turbocharged
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Following the success of the Golf R32, a replacement for the car based on the Mark VI platform was always going to have big shoes to fill. However, with news that the torquey 3.2L V6 engine from the Mark V model was being phased out, the outlook for the car’s successor was looking grim. That was until reports emerged claiming VW was working on a new high-performance turbocharged engine to replace the older V6. We now have the first spy shots of the car, which was caught testing recently at Germany’s Nurburgring circuit. While the prototype seen here is disguised in the body of...
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Genesis Coupe 2.0T dyno test hints at 225hp+ true output
Hyundai's new turbocharged 2.0L Genesis Coupe has had import tuner fanboys foaming at mouth, and their more resevered cohorts awaiting with interest, for months now. As the car begins to make the press rounds, it's starting to look like it may have more under the hood than the 210hp promised by...
Nelson Ireson -
American tuners dialing up big horsepower from the Porsche 911 Turbo
The American tuning scene is rapidly expanding to the point where some firms, like Ohio’s Switzer Performance and now Arizona’s Evolution Motorsports (EVOMS), are modifying German cars to the same extent, if not more, than tuners in Germany itself. Switzer has released a number of kits...
Jeremy Weber -
Trio of modified SUVs highlight Brabus’ stand at the Geneva Motor Show
It's not often that a full-sized SUV with the same power output of a Ferrari Enzo and a capability to hit almost 200mph comes along, unless of course you find yourself at the Brabus stand at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show. The Mercedes Benz specialist tuner has chosen the Geneva event to unveil three...
Alex Kaufmann -
Ford reopens Cleveland Engine Plant No. 1 for EcoBoost production
After shutting down its storied Cleveland Engine Plant No. 1 back in 2007, Ford has kicked the site back into life with production of its brand new EcoBoost engines starting today. The plant is the first manufacturing site in the world to build the EcoBoost engine and the first examples are...
James Martinez -
Subaru’s sporty WRX STI now available with automatic gearbox
Subaru’s WRX STI has always been about extreme performance. The car itself was developed by the Subaru Tecnica International (STI) division, the same group responsible for development of Subaru’s World Rally Championship cars, and thus next-to-little compromises to performance were...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Right now the finishing touches are being put to South Africa’s latest supercar in a secluded factory outside Bloemfontein in the nation’s heart. The car is the new Barnard, and while its name may not generate the kind of excitement as names such as Zonda or Veyron, its expected performance will certainly match that of some of Europe’s finest. Fully conceived, designed and built in South Africa, the Barnard will be able to sprint from 0-100km/h in less than four seconds and reach a top speed in excess of 300km/h. There are even plans to build a version capable of reaching...
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Brabus bringing 700hp Mercedes Benz G-Class to Geneva Motor Show
It wouldn’t be the Geneva Motor Show without some outrageous creation from Brabus and for this year’s event the German tuner hasn’t disappointed. Next month Brabus will unveil what it claims to be the world’s most powerful off-roader: the new G V12 S Biturbo based on the...
James Martinez -
2009 Alfa Romeo 159 revealed ahead of Geneva Motor Show
A picture is worth a thousand words, or in the case of the Alfa Romeo 159, it's worth a long, loving stare. The sensual lines of one of the finest-looking sedans anywhere have been revealed in their 2009 model year form ahead of the unveiling at the Geneva Motor Show next month. Early last year...
Nelson Ireson -
Hennessey announces plans to modify the Ford Taurus SHO
Twin-turbos, 365hp - stock - aggressive looks and...four doors? A Blue Oval on the grille? The Ford Taurus SHO is a legendary nameplate with a promising new face for the 2010 model year, and the tuners at Hennessey Performance have taken notice. Not much about the planned modifications are yet...
Nelson Ireson -
Ford working four-cylinders into every car and crossover in its range
So smaller engines get better fuel economy - big surprise, right? Ford has recently been making a lot of noises about a transition to smaller engines based around their EcoBoost twin-turbo technology, but today the company is saying they'll be going four-pot in every car and crossover they offer by...
Nelson Ireson -
AVL Turbohybrid Concept mates driving fun with efficiency
Turbocharged, fun-to-drive hatchbacks and sedans - not the first things that come to mind when we hear the word 'hybrid' but one company is working to change that. Hybrid technology has become hugely important in the industry and to many eco-conscious drivers as well, and though it offers some...
