The Audi A7 Sportback was unveiled in 2010 and since then, it hasn’t really been picked up by many tuners. In the cases where a tuning company - like MTM and Senner Tuning - has taken a chance at the A7, the power upgrades for the model haven’t exactly been as breathtaking as the recent package conceived by B&B.
The B&B tuning package is based on the 3.0-liter V6 TFSI version of the Audi A7 and includes three different engine stages. In Stage One, the V6 engine is tuned to deliver 380 HP and361 lb-ft of torque, while Stage Two takes the standard 296 HP and 325 lb-ft of torque up to 402 HP and 383 lb-ft of torque. Anyone wanting to pack a bigger punch can opt for Stage Three which includes a high-flow air filter, an optimized intercooler, and a sport exhaust system that will increase the engine power to 419 HP and 398 lb-ft of torque.
With the Audi A7’s new-found power, B&B probably didn’t feel the need to jazz up the exterior or interior. The only additions they made, aside from the engine upgrades, are front fender vents, a lowered suspension, and a new set of 19" to 21" inch alloy wheels.
Jay Leno may be losing his touch. The Fisker Karma made its debut a few months ago and the car has only now made it into the late night talk show host’s garage for inspection. Of course, they could have been waiting for all of their ducks to be in a row, considering the vehicle showed up with the founder of the company — and former Aston Martin designer - Henrik Fisker.
The video is 20 minutes long and in it, Fisker explains the technology behind this impressive hybrid sedan in detail, as well as talks about the story behind this $95,900 luxury sedan.
Refresher: The Fisker Karma is a plug-in hybrid that uses a lithium-ion battery pack to power two 200+ hp electric motors for about 50 miles. Fisker says the Karma achieves the 0 to 60 mph sprint in less than 6 seconds and can hit a top speed of more than 125 mph.
We’ve seen a lot of tuning programs over the past couple of years, but one thing that has remained a constant is how impressed we are with Wald International’s Black Bison tuning program.
After similar programs were given to the BMW 5-Series, the Mercedes S63 AMG, and the Jaguar XJ, Wald International is setting its sights on another German luxury sports car: the Porsche Panamera S.
Wald International’s Black Bison program for the Panamera S comes with a comprehensive list of aerodynamic components, including a new carbon fiber aero kit with a new front fascia and sculpted air intakes, front fender air vents, a rear diffuser, a boot lid spoiler, and rocker panels. Matching the cool style of the Black Bison aero kit, Wald International also lowered the car’s suspension and fitted the Panamera S with a new set of two-tone, five-spoke lightweight alloy rims with the firm’s signature custom tail pipes.
Performance upgrades have been left out of the program, but you can still expect the Panamera S and its 4.8-liter V8 engine to produce a stout 400 horsepower and 369 lb/ft of torque to go with its 0-60 mph time of 5.2 seconds a top speed of 175 mph.
The next generation BMW X5 was just caught testing for the first time a few days ago, but once the beast is let out of its cage, there’s no way it’s going back. Unfortunately, this round of testing still has the future X5 under extreme camouflage, but a few new details were still let out.
The next X5 is rumored to make its world debut in 2014 at the Detroit Auto Show and, like most of SUVs, will come forward with an improved fuel consumption and a reduction in weight of about 330 lbs. BMW will be achieving this with the use of all their latest technology.
A first for the X5 will be the availability of two new four-cylinder engines, but the most powerful version will still be powered by its usual 4.4 liter V8 engine. The only difference is that the V8 engine will feature improved figures and an improved fuel economy. A plug-in hybrid version has also been rumored.
More details will be unveiled in the coming months, so stay tuned!
Just about every other model in Porsche’s lineup is about to enter a new generation, but the spanking new Panamera isn’t in need of such dramatic changes. Not one to leave any vehicle out in the cold, though, Porsche has decided to provide the sports sedan with a few fresh changes for the 2013 model year.
New spy shots of the spruced up Panamera show that the car is almost completely stripped of its camouflage and high-tailing through some snow during winter testing. The Panamera facelift reveals slightly modified headlights and a new bumper for the front of the vehicle, as well as a revised bumper and new graphics for the lights in the rear.
Other than that, it looks like the Panamera will be largely unchanged. The sports sedan will still be powered by a choice of either the 3.6-liter V6 engine or the 4.8 liter V8 engine, but both may see some adjustments to improve on fuel economy.
