Friday, May 30, 2008

Maserati MC12 by Edo Competition

Following on from Edo Competition's Enzo Ferrari we reported on yesterday, we can now bring you the Maserati MC12. The famed supercar tuner has tackled the MC12 on numerous occasions in the past including the 755hp MC12 Corsa, 800hp MC12 XX and the 700hp MC12 R therefore it comes as no shock to see yet another version which it being labelled as just a plain old MC12 this time.

The factory MC12 is based on the same chassis as the Ferrari Enzo but due to the extra weight the Maserati version is carrying, performance figures come in slightly lower than the prancing horse version. Edo looks to change this in their version by reducing the MC12's dry weight by 100kg whilst boosting the engine output up to 700hp bringing the performance figures up to the same level as the Edo Enzo with a 0-100km/h time of 3.5seconds and a top speed of 370km/h.

The FXX once again provides the inspiration for the MC12, but whereas the Edo where clever enough to leave the Enzo styling alone, the MC12 does benefit from a few exterior modifcations including a new livery and headlight covers.

Full Specifications

Engine

  • Engine V12
  • Power est. 700 hp (514 kW) at 8200 rpm
  • Max. torque est. 715 Nm (527 ft-lb) at 5800 rpm

Performance

  • Top speed > 370 km/h (230 mph)
  • 0 – 100 km/h (0 – 62 mph) est. 3.5s
  • 0 – 200 km/h (0 – 124 mph) est. 9.5s
  • 0 – 300 km/h (0 – 186 mph) est. 22.0s

Features

  • Power increase of 70 horsepower thanks to new exhaust headers like on the Ferrari FXX, highflow catalytic converter, performance muffler, modified intake system, new carbon fiber airbox like on the Maserati MC12 Corsa, high-flow air filters and ECU recalibration
  • Stainless steel muffler with adjustable remote-controlled butterfly-valve, new exhaust tips
  • Exhaust sound level adjustable at the push of a button
  • High-performance ceramic composite brake system with 396 mm (15.6 in.) front rotors and 360 mm (14.2in.) rear rotors, special brake pads front and rear
  • Wheels can be custom-painted on request
  • Tire pressure monitoring system displaying air pressure and tire temperature for each wheel
  • Makrolon headlight covers
  • Appearance modifications, for example different exterior color
  • Sport suspension for the road with adjustable compression and rebound damping like on the FIA GT MC12. Nose lift functionality is retained.
  • Air intakes in carbon fiber
  • Weight reduction of 100 kg (220 lb)!!
  • Special lightweight wheels with Michelin tires: front: 10 x 19 with 265/35 ZR 19 and rear: 13 x 20 with 335/30 ZR 20
  • New high-performance clutch. Extremely lightweight. Two different friction compounds selectable (strada/pista)
  • New rear wing, adjustable
  • New transmission control unit. Same shift times as on the Maserati MC12 Corsa

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Audi PS TT by PPI

PPI and WCF have a little bit of history together. Back in 2004 when WCF was still operating as GermanCarFans.com, we were the first to give coverage to a small new tuning firm from Germany who's first product was based on the first generation Audi TT, known as the PPI RS TT. The RS TT went on to become a top seller and the foundation for the success of this Audi tuning specialist from Swabia, Germany. Over the past 4 years PPI has evolved with a suite of products covering the entire Audi range. Their latest product, which was first shown in Essen this past December, now follows up on this success story, with the second generation named, PS TT.

In addition to the lift-reducing body kit, one standout feature is the windscreen spoiler. Take it or leave it, the rest of the package is quite tasteful consisting of a front apron, side skirts and rear fascia with integrated carbon fiber rear fascia diffuser, and rear spoiler.

Performance kit I for the 2.0 liter turbo FSI engine bumps output up to 180 kW / 245 bhp at 5100
rp. and 366 Nm torque between 1800 and 5000 rpm. 100 km/h (62 mph)arrives in 6.3 seconds which is 0.3 second faster than the stock TT. The PS TT is capable of a limited top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph).

Ferrari Enzo by Edo Competition

When a tuner is ready to get down and dirty with the likes of the Maserati MC12, Porsche Carrera GT and the Lamborghini Murcièlago LP640 it pretty much says there is no challenge too much. In the case of supercar tuner Edo Compeition they certainly have crossed every boundary you could possibly with exception to the mother of the all – the Enzo Ferrari.

We can well and truly say that this boundary has been crossed with a new tuning package which boosts power output to an estimated 700hp and 715Nm of torque which achieved with new exhaust headers similar to those found on the Ferrari FXX, a high-flow catalytic converter, performance muffler, modified intakes with a ram-air system, high-flow air filters and ECU recalibration.

