Brabham BMW M3 at Essen Motor Show

Brabham Racing from Germany is making its return to the upper ground, after going underground back in 1992. ‘Underground' means bankrupt for our purposes. At Essen, Brabham aims to show the world that it's still alive and well, kicking even, starting with this combative-looking M3 which is dubbed BT 92, '92 referencing that fateful year.

Not much has come our way in the sense of performance or engine details, safe to say that Brabham's Formula One experience, long in the tooth as it is, has come to assist it in tuning this car.

Do we detect a bit of BMW fanaticism here? Does Brabham want to take the fish straight out of Alpina and AC Schnitzer's mouths? It's ok we reckon, there's room for one more to join the tuning pack.

Dodge Challenger SRT8 by GeigerCars in Essen

As German as GeigerCars is, they know a thing or two about tuning American cars. No surprises then, as the company shows off its latest best from the west creation, a Dodge Challenger-based muscle car using the HEMI V8 to power itself. It's the SRT 8's soul that it comes with, that 6.1-litre V8 which produces 425hp/ 317kW off the showroom floor.

This being GeigerCars, that was never going to be enough, so a force-feeding kit is employed to up the power to a much more inviting 569hp/ 424kW and 678Nm of torque. A stainless steel tailpipe takes care of aural pleasures at the rear. The 22-inch rear wheels handle all this power on request for anyone with the required €14,900.

Braking prowess comes from 6-piston front calipers and 4-piston calipers at the rear, and 380x32 and 355x32 mm brake discs. An H&R adjustable suspension system can be added optionally for €1,529.

LUMMA Design CLR 550 R at Essen

LUMMA's presence at the Essen Motor Show will be seriously felt this year as it presents beast after beast. This one is the CLR 550 R which is based on the 4.8-litre V8 Porsche Cayenne GTS. The standard SUV belts out 405hp (302kW) with either a Tiptronic transmission as an option or standard 6-speed manual. A bit of reprogramming has been done on the car's ECU for more power retrieval.

The CLR 550 R is lowered by some 40mm which makes its 315/25-23 Michelins look more dramatic than they already are. The car has LUMMA's gas pedal power module system which improves pedal response for more oomph.

The GTS interior is already sporty off the factory floor, but LUMMA thought it best to improve on the goodness by installing a multimedia sound and entertainment system. Adding to the interior environment are carbon fiber and leather/ alcantara inserts. Aluminium sporting foot pedals add to CLR 550 R's exclusivity.

CLR X 650 by LUMMA Design

LUMMA's CLR X 650 is now at Essen. The BMW X6-based coupe SUV (that's what BMW asked everyone to call it) is stepping out on huge 23-inch wheels which make it slump a bit more because of its 35mm-lowered sport suspension.

Body kit is full and wide-bodied, includes 5cm fender extensions, side skirts, front bumper spoilers and rear ones. BMW's 4.4-litre V8 turbo's ECU has been reprogrammed to foster more power, while a stainless steel sport exhaust system added. LUMMA's gas pedal power module or GPM helps increase pedal power response.

CLR X 650 has an upgraded interior so the outside matches the inside as well. Leather and Alcantara feature heavily on the seats and the LUMMA logo appears in a number of surfaces, including the foot pedals.

Dodge Challenger by Eibach

Eibach chose to cross the Atlantic on a muscle-car-finding mission for their stand at Essen. They sailed back with a Challenger. Based on the Dodge Challenger R/T, a few mods have been made such as a fully adjustable suspension and 9.5 x22-inch OZ Botticelli III-wide rims with 265/30R Toyo Tires Sport tyres wrapped around.

Eibach used the 431hp/ 317kW and 569Nm 6.1-litre block whose standard straight line speed is estimated at 5.3 seconds 0 - 100km/h. Those suspension tune-ups were made to improve the muscle car's handling so its straighline speed is matched by its cornering ability. Top velocity of 250km/h can be attained from this plant/ orange car combination.

Where ICE is concerned an Alpine multimedia system is found inside; two Moniceiver DVD monitors and a good number of speakers.

Opel Insignia by Steinmetz

The Opel Insignia is proving itself to be an attractive package of pricing, style, and nice technology like innovative lighting systems and adaptive suspension. For any tuner looking to do extra work on the Insignia, a competent canvas is laid out in front of them.

Steinmetz is one such "artist" going for the Insignia canvas with this provisional tuning package. It consists of a ride lowering suspension system, black and white 20-inch alloy wheels, changes to the front grille and front spoiler, a rear silencer tailpipe and floor mats.

