ALL AUTOCARS

As Europeans await the official arrival of the Chevrolet Camaro on the continent, the smaller family-sized Cruze is taking its shine. Tuning and design firm Irmscher has transformed the Cruze into a Transformers 2 centrepiece, basing the look and feel on the Camaro Bumblebee. The basis for the car is a 1.8 LT automatic model.

The Irmscher model features orange colour 18-inch wheels with the Turbo Star design and 225mm-wide tyres. These are unique to the Cruze Bumblebee. Irmscher has lowered the body by some 30mm and fitted an orange rear diffuser to match the wheels. Orange is carried through as a double-stripe hanging over the black body as well as on the side mirrors. The tuner is confident that interest will be so deep in Cruze Bumblebee that a series might come out of it.

Prices will be available on request to people wishing for the kit. For the rest who want a test drive of the standard car and not the Bumblebee version, their nearest dealership could arrange one. Alternatively the Frankfurt Motor Show will have factory units available for the public to drive.

Tym Switzer’s tuning crew is at it again. After bringing the 588kW (800hp) Porsche GT2-based P800 to the world the brand came under pressure from customers of the AWD 911 Turbo (997TT) who wanted the same amount of power and performance from their cars.

Switzer was not about to let them head off elsewhere so the crew set about making the necessary changes to increase power from the standard 353kW (480hp) to the demanded 588kW (800hp). The car is now said to be capable of a sub-3 second 0 – 60mph time and a consistent 10.5 second quarter mile.

“The P800 kit for the GT2 evolved from the SLEDGEHAMMER project car that ran in the 9s last year,” said Tym, “that was a race-gas package, but as the program developed, we were able to move to a more streetable package and keep the factory DME, unlike the SLEDGEHAMMER, which used a stand-alone system. Other than that, everything that made the SLEDGEHAMMER so special is still right there in the P800 GT2, and it’s still right there in this 997.”

The package includes custom GT30 turbos that come with custom billet compressor wheels on ball-bearing center sections in lightweight stainless housings, custom intercoolers, ECU software, competition-style exhaust and headers, an upgraded carbon clutch package and an electronic boost control. All Switzer Performance dealers now have the package available for sale.

The Royal Family of Abu Dhabi is receiving this special A.R.T.-tuned SUV which is based on the Mercedes-Benz G55 AMG. This unit is the only one being produced, making it a once-off project. Called the AS55K YAAS EDITION, the vehicle has received a power upgrade to 456kW (620hp) and some comprehensive aerodynamic enhancements. High-performance brakes are needed for such a combination of power and vehicle type so A.R.T. saw it fit to utilise perforated 380 size brake disks and 8-piston brake calipers up front and perforated 345 size brake disks as well as 4-piston brake calipers at the rear.

The aero kit includes carbonised surfaces such as the bonnet, the exterior side mirrors, the door handles and the spare wheel cover. Even the interior surfaces and multi-function steering wheel are covered in carbon fiber; the latter is coloured in gold. It is all just as the Royal Family had asked.

Stainless steel also played a role as it was included on the polished rear bumper, the air vents and other body elements. The tailpipes are chrome-plated and supposedly give out a sound that is hard to ignore. Chrome was again applied as the window tint colour which makes sure outsiders don’t see much of the interior.

A.R.T. has provided what can only be described as enough lighting power to make a night game at the stadium seem like an afternoon game. There are bi-xenon dual headlights, four xenon upper-beam headlights and four foglights added in a package seemingly designed not to leave the driver in the dark at any point in time.

Appearing in these pages is Edo Competion’s take on the much-respected Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG. Edo chose not to modify the exterior too much, preferring to stick its guns into the firepower department instead. Therefore only the wheels are changed into black 19-inch lightweight alloys with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup high-performance tyres that measure 235/35 19 at the front and 265/30 19 at the rear. The interior can however be upgraded to the customer’s wishes by inserting such items as special leather upholstery and other unique trims.

