2008
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Brabus is well-known for taking Mercedes vehicles to extreme states of tune, including the V12 twin-turbo Bullit, a tweaked version of the SLR Roadster and even the Daimler-produced Smart ForTwo. Now the company has taken on the C63 AMG, rebranded as the Brabus B63 S, and though the German tuners continue in their typically extreme style, they end up just behind the competition, taking the 6.2L V8 to a claimed 530 hp (390kW), 73hp (54kW) above the stock figure. Top speed is raised to 197mph (315km/h), 0-to-62mph (100km/h) times are cut by 0.4 seconds over stock to 4.1 seconds, and the dash to...
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First look at possible Ferrari 430 Scuderia Spider
Though high-end supercars have always been something of a marriage of art and performance, Ferrari's cars have always managed to favor the performance side of the equation, even in their large and comfortable grand tourers. The 430 Scuderia, on the other hand, has eschewed all vestiges of fashion...
Nelson Ireson -
RENNtech tunes the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG
Outrageous power in an unlikely package is not a thing of the past, and it's unlikely ever to truly die, no matter what the mainstream media may say. RENNtech has embraced that philosophy with its latest creation, a tuned version of Mercedes' C63 AMG - itself an already over-the-top take on a...
Nelson Ireson -
Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 by Jeremie Paret
Startup French supercar tuner Jeremie Paret has unveiled his first creation, a custom Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 featuring styling cues from the Reventon, pink brake calipers and a range of custom trim and interior materials. Paret's tuning process includes a few unique and interesting steps...
Nelson Ireson -
Report: BMW considering four-cylinder 3-series for U.S.
Germany's strongest premium brands in the U.S. sell cars at home that wouldn't fit their image abroad, including tiny city cars and any number of diesels. Nevertheless, the rise of fuel efficiency as a primary buying criterion has reportedly driven the company to consider introducing a...
Nelson Ireson -
Jeep Patriot and Compass receive interior updates for 2009
The two smallest SUVs in Jeep's lineup, the Compass and Patriot, are getting all-new interiors for 2009 to help boost sales and fix problems with the previous models' design and materials. The two vehicles are the only ones in Chrysler's lineup that will be getting the upgrades for the 2009 model...
Nelson Ireson -
Tuners have been known to go to extravagant lengths to create a 'unique' interpretation of a vehicle, and German-car tuners are no exception, even if the company doing the tuning is Japanese. From over-the-top bodykits to insane amounts of power, no stone is left unturned. Wald's 3-series bodykit is something of a change of pace, then, although its dramatic looks definitely let onlookers know this is not a stock BMW. Available in white (pictured) and gun-metal grey, the Wald E90 Sport Line 3-series appearance kit features side-skirts, a trunk-lid spoiler, a completely reworked front and rear...
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Audi S5 tuned by America's Stasis
While the likes of MTM and other German tuning houses are well known for their performance upgrading exploits, Stasis, an Audi-focused tuning house that specializes in chassis and engine upgrades, has managed to fly under the radar for some time now. However, the Californian-based tuner’s...
Kenneth Hall -
BMW X1 & 7-series hybrid headed to Paris Motor Show, next-gen Z4 to be revealed in L.A.
This October’s Paris Motor Show is expected to be very busy for BMW as the carmaker is reported to be preparing no less than four different reveals for the upcoming show. The lineup is set to include the world debuts for the 2009 facelifted 3-series range and the recently revealed 7-series...
James Martinez -
Mercedes releases new SLR McLaren 722 Edition video
The partnership between Mercedes and McLaren for the SLR supercar is drawing to a close, but there is still at least one new model in the works. A speedster version of the SLR 722 Edition is expected to be released in time for the Paris Motor Show this October, but until then this video of the...
Nelson Ireson -
O.CT Audi S3 with 550hp RWD powertrain
The last time we heard from the Austrian tuners at O.CT they were working their magic on a Fiat 500, boosting power by 20% and giving it a new appearance. Now they've turned their efforts onto a last-generation Audi S3, but with more extreme modifications in mind - including a switch from AWD to...
Nelson Ireson -
Jaguar-Land Rover faces production cuts, layoffs
Slumping sales at Jaguar and Land Rover have prompted the companies to cut their workforce by 300 jobs, eliminating two shifts at the Solihull production facility. Further cutbacks are expected next month as well, costing three shifts at the Halewood factory where the Jaguar X-Type is built. The...