Insignia, the new European Car of the Year, is offered with a choice of four 2.0-litre engines running on diesel, power figures range from 110hp to 190hp. The four petrol engines range from 140PS/ 103kW to 260 PS/ 191kW for the 2.8-litre V6 turbo.

Carlsson Present Noble RS-design Kit for Mercedes S-Class

An exclusive tuning kit for the Mercedes-Benz S-Class is available from specialist Carlsson. The new RS kit consists of several key elements which include four additional high quality lights made up of a fog set and high beams. Just to the middle of that is an integrated front apron and front spoiler lips to make the look sportier.

The grille is characteristic of Carlsson, as their badge sits at the front of the bonnet. Specially made side skirts for the RS kit have stainless steel grille inserts that show aggression at the front. The rear end is just as miffed; a rear RS apron and diffuser, topped with a carbon fiber rear spoiler. Wheels are light alloys stretching 21-inches. Sound comes from the four stainless steel double-walled tailpipes which are heat-insulated and streamlined for road growling.

The RS kit is available in carbon fiber or polyurethane (PU) underlining sport and pace. PU is a highly regarded plastic solution used in various industries. The kit, internally codenamed V221 at Carlsson, is good for the entire S-Class range which consists of S 320 CDI, S350, S 450, S 500, S 600, S 63 AMG and S 65 AMG.

CLR 550 R Based on Porsche Cayenne Facelift by LUMMA Design

The Porsche Cayenne remains one of the most sought-after tuner subjects and LUMMA Design has joined the fray with the facelifted GTS based CLR 550 R.

The SUV has a body kit that is 5cm wider on each side with 315/25-23 Michelins front and rear. Add the sport lowering suspension kit and the CLR 550 R sits 40mm lower making its wheels look even bigger. The look is heightened by a front spoiler bumper with a double daylight/fog lamp pair, side skirts, fender extensions, a rear bumper, tailgate apron, and a bonnet in Carbon/Kevlar which flows into those "evil eye" eyelids.

The ECU has received some reprogramming to jam out more power from the GTS V8, and something called LUMMA GPM added. GPM or gas pedal power module, gives a quick response on the gas pedal. From the rear an exhaust system with flap technology and stainless steel construction provides positive feedback.

A feeling of comfortable motorsports resonates inside where carbon fiber and leather/ alcantara dominate in addition to aluminium foot pedals. There's a bit of ICE as well courtesy of a multimedia system with 7.5-inch, headrest-mounted screens.

CLR X 650 BMW X6 by LUMMA Design

BMW's hard-to-classify X6 is still warm from the oven, so to speak, and already the tuners are lining up to make it hotter. One of the first to step up is LUMMA Design. The Winterlinger-based tuner's CLR X 650 features a widebody kit and performance upgrades and will be displayed at the Essen Motor Show.

LUMMA's kit starts on the outside, with monstrous 23-inch wheels and a full widebody kit including 5cm fender extensions, front and rear bumper spoilers and side skirts. Carbon-fiber detailing is also used on the show car. An air ducted carbon hood is also included. The CLR X 650 is snugged down over those massive wheels thanks to a 35mm drop courtesy of the lowered sport suspension designed by LUMMA.

The 4.4 liter turbocharged V8 has a reprogrammed ECU and a stainless sport exhaust to boost power, and LUMMA has also introduced a "gas pedal power module" (GPM) that increases pedal response.

The interior has not escaped notice either. Leather and Alcantara wrap the seating surfaces, while red LUMMA-logo gauges and floormats make sure it's obvious who's responsible for this vehicle. Aluminum pedals and footrest are also engraved with the LUMMA logo.

Street Legal Ferrari FXX by Edo Competition

German super tuner edo competition, who somehow do not feel the need to capitalize their name, claim to have made the Ferrari FXX race car a street legal vee-hickle (go ahead, say it like you were Johnny Cash).

Or maybe they're just driving on the streets with an FXX race car and taunting the cops, as seen in the video here.

The fine folks at edo competition say that with a few add-ons they've manage to obey all the laws for a street-worthy vehicle in Germany. A proper windshield, all the required lighting, hand brake, and an exhaust system that makes the FXX meet all emissions standards. A new suspension has also been added with damping and adjustable compression.

No mention of bumpers, though, which one would think would be the first thing you'd need to make a race car street legal. Otherwise, scraping a cement pillar at the local shopping mall with your new FXX may become an expensive lesson in obeying the law.

Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 by Japan's LB Performance

Where have LB Performance been all this time? The Japanese tuner says it's been in business doing its thing since 1993, but this is the first time we've come across them. Guess the web is one big ocean of information. The work they do to the Lamborghini Murcielago is seriously envy-worth, appearing to be of exceptional standard and positive aggression.

All the cars featured seem to be extremely low in suspension, yet nothing is said about suspension kits. Nothing is said about engine mods either, but Reventon is clearly an inspiration to some front bumpers. New body kits, spoilers, wheels and exhaust mufflers make LB Performance cars worthy of a second or fifth look.

Murcielago replica by ZORBA Design

Production ended in 1988 for the Pontiac Fiero, but that hasn't stopped kit car companies from resurrecting the mid-engine sports car into various supercar imitations. Not as visually dysfunctional as the recent Fierri Enzno this latest example comes from UsedFieroParts.com, an authorized distributor and installation partner for North Hollywood's very own Zorba Design, the creator of this Zorba G40 kit.

Available in coupe or roadster version, the G40 kit costs approximately $31,000 which takes into consideration an average Fiero donar car price, leather interior and paint work but excludes wheels/tires or any other upgrades beyond the donor Fiero.

Porsche Cayenne GTS Accessories From JE Design

JE Design is known mostly as a VW and SEAT tuner. But here they give the Porsche Cayenne a go and this is the lux-tuner level achieved with this makeover.

The tuning package is wheels, optics and suspension with no engine work in the mix. But the package does lend to superior performance with the front and rear skirts providing a better aerodynamic flow and the lowered suspension a more nimble handling.

There is actually a lowering of the chassis by about 3.5 cm and, hence, the center of gravity, to make for a more balanced ride. A further suspension mechanism, a "stainless steel coilover kit", permits a drop range of 3 to 7 cm as well.

New LED daylight running lights are added too. And the 22-inch rims for the 295/30 R22 XL tire size help give the Cayenne that road-muncher look it was made for. The single-piece cast wheels come in a variety of dark, moody colors.

No pricing details available but you can bet those 22-inch rims come in at the price of a solid used car.

Porsche GT3 carbon fiber roof transplant by GMG Racing

California based Euro tuner / service shop / motorsports team, Global Motorsport Group (GMG), has taken a standard 2008 Porsche GT3 and converted it utilizing a range of self branded GMG World Challenge products. These GMG WC products have been specially developed from their experience contesting the SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge GT Championships and beyond (see press release below for specs).

In addition to being a top notch GT3 package, this borderline track car for the street features a real carbon fiber roof conversion. There's no faux vinyl film overlay here, this is the real deal. For an added touch of exclusivity, GMG has custom fabricated 997 facelift tail light lenses although they have yet to be released by Porsche for the GT3.

Audi R8 by Project Kahn

Afzal Kahn is a busy guy. He's CEO of Kahn Design and head of Project Kahn, which brings us this Audi R8. He's also working on Kahn Pizza delivery, which promises to deliver your pizza in a supercar over 200,000 dollars in value or your money back.

Anyway, Project Kahn does the Audi R8. Kahn lowers the suspension and slaps on 20" F1-X rims made of lightweight carbon fiber. There are no more details than that, just the pic.

Project Kahn says on its website that, "You do not need to worry about the engine," referring to Audi's 4.2 liter FSI, 414 hp (309 kW) V8. Which we can interpret to mean that there won't be any engine tuning to this Kahn creation.

But maybe Kahn has a point. Sometimes tuning squeezes too much out of an engine and takes away its suppleness and character. A 3.77kg/hp ratio is very respectable territory for a supercar and, to paraphrase the late Paul Newman, avid race driver, its the driver that makes the car.

Porsche Cayenne GTS by edo Competition

Let's face it; Porsche's Cayenne is not a middle-of-the-road vehicle. You either love it for its distinct looks and physics-defying performance and versatility, or you hate it for polluting Porsche's sports-car heritage and being ugly to boot. The just-introduced edo Competition Cayenne GTS will only serve to deepen the polarity of Cayenne reactions. This performance and aerodynamics package makes everything about the Cayenne bolder.

The modifications start under the hood, where edo has upgraded the Cayenne GTS' exhaust and intake and remapped the ECU to produce 450 horsepower (331 kW) and 391 ft-lb (530 Nm) torque. This two-ton vehicle races from zero to 100km/h in 6.4 seconds and tops out at 270 km/h (168mph). To help keep the Cayenne GTS controllable, an adjustable-height suspension and larger six-piston monoblock brake calipers. 22-inch forged wheels with stainless steel outer rims are staggered for width (10 inches up front and 11 in the rear), and edo will paint the rim centers if you'd like.

