Tuner
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It's not often that an aftermarket tuner and the OEM they're working on end up chasing the same goal, but in the case of Bentley's brand-new Supersports and edo's Speed GT, it's happened. Setting the goal of building Bentley's fastest GT ever, both came to very similar conclusions, using the Continental GT as their base. There are some important differences, however. Bentley decided to use a flex-fuel engine capable of running on ethanol-based biofuels, but edo left the 6.0L W12 to a dino-juice only diet. Power output reflects the choice, with the edo car tuned to an intense 680hp (507kW) and...
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Caractere modified Audi A3 balances taste with tuning
Unlike many of their competitors, the Belgians at Caractere don't do the European version of tacky, flashy tuner cars. Instead, they focus on adding minor enhancements that give the owner a unique look without clamoring for attention. The design program for the Audi A3 offers a range of front and...
Ralph Hanson -
Lumma Design to show CLR X 650 GT at Geneva Motor Show
Sometimes more isn't a good thing, and that's often the case with aftermarket mods. Even BMW's own factory designs have come under fire for adding needless elements - the recently-released 5-series Gran Turismo being a prime example. But none of that has fazed the likes of Lumma, which has moved...
Ralph Hanson -
SLP Firehawk reborn in the form of the Pontiac G8 GT
During the early 1990s American tuner and muscle car specialist Street Legal Performance (SLP) released custom packs for the Pontiac Firebird known as the ‘Firehawk’. The kits came in various performance stages and could be ordered directly from Pontiac showroom floors, with brand new...
James Martinez -
HKS releases street-legal GT570 package for Nissan GT-R
HKS was one of the first major tuning houses to work on Nissan’s legendary GT-R supercar, developing performance kits and accessories as early as the 1989 R32 model right up to the latest R35 model. While many rival Japanese tuning firms specialise in simple off-the-shelf mods, the...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Carlsson Aigner-modified GL500 CK55 RS Rascasse goes over the top
Modifying new cars is an art, and like all art, its beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The only thing certain with the Carlsson Aigner CK55 RS Rascasse is that the beholder's eye will be full, and very busy. Based around the Mercedes-Benz GL500, the 5.5L V8 engine gets some serious tuning to...
Alex Kaufmann -
Putting an already overwrought car through the tuner's wringer usually results in some pretty horrific ocular torture, and while the FAB Design Maybach 57 certainly qualifies, it adds a distinct element of sport that seems oddly congruent with the car's inherent design. Today FAB revealed more details on the car's design and equipment, showing it to be not just meaner looking, but more powerful too. A twin-turbo setup gets the burly 6.0L V12 to crank out 641hp (478kW) and an asphalt-curling 757lb-ft (1,025Nm) of torque - up 38hp and 19lb-ft over stock. That's enough to punch the brute to...
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IMSA unleashes the Lamborghini Gallardo LP560 GTV
Last July IMSA unveiled what has to be one of the most restrained modification efforts ever to touch a Lamborghini. The underlying concept is marrying Italian design with German engineering - not such an odd concept considering Lamborghini's VW Group parentage. Now they've added to their portfolio...
Nelson Ireson -
Sportec joins growing list of Scirocco tuners with new SC 350
The Volkswagen Scirocco is proving to be popular with tuners, with famed Swiss performance shop Sportec also releasing its own hotted-up version of the svelte sports coupe. Sportec’s work on German cars has been well documented, especially some of its more outrageous creations based on much...
Alex Kaufmann -
Hyundai unveils Genesis Coupe R-Spec, prices lineup
High-performance, inexpensive rear-wheel drive coupes are uncommon sights, but Hyundai has just added one to the short list with its new Genesis Coupe R-Spec. Starting at $23,750 and offering a minimal range of features - the better for later customization - the R-Spec promises to be just what the...
Nelson Ireson -
Vath V58K turns Mercedes' SLK55 AMG up to 565hp
Tuner cars are often examples of the worst sort of overkill, but occasionally a car will sneak through with less-than-typical appearance modifications and a monstrously re-engineered heart. Such is the case with the Vath V58K, an extreme take on the SLK 55 AMG. The Germans at Vath decided that 5.5L...
