Jalopnik: tuning

Amuse Squeezes 600 HP From Nissan GT-R

Mark Arnold — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 15:20:00 EDT

If you thought the HKS GT570 was a bit underpowered, this Amuse-tuned Nissan GT-R should satisfy. It's cranking out 602 HP at 6500 RPM and 571 lb-ft of torque at 5300 RPM. That's enough grunt to warrant the addition of boy-racer bits like a huge rear wing, fat lip spoiler, stiffer height-adjustable springs and carbon-kevlar Recaro seats. But, despite the extra flair, the Amuse GT-R weighs in at 100lbs less than the standard car. Parts should be officially arriving in the US early next year, but for now you can check out a clip of the Amuse GT-R ripping up Tsukuba (back when the car was only making 582 HP) from Best Motoring after the jump.

[via Autoweek]

Unmoddable GT-R ECU Cracked, Bye-Bye Speed Limiter

Travis Hudson — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 14:45:00 EDT

Remember the ECU in the Godzilla-like 2009 Nissan GT-R? Yeah, it was supposedly uncrackable and unmoddable and we'd been told would even brick the car if tampered with. That's apparently not the case for at least one set of Japanese tuners who've cracked the JDM version of the new Nissan GT-R's already infamous ECU and removed that nasty 112 mph speed limiter.

That 112mph limiter was imposed on the JDM version by the ECU whenever the GPS sensed the GT-R wasn't on a racetrack. The team that cracked the ECU will continue to tweak the system until the GT-R is officially released in the United States and will have documentation ready to present to tuners happy to remove the speed limiter and otherwise tune their new Godzilla toys. Better luck next time, Nissan. [COBB]

Mugen Makes Fit Fitter

Wes Siler — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 12:30:00 EDT

The new Fit's just been revealed, but Mugen have already had time to tweak it. Featuring the usual assortment of GRP body addenda, annoying exhausts and big wheels, the official Honda tuning partner has also added useful features like upgraded suspension and brakes and a short throw shifter. The Fit's possibly our favorite small car so the idea of speccing the performance upgrades without the visual silliness really appeals to us. [Via Carscoop]

Some Motorcycle With That Starlet?

Mike Bumbeck — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 12:30:00 EDT

My Starlet was recently selected at random by the punch card driven vacuum tube powered California DMV computer for a yearly smog chek. The usual routine is every two years. The 1300cc engine passed after three trips to the rollers and countless hours of rebuilding and tuning the inherently evil downdraft Aisin carburetor. The solution was to build a 16.5 degree measuring template out of cardboard to achieve required stop angle on the size-of-a-dime main throttle blade. The final solution may be something else entirely. Some enterprising hoon on the KP61.net forum has planted the idea of transplanting a row of sidedraft motorcycle carbies in place of the downdraft stocker. All that's required is an electric fuel pump, hand crafted intake adapter, jetting, some tuning, linkage fabrication, and so on. Easy, right?
[Thanks to Matt from Grimsby for the tip]

Brabus to Celebrate 30 Tuning Years in Frankfurt

Mike Spinelli — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 05:17:11 EDT

The candles on its cake will likely be shaped like cams, but the present will be unwrapped at the Frankfurt show. Mercedes tuner Brabus says it'll celebrate 30 years of messing with Mercedes models, rolling out what it's calling an automotive "wolf in sheep's clothing" at the Frankfurt auto show this September. A sleeper Merc with a volcano under the hood? We're guessing it's some kind of 700-hp C-Class with enough torque to pull the USS Nimitz into dry dock.

Press Release:

BRABUS Celebrates Its 30th Anniversary at IAA 2007

World Debut of a True "Wolf in Sheep's Clothing" and Launch of the Redesigned BRABUS Website

Bodo Buschmann founded BRABUS back in 1977. On occasion of its 30th anniversary BRABUS presents an automotive 'wolf in sheep's clothing" at the Frankfurt International Auto Show IAA 2007 that will redefine this fascinating vehicle segment. The debut will be accompanied by the launch of the newly designed BRABUS website at www.brabus.com.

