Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione by Wheelsandmore

The Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione might go down in history as one of the most beautiful automobiles ever created, but that hasn't stopped Wheelsandmore from attempting to improve an icon. Looking tastefully restrained, the model is equipped with a foil wrap, matte black accents, an adjustable coilover suspension and 21-inch forged alloy wheels with Hankook S1 Evo tires. The 4.7-liter V8 engine can be outfitted with a revised ECU which enables it to produce 470 PS (345 kW / 463 hp) and 500 Nm (368 lb-ft) of torque - an increase of 20 PS (14 kW / 19 hp) and 30 Nm (22 lb-ft). If that isn't powerful enough, the Stage II package adds a sports exhaust system which enables the engine to churn out 485 PS (356 kW / 478 hp) and 520 Nm (383 lb-ft) of torque.

Press release:

Alfa 8C Competizione und 8C Spider by wheelsandmore
Wheelsandmore presents its tuning program for the coupe and convertible version of the exciting Alfa Romeo 8C series.
With delicate surgery the noble tuner puts the 2-seated V8 coupe in the right light and provides additional driving pleasure and extra horsepower with their high-end quality components.
Due to an ecu upgrade, combined with a hand-made exhaustsystem with remote-able exhaust valves, Wheelsandmore elicits the beautiful sportscoupe additional 30 horsepower and increases the torque around 40nm.
The Alfa Romeo 8C got a further performance improvement through the matte-black, individualized 6Sporz² ultralight forged wheels. The weight-optimized multipiece wheels are sizing 9.0x21 inches on the front axle with tires 245/30/21 and on the drive axle stately 12.5x21 inches with 345/25/21 S1Evo tires from Hankook.
A perfect look and a comfortable everyday use ensures a compression and rebound adjustable coilover suspension, which is also available for vehicles with oem Skyhook suspension. The coilover suspension is offered with a limited 5 years warranty.
The presented conversion was totally wrapped in matte white foil with a red and black Wheelsandmore design stripe. Wheelsandmore internally called their Alfa Romeo 8 C conversion "Senza-Cromo", because all chrome mounted parts were also swathed in matte black.

Alfa Romeo and Mazda announce sports car tie-up

THE successor to Alfa Romeo's achingly beautiful Spider could be one of the most mouthwatering sports cars ever created.

Fiat, the Italian automotive giant which owns the Milanese motor makers, has announced that not only is it working on a new two-seater roadster, but that it's joined forces with Mazda, the makers of the best-selling sports car of all time, to create it. In three years' time, if the two companies play to their strengths, you'll be able to buy a car with classic Italian styling and the fun-to-drive factor of the MX-5.

I saw a mid-nineties Spider being driven along Southport's seafront on a sunny summer afternoon the other day and really, really wanted to be the chap behind the wheel. It never really took off with Brit buyers in the same way the Mazda did, because while the MX-5 had a rear-wheel-drive set up singlehandedly designed for being sporty, all Spider's since the model's '94 reinvention have relied on front-wheel-drive bits from the Fiat Group parts bin. Not that any of that mattered with the savvy souls who did take the plunge, because the reason why you bought any Spider was because of the way they looked. They were and still are, a delight to behold.

So the news that Fiat and Mazda are planning to join forces is brilliant news if you care about simple, small, two-seater sports cars (and, let's face it, chances are if you read Life On Cars you almost certainly do).

Mazda president Takashi Yamanouchi, knows this full well, and said this week: "Establishing technology and product development alliances is one of Mazda's corporate objectives and this announcement with Fiat is an important first step in that direction.

"It is especially exciting to be collaborating with such a prestigious marque as Alfa Romeo on a new roadster based on the next-generation MX-5, which is such an iconic vehicle for Mazda and recognized as the best-selling roadster of all time."

 

The two companies plan to develop two different, distinctly styled, iconic and brand-specific light weight, rear-wheel-drive roadsters. The Mazda and Alfa Romeo variants will each be powered by specific proprietary engines unique to each brand, although both are expected to be built at Mazda's factory in Hiroshima, where it's made the MX-5 in its various iterations for more than 20 years.

The deal, which is expected to be finalised later this year, also includes the scope for further tie-ups between Mazda and Fiat. Does that mean we can have finally have a follow up to one of the best-looking sports cars of all time, the Fiat Barchetta?