Nelson Ireson -
Saleen Automotive’s new owner confirms interest in Dodge Viper business
Less than two days after Chrysler confirmed that it had received three offers for its Dodge Viper sports car business, the investors who just purchased most of the assets of specialty-car maker Saleen Automotive have revealed that they have also considered adding the Viper business to their...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
America's most powerful native supercar, the Corvette ZR1, has reigned for just a few months, and already the tuners are having at it, cranking up power to even more absurd levels. Hennessey's latest creation, dubbed the ZR700 for its 755hp (526kW) output, is a prime example. Blowing through the quarter mile in just 11.03 seconds at 136mph (219km/h) thanks to a 67hp (50kW) boost over the stock ZR1's 638hp (476kW), the ZR700's brawny 717lb-ft (970Nm) of torque also ensure the car has ample low-end bite. Hennessey got the extra power out of the already awe-inspiring LS9 mill by increasing boost...
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G-Power modified BMW M3 cranks out 635hp
A high-revving, sweet-sounding V8 is a marvelous thing, and BMW's 4.0L V8 in the M3 is a capital example. The tuners at G-Power weren't satisfied with the factory-supplied 414hp (309kW), and decided to strap on a supercharger and boost output to a tire-vaporizing 635hp (473kW). About what you'd...
Nelson Ireson -
Wald Lexus IS-F 'Black Bison' detail photos released
Japanese tuning house Wald International has a wide range of styling and performance kits for nearly every Japanese-made car on the market. It's no surprise, then, the company has turned its hand to one of the most recent high-performance sedans to issue from Lexus, and the resulting restyle shows...
Jeremy Weber -
IDING Power Ferrari F460GT conversion
With more power and even more aggressive aerodynamics than the factory-built 430 Scuderia, IDING Power's new F460GT offers a new take on a super-performing F430 variant. Boring out the engine and replacing stock parts with carbon fiber are the primary modes of improvement. As the name suggests, the...
Kenneth Hall -
Saleen reveals SMS 570 Dodge Challenger
American performance carmaker Saleen and its new SMS supercar offshoot has finally revealed its first official product, the Signature Series performance line based on the 2009 Dodge Challenger R/T. The lineup will consist of two new vehicles, the SMS 570 and SMS 570X Challengers, both fully...
Ralph Hanson -
Renntech declares 'Horsepower War' ongoing with new SLR 777
Mercedes-Benz's AMG arm has declared the horsepower war over two years in a row, all the while continuing to turn out new and improved - and more powerful - cars. Renntech has taken its cues from the spirit, if not the letter, of AMG's announcements with its latest modification, boosting the SLR...
Alex Kaufmann -
Late in 2008 Hamann revealed its plans for the BMW X6, including a range of performance and appearance upgrades. Today the tuning house expands that range with a new Tycoon widebody kit for the 'sports activity coupe'. Building on the foundation of Hamann's earlier X6 modificaitions, including power upgrades to the xDrive30d and xDrive35d diesel engines as well as the big and powerful xDrive50i petrol V8. Rated at 261hp (195kW) and 315hp (235kW) for the diesel models, respectively, Hamann has not yet disclosed the power upgrade for the xDrive50i, though building on the already-potent 400hp...
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Mine’s shows off latest GT-R package at Tokyo Auto Salon
Famous Japanese tuner Mine’s first showed off its modified Nissan GT-R as far back as December 2007, and since that time the performance workshop has had plenty of time to develop new parts and accessories to make the car perform even better than before. Mine’s previous R35 GT-R proved...
Ralph Hanson -
More details on Power Enterprise’s quad-charged Nissan GT-R
The Nissan GT-R has been called a supercar-killer for its astonishing performance in spite of what have classically been seen as huge barriers: its heavy weight, low cost and non-exotic origins. However, regardless of how one comes out on the 'supercar/non supercar' debate, the sheer impressiveness...
Kenneth Hall -
Nissan showcasing sport, utility at Tokyo Auto Salon
The Tokyo Auto Show gets underway this Friday, but already the exhibits of the major carmakers are hitting the web. Nissan released its set of show cars today, including a range of custom packages for the 370Z, GT-R and Cube. Nissan's GT-R super-coupe is shown off by NISMO in Club Sports form...
Nelson Ireson -
Hamann announces upgrade program for Bentley Continental GT and GT Speed
German tuner and custom coachbuilder Hamann is perhaps best known for its work with BMW's machines, but now it has unveiled its plans for an upgrade program for the Bentley Continental GT and GT Speed. Full details of the upgrade kit are yet to be revealed, but so far Hamann has released these four...
Kenneth Hall -
Geiger Hummer H3 V8 Kompressor
Hummer's troubled present and uncertain future are no impediment to tuners hell-bent on creating the most insane vehicles possible, and this blown V8 Hummer H3 is a prime example. Today the Germans at Geiger Cars, already known for some outlandish Hummer creations, have unleashed the H3 V8...
James Martinez