The crew from Heffner Performance is back and this time they are teasing us with an audio track from their latest creation, a twin turbo kit for the Audi R8. You ought to remember these fellows because the last time we talked about them the topic of conversation was a 1005 HP Gallardo, so this boosted R8 is sure to impress.
Even though the twin turbo kit for the Audi will only net you about half the horse power as the Gallardo we previously mentioned, it is more than an adequate alternative to trading in your R8 for the new V10 model. However just being able to admire that beautiful pipe work every morning might be reason enough to upgrade. According to the folks at Heffner; "As of now the car is running on 6 psi and a 11.8 to 1 AFR and probably has a little more ignition timing removed than necessary to be on the safe side for now. This set up has given us a result of 536 RWHP. This is a 183 RWHP gain (more than a 50% increase) over what the car had when it came in with a Stasis exhaust and Revotech ecu tune. We will also be doing a 100 octane program that we expect to get near 600 RWHP which should put this car solidly in the high 10 second quarter mile range."
Teaser video after the jump.
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Inspired by the success turbo-charging had on the Formula 1 competitions, Ferrari decided to adopt it on road-cars and in 1982 they revealed the 208 GTB Turbo, a model created specially for the Italian market. It remained into production until 1985 with 437 units produced.
Ferrari also needed a car with small displacement in order to avoid huge taxes at the moment. As a result the 328 was built in order to redress the power difference between the 2 litre and 3 litre engines, without increasing the tax burden on the client.
As usual the man behind the car’s look was Pininfarina who adopted a very small body with a deep front spoiler with a row of five horizontal cooling slots just below the radiator grille and the front lid featured a row of satin black finished louvres to increase airflow through the radiator, due to the higher temperatures created by the turbocharging of the engine.
On the lower body sides just in front of each rear wheel arch there was a NACA duct, and a spoiler was fitted to the rear of the roof between the buttresses that ran into the rear wings. The tail of the car featured a badge proclaiming “Turbo” and the twin paired exhaust pipes were within shrouds. Pirelli P 7 tyres on 16” rims were available as an option to the standard metric Michelin TRX tyres.
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Avus Performance revealed the Mitsubishi Evo IX Blue Demon - a new racing car with no less than 650 hp. The aerodynamic kit includes: a Voltex body kit, carbon fiber doors and mirrors casings and Lexan windows.
Under the hood there is a 2,27 liter 2.3RR engine that with a little modifications made to the ECU, a turbo system, intercooler and a new cooling system now delivers 650 hp. The car also features a Brembo Monobloc GT front and rear brake kit, an upgraded suspension, Forgeline EV3 18x9.5 rims and Hankook Ventus competition tires.
Video after the jump.
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Florida Intenational Univerity’s Wolfsonian art museum kicked off their Very Wolfsonian Weekend Celebrating Car Culture with Cocktails Among the Motor Cars at the Creative Workshop in Dania Beach Florida. After stepping inside what looked like an old wooden barn, it was hard not to feel like a kid in a candy store, although what we were smelling was patina instead of sweets. Now being the gear heads that we are, any time spent inside of a shop is a special occasion but when there is a catering staff toting hors d’oeuvres and all the cars are lined up and polished to perfection (for the most part) you know that you are in for a real treat. The Creative Workshop is a high end antique car restoration and one off coach building specialists that are eager to combine the vintage lines of classic designs with the practicality and performance of today’s technology. The venue was filled with classic automobiles in all steps of restoration, showing off the Creative Workshops ability to breath new life into old cars with perfection.
It is hard to imagine that this place is a working shop when not hosting classic car themed cocktail parties; the setting was just too perfect. Hiding behind the rows of automotive icons you could spot the mills and band saws that made all this possible. It might have just been a happy coincidence, but somehow a few leafs found their way onto the bare metal floor pan of what will soon become a bio diesel burning Mercedes Benz cabriolet powered by a VW sourced V10. There was a cherry red Ferrari Daytona that had a little mishap and required some minor metal work on each of the front fenders. One particular favorite was a period correct rat rod that was made from nothing but metal, aside from the flat rear rubbers. In the display room were a pair of pristine Jaguar E Types, but it was outside that we would find out what made this wooden structure so famous, a hand formed Ferrari Testarossa inspired roadster powered by a BMW V12 called the Sport Speciale. We would like to thank the Creative Workshop for opening its door and having us over for some sliders and sultry rides, tonight’s Very Wolfsonian Weekend activities include a chat with the man who redesigned BMW, Chris Bangle.
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The sport compact segment is about to get a new member very soon. The Malaysian classic coach builder Bufori is is set to release a new member of its family. The CS, which stands for "Compact Sports", is a purist and powerful sports coupe in every sense of the word. The new car will be powered by a 2.0 Liter turbocharged four cylinder engine and will be made up of a lightweight composite body. The artisans from Kuala Lumpur offer their typical level of classic luxury craftsmanship, with a superb attention to quality and fine details. The Bufori CS is expected to be launched in Malaysia at the beginning of 2010 with more details to be revealed towards the end of the year.