Alfa Romeo Brera by Romeo Ferraris

Italian tuner/racing team Romeo Ferraris has partnered with British Alfa Romeo tuning firm Autodelta to give one last push on their supercharger and styling kits for the Alfa Romeo Brera which ceased production in Novermber 2010. All components, including the supercharger, have been developed by Autodelta while Romeo Ferraris acts as distributor and authorized service center for Italy. First seen back in 2009, although with slightly less power, Autodelta's centrifugal supercharger kit increases power output of the 3.2-liter V6 unit by 98 PS (97 bhp / 72 kW) over the standard 260 PS (256 bhp / 191 kW) while torque increase 120 Nm (89 lb-ft) to 440 Nm (325 lb-ft). The supercharger kit includes the compressor, intercooler, special piping, reprogrammed ECU and new full exhaust system which includes a 200 cell catalytic converter. The result is a 0 to 100 km/h sprint in just 5 seconds versus 6.5 seconds for the standard Brera and top speed increases to 260 km/h (162 mph). The body aero kit has also been restyled courtesy of Autodelta again. It includes a new front bumper, side skirts and rear bumper fascia. Height adjustable sports suspension kit with new springs and shocks have also been added.

Italy's cars help brighten up our rainy British landscapes

THE spaghetti bolognese came served with a question. Why don't I feature more Italian cars in this column?

Well, Mr Waiter at my favourite Italian restaurant, this one's for you. I'm as much a fan of Italy's cars as I am of its food. Which means I like them a lot!

I could be obvious and spend the next 300 words explaining the appeal of expensive exotics which all have a million horsepower and names ending with “i” but that'd be doing a disservice to all those wonderfully Italian cars you and I can actually afford, which help to make Britain's rain-lashed roads a slightly brighter place.

Take the Fiat 500, or specifically the glorious Abarth version I tested for Life On Cars. With its cheeky, slightly reto styling and its mini-Ferrari soundtrack it is the perfect embodiment of all that's good with Italy's automotive industry; maybe not as well rounded as its German, French or Japanese counterparts but somehow all the more engaging for it. If it's a city slicker, clearly Rome was the city its creators had in mind.

The traditional ripposte, of course, is that the cars coming off the production lines in Turin and Milan aren't as sturdy as the ones from Stuttgart and Wolfsburg, which when you look at how Fiat and Alfa do in the reliability surveys you can tell is at least partly true. But it's also true that one of the country's biggest successes isn't even built there - the aforementioned 500 is in fact screwed together in a Polish factory - and that last time I drove an Alfa Giulietta not one of its many components broke or stopped working in any way.

Besides, getting hung up about build quality would deny you what I reckon is one of the greatest car designs ever to come out of Italy, and I'm not talking about the Ferrari Dino, the Maserati Ghibli or the Lancia Stratos. They're all masterpieces but they're almost always consigned to museums and shows these days. The Alfa Romeo 156 Sportwagon, on the other hand, is still making supermarket car parks prettier places to this day.

The 156 saloon is a stunner in its own right and no bad place to start, but the Sportwagon I think is a true design classic because it's the only estate I can think of which significantly improves the styling of the car it's based on.

Just don't mention that it's less - not more - spacious than the saloon and therefore useless as an estate. What's losing an argument when you're doing it with style?

Alfa Romeo Giulietta by Novitec

German tuner Novitec likes its Italian cars and is now offered a very comprehensive package for the Alfa Romeo Giulietta.

Things get started under the hood where Novitec adds a little juice to the 1.4 TB 16V unit for an output of 141 PS (104 kW / 139 bhp), up from the series 120 PS (88 kW / 118 bhp).

The 1.4 MultiAir unit also gets dialed up from its standard 170 PS (125 kW / 168 bhp) to a healthier 195 PS (141 kW / 193 bhp).

For the range-topper, Novited uprates the 1.8 liter turbo engine to 261 PS (192 kW / 256 bhp) and 386 Nm of torque (285 lb-ft). With that newly configured unit the Giulietta does the 0 to 100 km/h sprint in just 6.5 seconds and features a top speed of 251 km/h (156 mph).

Novitec also does all 3 diesel variants of Giulietta (details in the press release below).