BRABUS is the world's largest independent automobile tuner and is considered a car manufacturer by the German Federal Motor Vehicle Registration Agency (Kraftfahrtbundesamt). The BRABUS tradition of building legendary special models is as long as it is successful. What started back in 1984 with a Mercedes 190 equipped with a V8 engine, led eventually to the BRABUS E V12 that in 1996 set a new world record for fastest street-legal sedan in the Guinness Book of World Records with a top speed of 330 km/h (205 mph). Today that same record is held by the BRABUS ROCKET with a top speed of 365.7 km/h (227.2 mph).

The idea of dropping an immensely powerful engine into the engine bay of a sedan with almost indiscernible exterior modifications now reaches its latest pinnacle with the debut of a new 'wolf in sheep's clothing.' The latest BRABUS special model based on a Mercedes-Benz vehicle delivers performance that only a very few of the world's super sports cars can match.

Since 1997 some ten million auto enthusiasts have visited the continually updated BRABUS website. Now a completely redesigned website goes online at www.brabus.com.

Users can find loads of interesting information on BRABUS, its 30-year history and the extensive BRABUS product lineup. But that's not all: An interactive virtual tour also offers glimpses behind the scenes of the dream factory in Bottrop.

The BRABUS Art Club is another new feature of the online presence of BRABUS. For the inauguration the club will feature a photo editing contest. Online visitors can choose from various BRABUS models and then render these models in scenery they can design. An international jury will select the best of these art works that will be presented on the new BRABUS website and elsewhere. There are also a number of attractive prizes.

A pit stop that allows interested visitors to virtually mount any available BRABUS wheel on the latest Mercedes models of their choice is also part of the site as are downloads of the various BRABUS sales literature and the latest selection of available BRABUS complete vehicles.

R Gang: Volvo Announces New Upgrade Package

Mike Spinelli — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 12:25:36 EDT

Looks like if you want serious Swedish muscle, you'll have to contract with powerlifter Magnus Önerud. Volvo released details on its new R Design package and there's not a single performance upgrade in sight. Not that we'd expected anything, considering the company's abandoned its S60 R and V70 R models. It's all cosmetics, like satin matte-finish grille ad side mirrors; color-coordinated bumpers and lower side moldings; rear or roof spoilers, and five-spoke aluminum wheels in 17- or 18-inch outside, and blackish seats with contrasting cream-colored leather, leather-trimmed steering wheel with R-design logo, aluminum pedals, center stack and door inlays, and tufted dark sport floor mats on the inside. It'll be available by year's end on the C30, S40 and V50 models in Europe. – Mike Spinelli

Press Release:

Spice up your Volvo with R-design - the choice for a refined taste

Volvo Cars is now introducing R-design - an exclusive factory-fitted options package for customers who want a car with refined attributes.

R-design will initially be available on the Volvo C30, Volvo S40 and Volvo V50 as of autumn 2007.

"The possibility of tailoring one's car to suit personal tastes is becoming increasingly important to car buyers today. R-design has been developed for buyers who want a refined and sporty look for their cars," says Gerry Keaney, Senior Vice President, Marketing, Sales and Customer Service at Volvo Cars.

Customers can choose between 10 exterior colours, and the R-design badge in the grille is accompanied by a range of specially designed exterior and interior details.

Exterior features include a satin matt-finish grille, colour co-ordinated bumpers and lower side mouldings, rear or roof spoiler, satin matt-finish door mirror caps and five-spoke aluminium wheels (17 inches, 18 inches available as option). There is also a decotrim on the tailgate of the C30 and V50.

Contrasting seats

Inside the car there are seats in off-black Vulcaflex with the seat cushion and backrest in contrasting cream-coloured leather. The R-design logo embossed on the backrest and the contrasting stitching reinforce the seats' sporty appearance.

Other R-design interior details include the leather-trim steering wheel with its R-design logo, the unique combi instrument, aluminium pedals, specially designed aluminium centre stack and door inlays, gear selector with aluminium inlay and tufted dark sport floor mats with contrasting light leather seams.

A selection of R-design features will also be available as accessories.

Emotional and extrovert

"R-design is entirely in line with the accelerated focus on making our cars more extrovert and emotional. It gives the buyers the opportunity to spice up the already distinct personality of these car models," says Steve Mattin, Senior Vice President and Design Director at Volvo Cars..

Related:
Volvo to Call Cosmetic Package R-Design [internal]