The design of the Bufori CS is modern, boasting elegant flowing lines and a set of subtly pronounced fenders. Other motorists will admire the four circular LED tail lights that give the CS an additional sporty attitude as you zoom by them on the highway. The Bufori CS’s body is made of Carbon Fiber & Kevlar for its light weight and incredible strength wrapped around a tubular space frame chassis. The suspension features unequal upper and lower control arms and fully adjustable coil over shocks to let the owner dial in the ride however they see fit. All we have to say is that this looks like an upscale Hyundai Genesis Coupe from a neighboring South East Asian country, things could get interesting.
TechArt has presented a new tuning program for the new Porsche 911 Carrera 4S. The tuner modified both the car’s dynamics and performances. Thanks to a new "Racing" flap-controlled exhaust system and new engine electronics the Carrera 4S delivers with 35 hp more, to a total of 420 hp.
The aerodynamic kit includes a front spoiler, side skirts, a roof spoiler and three versions of rear wings, back pressure air vents, an adjustable spoiler lip, decorative trims for the exterior mirrors – made from carbon fiber painted in the requested color and 19 or 20 inch five-spoke wheels.
On the interior the tuner added leather, a three-spoke airbag sports steering wheels, aluminum pedals and trim strips.
Press release after the jump.
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After months of "to be or not to be" it’s finally official: the Lotus Esprit will indeed have a successor. Lotus seven year product plan key reveal that the new Esprit will be revealed in 2012, but will carry a different name.
The company is aiming at a power-to-weight ratio of between 275bhp and 325bhp per tonne, meaning that the future Esprit will can easily compete with most of the German sports cars.
According to a Lotus insider the next Esprit will be "the ultimate expression of the brand." It will be a third model tier with the four-cylinder Elise/ Exige and Europa as the first tier and the Evora V6 as the second tier.
Also the same insider reveal that the Evora’s Versatile Vehicle Architecture (VVA) can be adapted to create almost any type of vehicle, from a sports car to an SUV.
In 1982 at the Paris Salon Ferrari replaced the 308 GTBi with the 308 GTB Quattrovalvole. The car remained into production until 1985, with 748 examples produced, in both right and left hand drive versions. Alsoo, all US market examples were fitted with catalytic convertors.
The Quattrovalvole part of the model name referred to the four valves per cylinder heads on the engine, which provided increased power over the preceding model.
The Ferrari 308 GTB Quattrovalvole was very similar to the outgoing one, but could be recognised by the addition of a slim louvre panel in the front lid to aid radiator exhaust air exit, paired electrically operated door mirrors with a small enamel Ferrari badge on the shell, a revised radiator grille with rectangular driving lights at the extremities, and rectangular (instead of round) side repeater lights.
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The new and improved V10 powered Audi R8 5.2 Liter FSI delivers a maximum output of 525 HP straight from the factory, and even though the ten cylinder engine shares almost all of its architecture with the more exotic Lamborghini Gallardo LP-560, the Italina super car puts out a total of 550 HP. However owners need not worry, because for a few extra Euro they can upgrade the brains of their R8 thanks to the German tuning firm MTM no matter whether they enjoy fixed roof motoring or enjoy their four ring super car with the wind in their hair.
For only 6000 Euros MTM will tune the V10 to deliver an additional 63 HP, bringing the total up to 588 HP, well above the Lambo. The added performance brings the standard car’s 3.9 second 0 to 60 MPH time down by 0.1 seconds and increases the mid engine super car’s top speed to 201 MPH. If you have some more money to burn then you might want to spring for the free flowing stainless steel exhaust system, upgraded Brembo brakes and a shiny new set of wheels to celebrate you car’s newfound performance.
If purchasing your own 2010 Jaguar XKR or XFR isn’t enough, Jaguar is giving these lucky buyers an added bonus: the chance to test their driving skills at the recently launched R Performance Academy at the Homestead Miami Speedway.
The circuit, which stretches over 2.2 miles long comes with 14 challenging turns to give a real simulated challenge to drivers who are taking home their own Jaguars. You’ll be given a course on how to maximize your new car including the art of maximum acceleration, braking, and cornering. In addition to that, the R Academy will also provide you with a driving experience unlike anything you’ve ever been a part of.
And as if exploring the limits of your new R vehicle isn’t enough, you will also get a first-hand tutorial from some of the world’s premier driving coaches as they teach you the finer points of your new R vehicle, including the car’s safety benefits that are triggered by various system settings – even when the car is turned off.
The academy begins on December 1 and its safe to say that those who are interested in purchasing a new Jaguar R vehicle now have more reasons to do so.
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