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tuner posts

Fesler Camaro taking shape, smoking tires [w/VIDEO]

Filed under: Coupes, Videos, Chevrolet



Click above to watch video after the jump

High end tuner Fesler has created its own 2010 Fesler Moss Camaro; a tuned-up version of the hot-selling coupe that's been designed as an homage of sorts to General Motors' 1969 Bowtie. For about $55,000, you can get features like an adjustable coilover suspension, special 22-inch wheels and tires, as well as stainless steel struts. Bump the price up to $90k, and you'll get a supercharger that bumps the power quotient to an even 600 ponies. The fully loaded model stickers for a stout $150,000, and includes more equipment than we can reasonably add here. Fesler is even offering a package that includes a matching 1969 model(!) if you've got the garage space and the financial wherewithal.

Hit the jump to watch video of the supercharged version of the car in action. As you can probably guess on your own, the video includes burnouts and donuts. We wouldn't have it any other way.

[Source: Fesler]

Fenders Optional: Irmscher rocks out with range of new 7s

Filed under: Tuners, Convertibles, Sports/GTs, Euro



European tuner Irmscher is branching out from Opels and Cadillacs if its latest project is any indication. The German outfit is marketing a new minimalist line of Irmscher 7 roadsters that begins with potent and peaks with outrageous. The basic, Lotus 7-esque naturally-aspirated model turns out 150 hp -- a healthy number when the car only weighs 1,650 pounds. On top of that are three turbocharged models fitted with Opel's 2.0-liter four-cylinder with outputs ranging from 210 to 284 hp, with the range-topper getting you to 60 mph in about four seconds.

The Irmscher 7 comes with a waterproof top, a custom suspension and, for those wide of beam, Irmscher says the "broad, long chassis is suitable for larger drivers." But you'll need an equally wide bank account to get one: the 210 hp model retails for €55,900 ($72,337 US), the price of the 284 hp beast is "auf Anfrage," which is German for "if you have to ask..."

[Source: Irmscher (translated)]

Novitec gets ambitious, builds "own" supercar, the TuLesto

Filed under: Tuners, Coupes, Euro, Supercars, Ferrari


Novitec TuLesto - Click above for a hi-res gallery

Novitec has long been regarded for their ability to produce streetable tuner Ferrari models with massive power and generally well-integrated aesthetic and aerodynamic modifications. And while this car, the Novitec TuLesto that see before you clearly has a lot of Ferrari 430 in it, this is a far more ambitious piece than what has come before it. Built in Bavaria by the German tuner, this mid-engined supercar is something of a celebratory affair, designed to mark the company's 20th anniversary.

Just 11 examples are planned, each brandishing 777 horsepower – enough to push the slippery carbon-fiber and aluminum shape to 60 mph in 3.4 ticks before topping out at more than 350 kmh (217 mph). Power comes from a 4.4-liter four-valve V8 (.10-liter larger than that of Ferrari's 430) with a pair of superchargers strapped on to yield the aforementioned 777 hp (at 8,200 rpm), along with a peak torque figure of 536 pound-feet at 6,300 rpm. The sole transmission choice is a six-speed semi-automatic paddleshift setup.

While probably a trackday monster, there is some streetability to the TuLesto, as well. The Luca Serafini Stile-designed front-end can be lifted four inches to accommodate speed bumps and aprons without incurring expensive scraping noise. Perhaps at full height you'll get a better look at the fully tweakable double-wishbone suspension, which includes adjustable dampers and swaybars.

The available 20- or 21-inch wheels are sinister-looking Novitec pieces that strike us as a bit Lamborghini-inspired, not necessarily a bad thing, and they house a set of ceramic composite brakes hatted by six-piston fixed calipers.

Funnily enough, our 20th celebrations weren't nearly as interesting as this. Happy Birthday, Novitec! Now... can we help you to blow out the candles?

Press release after the jump, high-res gallery below.



[Source: Novitec]

VIDEO: Bodensee Tuning World auto show commercial turns up the heat (NSFW?)

Filed under: Tuners, Euro, Videos


Click above to view the commercial after the jump

Anyone who has ever attended SEMA knows that tuning and scantily clad women go hand-in-hand. The cars + girls formula works very well in the US, but what about Europe? The 2009 Bodensee Tuning World auto show in Germany runs from April 30 through May 3, with over 250 exhibitors spanning 880,000 square feet of exhibit space. The show will have tons of sweet rides – and judging by the show's commercial, it'll have a few beautiful women as well.

After the jump is 57 seconds of demographic-specific advertisement for Bodensee 2009. The commercial features three scantily clad women tuning a car and giving it a very thorough cleaning. If you're wondering if the spot is a bit racy, it took us four passes to realize that the women were working on a Ford Focus. Needless to say, the Bodensee commercial isn't for everyone, and some may be offended by its content (including your coworkers, significant others, small children, and assorted small mammals). For the rest of you, hit the jump to see it for yourself.

REPORT: Mercedes says it has no plans for new CLK63 AMG

Filed under: Tuners, Coupes, Mercedes-Benz



In a move sure to make shoulders slump and people ask "Why is this happening?", Mercedes will not produce a CLK63 AMG -- which would actually be an E Class Coupe AMG. The axing is due to the CLK moving from the C Class platform to the E Class, and Mercedes' view that a hotted up E Coupe with the 6.3-liter would be too close to the CLS 63 AMG "both in positioning and price."