The edo Cayenne GTS' exterior is enhanced by a domed hood and new front spoiler with quad foglights and mesh inserts.

Mercedes CL Widebody Kit by VITT Performance

Looking for a new look for your CL-Class? Japanese tuners VITT Performance have unveiled a new widebody kit for the Mercedes CL-Class coupes. In VITT CL-Class Super Wide Edition form, the curvy but conservative CL gets the supercar treatment, with dramatic reworkings of the front and rear fenders and side sills. The bulging fenders are complemented by a choice of new front and rear aprons and a spoiler package. The new front bumper includes quad foglights. VITT also adds a roof spoiler and a vented hood.

20-inch wheels and a stainless exhaust comprise the bulk of the mechanical upgrades in this appearance package.

Pricing for the full VITT CL-Class Super Wide conversion is set at about $20,000.

Tesla Roadster for Essen by BRABUS

If you're going to have a desirable performance car, you're going to have customized and personalized versions of it. That's the way of the industry. Even the electric Tesla sports roadster is no exception. The first modified Tesla (and, arguably, the first "official" modified electric car) has just been released by BRABUS and will debut at the Essen Motor Show.

The first vehicle in what BRABUS says will be an ongoing cooperation with the company, the BRABUS Tesla features a variety of appearance upgrades and personalization features. Tire and wheel options are naturally first on the list, with offset 18- and 19-inch BRABUS Monoblock S light-alloy wheels wrapped in Pirelli P Zero Nero rubber. The BRABUS show car also features a carbon-fiber front lip, rear diffuser and rear spoiler, as well as a striking matte white paint job.

Not so common is what BRABUS calls the "space sound generator." Taking advantage of the Tesla's near-silent electric operation, BRABUS offers a variety of on-board sound generators that can make the roadster emit V8 engine or race engine sounds, as well as "futuristic soundscapes" dubbed "Beam" and "Warp." The sound generators vary in volume based on the electric motor's output.

A leather and Alcantara interior with other BRABUS customization touches completes the show car. BRABUS is showing the modified Tesla to highlight the introduction of its Zero Emission division, which will offer upgrades and possibly limited-edition Tesla models in the future.

Carlsson Aigner CK65 RS 'Eau Rouge' Dark Edition

Carlsson is exhibiting the Carlsson Aigner CK65 RS "Eau Rouge" Dark Edition at the 2008 Zürich Auto Show in what is billed as a World Premier for the famous tuner. The limited edition, highly exclusive CK65 RS will only be offered to 10 lucky customers. Two versions, a 705hp/ 526kW and a 756hp/564kW can be had. Both utilise the V12 Biturbo engine, with the latter going up to 1,150Nm, prompting a 0 - 100 time of 3.8 seconds and top speed of 335km/h.

Partnering with apparel house Etienne Aigner for the project, Carlsson chose the double-coloured combination obsidian black metallic with Himalaya-gray as exclusive paint. Interior is redesigned and fitted with Aigner-branded kit such as the alcantara, leather, headrest embossment, sun shields and rear screen frame. A Carlsson sports steering wheel in a leather/ alcantara combo works well with the sports aluminium pedal pads and illuminated doors.

Other bits that justify its €319,000 base price (€374,000 for the second power stage) are Carlsson sport running gears, brake systems, an LSD, 21-inch forged rims with a varied choice of wheel/ tyre combinations and C-Tronic SUSPENSION which adjusts to reflect appropriate road surface conditions.

Heico Sportiv Volvo XC60

Turning firm Heico Sportive has decided to take on the new Volvo XC60 in order to give it a more sporting appearance and an increase in power.

The big news is under the hood as both the 163 hp 2.4D and the 185 hp D5 engines are retuned to produce 210 hp. Higher spec models with the turbocharged T6 engine will now crank out 315 hp instead of 285 hp.

The traditional black plastic body-cladding disappears as it is now painted in the same color as the exterior. Customers can select from either 19" or 20" alloy wheels while other changes include a new dual exhaust system and a 30mm reduction in the vehicle's ride height.

Lamborghini Gallardo Elite Carbon Fiber Bodykit

US bodykit-maker Elite Carbon has unveiled a new kit for the Lamborghini Gallardo inspired by the LP560-4 and the Superleggera which the folks over at MotorAuthority.com say gives this Lambo a "more aggressive" looking visual style.

The kit features side skirts and scoop from the Superleggera (which means super-light in Italian), a diffuser on the back bumper, a rear wing, and a whole new front bumper. All parts are made of lightweight carbon fiber with the black color coming from a clear coating of the composite materials.

