Video: Cadillac CTS-V and Corvette ZR1 Lingenfelter Play Around on the Track

Where better to burn some steam and have a little fun behind the steering wheel than on the track? More so when the cars in question are a Cadillac CTS-V and a Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 that has received some tuning love from Lingenfelter.

The guys from the M5Board tell us that the man driving the CTS-V is four-time Swedish Touring Car Champion (STCC) winner Richard Göransson. In stock form, the Cadillac sports n Eaton-supercharged V8 engine with 551 lb.-ft. of torque and 556-horsepower for a 0-60mph sprint time of 3.9 seconds.

Read more »

Novitec Makes the Alfa Romeo Giulietta a Little More Interesting

Novitec is a German tuning company known for wheedling more ponies from anything that rolls on four wheels and is produced in Italy. This time, the tuner has set its eyes on the Alfa Romeo Giulietta hatchback with the release of a comprehensive styling and performance package.

On the outside, Novitec's goods include a subtle but attractive ground effects kit (perhaps with the exception of the somewhat over-the-top rear diffuser, which in our opinion, would have probably looked better in a matte black finish).

Read more »

TRD Introduces Lexus IS F Circuit Club Sports Package Inspired by Last Year's Concept

It's been over a year since Lexus unveiled the conceptual IS F Circuit Club Sport (CCS for short) at the 2010 edition of the Tokyo Auto Salon, but Toyota's TRD division has not forgotten about the prototype model.

TRD has just made available to the public an assortment of performance and styling accessories for the latest IS-F sports saloon, all inspired by the CCS concept .

Read more »

2011 IAA: Techart's Fresh Take on the New Porsche Cayenne

Next month's 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show in Germany will stage the world premiere of Techart's second batch of styling and performance modifications for the new generation of the Cayenne.

Following the introduction of the excessive Cayenne Magnum in Geneva earlier this year, the renowned Porsche tuning firm has developed a more subtle design suite named Aerodynamic Kit I as well as new performance kit for the Turbo version called TA 058/T2.

Read more »

Vilner Poshes Up Classic Land Rover Defenders for "Russian Oligarch"

Land Rover's timeless Defender is a rugged, durable and extremely capable off roader, and as such, it falls behind when it comes to luxury. But where there's a will (and plenty of cash to go around…) there's a way.

Vilner, which is a Bulgarian design studio, said it was approached by a "Russian oligarch" (a.k.a. a business magnate) who wanted to turn the wick up on a short- and long-wheelbase Land Rover Defender by customizing their interiors.

Read more »

ABT Sportsline Customizes New Audi A6 Avant

The latest generation of Audi's A6 Avant has received some aftermarket love from VW Group tuning specialist, ABT Sportsline, with the release of the AS6 package that includes both performance and styling upgrades.

The power gains are similar to those of the sedan model. The base 3.0-liter V6 turbo diesel with 204HP gets a jump to 240HP, while the more potent version of the TDI with 245 factory ponies now makes 300-horsepower.

Read more »

In the Spotlight: How to Overkill a Ferrari 458 Italia

Electric lamps are so passé these days. The way of the future is LEDs or Light-emitting diodes that can be found just about everywhere. Lately, LEDs have taken the automotive industry by storm with carmakers offering them either optionally or standard on most of their models.

But it’s not only regular carmakers that have adopted the new lighting technology; so has the tuning industry which discovered a new toy to attract consumers. The results, as you can see from this example of a Ferrari 458 Italia slathered in LEDs, aren’t always graceful. Video follows after the break.

Read more »

Kahn Reaches to the Ferrari California

Those looking to give a more personal touch to their Ferrari California without…killing it, UK-based tuner Kahn has announced a new program for the Italian roadster.

On the styling front, Kahn's California wears a set of forged Monza wheels in matt black measuring 21-inches up front and 22-inches at the back. Inside, new accessories and equipment include seats, steering wheel, instrument panel and infotainment system.

Read more »

Dutch Facepalm: Mutant Opel Astra Station Wagon

Of all the excessive custom creations that we've shown you through these pages over the years, this 1999 Opel Astra Station Wagon from Holland must be one of the most bizarre –and that's an understatement- ever.

While keeping the standard model's…82HP-strong 2.0-liter diesel engine, the owner modified the late 1990s Astra estate with anything he could find including an Audi front end, a wide body kit with excessive wheel arches and more vents than a cheese grater.

Read more »

NCE Converts New Jaguar XJ into a Four-Door Convertible Oddity

One of the latest models to fall into the hands of California-based company Newport Convertible Engineering (NCE) is the new Jaguar XJ.

NCE is known for chopping off the roofs of just about anything it can, be that a Toyota Prius hybrid or a luxury Range Rover SUV.

And while we respect the work that went into developing and applying the convertible treatment to Jaguar's flagship limousine, the end result is not what we would call elegant or stylish, especially with the soft top in normal position. Check out the rest of the pictures for yourself in our gallery after the break.

