 25hp boost up to 105 horsepower and the 1.9-liter TDI will get the same boost taking total output to 130hp, although there is no confirmation on these figures yet.

Friday, June 13, 2008

ENCO-Exclusive 550 GT Biturbo Cayenne

Establish in 2000, the Saxonian company ENCO started out as a manufacturer of stainless steel exhaust systems for such marques as Porsche, Ferrari and Lamborghini in addition to providing special prototyping services for race teams and tuning companies. With such clients, evolution towards the tuning segment was inevitable, and now under the ENCO-Exclusive brand name, present their latest product - the Porsche Cayenne Turbo based ENCO 550 GT Biturbo.

One of the first things you'll notice are the black lacquered one-piece 23x11J XXL-rims with white ornamental stripe. Wrapped in snug fitting 315/25 R23 tires, 6-piston front and 4-piston calipers lie beneath with brake discs measuring 400 x 36 mm (front) and 380 x 32 mm (rear). Additionally, developed for the Cayenne's air suspension, ENCO offers an electronic module which lowers the 550 GT up to 50mm.

For the aerodynamic package, ENCO has restyled the front bumper fascia with larger cooling slots and an Audi-esque big grille. The lightweight carbon reinforced hood sports a powerdome with two subtle additional air vents. Muscular side skirts help bring the 550 GT closer to the ground visually while the roof spoiler, rear bumper fascia with its integrated diffuser and protruding four exhaust tips gives a striking appearance.

Apart from the excellent sound, the established specialist for exhaust systems puts a special emphasis on increased efficiency. The interaction of ENCO-components, such as sport baffle, sport catalysts, high performance manifold and an optimized motor characteristic, lead to an increased efficiency up to 550 hp / 405 kw at 6,100 rpm per minute. Moreover, the torque grows to 730 Nm at 2,300 – 4,600 rpm per minute. The modified Porsche-SUV shortens the spurt from zero to 100 km/h to an impressive 4.9 seconds and increases the maximum speed up to 282 km/h.

The interior receives a tasteful makeover with decorative stitching on the dash board while the leather seats and door panels receive matching inserts and trim. The slip-resistant steering wheel with airbag also gets redesigned for a matching look. Multimedia features include headrest integrated monitors which can be connected to a DVD-player, a DVB-T-tuner or game console.

Prices for the ENCO 550 GT Biturbo start at 170,000 euros ex works.

Lexus IS F

Lexus IS F pictures
Having set new standards in terms of quality, reliability and refinement for almost two decades, Lexus now wants a piece of the prestigious high-end performance market cornered by its German rivals. The first salvo is a muscular and taut, V8-powered, 416-horsepower version of the sleek IS sport sedan. It was conceived by a passionate chief engineer and developed under his guidance, with outside help from engine specialists and long-time partners at Yamaha.

The IS F is the first Lexus production model to fly the F. This high-performance version of the current IS sedan was created in the time-honored tradition of hot-rodders: by dropping in a big 5.0-liter V8 where lesser engines had once purred. It is the brainchild of chief engineer Yukihiko Yaguchi, a 30-year veteran at Toyota and Lexus.

Lexus IS F pictures

Per standard Lexus practice, there is only one very well-equipped model of the IS F, carrying a current base price of $56,000. The major options are a 14-speaker, 300-watt, Mark Levinson entertainment system with a six-disc DVD/CD changer that can play both the DVD-audio and DVD-video formats, priced at $3,990; a $2,850 Pre-Collision System; and a voice-activated navigation system with backup camera and Bluetooth technology that adds $2,550 to the sticker. Lexus will also add Intuitive Parking Assist for $500 and your choice of SIRIUS or XM satellite radio for $486.

Lexus IS F pictures

The IS F carries three stylized F badges with a silver contour on a blue background; two on the front fenders behind the wheels; and the third on the trunk lid. The front fascia is beefier with larger air intakes than the IS 350. The side panels are more sculpted, with subtle skirts and functional scoops cut vertically behind the front wheelwells. They help cool the engine, not the brakes as one might presume.