Where much of the work was done is under the bonnet. The tuner made some ECU upgrades by recalibrating the unit. Other mods include a new high-performance exhaust system, exhaust headers, high-flow catalytic converters and new air filters. The 6.3-litre naturally aspirated V8 is kept in the same shape and size as it was out the AMG factory.

Since then power has been boosted from the standard 336kW (457hp) and 600Nm up to a more Edo Competition-acceptable 408kW (555hp) and 680Nm of torque. As a consequence the 0 – 100km/h dash time goes down to 4.3 seconds and the top speed is ungoverned to 320km/h.

Edo Competition has released a new performance package for the Ferrari Enzo.

Dubbed the XX, the package features a full engine makeover that includes new steel cylinders, pistons, camshafts, valve springs, and Titan connecting rods. The company also adds new oil cooling piston pipes, new exhaust manifolds, a sport air filter, an air-ram system, a high performance clutch, and a new oil pump.

Edo also equips the XX with a carbon-ceramic braking system, a carbon-fiber air intake, a new fuel cooling system, and black racing wheels with Michelin high performance tires. One of the more interesting changes is a stainless steel sport catalytic converter that features two different exhaust notes which are controlled via a dash-mounted switch.

Thanks to all these improvements, the Enzo XX produces an estimated 800 hp (588 kW) and 780 Nm of torque. Performance figures are expected to include a 0-100 km/h time of 3.2 seconds, a 0-300 km/h (0-186 mph) time of 19 seconds, and a top speed in excess of 380 km/h (236 mph).

A remaking of the Porsche Cayenne Turbo coming out of France. Yes, it’s definitely worth a look.

The Cayenne Turbo Balrog is the work of car stylist Jeremie Paret, former editor-in-chief of the French luxury tuning magazine Modify, who last year branched out into a new business to start Balrog’s Garage.

Their first offering is this body kit for the Cayenne Turbo, where onto that canvass, for starters, is added a new grill, a set of side lights as well as ‘angel eyes’ fog lights. Balrog provides a new bumper for the Cayenne, which also improves intercooler function and helps cool down the front brakes a little more too.

The wide fenders will help fit bigger wheels to the Cayenne Turbo while the large lips and side skirts provide for some extroversion of the styling. A rear spoiler and diffuser improve aerodynamics as well as looks.

One wonders what this costs. But this is luxury tuning.

Now the most styles bike maker this year is Yamaha motors that launched the YZF R15, the FZ 16 and the 2 variants of the Gladiator! yes yamaha is suprb plans more with 2 new bikes and a set of new scooters coming this year. Now rumours are spilling that one of the 2 new bikes Yamaha would be launching is the YZF R125.

The market for small bikes has been kept aside and interest for lifestyle bikes is expanding. This is proven by the sale of 93 bikes by Suzuki, 94 units by Yamaha in the Jan-Dec 2008 period. Mr. Atul Gupta, vice-president, marketing and sales Suzuki Motorcycle India said "We are regularly importing containers of our high-end bike Hayabusa and Intruder. Each container has up to 15 bikes and we are ordering new containers of bikes ever 1-2 months". He added that the company intends to sell 100 more high-end bikes costing up to Rs 12.5 lakh by the end of current fiscal.

RIEGER Tuning has unveiled new styling packages for the popular Opel Astra H and Opel Corsa D.

The Astra H is outfitted with a new front bumper, optional LED daytime running lights, aggressive side skirts, and a new rear bumper that boasts a sporty rear diffuser. Other styling tweaks include headlight masks, a sport exhaust system with four tailpipes, H&R lowering springs (which reduce ride height 30mm), and 19-inch Brock B21 alloy wheels.

While the Astra only looks “so-so”, the RIEGER Corsa D has far greater appeal thanks to its stylish front spoiler lip extensions and attractive side skirts. Out back, there is a modified rear bumper, a new rear diffuser, and a sport exhaust system with dual oval tailpipes. RIEGER also equipped the car with a KW coilover suspension kit and 19-inch Brock 17 RC white-polished alloy wheels.

Both styling kits are constructed from high-quality ABS plastic and are TÜV approved.