The impressive systems continue through the transmission system which gets the same shift times as the Ferrari FXX helped by its new high performance clutch. It also features an adjustable sport suspension system coupled with lightweight 19'' front and 20'' rear wheels complete with a Tire pressure monitoring system.


The Edo Competition Enzo Ferrari launches from 0-100km/h in just 3.5 seconds, hitting 200km/h after 9.5 seconds and 300km/h at 22 seconds flat. Maximum speed lies at 370 km/h.

Porsche 911 Targa by VeloTech

Back in 2006 most Porsche fans were rubbing their hands in anticipation of the new Porsche 911 Targa but some were left disappointed to discover the 911 Targa only had a large sliding roof rather than an actual removable roof.

VeloTech of Paso Robles, California in the USA has the solution for roughly USD 10,000 and can transform your current 911 Convertible to be a true targa. The new carbon fiber roof can be partly removed to reveal the roll-cage / B pillar and wrap-around rear window. VeloTech, a Euro brand turbo-charger firm, announced at last year's SEMA show that if they can drop the price to USD 6,000 the demand will follow.

The targa came about after US government set some strict safety regulations in the 1960's about top-down driving which made it impossible car manufacturers to continue making traditional cloth-top convertibles. In due time manufacturers raised the safety of their soft-top convertibles to meet the new safety regulations resulting in the return of the cabrio.

Ford Kuga by Delta4x4

The kinetic design language seen on the Ford has been received very well by the worlds media ever since we first see it in full production trim at the 2007 Frankfurt Auto Show. Now comes the role of specialists SUV tuner Delta4x4 to work its magic and create that extra bit of individuality for the fussy consumers out there.

SUVs are meant to be made for their off-road abilities, but lets face it, there are few examples out there that have been designed for off-road peformance – Ford Kuga included. This is where Delta have focused most of their efforts on this latest tuning program by increasing the ground clearance to 550mm combined with new wheels with a diameter ranging from 18inches to 22 inches. The wheels also feature 5mm thick aluminium alloys for extra protection from the thick dirt usually gathered from off-road driving.

The 2.0-liter turbo-diesel engine also recieves the Delta4x4 touch with power output increasing to 162hp and 380Nm of torque


Pricing for the complete model is €34,990 including the price of the manufacturer's model.

Porsche 993 Turbo tuned by 9ff

An abundance of older cars now on the road, too, thanks to the magic of galvanised steel that resists the onset of rust, the classic car scene has never been stronger and sports car fans that really want to enjoy themselves are often picking up the specialist press rather than the latest brochure.

With all the money they’ve saved paying for the salesman’s hair gel, and the kind of depreciation that only the US dollar can understand, they’re taking their new old toy to the tuners, too. And that can result in real monsters, like this Porsche 993 Turbo with a simply mental 600bhp.

Jan Fatthauer made his name with the headline-grabbing Vf400 and followed up with the GT9, which should be the fastest production car in the world soon enough as soon as he can find the right track on the right day and breeze through the 258mph mark. But a visit to his mighty Dortmund workshop reveals a collection of 996s, a 944 Twin Turbo and even a GT2-powered classic camper van. The public face of the company does not convey the sheer madness of the projects behind closed doors.

It often starts with a simple restoration for a valued customer, but when you’re dealing with a man who has created an 1100bhp 911 Turbo Cabriolet then a few tweaks are inevitable. Blessed with hindsight Jan can improve upon the originals and then just keep going to an inordinate, dangerous level. As he has here…

Because a simple shove on the throttle elicited the kind of fearsome response you might expect from walking up to a sleeping lion and kicking it squarely in the testicles. Even the most savage modern car sounds smooth, honed, tuned, this thing sounded like it was firing nails through the block and would probably bite your face off in a bar fight.

There are whole forums devoted the air-cooled vs water-cooled 911 debate and this, the 993, was the last of those regulated by simple cold air. That means it’s about as refined as a Tasmanian Devil and has a deep growl that is somehow more dangerous than anything we could come up with today.

Then there was the open road, a set path that 9ff describes as its “test route”. In fact it’s the road next to the airport, a place I have wiled away many an afternoon in deep discussion with the local police about what constitutes a safe speed. In a car like this, another little chat seemed more than inevitable.

Because although the Turbo remains eminently drivable and simple beneath 4000rpm, with just the long throw of the gearshift, the stiff pedals, the gruff bark from the Flat Six and the funky dials to remind that this is a throwback to olden days, it goes absolutely, window-licking mental in the final 2000rpm.

This is where it all happens and I had to grab the next gear fast and hard to avoid running out of revs as the car blasted through the 60mph mark in around 4.5s and on to a top speed in excess of 175mph. You can get faster with a modern 997 Turbo, but it won’t have nearly the sense of occasion and with no traction control or major electronic safety nets.

