H&R bringing 24k gold springs, 216mph A4 to Essen Motor Show

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The Essen Motor Show is Europe's big tuner showcase, and like SEMA, it seems that companies trout out the bling to wow the masses. Take H&R, for example. The makers of suspension equipment will be showing off their -- we aren't making this up -- 24-karat gold-covered springs at the show. H&R calls the look "extravagant." We're betting "tacky" is slightly closer to reality, and will make our final ruling after we see photos of the things at Essen. The blingification process tacks an additional €2,000 onto the cost of your springs, and naturally, some rich guy in Dubai is already sporting them on his Ferrari. Sounds classy. Like gold teeth.

Of greater interest to our readers might be the Audi A4 H&R will have displayed. The Hohenester HS650 Nardo puts out 650 horsepower (hence the name) and 531 lb ft of torque and hit 343.9 kph (216 mph) while lapping the Nardo test track last month. It's equipped with H&R coilovers, which is why they'll be showing it at Essen. In the photos, note the aero grille cover the car wore to help make that top speed run. Neato.

In either case, there'll be a couple of interesting things to see in the H&R booth: the gold springs, which should be appealing in a train-wreck sort of way, and the Hohnester Audi, which possesses a legitimate "wow" factor.

(Press release, more Hohnester HS650 photos after the jump)

[Source: H&R]

HOHNESTER HS650 NARDO:
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HS650 nardo HS650 nardo HS650 Nardo HS650 nardo HS650 nardo


PRESS RELEASE:
Pressemitteilung / Press Release 2006

Live at H&R at the ESSEN-MOTOR-SHOW 2006
  • H&R GOLD: 24-Carat Gold Suspension Springs
  • 343.9 km/h with H&R Sport Suspension: The Fastest Audi A4 in the World
  • MISSION 400 PLUS - Come and Be Amazed!
H&R at the ESSEN-MOTOR-SHOW - this tradition continues at the 2006 edition of the world's most important tuning expo. As one of the world's leading manufacturers of sporty suspension systems H&R presents numerous spectacular world debuts. And as official supplier to the DTM racing series H&R also exhibits the victorious race cars from Audi and Mercedes-Benz on its expo stand in hall 10.


H&R GOLD

The first order came from the owner of a Ferrari 430 Spider from Dubai. H&R GOLD: In a world debut H&R presents sport springs with genuine 24-carat hard gold coating at the ESSEN-MOTOR-SHOW 2006. Now the most luxurious suspension components of all time are also available for all other car makes and models.

This debut of the especially exclusive kind combines the typical H&R attributes of sporty handling, optimized active safety and highest quality with extravagant looks.

The GOLD option is available for all H&R sport springs for an additional charge of around 2,000 Euros for the set, depending on the size of the springs.

343.9 km/h: The World's Fastest Audi A4

On October 22, 2006 the Hohenester HS650 Nardo circled the high-speed test track at a speed of 343.9 km/h. On December 1, 2006 the world's fastest Audi A4, equipped with an H&R coil-over sport suspension, celebrates its public world debut on the H&R stand at the ESSEN-MOTOR-SHOW 2006.

Tuning specialist Alfons Hohenester installed a twin-turbo V6 engine with an increased displacement of 3 liters under the hood of a visually discretely modified Audi A4 sedan. The engine was tuned by the company-own engine shop and produces a maximum power output of 650 hp / 478 kW at 7,300 rpm and a peak torque of 720 Nm at 3,800 rpm.

That makes the Hohenester HS650 Nardo a force to be reckoned with not only when it comes to top speed: With sprint times of 3.4 seconds from rest to 100 km/h, 10.3 seconds to 200 km/h and 29.8 seconds to the magical 300-km/h barrier the 4x4 delivers performance figures that only a very select few super sports cars can match. And it does so while meeting stringent Euro 4 emission limits.

To make safe use of this performance potential Alfons Hohenester relies on a height-adjustable H&R coil-over suspension: "The uneven and banked track in Nardo places extreme demands on the suspension at speeds above 300 km/h. Together with our development partner H&R we found a great setup that made our HS650 Nardo absolutely safe and easy to drive. It was this combination of professionally tuned suspension, extremely powerful engine and modified aerodynamics that made our record possible."

MISSION 400 PLUS

MISSION 400 PLUS - under this project name H&R will present an especially spectacular world debut at the ESSEN-MOTOR-SHOW 2006.

We don't want to say any more at this time - come visit us on our stand no. 103 in hall 10 and be amazed!

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