2008
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We already saw one of the hottest R8s yet just the other day, thanks to Audi itself, in the form of the R8 V12 TDI. Today Edo Competition brings us a different kind of modified Audi R8 - one that shares a little more in common with the original. In fact, the subtle tuning and tasteful effects added to the car might slip right under the radar of someone not already intimately familiar with the R8. A massaged exhaust system increases output to 442hp, a 22hp increase, and also ups torque by 20Nm to 450Nm. This drops the 0-100km/h time down to just 4.5s. Maximum speed of the Edo R8 is listed as...
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Another limited edition Maserati Quattroporte - the Collezione Cento
The Quattroporte saloon has proven to be a great success for Maserati, accounting for the bulk of the record 7,000 cars the company delivered in 2007. In the hopes of an even more successful 2008, Maserati is in Detroit for the NAIAS with a very special, limited edition Quattroporte 'Collezione...
Nelson Ireson -
2008 North American Car & Truck of the Year winners
With the opening of the Detroit Auto Show the winners of the 2008 North American Car & Truck of the Year have been announced. This year’s ceremony saw the Chevrolet Malibu take out the top car award and Mazda’s CX-9 SUV take home the medal for truck of the year. The Malibu didn’t...
Ralph Hanson -
R-Design Volvo XC90 rolls in
Volvo’s new sports inspired R-Design package is now available on the Volvo XC90 and will be on display at this week’s Detroit Auto Show. The R-design kits essentially replace Volvo’s current Sport trim levels and are similar to the S-line packs offered by Audi in that they offer...
Ralph Hanson -
Video: Audi R8 V12 TDI Concept
Audi’s diesel powered V12 R8 concept car has been leaked ahead of its Detroit Auto Show debut next week, revealing an aggressively styled set of new bumpers, exhaust tips and LED accentuated headlights.
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Ford Explorer America focusing on fuel savings
Oil topped $100 per barrel in America just the other day and fuel conservation is now a hotter topic than ever. Some pundits are predicting gasoline prices in excess of US$4 per gallon before the end of Q1. Sure, these prices are pretty tame by the rest of the world’s standards, but Americans...
Ralph Hanson -
For a car maker that prides itself on being the ‘Ultimate Driving Machine’ BMW spends quite a lot of time making sure passengers also have an excellent experience. Some of BMW’s customers think they’ve gone to far, complaining that even the sport-package equipped version of the current 6-series just isn’t sporty enough. But others think the 6 is just perfectly luxurious. So BMW has decided to take the middle route and appease both camps - the next 6-series, due out in 2010 or 2011, will come in two versions: sport and luxury. What exactly the difference will be...
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2008 Mercedes CLS facelift leaked
Hot on the heels of the new Mercedes SL facelift leak we have pictures and information on the facelift for the new CLS class. The pictures are for the AMG 63 model - itself only introduced in 2006 - however some of the basic changes will also appear on the non-AMG models. Compared with the current...
Ralph Hanson -
Video: Lamborghini Murcielago R-GT
Beautiful looking cars make for great photos, but beautiful sounding cars make for great memories. The Lamborghini Murcielago R-GT is equipped with all the right parts to make some wonderful memories: based on the regular Murcielago, not the LP640, but 500kg lighter, the R-GT’s 6.0L V12...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Lamborghini Murcielago sales hit 3000
Lamborghini celebrated a sales milestone recently, with total sales for all Murcielagos (including LP640’s) reaching 3000. The 3000th Murcielago was a pale Telesto grey Murcielago LP640 headed to a lucky owner living in the United States. Just a few weeks ago Lamborghini also celebrated the...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 GT coming to America
The U.S. is the luckiest nation on earth when it comes to cars. Aside from a few models here and there (the Euro-spec Focus RS being a real sticking point) Americans can buy pretty much every car worth having within their borders. Today America gets a whole lot luckier - Mercedes’ SLR McLaren...
James Martinez -
Arden modified Range Rover AR7
Elegance, discreet sportiness and understatement have always been characteristics of British cars. However German tuning house Arden hasn’t quite taken these into consideration while tuning Land Rover’s Range Rover LM. Not only does this SUV look aggressive and intimidating, it also...
