Sunday, September 30, 2012
the Bob Nowicke Special, offy powered
Coolest car I saw this weekend, was at the 4th annual Crower Annual Open House and car show
The Reliant Scimitar GTE isn't my perfect car, but it's close
EARLIER this week I thought about launching a Champion competition for our artier readers. Because, if not one of the world’s car companies could come up with my ideal motor, maybe they could.
No, really. There have been hundreds of different cars over the years and while some of them have got tantalisingly close, not one of them satisfies all the strict criteria the ultimate Life On Cars machine would have.
The particular blend of poise, style and practicality I’m looking for brings me past the hot hatch, the coupe and the roadster to the three-door estate, a curious breed of car not made in any meaningful numbers since Ford and Vauxhall dropped theirs two decades ago. Shooting brakes, as they’re known, blend a sporty set up, a low profile, four genuinely useable seats and a room for a set of drawers in the same package – if you’re familiar with the Reliant Scimitar GTE (pictured above), you’ll know what I mean.
But the Reliant’s got classic car build quality and the ultimate Life On Cars classic – call it the Simister GT, perhaps, shouldn’t. It should be as cheap and easy to run as a Ford Focus, and as well screwed together. It should be roomy and comfy enough to take four mates and their bags to the wilds of Wales, and light and delicately-balanced enough to be a laugh when you get there. Crucially, it should be light, because then its tiny engine could give you plenty of full-throttle kicks when you’re up for a laugh, and upwards of 35mpg when you don’t.
It should also, because an MGB and an MX-5 have indoctrinated me in the virtues of al fresco driving, be equipped with some sort of opening roof system, perhaps a clever Targa system like the sort Porsche uses, or a canvas Webasto job like the one fitted to my MGB GT. It should also, even though it’s an estate, look good enough to eat. If Alfa Romeo can make a five-door estate look like the automotive equivalent of Heidi Klum, then a three-door should be even more of a visual treat.
Essentially, motoring’s equivalent of Jamie Oliver will have to take the basic concept of the Reliant Scimitar, throw in the best bits of a Mazda MX-5, Ford Focus, Porsche 911 Targa, and the Alfa 156 Sportwagon, and leave to simmer. Oh, and throw on the style of the original Range Rover, the feel and handling of the old Mini and the unruffled refinement of a Jag XJ6 for added flavour.
The closest anyone’s ever come to this mouthwatering bit of kit, I reckon, is the Lynx Eventer, an estate version of the Jaguar XJ-S (pictured below) which managed the almost impossible achievement of being better looking than the coupe it was based on. I would, if the Champion Euromillions syndicate ever comes good, love to have one in my dream garage, but I still reckon it’d be too big, too thirsty and too unreliable to make the perfect Life On Cars machine.
Maybe it’s just too tall an order...
Audi S5 facelift by Senner Tuning
Senner has unveiled their new tuning program for the facelifted Audi S5. Looking tastefully restrained, the model features an adjustable coilover suspension and 20-inch alloy wheels. There's also a flat-bottom steering wheel, a carbon fiber-wrapped instrument panel and exclusive badging.
Power comes from a supercharged 3.0-liter V6 engine which has been equipped with a revised ECU, a high-flow air filter and a stainless steel sports exhaust system. Thanks to these modifications, it develops 377 PS (277 kW / 372 hp) and 500 Nm (369 lb-ft) of torque - an increase of 44 PS (32 kW / 43 hp) and 60 Nm (44 lb-ft). All told, the model costs €79,900 which includes €12,900 worth of upgrades.
Press release:
Not long ago the newly tuned Audi S5 Coupé was running through the streets with 3.0 V6 TFSI, which was installed for the first time and already now the company SENNER has adopted the modifications in optics and mechanics by THE Audi Tuner from the city of Rheinhessen. The model S5, which was presented in 2012 in Ingelheim, has almost no round parts in its design. If compared to its civil brother A5, the accent is set here by modified bumpers, radiator grill, aluminum optics of the door mirror and the four-pipe exhaust system.
The specialists of the leading Benno Senner by SENNER Tuning AG, Ingelheim set a task to give the Facelift-S5 a wilder temperament. Better performance including the lifting of throttling of the maximal speed and also the installation of a power converter and performance sport air filters enable the engine to work at 277 kW 377 hp and 500 Nm torque, which emissions come out through stainless steel sport car exhaust system with 100-mm race-looking end pipes.
The ibis-white colored S5 has front and back part of the car body tuned with new front and back lights and also LED lights to make the signs noticeable in the dark. The middle disks and 8,5x20 inch outwardly pushed wheel-tyres combination from the series of Corniche Challenge wheels (with the red Undercut Trim) and Vredestein Wintrac Extreme 245/30R2090W winter set of tyres (speed index W = up to 270 km/h) support the Variant 3 Inox Line-KW coilovers with an individually adjustable height, rebound and pressure level.