The rear fascia is also unique to the IS F. The two pairs of vertically stacked, chrome-finished oval “pipes” are not real exhaust tips (alas), which will probably disappoint serious gearheads. Lexus says the four oval tubes are designed to ease the underflow of air at the rear, for better aerodynamic efficiency. A quartet of 19-inch, forged-aluminum, titanium-colored BBS wheels nicely complete the package.

[Source]
Lexus IS F Pictures Credit: © Marc Lachapelle / MSN Autos

Thursday, June 12, 2008

BMW X6 by Hartge

We have already seen the pictures of the X6 from a few photos that leaked earlier this week, but now we get the official ins and outs of the new tuning package for the BMW X6 by German tuning house Hartge.

The engines have benefited from a bit of ECU (Electronic Control Unit) tuning, the 3.0L Diesel from the xDrive30d gets pumped up to 275hp(+40hp) and the 3.0L Diesel TT from the xDrive35d now lies at 328hp (+42hp). Hartge have also added a couple of performance features to compliment the increased power including a set of sports springs that lowers the overall ride height by up to 30mm along with a set of pretty nifty 22'' wheels.

The exterior has been left largely untouched apart from the addition of a set of Hartge emblems for hood and boot lid along with carbon casings for the side-mirrors.

Maserati Bellagio Fastback Touring Goes into Production

Not too long ago at the 2008 Concorso d'Elegance Villa d'Este the recently revived Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera showed up with two concept cars, one sports berlinetta called A8GCS Berlinetta Touring and a homage to the shooting brake of old the Bellagio Fastback Touring.

The coachbuilding company Superleggera has decided to take the fastback into production, limited production actually since they will only build 25 of them. If you want your Maserati Quattroporte to have additional storage for your golf bags, skis or shotguns then head on over to Milan.

Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera hasn't exactly announced pricing but they claim that if you bring your Quattroporte to Milan, the coachbuilding should not push the bill over a super car price tag. Autoblog.nl claims that 200,000 euro excluding taxes will suffice.


Except for the new rear end, the Quattroporte donor car stays the same unless the owner wants a new interior. Everything is possible if your heart so desires, but at a price of course. Power still comes from the 295 kW / 400 hp 4.2 liter V8 engine. The added cargo space, now max 1,500 liters, only ads 50 kg to the total weight of the car and is capable of a 0-100 km/h time of 5.2 seconds.

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Priced: 2009 Chevrolet Aveo

2009 Chevrolet Aveo

Chevrolet today announced pricing for the 2009 Chevy Aveo lineup – including the redesigned 2009 Chevy Aveo5 five-door hatchback – begins at $12,120 (including a $660 destination charge) for Aveo LS and Aveo5 LS, making it one of the most affordable cars on the market. It costs hundreds less than many competitors and comes standard with features such as side-impact air bags and OnStar.

2009 Chevrolet Aveo

Saturday, June 7, 2008

Bentley Sacrilege: 800hp ASI Tetsu GTR

The Bentley Continental GT is a quite superb car with its 6.0-liter twin-turbo W12 engine pumping out 552hp, it is a favourite with the rich and famous including one Paris Hilton. She could well be happy after news of of this new tuning kit from Japanese tuning firm TSI featuring a golden livery complete with flowers (yes, that is flowers) all over the hood, surely there is only one person in the world who could feel at home in this.

Despite this sacrilege the Japanese tuning house has at least gone to work to create a more aggressive wide body kit made of ASI's dry carbon. The engineers have also tackled the engine by enhancing the turbochargers and exhaust system along with a bit of ECU tuning bringing the total output to an over-the-top 800hp. To handle this extra power the transmission also required a bit of strengthening.

The ASI Tetsu GTR will be produced in limited numbers with each model being produced individually.

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...