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Tuesday, October 7, 2008
What we see here is the result of the Mercedes SL 63 AMG eroticized! Any Tuning house that dares use such a word in their press release had better have a damn good package to show us. Continue reading and we'll let you decide if they have achieved such a feat.
Kicherer start with the naturally aspirated 6.2-liter V8 power unit and boost its power by 40 hp up to a total of 560hp whilst the torque now rises to 670Nm (494lb-ft). It is blended with an EVO sports exhaust system giving it a deeper and more aggressive sound. The upgrades see an improved 0-100km/h time of 4.3 seconds (from 4.6 seconds) whilst the top speed now lies at 320km/h.
Carbon fibre is the name of the game for Kicherer when it comes to exterior modifications. There are additional carbon fibre coverings on the front apron as well as on the rear, the latter incorporates a diffuser that helps flow the air beneath the car at high speeds. New side mirrors made of the same material and a set of 20inch RS-1 aluminium wheels complete the overall look.
Abt Sportsline are hardly a company that shys away from the SUV market, admirable efforts on the Audi Q7 and Volkswagen Tiguan are testaments to this fact. Therefore it was only a matter of time before the tuning house took on the all-new Audi Q5 and they have released the first details today.
The Abt engineers have thrown the book at the Q5's engine range with tuning for three of their different power units. Starting with the diesel offerings, the base 2.0-liter TDI has been boosted by 20hp up to 190hp thanks to the application of Abt Power, whilst the more potent 3.0-liter TDI is treated to the Abt Power S kit which takes the power output up by a massive 70hp to 310hp. The 2.0-liter TFSI engine is also treated to the Abt Power upgrade bringing total power up to 240hp from 211hp.
Other modifications alongside the engine tuning include a fine tuned suspension which lowers the car's center of gravity as well as a new Abt Sports brake system featuring 380mm brake disks.
The exterior package adds to the overall drive experience whilst simultaneously creating a eye catching look. The model's body kit includes a completely remodelled front fascia sporting larger air intakes, the extravagant design style continues to the rear and a mild widebody look is also achieved with the aggressive wheel arches around the 20 inch wheels. Functional front and rear skirts (better known as diffusers) contribute to the aggressive styling.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Pininfarina were challenged and commissioned by car collector Roland Hall to create a vehicle that would pay homage to the sumptuous cars of the 1930s, a challenge that is well within the grasp of the Italians specialists. Pininfarina have used their expertise to create special models in the past, some may remember the Ferrari P4/5 based on the Enzo or perhaps even the Scaglietti “K” springs to mind.
The Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe owned by Hall provides the base for the Hyperion, the rear seats of the model are removed leaving enough area to nudge the driving position back an extra 400mm.To accurately depict the styling of the pre-war cars, Pininfarina had to extend the roof which simultaneously shorten the rear end whilst keeping a beautiful array of soft flowing design lines.
The classic Rolls-Royce grille remains although it is now slightly inclined offering better aerodynamic performance and a set of recessed Bixenon headlights with LED technology lie both sides of it. Most of the bodywork is made of carbon fibre, although the doors which have been designed by craftsmen that usually focus on luxury boats are made of solid wood.
Much of the Drophead Coupe's interior styling remains, however a vintage 1945 watch specially designed for the Hyperion by Girard-Perregaux can be found attached to the dashboard, it can also be detached for Mr. Hall's personal use.
Mechanics beneath the Hyperion's elegant posterior have been left untouched
The hub of this latest performance upgrades centers around the 580 bhp 5.0-liter FSI twin turbo V10 engine laying in the engine bay. Kicherer modify several individual components on the power unit although they fail to state exactly what these are, nonetheless it still results in a power increase that takes overall output to 700hp and 780Nm of torque. Other performance upgrades are available including a 4-flow stainless steel exhaust system and a set of sports springs which lowers the model by 25mm.
All put together, the RSStreet can accelerate from standstill to 100km/h in a little under 4.3 seconds and it reaches 200km/h in 13 seconds flat, top speed lies rises to 280km/h. These times are a little slower than previous tuning packages seen, however it would be hard to compare these models other than side by side on a racetrack.
Kicherer also gives the RS6' exterior are quick going over with a set a 22inch rims and a two tone color scheme along with mirror shells, front spoiler and rear diffuser all made from genuine carbon.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
When the RS6 was released it was considered that Audi's power war addiction had gone to their head, the 5.0-liter FSI twin turbo V10 monster found under the hood pumps out a massive 580bhp, but judging by the array of tuning kits coming out for the model, the engine is capable of far more.
One of the first to come out was an effort by MTM which brought power output to 656bhp and 579lb-ft (785Nm) of torque and that was just through a bit of ECU tuning. More recently Abt entered the fray with their own version pumping 700bhp and 590lb-ft (800Nm) of torque. However both have been put in their place with a new package released by Audi expert's B&B which possesses a massive 715hp.
The huge increase in power is achieved with B&B's special race exhaust system with high performance racing catalyst along with modifications to the air intake system, and air cooling system as well as a bit of ECU tuning. A set of sports springs lowers the vehicle by 25mm and B&B also offers a special threaded chassis which improves cornering speeds through its adjustable height.
But what is the result of all this tuning? How fast does it really go? Well, figures state that the B&B RS6 can accelerate from 0-100km/h in just 3.6 seconds – that's 0.9 seconds quicker than the factory produced version.
Audi RS6 is already a fast car but that really isn’t enough in these days of more and more is it? In that vein ABT has created something of a super-combi without going bananas in the styling department. The car seems to place function over form, like the wing which is not just for show but actually serves to reduce lift. Twenty inches of bling wheel don the tyres, suspension is lower and the front spoiler is different as well. Apart from this, very little else sets it apart. Apart from the fast lane.
Here ABT RS6 will reach a sweet 320km/h which it would have attained from a standstill position, going past 100km/h in just 3.9 seconds. How quick is the regular RS6? Try 4.5 seconds from naught to 100. Serving up this grateful supply of speed to ABT RS6 is the same V10 TFSI lab experiment of some 580 bhp/ 426kW standard. ABT turns it into a nuclear experiment to sustain a smile-inducing 700 bhp/ 515kW and 800Nm, from 2400 rpm right up to 6100rpm. The car then becomes more than just an outstanding athlete, but a runner of exceptional skill pulling on all four wheels.
E-Motion Wheels as the name suggest usually sticks to wheels when modification, but for this time limited project they got together with Digi-Tec to create a custom Audi Q5.
The collaboration only had a few days to complete the project leavng any modification limited to subtle at best. This Audi Q5 benefitted from a new set of 20inch wheels as well as an aerodynamic enhancingg modifcation to the suspension lowering the ride height by 35mm. Digi-Tec's role was to boost the performance of the 2.0-liter TFSI engine and the duly delivered with a power boost of 35bhp bringing the total to 245bhp.