The interior doesn't go without mentioning, and we state from the first glance: a flattened Audi R8 steering wheel with shift paddles and carbon speedometer panel set strike the observer's eyes. And all passengers with the exception only for the driver have an unlimited access to DVDs during the trip. Among other things, the Senner Tuning offers an exclusive Supercharged Emblem - wholly made of carbon and strongly limited! Other development stages are still in the process now but the information about them will be published soon.
Original price of the vehicle including optional equipment and tuning amounts to € 79.900. The tuning measures alone 12.900 €
Volkswagen Golf VI GTI by CFC StylingStation
It's an inevitable trend as we see more graphics companies specializing in custom car exterior vinyl foils turning into all out tuning shops. Undoubtedly, in interacting with their customers, the proprietors of these firms are recognizing the need to be a one-stop-shop for all of their customer's needs but without charging the heavily stuffed footballer prices.
German company CFC StylingStation is one of those small businesses who specializes in custom car exterior vinyl foils but has branched out. Now the firm from the city of Neuss on the left bank of the Rhine river wants to showcase its tuning chops with the Volkswagen Golf VI GTI.
To start, CFC has added to the body a Kerscher front bumper carbon-lip spoiler and 2.5cm widened fenders (together cost 800 euro), side sills, rear diffuser, mirror caps and engine cover all in carbon-fiber by Black-Gold-Design (set costs 1,200 euro).
The chassis is distinguished by two different wheel designs: pink ASA GT1 8.5x19 inch wheels on the one side and red ASA GT3 wheels in the same size on the other. Tires are Hankook EvoS1 225/35R19 (each wheel set costs 2,400 euro). The front wheel hubs receive Eibach spacers while the rear gets 5mm H&R wheel disks. APX AP coilovers (779 euro) in combination with H&R stabilizers ensure increased driving dynamics. The TÜV certified braking system (949 euro) includes 4-piston calipers, carbon-steel two-piece grooved brake discs and also an ultra light floating aluminum hub.
Under the hood CFC taps MR Car Design's turbo upgrade kit (2,200 euro) which includes downpipe and black tail pipe. Power is increased from 210 PS (155 kW / 207 hp) to a Golf R worthy 270 PS (199kW / 266 hp) and 400 Nm of torque.
And of course let's not forget CFC's specialty which gives the GTI a matt gray foiling (1,400 euro) while the roof is painted in High Gloss Carbon Black (550 euro). As a unique touch of contrast, the right side fender and front bumper grille is given a cartoonish collage design which CFC calls Sticker Bombing (250 euro).
Other upgrades include anthracitic colored tinted glass (248 euro), pink tinted fog-lights (50 euro) and a MK SoundStyle audio system which includes a Pioneer head unit, amplifiers by Mosconi, cabling by AIV, Rainbow speakers and Jehnert Doorboards.
When all is said and done, upgrades cost 12,900 euro not including the HiFi system which costs an additional 10,000 euro.
Mansory Mercedes-Benz CLS 63 AMG
Overshadowed by two high profile debuts, the MP4-12C and Aventador, from the house of Mansory, the Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG was somewhat neglected by the world's media. Better late than never, we have the full details and photos for you.
The carbon-fiber obsessed firm from Brand, Germany starts with a wide body kit which expands the front and rear wings by 50mm and 80 mm respectively and also includes new side sill and cladding. With the newly designed hood in place, the appearance of carbon fiber covers almost all surfaces when viewing the vehicle from the front. At the rear, a new rear bumper fascia is defined by a dramatic diffuser that Mansory says increases the vehicle's downforce in cooperation with the rear spoiler. The wide body CLS's look is finished off with 20-inch ultralight forged wheels with 265/30ZR20 tires at the front and 305/25ZR20 tires at the rear.
Under the hood with its 5.5-liter twin-turbo V8 which produces in standard form 557 PS (410 kW / 550 hp) and 799 Nm (590 lb-ft) of torque, Mansory managed to squeeze out a total of 640 PS (471 kW / 631 bhp) and 900 Nm (664 lb-ft) of torque at 2,000 to 4,500 rpm. This increase in power is the result of a newly programmed control unit as well as a sports air filter.
No Mansory tuned vehicle is complete without a customized interior. Aluminum pedals and footrests supplement the elaborately designed full-leather upholstery, along with deluxe entry sills and floor mats with custom embroidery. Carbon fiber trim pieces are found on the dashboard and center console while the sports steering wheel features newly designed ergonomics.
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