After fitting the GT2-style bodykit and refurbing the BBS period-look wheels, Fatthauer’s boys retrimmed the sports seats and set about producing a perfect yet authentic interior. It truly looks the part and while it’s neither a perfect GT2 or Turbo, but a hybrid of the pair, only a true expert, or anorak, would care about such things.

Inside it’s a beautiful dissertation in 90s design, with bright orange needles playing freely round the backlit dials and chunky plastics that were the peak of automotive couture just a decade ago but wouldn’t make it past the drawing board at Tata right now. Even the key, a bog-standard, unblippable metal cylinder reminds us just how far cars have come.

Of course if they opened the engine cover they would probably run for the hills, as the Flat Six Twin Turbo is now completely invisible thanks to the intrusion of an epic, simply stupid intercooler that is as big as Physics allows and runs right to all four corners of the bay. Obviously cooling was an issue when they tuned this mid-90s powerplant to the max and lowering the charge pressure was just about the hardest step in a car that relied on simple, cold air to stop the engine melting.

From there it’s the usual story of new pistons, air intake, sports exhaust and the usual accoutrements that go with a big power conversion. And that results in the kind of horsepower figures that would have the international press drooling all over Ferrari’s stand at Geneva, in a car that hit the market in 1995. But the power is only half the story, it’s the way it’s delivered that sells the whole classic car market and when a tuner with the balls-out approach of 9ff gets involved then the character can go to a whole new, dangerous level.

And 9ff fitted its own fully adjustable suspension kit to the car, which at 1500kg isn’t much lighter than its modern counterparts but still manages to give that pin-sharp feeling thanks to a lack of power assistance and smaller dimensions than the relatively huge 997. A lack of feel is the problem in a modern car, thanks to a combination of monster tyres and electronic interference, but there’s none of that here. The car takes an armful of muscle to throw in, but the wheel feels connected to those alloys in a way that most of us could never imagine.

It might not be as fast as the modern equivalent and in this state of tune it costs about the same, but I climbed out the 993 with a big smile and a healthier respect of what could be achieved with cars from years gone by. For those with the luxury of choice, a modified classic is an interesting proposition.

Monday, May 26, 2008

BMW M6 by G-Power

If your 507 hp BMW M6 Convertible is not quite fast enough for your taste then a visit to G-Power might be a good idea. The German tuning house can upgrade your existing 5.0 liter V10 with a Bi-Kompressor system to a breathtaking 635 hp (467 kW).

G-Power works its magic through two ASA T1-12 compressors, one for each cylinder bank and provides the convertible with some amazing stats like a sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in just 4.6 seconds, 0 to 200 km/h in 11.9 seconds and 0 to 300 km/h in 34,5 seconds. Needless to say that the limited top speed (250 km/h) of the production M6 Convertible has been extended to 320 km/h.

Styling wise G-Power has designed a completely new front apron, which can be made of carbon fiber upon request, with large air inlets for the radiator and front brakes. The front lip spoiler and rear diffuser minimize lift on the axles at high speeds and the side rocker panels maximize ariflow between the wheel houses, filled with G-POWER Silverstone 21-inch light-alloy wheels.

All this German tuning goodness can be yours for Euro 183,000.

Press release:

The G-POWER M6 HURRICANE with BI-Kompressor system

One of the world’s fastest and most powerful convertibles is made by G-POWER. The 335-km/h G-POWER M6 HURRICANE is based on the latest BMW M6. At the heart of the high-performance convertible is a five-liter V10 engine with G-POWER BI-Kompressor system that delivers 635 hp / 467 kW.

To achieve the desired increase in power output of 128 hp / 94 kW for the fast-revving engine that normally produces 507 hp / 373 kW, G-POWER has developed a high-tech supercharging system. The system uses one belt-driven ASA T1-12 compressor for each cylinder bank. Contrary to conventional mechanical chargers that waste a large portion of the additional power on being driven themselves, the ASA compressor has an efficiency rate of up to 80 percent. The ASA charger is also small, which allows G-POWER to install two of them in the tight confines of the M6 engine bay. With a maximum airstream volume of up to 1,200 kg per hour per cylinder bank the compressors are designed for an even higher power output than the limited boost pressure of 0.4 bars featured at the M6 HURRICANE convertible. In comparison. The G-POWER M5 V10 HURRICANE based on the BMW M5 with a boost pressure of 0.7 bars is producing 730 hp and holds the record for the fastest street legal BMW with a top speed of 360 km/h.

