MaxRacer-AutoBlog-For the Car Enthusiasts.: December 2006

12/11/2006

BMW M6-Modified

Hamann’s latest offering is an uprated M6 with a stance-broadening ‘Edition Race’ bodykit and an extra 60bhp from the 5-litre V10 (now up to 561bhp) courtesy of a remap for the management system and a completely new exhaust system. Hamann also removes the speed limiter so that the tuned coupe now peaks at 199mph.

Suspension revisions drop the front end by 30mm and the rear by 25mm, but of more interest is the brake upgrade that encompasses discs, callipers, pads and hoses. Alloy wheel options range from 19 to 21in.

Hamann has also set to work on the Z4 M Coupe, with a modest 15bhp power increase, a bodykit and the company’s own alloys.

Lexus IS F-Future Model

Press Release : December 6, 2006 – Lexus will stage the world premiere of the 2008 IS-F sport performance car and an exciting concept vehicle at a press conference at the 2007 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
The IS-F is an all-new high-performance version of the popular Lexus IS 250/350 sport sedans. It will feature unique styling and a substantial boost in power from a V8 powerplant that will captivate performance car enthusiasts when it goes on sale next year. In addition to the IS-F, Lexus will unveil an exotic sports concept.

Zagato Recreates Lancia Aprilia Masterpiece From Faded Photos

Legendary design house Zagato is celebrating Lancia’s centenary by recreating a 1938 Lancia Aprilia Sport. The project was undertaken by Andrea Zagato in appreciation of his firm’s longstanding relationship with Lancia.

Andrea’s crew didn’t have a lot to go on, rebuilding the car his grandfather Ugo built from just a pair of badly decayed black and white photos. The images were then digitized, after which CAD models and CNC machining tools were employed to “backwards engineer” schematics for the car. The car’s sensuous aeronautically-influenced sheetmetal was then beaten out on a solid machine buck.

2008 Saturn Astra

What you’re looking at is the 2007.5 Opel Astra three-door and five-door models, and both of these versions will be available, with very little change from what you see here, by August of 2007 in the USA and Canada.

Shown to the world this past Tuesday, December 5th, at the Bologna Motor Show in Italy, the introduction to North America of this freshened Astra – GM Europe’s real bread-and-butter all-star and the number two selling compact range of cars in Western Europe – continues the Opels-into-Saturns-into-Opels deal begun earlier this year with the Saturn Sky (Opel GT), the Vue (Opel Antara), and Aura (Opel Vectra). But the Astra takes it to a whole new level of commitment given the car’s very importance to the GM Europe portfolio. Granted, the humble goal for Astra sales in North America over the first twelve-month period, according to GM Europe chairman Carl-Peter Forster, is “anywhere between 10,000 and 20,000. But,” he quickly adds, “…we’re confident of delivering over that.” Western Europe has absorbed 1.2 million of this new generation Astra since it went on sale in March of 2004, and the car has been praised to high Heaven in the EU motoring press.

12/09/2006

2008 Porsche Cayenne

Porsche has finally released shots of its 2008 Cayenne, ending many months of speculation and countless spy shots of cladding-happy prototypes.

Cayenne aficionados won’t be jarred by the new model’s looks, as they appear to be very measured updates of the current vehicle. The new front end goes some way toward differentiating V-6 and V-8 models, with changes including new headlamps across the range (including different units on the Turbo models with lateral signal indicators) and reworked air intakes. Out back, the Cayenne’s rump receives new bumper fascia that includes a pair of
exhaust pass-throughs and a new set of taillamps.The big deal, however, is inside the engine room, where a trio of new engines has taken up residence. The range-topping V-8 Turbo receives 500-horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque, while the mid-level S also has a 4.8-liter V-8 (0.3 liters larger), this time delivering 380 horsepower and 370 pound-feet. Base-model intenders will need to make do with the 3.6-liter V-6 generating 290 horsepower.

The Euro-base price for the Cayenne is 43,300 Euros, while for the Cayenne S it is 55,800 Euros. The Cayenne Turbo is priced at 91,100 Euros. In Germany, the Cayenne costs 51,735 Euros, while the more powerful S version retails at 66,610 Euros. The top model Cayenne Turbo has a list price of 108,617 Euros (including 19 percent sales tax and country-specific requirements).

12/04/2006

Lexus Previews 2007 Pebble Beach Edition SC

Lexus has announced the fourth in its annual string of Pebble Beach Edition SC special editions. As usual the tin-top convertible will debut in-the-metal at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, taking center stage at the Lexus Fashion preview on August 18.