Read more »

2011 SEMA: What is this Oddball Chevy Creation?

This year's edition of the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas is a still long way off but some tuners have already begun teasing their custom creations.

This strange photo of an unnamed project car appeared on a dedicated SEMA show page on Facebook. There are no details about the build other than it will appear at the show in first week of November.

While it's evident that the five-door hatchback model sports the face of the Chevrolet Cruze, we're not sure about the body (and no, it's not the Cruze hatch). If you have any ideas or thoughts, skip the jump and head over to our comments section to share.

Read more »

Car Spotting: Mini-Brabus Smart with SLR-Like Nose

For a great number of reasons and after the initial enthusiasm wore off, the Smart Fortwo never really picked up momentum in North America. Nevertheless, the Lilliputian model that began life as the brainchild of the co-founder, CEO and Chairman of the Board of the Swatch Group, the late Nicolas George Hayek who passed away last year, continues to draw attention on the road. Read more »

Senner Tuning Lays its Hands on the Audi Q5 2.0 TDI

Continuing its assault on Audi's portfolio, German aftermarket specialist has introduced a new package for the Q5 SUV fitted with the 2.0-lited TDI turbo diesel engine.

Thanks to a new performance kit that includes an ECU upgrade, sport filters and a custom exhaust system, the four-cylinder diesel engine's output is lifted from 170-horses and 350Nm to 213HP and 445Nm (328.2 lb-ft).

Read more »

ABT Plays Around with the New Audi Q3 Crossover

ABT Sportsline, the German tuning company that has long specialized in modifying anything produced by the Volkswagen Group, has released details on its upcoming program for the new Audi Q3 small crossover.

Cosmetically, the tuning house has developed a bespoke front grille, a new front bumper with larger air inlets on both corners, rocker panels, a rear apron that makes space for the quad tail pipes, a roof spoiler and carbon fiber trim splats.

Read more »

Bad Ass Ford Transit Powered by a 440HP BMW M5 V8

The European market Ford Transit van isn't exactly the first vehicle that springs to mind when it comes to drifting - at least not in stock form. Then again, the modded Transit you're about to enjoy burning a lot of rubber in the videos after the break is far from stock.

This "Made in Poland" monster van packs the almighty 4.9-liter V8 engine from a BMW M5 E39, tuned to deliver around 440-horses, up from the standard model's 400HP.

Read more »

MRS Racing Team gives Porsche 911 GT3 R a New Look

This weekend's ADAC GT Masters racing series at the Red Bull Ring circuit in Austria will see team MRS show off their latest Porsche 911 GT3 R in new colors.

The MRS racing Porsche was prepared by German car wrapping specialist, Cam Shaft, which went for an eye-catching three-tone color theme. You can check out more photos of the car in our gallery after the jump.

Read more »

It Came from eBay Hell: Camaro Meets Batmobile

Fancying a GM classic with a little more, ahem, pizazz than your run-of-the-mill F-Body Chevrolet Camaro? Welcome to the wonderful world of eBay and the DreamRyder (that's how the owner spells the name of the car).

The DreamRyder is the creation of one Bill Logan who used a V8-powered 1984 Chevrolet Camaro Convertible as a base. Logan says he spent 13 years to complete all the customizations, which include a fiberglass body said to be inspired by a number of animals such as the bat ray and the eagle.

Read more »

Video: The TIV-2 is a 14,000-Pound Armored Dodge Ram Storm Chaser

A tornado is a force of nature that almost nothing can withstand. Therefore, when Sean Casey decided to see what was going inside a tornado, he had to build a very special kind of vehicle. And that’s how the original TIV (Tornado Intercept Vehicle) was born back in 2003.

In 2008, and after the TIV made it on prime time television in a series called Storm Chasers that began airing on the Discovery Channel in October 2007, Casey and his team built the TIV-2 using a Dodge Ram 3500 as a base.

Read more »

Frankfurt Preview: Irmscher Sports up the New Opel Astra GTC

Well-known Opel tuner, Irmscher, is one of the first to get its hands on the new generation of the Astra GTC revealing details on its customazation program ahead of the car's world premiere at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September.

The upgrade starts with a performance package for the Astra GTC with the 1.6-liter turbocharged gasoline engine. A stage 1 kit lifts output from 180-horses and 230Nm to 212HP and 274 Nm (202 lb-ft).

Read more »

Light ECU Tune for Ford Fiesta Zetec S

ECU tuning specialist Superchips has released a new software upgrade for the UK market Ford Fiesta Zetec S. In factory tune, the Ford's 1.6-liter Ti-VCT twin independent cam timing engine delivers 120-horsepower.

After Superchip's engineers optimize the engine control unit (ECU), the four-cylinder powerplant gains an additional 10 bhp at 5,986 rpm and 13 Nm of torque at 4,390rpm.

Read more »