Fastest Selling Vehicles Based On Time On Lot

1. 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK350: 6 days
2. 2009 Nissan 370Z: 9 days
3. 2009 Toyota Venza: 20 days
4. 2009 Lexus LS 460: 21 days
5. 2009 Ford F-150 crew cab: 23 days
6. 2009 Toyota Highlander: 24 days
7. 2009 Honda Fit: 25 days
8. 2009 BMW X5: 26 days
9. 2009 Mercedes-Benz ML350: 27 days
10. 2009 Ford F-150 extended cab: 28 days

Despite a miserable economy, eroding consumer confidence, financing issues and lingering fears of another gas price spike, the best selling cars are all fairly expensive and skew towards crossovers (with the exception of the Fit), trucks, and SUVs. Not a single hybrid on the list. It's almost as if Americans prefer bigger cars that maybe don't get the best gas mileage. Holy Toledo! Stop the presses! Head over to Cars.com for the top ten biggest sales losers.

The Venza being on the hot list makes us silently weep for humanity.

The winner is the Pikes Peak Rally-inspired RENNtech GLK350 SPEC.R Hybrid. This is yet another salvo in the Tuner Wars, pitting BRABUS against RENNtech and giving another notch in the Florida-based, Pizza-break wielding tuner's belt. We think voters locked onto the GLK's wing, which actually came off of a helicopter. Now that's a junkyard find. Press release below.

RENNtech Wins Mercedes SEMA Tuner Build-Off
After an intense, 45-day build and grueling 30 days of campaigning for votes from friends, family, and total strangers, Mercedes-Benz announced that RENNTECH has won the MBUSA GLK tuner build-off!

The competition wasn't easy, with BLVD Customs' strong GLK "Urban Whip" roadster and Brabus' slick "Widestar" each swapping positions with RENNTECH for the lead throughout. At the end of the day, however, Mercedes acknowledged that RENNTECH's sweeping program of upgrades - which included extensive engine mods, software development, aerodynamic bodywork, suspension and brake upgrades, as well as converting the GLK to hybrid drive - pushed RENNTECH's GLK 350 Spec.R Pike's Peak rally racer "over the edge".

RENNTECH would like to thank all our friends and sponsors (listed, below), this build would not have been possible without you.

[Source: RENNtech]

About The Build With RENNTech's Jo A. Borras

The Rally racer is obviously a bit lighter than the standard GLK, and makes use of high-performance components, including long-tube headers, composite airbox/intake, and RENNtech's own ECU software. We've added larger RENNtech brakes and a redesigned performance suspension system to help the GLK attack corners. Additionally, the hybrid drive should give an additional torque boost at the kind of low-speeds a rally car might find on a tight, demanding course.

With the hybrid Rally car, we were trying to sharpen the car's reflexes and really give it a more aggressive, sporting look. Obviously this is not a car that is going to take on the unlimited class of 1000 hp cars, but it will be enough to be powerful and exciting - along the lines of a Subaru or Mitsubishi Evo - and it will accomplish that while being somewhat greener than the original version, which is the opposite of what people might expect.

The public will very likely see THIS car, as we're trying to organize a few exhibition drives within the Formula D series. Without actually doing the tests, anything we would tell you would be dreaming. We're confident of a sub 6-second 0-60, putting the car into similar territory with the other rally replicas out there.

Wheels are RENNtech's own lightweight 20" 3 pc. wheels in a matte finish - brakes are RENNtech's own recipe 16.2" front 2 pc. rotors with 8 piston calipers. Nitto is providing the tires. The rollcage will stiffen up the chassis to some degree, but the big change is the suspension itself, which has been replaced with a custom unit that allows adjustments in ride height, damping, camber, rake, etc.

Most of the modifications [to the exterior] were made to fit the larger wheels and widen the track. The front splitter and rear diffuser, as well as lower side skirts, a very functional aerodynamically, and help direct airflow underneath the GLK with the goal of reducing overall drag and improving aerodynamic downforce. With the interior, we have eliminated most of the sound insulation and replaced the heavy Mercedes-Benz seats with much lighter carbon/kevlar buckets, which helped save some weight. We also did a full rollcage.

Specs

RENNTECH GLK350 SPEC.R HYBRID

YEAR // MAKE // MODEL
- 2010 MERCEDES-BENZ GLK 350

EXTERIOR MODS
- RENNTECH BODY KIT INCLUDES
- FENDER FLARES
- SIDE SKIRTS
- FRONT SPLITTER w/ SIDEPLATES
- REAR DIFFUSER
- MULTI-ELEMENT REAR WING
- FUNCTIONAL SIDE INTAKES (BRAKES // BATTERY COOLING)
- 3M WRAP IN MATTE RED/BLACK

POWERTRAIN MODS
- RENNTECH ECU SOFTWARE UPGRADE
- RENNTECH LONG-TUBE EXHAUST HEADERS w/ 4" RESONATORS
- MERCEDES-BENZ SLK350 SPORT ENGINE UPGRADES
- INTAKE MANIFOLD
- CYLINDER HEADS
- CAMS
- 72V ELECTRIC-ASSIST MILD HYBRID DRIVE
- APPROX. 40 LB-FT @ 0 RPM (TO 45 MPH)
- x6 OPTIMA DEEP CYCLE 12v BATTERIES (Ni-Hi IN DEVELOPMENT)
- PLUG-IN CHARGING (REGENERATIVE CHARGING IN DEVELOPMENT)

CHASSIS // SUSPENSION MODS
- RENNTECH-SPEC. ADJUSTABLE SUSPENSION SYSTEM - BY KW
- RENNTECH 16.2" FRONT BRAKE ROTORS w/ 8 PISTON CALIPERS
- RENNTECH 14" REAR BRAKE ROTORS w/ 4 PISTON CALIPERS
- RENNTECH CARBON FIBER ADJUSTABLE STRUT TOWER BRACE
- RENNTECH STRUCTURAL CAGE w/ INTEGRATED REAR STRUT BRACE

INTERIOR MODS
- CARBON FIBER DOOR PANELS (CLUB-SPORT STYLE)
- CARBON FIBER DASH // CENTER CONSOLE
- FUNCTIONAL SWITCH CLUSTER
- INTEGRATED NET-GAIN TIMS HYBRID PROGRAMMING CENTER
- AMG STEERING WHEEL RIM w/ ALUMINUM SHIFT PADDLES
- INTEGRATED AiM MYCHRON4 DATA ACQUISITION SYSTEM
- CUSTOM "AIRBAG" CENTER SECTION
- x4 SEIBON CARBON/KEVLAR SEATS FRONT AND REAR
- SCHROTH RACING CAM-LOCK HARNESSES

WHEELS // TIRES
FRONT
- WHEELS 20" RENNTECH 3 PC 5 SPOKE PERFORMANCE WHEELS
- TIRES NITTO NT05 275/40 20
REAR
- WHEELS 20" RENNTECH 3 PC 5 SPOKE PERFORMANCE WHEELS
- TIRES NITTO NT05 315/35 20

[Source: RENNTech]