Other features of the 2007 Pebble Beach Edition SC include special brushed-chrome badges inside and out, embroidered Pebble Beach logos on the floor mats, and 18-inch G-Spider alloys wrapped in summer or all-season run-flats.

The car will be available for purchase beginning next month, though the starting price has yet to be announced.

Subaru Introduces Japan-Only WRX STi spec C Type RA-R

Subaru is releasing yet another version of its iconic WRX, this one dubbed the “Impreza WRX STi spec C Type RA-R.” Can’t wait to see that one spelled out on a windshield header sticker.

The 2.0-liter flat four is tuned to deliver 320 bhp (at 6,400 rpm) and 318 ft-lbs. of torque at 4,400 rpm, thanks to a revamped turbocharger, exhaust system, and the necessary ECU tinkering that usually results from such changes.

Additional features include 18-inch multispoke wheels painted white (and wrapped in 40-series Bridgestones), and a 15mm lower ride height. Other exterior changes include red accent striping, a small roof-resident scoop, and a carbon fiber wing is optional.

Ferrari Enzo: Another one bites the dust

We’re beginning to wonder if Ferrari’s fabled Enzo isn’t going to get saddled with a “Death Car” medallion. After all, a startling number of these small-volume cars are being written off in spectacular fashion.

Suleiman Kermov, a seriously wealthy Russian parliamentarian was critically injured after his Enzo met its demise in a fiery crash. Kerimov is in critical condition in a Marseille, France hospital following the crack up the Promenade des Anglais, a Mediterranean boulevard in Nice.

The 41 year-old is one of the world’s wealthiest individuals, with his $7.1 billion net worth holding down the No. 72 spot on Forbes magazine’s wealthiest list.

Callaway Returns With C16 Corvette World Premiere

It’s been a while since the automotive press has had an opportunity to chat up a Callaway Cars product, so welcome back, Reeves. The company’s C16 (so named because it represents the 16th car in the company’s history) packs a supercharged 6.0-liter LS2 V-8, which generates 616 horsepower and 582 pound-feet of torque.

The company claims that this Big Bertha will run to 60 miles per hour in just 3.3 seconds and trip the quarter-mile lights at 10.9 seconds. Given enough room, the C16 will bump its prow against 206 mph. This, while returning fuel efficiency numbers of 18 city and 28 highway.

Naturally, Callaway didn’t only address the car’s styling and power, it also went to work on the suspension, developing a new coil-over system with Eibach. The highly adjustable can be adjusted for ride height, corner weight, and pitch angle, and the aluminum-bodied dampers have remote-mount reservoirs and feature ten-way adjustability. Bespoke Callaway brakes (six-piston front and four-piston rear calipers) are hatted by Callaway Dymag wheels. These ultra lightweight wheels (19-inchers up front, and twenty inchers out back) are composed of magnesium and carbon fiber and cost a pretty penny in-and-of themselves.

Hyundai Tiburon Art Car

This pop-art Hyundai is the product of East Village artist “BILLY,” a self-taught artist who mthe automaker commissioned to paint this 2007 Tiburon for the automaker’s National Hyundai Dealer Show. Apparently the artist has quite an affinity for Keith Haring, but that didn’t keep enthusiasts from finding the artist’s work rather charming.

12/01/2006

Brabus CLS Rocket joins Police

For the upcoming Essen Motor Show, Germany’s Tune It Safe! program has called on supertuner Brabus to highlight the cause. The Tune It Safe! program was started only last year by Germany’s Federal Traffic Ministry and an association of local tuners to promote safe and legal tuning practices at enthusiasts. For its first year, another German tuner, TechArt, created the world’s fastest police car using a Porsche 911 S.

This year, Brabus’ CLS V12 S Rocket, touted as the world’s fastest sedan, will be featuring on stands. Once again wearing full police livery, the police CLS develops 730hp from the twin-turbo V12 and has a top-speed of 225.19mph.

SPY SHOTS: Ferrari F430 Challenge Stradale

Ferrari aficionados and motorheads the world over have been eagerly anticipating the arrival of the Ferrari F430 Challenge Stradale. The previous 360 CS took the 360 Modena coupe, put it on a diet and gave it some stripes. The result was a leaner and meaner prancing horse that put the 360 Challenge race-car into street-legal form. The very idea of taking the already superlative F430 and giving it the same treatment was simply mouthwatering.