The tuner then offers a range of wheels from 18-inch to 20-inches in size, sport springs that lower the suspension by 35 mm or a stainless-steel coil-over suspension with adjustable height and damper rates, as well as sport mufflers.

The aero kit consists of a three-piece (right, left, central) front fascia lip spoiler, side skirts, and rear bumper with integrated diffuser.

Alfa Romeo 8C Spider by Novitec

Italian tuner Novitec has spruced-up the Alfa Romeo 8C Spider/Coupe to make this the most powerful Alfa Romeo around.

The tuning kit begins with a new supercharger for the 4.7 liter V8, borrowed from sister outfit Novitec Tridente, which specializes in tuning Maserati. But the supercharger had to be modified to fit under the 8C's bonnet.

Power is boosted on the 450 PS (331 kW / 444 bhp) V8 to a total output of 600 PS (441 kW / 592 bhp) and 588 Nm (434 lb-ft) of torque. The 0 to 100 km/h sprint takes just 3.9 seconds and top speed is 305 km/h (189.5 mph).

Optional is a stainless-steel high-performance exhaust system.

For the ride, Novitec provides its height-adjustable threaded coil-over suspension and three-piece NA3 wheels in 9J x 21 and 11.5J x 22 dimensions wrapped in Pirelli tires sized 255/30ZR21 and 315/25ZR22, for the front and back, respectively.

The tuner also offers an interior finish in leather and Alcantara in any color desired.

Geneva Motorshow: The Life On Cars top 10

SWITZERLAND'S biggest motorshow isn't just about shiny new supercars, apparently, although looking at some of the reports from this year's Geneva Motorshow you'd be forgiven for thinking it was.

But between the brand new stunners from Lamborghini and Pagani were a few cars you might actually be able to buy, so the new models* strutting their stuff were a brilliant - but mixed - bag.

Here's what Life On Cars is saving up for:

1) Suzuki Swift Concept S

The closest yet to a replacement for the wonderful Swift Sport Life On Cars tested last month. Here's hoping!

2) Lamborghini Aventador


The long-awaited replacement for the Murciélago, complete with a new V12 churning out no less than 700bhp. Worth waiting a decade for.

3) Jaguar XKR-S


Jaguar celebrates the 50th anniversary of unveiling the E-Type at Geneva with a 550bhp modern equivalent. You know you want one.

4) Aston Martin Virage


Right on cue is Aston's ripposte to the XKR-S, boasting 490bhp from the familiar 6.0 litre V12 and a name not seen since the company's coupes of the early Nineties.

5) Ford B-MAX


The Blue Oval's response to the Vauxhall Meriva, with equally clever rear doors.


6) Hyundai i40


What do you mean Korea can't do smooth and stylish? This sleek Mondeo rival bets you a fiver it can.

7) Alfa Romeo 4C


Straight in the footsteps of the 8C supercar comes this mid-engined, two-seater, rear-wheel drive Alfa sports car. Think of it as an Italian Elise.

8) Audi A3 concept


Not too sure about the saloon styling for the next A3, but the 408bhp V8's got to stay.

9) Range Rover "Evoque"


Not too sure whether this is what Land Rover meant when it was launching the smallest, lightest and greenest Range Rover model ever, but I like it anyway.

10) MINI Rocketman


As a former Mini owner this was the real star of the show, because it takes BMW's reinvention of the classic small car back to basics. I'll probably get panned by my fellow Mini enthusiasts for saying it, but I like it. A lot.

*The new models don't include Bertone's stunning B99 concept, which Jaguar has now said won't make production. Shame.

Read more on the Geneva Motorshow in the new Life On Cars Magazine, out this week.

Fire up the... Alfa Romeo MiTo

CREATING a car must be a piece of a cake compared to the innuendo-laden challenge of coming up with a name for it.

Choosing the right words can be the difference between your latest model being lauded as a cool classic in the making or laughed at as an unfortunate joke, but given the chance, what would you come up with? Personally, I've always thought NyLa - as in New York to Los Angeles - is clever, rolls off the tongue nicely and comes preloaded with evocative imagery of cross-country adventures. And I reckon at least one Alfa Romeo marketing man will agree.