Nelson Ireson -
With AMG no longer focused on chasing big horsepower numbers, efficiency could quickly become the new performance benchmark for the Affalterbach tuner. To that end, Mercedes' performance arm may be cutting the displacement of its engines in addition to the debut of new direct-injection and stop-start technology. A range of new diesel models, advanced lightweight materials and construction methods are currently in development, as well as hybrid systems, and by next year AMG will reportedly introduce engine stop-start and direct-injection technology into its lineup. But pulling down engine...
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Leaked brochure confirms EcoBoost for 2010 Ford Taurus
It's amazing what a few lines of text can do, and while a few leaked details on the powertrain of the 2010 Ford Taurus is not in a league with the Declaration of Independence, both serve to illustrate the power of words. In this case, it's the power of an acronym - 3.5L GTDI - that conveys a hint...
Nelson Ireson -
Next-gen Ford Focus could feature EcoBoost powerplant, 43mpg
Although Lincoln's C Concept may have struck few chords with show-goers, its theoretical internals could live on in a future Ford Focus. The latest reports indicate Ford is considering a 1.6L 180hp (134kW) four-cylinder EcoBoost engine for its next Focus, capable of pushing highway fuel economy as...
Nelson Ireson -
Live photos: 2010 Nissan GT-R SpecV
Nissan earlier this month revealed details for its new limited-production GT-R SpecV model, which goes on sale in Japan early in February and is expected to arrive in the U.S. later this year. The SpecV is targeted specifically at enthusiast drivers who desire race car-level performance in a...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
South Side Performance releases 820hp GT-R upgrade
America’s South Side Performance, based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, has released for the first time a new tuning kit for the R35 Nissan GT-R supercar, which the company claims is capable of delivering 820hp (612kW) at the crankshaft. The new kit is based around a custom turbocharger upgrade...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
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 -
The first in a wave of new EcoBoost engines makes its debut in the Lincoln MKS, MKT and Ford Flex later this year as part of Ford’s global initiative to provide powertrains that deliver high output but low consumption and emissions. The first engine will be a 3.5L petrol V6 with direct-injection and twin-turbochargers, which is claimed to deliver the performance of a normally aspirated V8 but the economy of a V6. The new mill delivers a peak 355hp (265kW) at 5,700rpm and 350ft-lb (474Nm) of torque from 3,500rpm. A 10-15% fuel-economy benefit is expected versus normally aspirated...
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Cadillac SRX unveiled ahead of 2009 Detroit Auto Show
Sporty, luxurious crossovers, like the crossover niche in general, haven't had the success the industry might have hoped for. Nevertheless, there is a definite market for the vehicles, and Cadillac has just unveiled its latest contender for the driveways of those buyers. Cadillac gave us a sneak...
Nelson Ireson -
Rumored full specs for Nissan GT-R Spec-V
Nissan execs have confirmed the existence of a Spec-V GT-R, a lighter and more powerful version of the already extreme Japanese supercar, and we now have what is rumored to be final specs for the car based on information revealed at this weekend’s 12th annual Nismo Festival in Japan. The...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
BMW acknowledges N54 engine turbo lag, releases software update
In an effort to address specific noise concerns, BMW in the United States updated the turbocharged engine software on 335i/xi and 535i/xi models built from June 2006 through March 2008. However, the updated software caused a small amount of increased turbocharger lag under certain circumstances...
Ralph Hanson -
Ford announces new low-displacement EcoBoost powertrain
Ford has announced a new $110 million investment program at its high-tech Bridgend engine plant in Wales to produce a next generation low-CO2 1.6L four-cylinder petrol engine as part of its EcoBoost range. The new engine will be the first EcoBoost engine to be sold in Europe when it debuts in 2010...
Jeremy Weber -
AMG boss confirms mild-hybrid model
With AMG no longer focused on chasing big horsepower numbers, efficiency could quickly become the new performance benchmark for the Affalterbach-based tuner. Currently in development is a range of new diesels, advanced lightweight materials and construction methods, as well as a hybrid system for...
Kenneth Hall