Nelson Ireson -
The once financially stricken Smart brand is now struggling to keep up with demand for its iconic ForTwo minicar, with managers considering building a second plant and adding more models. German media is reporting that a second production facility in either the U.S. or Asia could be on the cards as the current facility in Hambach, France, is nearing capacity. Additionally, managers at Smart are considering a new model with more seats than the current ForTwo. Smart’s COO Rainer Schmückle hinted at the possibility of expanding the lineup back in January, and it appears that those...
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Honda unveils 2009 Civic and Civic Hybrid
Small, stylish and efficient cars are rapidly becoming favorites in the U.S., where bulky SUVs and pickups have long reigned. The Honda Civic in particular has been near the top of the sales charts this year, with its handsome design and solid value placing it in many buyers' driveways. Now the...
Nelson Ireson -
Lexus to launch LS 460 AWD at Moscow Motor Show
Lexus currently sells an AWD version of its LS flagship in the form of the range-topping LS 600h but the carmaker is planning to add the same AWD set-up in the LS 460. Set to make its world debut at next week’s Moscow International Motor Show, the new LS 460 AWD will eventually go on sale in...
Alex Kaufmann -
Update: Heffner Lamborghini Gallardo tuned to 1,005HP at the wheels
Heffner Performance’s standard twin-turbo package for the 5.0L high-rev V10 engine of the Lamborghini Gallardo was already one of the most extreme tuning packages for any car, let alone an Italian exotic, but the Florida tuner has lifted performance yet again. This time around, power has been...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Golden Rolls Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe lands in Abu Dhabi
Not content with the boundless luxury exuded by the standard Rolls Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe, the sole dealer of the bespoke cars in Abu Dhabi has taken delivery of a unique version decked in a gold metallic paint scheme and finished off with a gold-plated Spirit of Ecstasy hood ornament. Almost...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Edmiston and Land Rover launch 'Superyacht Range Rover Design Competition'
Yacht-companies and carmakers that build premium SUVs seem to have no problem finding commonalities between them, judging by the number of maritime-inspired SUV concepts presented in the past 12 months. Most recently we saw the Touareg North Sails Concept from Volkswagen, and before that there was...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
The 2008 Audi Q7 luxury SUV has won the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's (IIHS) Top Safety Pick award in the Institute's latest round of testing. To qualify, a vehicle must earn the highest rating of 'good' in the institute’s front, side, and rear tests and also be fitted with electronic stability control. The 2008 Q7 received a "good" rating in all three crash tests, including side impact, offset frontal and rear impact seat tests. Importantly, the latest score only applies to models built after December 2007 and will carry over to the 2009 model year. The Institute’s...
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Toyota's TRD supercharges the Tundra and Sequoia
Not widely recognized as a performance parts leader, but rapidly becoming one, TRD (Toyota Racing Development) has revealed a supercharger system for its Tundra and Sequoia pickup and SUV. Featuring the same basic Eaton four-lobe system found in the Cadillac CTS-V and Corvette ZR-1, the new...
Nelson Ireson -
Rear-wheel-drive Lamborghini Murcielago LP710-2 by Edo Competition
Germany’s Edo Competition is an expert when it comes to modifying ultra-rare exotics so who better to tune one of Lamborghini’s fastest and most hardcore cars ever produced – the limited edition Murcielago LP640. Squeezing more power from the car’s highly strung V12, where...
Siddarth Raja -
Used Toyota Prius' averaging higher prices than new models
Demand for the Toyota Prius in the U.S. is so high that most new models sit on dealer lots for an average of just five days, and waiting lists of or more than three months are becoming more and more common. Toyota is struggling to keep up with demand, and has started construction of several new...
Kenneth Hall -
Report: V10 Audi R8 expected to set new 'Ring record
The Audi R8 has managed to impress the press for some time now, but a new V10-engined R8 is set to blaze the much coveted Nurburgring production car record according to new details sourced from engineers currently working on the car. The new model is expected to be powered by a 535hp (400kW) V10...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
WaM modified Audi R8
German tuning company WaM, short for ‘WheelsandMore,’ is best known for its outrageous wheel designs but the tuner has proven that it can match the big boys like Brabus and Lumma with its latest performance upgrades for the Audi R8. The latest package includes the tuner’s...
Siddarth Raja