This spy shot was snapped at the Nurburgring, which seems a little odd considering Ferrari owns three circuits of its own in Italy. The test mule shows most of the visible modifications to be featured on the F430 Challenge Stradale...expect the wheels to more closely resemble the magnesium CS rims up front than the stock 430 wheels at the back.

Until now the jury was out on whether the 430 CS would gain its performance edge "merely" by shedding extra mass or also be treated to a few extra cavallini, but the latest reports indicate that the 430's high-revving soprano V8 will get a boost to 520 horsepower (30 over the "ordinary" F430), thanks to a revised ECU and new exhaust system. Couple that with 200-lbs worth of liposuction thanks largely to selective use of carbon fiber body panels and you've got a recipe for satanic performance.

Abu Dhabi to build Ferrari World theme park

Oil affects everything automotive, but when the guys holding 8% of the world's oil supply begin to look for ways to reduce their dependence on oil, should we be concerned? At least they have the cash to make it fun and not painful.

Yes, a 2,500-acre island belonging to Persian Gulf emirate Abu Dhabi, will host Ferrari World, a "high-tech" theme park featuring simulator rides, roller coasters, an interactive museum anda theatre with an Italian-themed play and a race track, as part of the $40 billion dollar transformation into one of the world's premier luxury tourist destinations.

To the ruling family in Abu Dhabi, al-Nahyan, who owns five percent of Ferrari SpA, building Ferrari World was a natural decision. To support the increase in tourists visiting Yas Island, Abu Dhabi also plans to spend an additional $6.8 billion dollars to expand the Abu Dhabi International Airport, where Etihad Airways, the sheikdom's own airline launched in 2003, calls home.

Volkswagon Tiguan-LA Auto Show

The rather more interesting Tiguan name has since been confirmed as the proper title for the production version and this week at the LA Auto Show, VW revealed the Tiguan Concept pictured here, offering a very close look at how the new car will turn out when it finally goes on sale later in 2007.

There are no radical design aspects to the exterior. Instead, the Tiguan draws heavily from the new VW family look, though with its own stylised lights and dark-anodised metallic front grille. The production car is likely to retain the chunky wheelarches and overall shape though we guess that only the top of the range models will sport twin-exit exhausts and 19-inch alloys.

The concept's wheels are shod in special Continental tyres that feature the body colour 'baked into' the rubber, an element unlikely to make it onto showroom models. The tyre pattern is repeated on the leather-lined seats. Although the concept features a distinctive black, silver and orange interior, the basic architecture shows how the final car will look, with a bias towards sporty rather than utilitarian. Indeed, the photographs clearly show the Tiguan being driven in mostly urban environments, so don't expect it to be a leading off-roader.

Of more significance is the fitment of BLUETEC technology, which employs a modular concept of different systems to reduce emissions on diesel engines. One of these systems is the NOx storage catalytic converter which cuts nitrogen oxides by up to 90 per cent over most current diesel units, allowing cars such as the diesel-fuelled Tiguan to meet strict US emissions legislation. This is the first appearance of this system on a VW, having been developed in conjunction with Mercedes-Benz

Another fantastic Mazda concept sports car

At the LA Auto Show this week, Mazda unveiled the fourth concept car in a series that extends from the Sassou at the 2005 Frankfurt Show. The new car is perhaps the most futuristic of them all.

Nagare is the name for the new concept, meaning 'flow' in Japanese, or "embodiment of motion" in Mazda's interpretation. The purpose of this concept is not to preview a new production car, but to investigate how future Mazdas could be styled to appear dynamic, even when at a standstill.

The Nagare is nothing short of breathtaking, if not beautiful in the classic sense. The low roofline is accentuated by the wide track, huge wheelarches and equally dramatic alloys. Drama is added to the rearwards sloping design by 'flow' marks in the huge one-piece doors, a detail that is echoed in the shape of the rear lights.

Those doors tilt and swivel up to allow access to a cockpit with an unusual layout. Though the Nagare is a four-seater, the driver sits on his own centrally, with his passengers ensconced at the rear.

Obviously, the show car has no real powerplant, but the designers foresee a Mazda sportscar sold in the year 2020 as possibly being powered by a hydrogen-fuelled rotary engine.

Mazda will follow up the Nagare with new concept cars at the 2007 Detroit, Geneva and Tokyo shows, though not all of them will be so revolutionary. We're told that the Detroit concept is "is practical enough to produce in the next decade", while the Geneva car "will embody design ideas we expect to implement in the very near future."

MaxRacer-AutoBlog-For the Car Enthusiasts.