The company's chosen MiTo, as in Milan to Torino, as its moniker for the car it hopes will beat the MINI at its own game, but while it's neat I also reckon it's open to misinterpretation. Other motoring writers think it could be construed as meaning “Me Too”, but I don't think it's going to be long before someone cruelly christens this otherwise cool supermini as My Toe.

Which is a shame, because ambigious name aside it hits the right buttons long before you drive it. The styling - usually one of Alfa's strong points - is easily the most divise of the Italian firm's entire range, with other commentators reckoning it's got the upright stance of an old Austin A40, but the way they've incorporated cues from the 8C supercar has easily more verve than either the increasingly familiar MINI or the strait-laced looks of Audi's upcoming A1.

But it's the interior which comes across best with the baby Alfa, which thanks to sports car touches like dashboad pods for the instruments and a steering wheel surely stolen from an old sports car could come from a car costing several times as much, and any lingering memories of Alfa interiors being screwed have been long forgotten. I never thought I'd say this, but even the seats look like they've been styled rather than designed.

On the road it feels refreshingly more sporty than the Fiat Grande Punto it shares a platform with, but in terms of sheer sportiness you're still better off sticking with the MINI, despite it beating BMW's efforts elsewhere.

The My Toe's got the substance to back up its very Italian sense of style, which in the image-driven market largely dominated by the MINI is going to count for a lot.

Just remember to pronounce its name properly.

As published in The Champion on September 22, 2010

Mercedes in exciting estate shocker

WHO said estates can't be exciting? Not Mercedes, if this latest effort at a load lugger is anything to go by.

The German firm might be harking back to the 1960s by calling its new concept car the Shooting Break but it isn't hard to see it for what it is; it's the CLS coupe reimagined for those who spend their weekends at IKEA instead of the golf club.

The original CLS, a coupe with the novel addition of rear doors, was a huge success for Mercedes from the moment it hit the showrooms in 2004, but since then it's spawned a succession of imitators. Bringing in buyers still forced to go with the strait-laced E Class Estate to carry bigger loads, the company reckons, is the answer to the Jaguar XJ and Audi's A7 arriving on CLS territory.

“The proportions are clearly those of a coup: the long bonnet, narrow-look windows with frameless side windows, and dynamic roof sloping back towards the rear create a basic stance with which it looks ready for the off. It is only when taking a second look that it becomes clear that the Shooting Break concept car actually has four doors and an estate rear,” a Mercedes spokesperson told The Champion.

“As such, this study in design reveals its philosophical links with the four-door CLS Coupe, a car which has established a new market segment since 2004 and today is already seen as a design icon which is likely to occupy a very special place in the history of the motor car.”

It's unlikely the Shooting Break will beat the load-carrying capacity of the more conventional E-Class Estate, but then the E-Class doesn't have a nose quietly borrowed from the forthcoming SLS supercar or its snazzy headlights, which ditch bulbs altogether in favour of an armarda of 71 LEDs.

It isn't clear yet whether one of the first coupe estates since the Reliant Scimitar really will hit Britain's roads, but watch this space. Alternatively, buy a secondhand Alfa Romeo 156 Sportwagon for the same sort of thing.

Alfa Romeo MiTo by NOVITEC

Novitec has unveiled their extensive line of performance accessories for Alfa Romeo's new MiTo hatchback.

Cars equipped with the 1.4-liter turbocharged petrol engine can be outfitted with Novitec's Powerjet 2 control module which boosts the engine's output from 155 hp (114 kW) to 186 hp (137 kW). Thanks to the extra 31 hp (23 kW), the modified MiTo runs from 0-100 km/h in 7.4 seconds which is a 0.7 second improvement over stock models.

Given the importance of diesel engines, Novitec is also introducing a Powerrail 5 control module which can be outfitted to 1.3 JTD and the 1.6 JTD. The module allows 1.3 JTD models to boast an extra 20 hp (14.9 kW) while the 1.6 JTD gains 24 hp (17.7 kW).

For owners wanting to "butch up" the MiTo's cute styling, the company offers an aerodynamic styling package that features a revised front bumper, aggressive side skirts, a roof-mounted spoiler, and an integrated rear diffuser. Other styling options include a sport exhaust with up to four tailpipes, 18-inch wheels in either silver or matte black, and an adjustable coil-over suspension that reduces the MiTo's ride height by 35 to 65 millimeters.