The pre-compressed charge air is cooled down in a highly efficient dual-flow water-to-air intercooler system that is mounted above the engine. This measure optimizes power yield, throttle response and also ensures the engine’s thermal health. Specially developed mapping for engine electronics and SMG gearbox controls coordinate the perfect interaction of all new components.

The supercharged M6 V10 engine produces its maximum power output of 635 hp / 467 kW between 7,500 and 8,200 rpm. The high efficiency rate of the two ASA superchargers, each spinning at up to 100,000 rpm and more, results in a torque diagram that rises early and at 4,800 rpm already surpasses the production engine’s peak torque of 520 Nm, delivered at 6,000 rpm. The new peak of 600 Nm is reached at 7,200 rpm. This special characteristic is, apart from the outstanding reliability and long life qualities, the reason why ALPINA features the ASA superchargers in their models B5, B6 and B7, as well.

Acceleration performance benefits from the perfect performance characteristic accordingly. With a sprint time from rest to 100 km/h of 4.6 seconds and to 200 km/h in 11,9 seconds the 2-ton convertible accelerates like a true sports car. The 300-km/h barrier is shattered after 34,5 seconds from standstill. Contrary to the production car the G-POWER HURRICANE is not limited electronically to a top speed of 250 km/h but to 320 km/h. The determining factors therefore are weight, tyres and most important the soft top of the M6 convertible.

The enormous performance places extreme demands on aerodynamics, tires, suspension and brakes.

The G-POWER front apron, upon request also available made from especially light carbon fiber, replaces the production part in its entirety. Its large air inlets provide optimal supply of cooling air for all radiators and front brakes. At the same time the spoiler minimizes lift on the front axle at high speeds. The G-POWER rocker panels smooth the airflow between the wheel houses and give the M6 a longer, lower and sleeker appearance. Lift on the rear axle is reduced by the carbon-fiber rear diffuser for the G-POWER rear apron.

Even better driving dynamics and more exclusive looks are the hallmark of the G-POWER Silverstone 21-inch light-alloy wheels that fill out the space beneath the wheel arches perfectly. The drop-center rims have brilliant-graphite coated centers while the outer rim wells and spokes are polished. They are mounted in sizes 9.5 J x 21 with size 255/30 ZR 21 tires in front and size 10.5 J x 21 wheels with size 295/25 ZR 21 tires on the rear axle. Technology partner Dunlop provides the perfect high-speed tires.

The large wheels make room for the G-POWER high-performance brake system with eight-piston fixed calipers and 380 x 34 millimeter brake discs on the front axle. The M6 handling can be made even sportier by installing the height-adjustable G-POWER coil-over suspension RS with nine selectable settings each for bound and rebound.

The G-POWER M6 HURRICANE convertible is available as a fully converted car starting at 183,000 Euros. Any existing M6 – sedan and wagon – can also be upgraded with the G-POWER twin-compressor system along with numerous items from the extensive G-POWER tuning accessories lineup. For M6 coupé drivers only is the 730 hp version of the G-POWER BI-Kompressor system available, as well.

Saturday, May 24, 2008

VW Passat R36 Styling Study in Worthersee

Enough fresh metal to make any major international motor show blush, VW has amazed the crowd at this year's GTI meet at Wörthersee Austria today with the Audi TT Clubsport Quattro, Golf GTI Performance Concept, Audi A3 TDI Clubsport Quattro and the Scirocco GT24 race car as the finale.

Also presented, the Passat R36 Variant Styling Study by Volkswagen Individual remains the same besides a “few” modest improvements such as a 20mm lowered suspension, 20-inch wheels from the Touareg R-Line, 6 piston Brembo brake calipers, sounds optimized exhaust system with 81mm in diameter aluminum exhaust tips with beveled edges. For the exterior all chrome trim has been removed and replaced with matching dark blue trim. The interior has received Recaro race seats in the front with matching two-tone rear bench, steering wheel and shift boot plus miscellaneous dark blue and chrome applications.

Body Kits for Porsche Cayenne by Hofele

Hofele is a tuning company that many of you out there possibly haven't heard of, but when located in the realms of Germany, it will take a lot to get noticed around the super tuners such as Hamann, Brabus and Abt. The small tuning company specialises in tuning packages for Audi, VW and Porsche focusing on body kits. What you see before you now are their latest body kits for the facelifted Porsche Cayenne, which includes a regular “GT 500” styling kit as well as a “GT 600” widebody kit.
The Hofele GT 500 gets a completely new aerodynamically enhanced front bumper including mesh inserts with 2 additional fog lights and LED daytime driving lights, the rear gets a removable diffuser along with double tailpipes. A similar setup is given to the GT 600 with the addition of 2 front fenders with air vent opening and wheel arch extension.