German Car Scene

Month: October 2012

  • BMW 3 Series Touring by AC Schnitzer


    AC Schnitzer has released its ACS3 program for the new BMW 3 Series Touring model.

    Visually, the popular Estate wears a subtle aero package consisting of a spoiler and chrome grille insert for the front bumper, a roof spoiler and a rear skirt. A sport spring kit lowers the car by 20 mm, while a range of alloys in sizes from 18 to 20-inches complete the aesthetics, including the Type IV rims in silver, two-tone Type IV BiColor and Type VIII BiColor in black or silver,

    On the inside, AC Schnitzer can supply owners with AC a sports steering wheel, velour floor mats, ‘Black Line’ aluminium iDrive cover, an aluminium pedal set and interesting gearknob complete with digital gear readout.

    Performance upgrade options for the diesel-engined cars see output from the 318d rise from 107 kW (143 hp) to 128 kW (171 hp) and the 320d from 137 kW (184 hp) to 163 kW (218 hp), while petrolheads are catered for with the 328i model jumping from 183 kW (245 hp) to 219 kW (294 hp) and the 335i going from 228 kW (306 hp) to 268 kW (360 hp).
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  • Walter Rohrl testing the Porsche 918 Spyder


    Here’s a new piece of footage from German motoring magazine Auto Zeitung featuring the Porsche 918 Spyder during testing at the Nurburgring. Behind the wheel of this 574 kW (770 hp), 325 km/h (202 mph) plug-in hybrid hypercar is none other than the legendary Walter Rohrl, who gives his verdict on the car. In German.
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  • CLP MR 600 GT-S


    Georgensgmünd-based CLP Performance has developed a new CLP MR 600 GT-S program to freshen up BMW’s older generation (E63) 6 Series model.

    Suitable for both the Coupe and Cabriolet versions, CLP’s aero package consists of an M3-style front apron with spoiler lip, vented side skirts, a totally restyled replacement boot lid and rear skirt with integrated diffuser.

    Completing the look is a set of three-piece Blue Hope wheels from Diamond, which measure 9.5 and 11.5 x 20-inches and feature stainless steel rims.
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  • Porsche 991 Carrera 4 previewed by TopCar


    Russian styling specialist TopCar has released these preview images of its wide-track body program for the new Porsche 991 Carrera 4/4S models.

    Constructed from a mixture of vacuum-formed carbon fibre and Kevlar, the aero package consisting of a replacement hood, front bumper and spoiler lip, side skirts, rear wing, rear bumper with diffuser insert and a quartet of wheel arch extensions that remind us of the recently announced Kahn offering.

    The conversion also includes a set of ultra-light ADV.1 forged wheels, while TopCar’s performance upgrades are handled by the company’s official partner, 9ff.

    Due to make its official debut at next year’s Top Marques Monaco Show (April 18 to 21), TopCar is promising a similar option for the 991 Turbo soon after its release.
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  • BMW X1 Powder Ride Edition and Concept K2 Powder Ride


    BMW has released details of its X1 Powder Ride Edition and Concept K2 Powder Ride just ahead of winter.

    The X1 Powder Ride Edition has been jointly developed with winter sports equipment specialist K2, and features X-shaped graphics, satin aluminium roof rails, a 460 roof box, exclusive K2 LTD Powder Ride skis, and a ski and snowboard bag sporting bag. Other equipment includes the BMW xLine package, which consists of matte Glacier Silver exterior elements, sill plates and special 18-inch alloy wheels. Moving inside, there’s a multi-function leather steering wheel, all-weather mats for the floor and luggage compartment, dark copper trim sections and upholstery finished in a mixture of leather and fabric. Available in both xDrive28i and xDrive35i guises, the X1 Powder Rider Edition hits American dealerships in November.

    Due to make its official début in Los Angeles next month, the Concept K2 Powder Ride is the result of a three-year partnership between BMW and K2. Visually, this special SUV stands 18 mm taller than standard and wears Valencia Orange paintwork with fox graphics, 19-inch Ferric Grey alloy wheels, matte black window surrounds and roof rails, and Ferric Grey sill plates and lower bumper sections. The milled aluminium roof structure incorporates three LED spotlights, two luggage boxes, a ski carrier and a Harman Kardon sound system which uses a Class D 2 x 550-watt amplifier to drive a pair of two-way loudspeakers, a 500-watt subwoofer and microphone.

    The interior is trimmed in black Nappa leather with orange stitching, Fineline Bay wood trim strips, black floor mats with orange accents and K2’s logo on the dashboard.
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  • Underground Racing builds 8 second Gallardo Superleggera


    Unless you’re a goldfish, or have suffered a serious head trauma in the last week, you will remember Heffner’s 8 second Gallardo video. Well, as you can imagine, the lunatics at Underground Racing were never going to let the Sarasota company enjoy the limelight for long. The Charlotte-based tuning specialist has revealed this video of the 1,750+ WHP machine in action on the drag strip, posting a time of 8.36 seconds at 181 mph.

    Apart from a pair of turbochargers, the Superleggera features motec software, an RPS carbon clutch, a billet race differential, ‘Quiet’ helix billet gear set and 18-inch HRE wheels wrapped in Hoosier 335/30 drag radials.

    Underground Racing has promised that it will be returning to the track, very soon, armed with its bi-turbo Aventador. Gulp.
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