Siddarth Raja -
Last month Chrysler announced four of its models would be dropped from its lineup and today the first of those ill-fated vehicles has been given the axe. The last Chrysler Crossfire to ever be built rolled out of its German factory today after nearly five years of production and almost 80,000 units being sold. Introduced initially as coupe and then as a roadster, the Crossfire never managed to attain the levels of popularity that its Mercedes SLK sibling enjoyed. In fact, Chrysler stopped taking orders for the car as early as last year because of flagging sales and rising inventory levels...
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Mercedes-Benz CL-Class by Wald
We’re used to seeing plenty of modified Mercs from the German tuners, but rarely do we see a Japanese customizer give the Teutonic saloons and coupes the aftermarket treatment. Wald International is one such tuner that specializes in the modification of some of Europe’s finest, cars...
Ralph Hanson -
Lorinser prepped Mercedes C-Class Estate
Excluding old-school Volvos and early shooting brakes, the Mercedes-Benz Estate can be considered one of the first luxury station wagons. German tuner company Lorinser was founded in 1977, the same year the Estate was first introduced. 30 years later, Lorinser gives the new W204 Estate - now part...
Ralph Hanson -
2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR priced at $98,110
It appears Chrysler has kept its promise of delivering the 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR at under $100K by pricing the ultimate Viper at $98,110 including an $850 destination charge. That puts the price of the actual ACR upgrade at around the $12K mark if you factor in the price of the car itself (a...
Kenneth Hall -
James Bond to drive an Aston Martin DBS again
Aston Martin announced today that its new flagship model, the DBS, will once again be driven by James Bond in the next 007 film set for release in November next year. This is the same car used in the most recent Bond flick, Casino Royale, with actor Daniel Craig starring as the famous secret agent...
Alex Kaufmann -
G-Power Hurricane BMW M5
With Audi’s RS6 pumping out 580hp thanks to its force-fed V10 engine, BMW is tipped to be testing a prototype of its M5 saloon with a pair of blowers attached, possibly for a midlife upgrade, to match its rival. Several tuning companies, however, have already proven that a supercharged M...
Siddarth Raja -
The Lamborghini Murcielago Roadster is one of the most sought after supercars on the planet but, as you’ll discover in this video review, installing or removing the manual fabric roof can be down right annoying, especially if you had to do it in a downpour. American coachbuilders at the Genaddi Design Group may have the solution in the form of a new removable carbon fiber hard top they’ll be producing for owners of the Murcielago Roadster. The hard top is designed to fit easily in the front bonnet of the car and go on and off the car in about one minute. This six-piece hard top...
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Chinese Smart ForTwo knockoff stirs up Bologna
Martin Motors, the European importer of the Bubble, decided to show the car at Bologna - in the parking lot - despite a court order prohibiting its attendance. The import company argues that the 68hp 1.1L Bubble is substantially different from the Smart ForTwo: the Smart is rear-engine, rear-wheel...
Kenneth Hall -
Audi R8 voted ‘SportsCar’ of the year by Autobild
Autobild is considered by many as the leading automobile magazine in Germany and its annual ‘SportsCar’ of the year award is one of the nation’s most sought after titles by the automotive industry. The coveted award this year went to Audi and its R8 super-sports car after it was...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Video: AC Schnitzer’s gas-powered 3-series at Nardo
The Nardo track is a high-speed circuit where cars from around the world come to test their top-speed capabilities. It even plays host to a tuner showdown each year. AC Schnitzer’s GP3.10 gas-powered is no stranger to the Nardo track, as we’ve covered before. But this time you can see...
James Martinez -
Edo Competition Murcielago LP 640 Versione Nardo
Each year the world’s top tuners take to Italy’s Nardo high-speed test track to find out which is the fastest. This year’s round included a diverse range of exotics as well as few odd choices, including a Maybach saloon and the fastest of the pack, a twin-engined Audi TT. However...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster by Brabus
The Mercedes SLR is one car not in need of an upgrade but that hasn’t stopped the guys at Brabus from increasing the car’s performance to the level of the world’s top supercars. To minimize lift on the front axle, designers developed a front spoiler that attaches to the production...
Ralph Hanson