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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. More »
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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. More »
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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] More »
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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? More »
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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. More »
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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 More »
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