This isn’t exactly a new car, but that didn’t stop Frederick Huldt recently getting behind the wheel of BMW’s hardcore M3 GTS model for Sweden’s Auto Motor & Sport. Thanks to its 450 hp 4.4 L eight-cylinder powerplant, the lightweight Coupé accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in a mere 4.4 seconds and can reach 305 km/h (189 mph). (more…)
Month: January 2012
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Auto Motor & Sport thrash the BMW M3 GTS
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Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 production: part one
Here’s part one of a new video series from Mercedes-Benz, which offers an exclusive insight into the construction of its stunning SLS AMG GT3.‘The Marriage’ sees the car raised up as a bare bodyshell, before receiving its wiring loom and drivetrain. The 6.2 L eight-cylinder unit transfers its power through a six-speed racing transmission, which features an integrated multi-disc locking differential. A dry sump lubrication system allows the engine to be mounted as low as possible within the car’s bay. That massive carbon intake is pure porn! (more…)
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Widebody Porsche Panamera by Kahn
The guys from Kahn Design decided that Porsche’s rolling whale, the Panamera, simply didn’t possess enough girth, so saw it upon themselves to create a widebody program for it.The kit consists of four, vented arch extensions along with accompanying corner pieces for the bumpers, a roof-level tailgate spoiler and lower wing. Other touches include a stainless steel exhaust system with crosshair exhaust tips, billet aluminum side vents, vertical LED daytime running lights, rear bumper air dam section, tinted tail-light lenses and red brake calipers. A lowered suspension kit provides the desired drop, while those 22-inch diameter wheels are Kahn’s own RS600 items, finished in Carbon Grey.
This 3.6 L V6 car, complete with perforated red leather upholstery finished with quilted stitching, is available to buy for £ 86,875 (€ 103,980).
[Source: Kahn Design]
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Opel high performance seats to debut in Astra OPC
Opel’s Astra OPC model will be the company’s first car to benefit from its new high performance seats.OPC (Opel Performance Centre) engineers use an organic injection molded sheet to construct the seat’s shell, which returns a 45 percent saving in weight compared to conventional shells. The sheet is then filled with a composite material of fibre glass and polyamide. The end result is a material so strong that it only needs to be 2 mm in thickness.
The new seat sits 17 mm lower than in the Astra GTC and 40 mm lower than the regular Astra, and also features 18 different settings, including cushion length extension, four-way lumbar support adjustment, and adjustable side bolster support in the back and seat cushion. Additionally, pneumatic cushions are available for the seat’s flanks, allowing the driver and passenger to receive maximum support at the touch of a button.
The seats can be specified in a choice of three different leather, fabric and colour combinations.
[Source: Opel]
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Air suspension lowering module by Vogtland
Hagen-based suspension specialist Vogtland Autosport has developed a lowering module to suit vehicles equipped with air suspension.Available for Audi’s ‘adaptive air suspension’, the ‘Porsche Active Suspension Management’ (PASM) on the Panamera and Cayenne, and the ‘AIRMATIC’ or optional ‘Active Body Control’ (ABC) suspension set-ups seen on Mercedes-Benz models, the system uses a vehicle-specific plug to connect to the steering electronics of the on-board power supply.
Once fitted, the suspension is controlled by the driver via an on-board menu, with a 40 mm reduction in ride height possible.
[Source: Vogtland]