A similarity in price is easy to digest, but the overlap in positioning sounds more like Mercedes is afraid sales of the E-Class Coupe AMG would cannibalize sales of the CLS63 AMG. Even if that's the case, it's a shame that Mercedes won't even consider a limited run, since such a car would be sure to sell just as well, if not better than the E63 AMG Wagon. The decision also vaporizes an E Coupe AMG Black series, and that would have been something special.

[Source: Autocar]

Singapore gets special Volkswagen GTI V50

Filed under: Tuners, Hatchbacks, Volkswagen, Special/Limited Editions


Click above for a gallery of the Volkswagen Golf GTI V50

Singapore has been singled out to receive a hotted up version of their Mark V Volkswagen GTI dubbed GTI V50. This gift to the island nation gets upgrades from APR including a Stage 1 ECU tune that adds 36 more horsepower and an additional 74 lb-ft of torque. Also underneath are a VW R32 brakes and calipers and a VW Performance exhaust. Together they'll turn your 0-to-60 run into a 5.6-second affair, which takes more than a second off the standard GTI.

Outside, the body is adorned with go-fast cosmetics like a VW Performance body kit, white turn signals, blue-tinted glass, along with some bespoke 18-inch VW wheels and Pirelli rubber to round the whole thing out. The paint job is one we'd describe as "novel." The GTI V50 will be a limited run, so expect a commensurate premium as another added feature. Check out the gallery of photos below, and the press release and tech specs after the jump.



[Source: VW Asia]

Arabian Update: Mercedes W140 S-Class gets W221 transplant

Filed under: Tuners, Sedans/Saloons, Etc., Mercedes-Benz



Say you have a Mercedes-Benz W140 S-Class from two generations ago, but you really want is a Mercedes W221, the current generation car. Well, what else is an individualistic plutocrat to do other than give a willing tuner an unknown (and seemingly substantial) quantity of cash to make a few changes?

We can only guess at what amount of time and money was needed to fabricate and swap this new front and rear (which we'd like to think cost a lot less than a used W221 in decent shape), and we can't say we're not startled by the result. But our opinion matters not: the car lives, it's here to stay, and the owner must be happy... and maybe a little odd. Check out pics of the FrankenMerc in the gallery below. Hat tip to reader AMG!



[Source: Mercedes4Arab]

Vauxhall Insignia Limo too much of a good thing?

Filed under: Tuners, Sedans/Saloons, Opel, Vauxhall, UK, Special/Limited Editions


Vauxhall Statesman – Click above for image gallery

Wilcox Limousine in England distributes the Vauxhall Statesman in both six-door, three-row limousine and hearse configurations. The company has already begun eying the new Insignia for dignitary and funeral duty, and the result is rendered above. It's not all that bad for a limo conversion, but we had no idea that so many people were requesting to be chauffeured to the airport and The Great Beyond in stretched Vauxhalls. On the plus side, you'll find leather trim, walnut door cappings and a full divider on the inside. "Unbeatable prices" can't hurt, either. Check out the next Statesman limo and hearse in the gallery below.



[Source: Autoblog Spanish, translation here]

Beyond Redline dissects Hyundai Genesis Coupe's new 2.0T motor

Filed under: Aftermarket, Tuners, Coupes, Tech, Hyundai


Click above for a high-res gallery of the Hyundai Genesis Coupe's 2.0T engine

The Hyundai Genesis Coupe is already winning praise from the motoring press, and enthusiasts are itching to get their hands on the RWD Korean 2+2. While some are seeking out the uplevel 300-horsepower, 3.8-liter V6 model, many tuners are itching to get their hands on the entry 2.0T powerplant. At 211-hp, the base model isn't going to win many street races, but countless mods promise to produce tremendous amounts of power with less weight.

Tuner Beyond Redline took apart the 2.0T to see exactly what Hyundai gave tuners to work with. For starters, the block is evidently sourced from the Mitsubishi Ralliart, which is different from the more structurally sound EVO X block. Beyond Redline expects the engine's sturdy components and 86mm stroke and bore to make 400 wheel-horsepower and rev to 8,000 RPM with the proper mods and a stock block. While the 2.0T gives modders plenty of room for overclocking, the engine's open deck block means that too much boost could warp the cylinders. Block guards can be used to reinforce the cylinder walls, but that means additional work and cash to really kick the 2.0T into high gear. Hat tip to Andrew.



[Source: Genesis Driven]

Nissan GT-R Wagon spotted in Nagoya?!

Filed under: Tuners, Coupes, Sports/GTs, Wagons/Estates, Japan, Nissan, Misc. Auto Shows


Click above for a gallery of the Nissan GT-R "wagon"

Let's get this over with right now: This isn't really a Nissan GT-R wagon. That said, it is a decidedly artful conversion of the Japanese automaker's M35 series Stagea wagon, a JDM load-lugger it produced from 2001 to 2007. Available in both rear- and all-wheel drive with a variety of V6 powerplants, the now-dead Stagea has been called the "GT-R Wagon" by many enthusiasts.

Spotted at Nagoya Auto Trend this weekend, this particular Stagea looks to be a super-clean conversion, with a well-integrated R35 GT-R front-end that's been carried through along the bodysides, with factory-like rocker panel indents and modestly rear quarter panels to keep the theme.

While we don't have information about what lurks underneath, the folks at GTRBlog speculate that the wagon could have something interesting like a stroked VQ-series V6 with a twin-turbo kit. Given the apparent high level of finish on the outside, we would hope for nothing less. Check out the galleries below for more shots of both the GT-R and Stagea wagons... and if you find any additional information on this particular car, drop us a tip!




[Source: n-autotrend via GTRBlog]

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