Elite Carbon also offers a separate rear diffuser and custom door mirrors out of the material.

No pricing details have yet been released. But a pair of carbon side mirrors by Elite Carbon carry a price tag of 3,000 US dollars and the previous rear diffuser is listed at 4.499.00 US.

In this economy, prices like that can seriously undermine your family's budget. Maybe you should think about delaying your next Lambo bodykits until next Christmas.

VW CC Gold Coast Edition at SEMA 2008

The term Goldcoast no doubt comes from the German term Goldküste, which is used to refer to the wealthier neighborhoods in a coastal setting. In the U.S. it is probably taken to mean California. And why not? Who wouldn't want to take a drive down the Pacific Coast Highway in something like this.

VW has tried over the years to take its brand a little up-market. They did so with models such as the Touareg and the Phaeton. This did not always make business sense, since they brushed up against their own Audi premium brand and consumers were a little taken aback about the price tags on what are supposed to be the "people's car". But the cars were great and critics appreciated them.

So VW's latest offering to confuse our sense of their humble roots is the CC which they have taken to SEMA to show off their lux credentials.

And the highlights aren't just the paint job to tie into the "gold" theme. Using DuPont's Pepe Pepper in a tri-coat mix of brown, gold and silver tones the car looks its name. But it is also a real sports sedan, with interior finish names like Latte Machiatto, 19-inch wheels in propeller form, and the engine beneath the bonnet to provide the proper boogie.

The Passat-based CC Gold Coast Edition features a 3.6 liter FSI engine with 280 hp and 265 lb-ft (360 Nm) of torque, married to the VW Group's DSG twin-clutch 6-speed automatic gearbox -- a respectable amount of power for such a mid-sized sports sedan.

That 3.6 liter CC will see the streets. But this Gold Coast Edition is eye candy only.

9ff GT2 670 for Porsche 997

There's a reason German engineering is considered one of, if not the, best in the automotive world. It's because you have some of the world's greatest engineers devise a vehicle like, say, the Porsche GT2 and then, along comes a tuner like Dortmund-based 9ff, with its own crew of lab coats, and "optimizes" the results.

The head of that team is 9ff owner Jan Fatthauer, who himself oversees development, and with extensive modifications the 9ff GT2 670 reaches a maximum horsepower of 670 (hence the name) and top torque of 800 Nm (that's 140 and 120 more respectively compared to the serial model).

The engineers (we can call them lab coats. lab rats, or worse but we have to be respectful here, after all, they're the ones who make these machines we love) call the tweaks they put to the specially constructed V670 turbochargers "variable turbine geometry". What does that mean?

• Air inlet system with 9ff manifolds
• In-house racing headers
• 100-cell sport catalytic converters
• Titanium mufflers with driver-adjustable sound

Yes, the driver can adjust the sound from a "close-to-production" sporty sound to a "powerful" racing sound, which one has to take to mean very loud. They've also done some jimmying of the clutch and suspension. You can read the press release for those details.

Final numbers: 0-100 km/h in 3.6 seconds, 0-200 km/h in 9.8 seconds, 0-300 km/h in 25.8 s.

JMS new Audi A5 Coupe Racelook

German tuning firm JMS has taken a more discreet approach with their Audi A5 tuning kit compared to their recent Audi A3 Sportback. The new Audi coupe starts with the JMS Racelook body kit which includes a front bumper lip spoiler (Euro 269) which sits only 3cm closer to the ground, side skirts (299 Euro) and rear apron (Euro 259) with diffuser look that is a perfect fit with the standard bumper fascia. For the S5 look JMS has also created a stainless steel exhaust system with 4 oval tips which JMS says provides a little more horsepower and torque. JMS is planning to make available the same Racelook kit for all S5 and S-line models.

For the chassis JMS has added H&R lowering springs (EUR 239) which drop the front end by 40mm and the rear by 35mm. The springs are compatible with the standard Audi shock absorbers. In the footwear department JMS has fitted 3-piece racing wheels 9.5x20 and 10x20 with 255/30R20 Dunlop tires (Euro 5699).

Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano by Kahn Design

The good folks at Kahn Design have been kind enough to send WCF these initial photos of their first Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano. Admittedly, there's not much in the way of actual body and performance upgrades, but Kahn keeps it simple with their first 599 project. Here they have added a lowered suspension, volume enhanced exhaust system and 20- and 21-inch Kahn Design F1-X Carbon wheels front and rear respectively, but the photos are quite nice.