ALFA ROMEO 148 - SKETCHES?!

This are some pictures from Italian paper and someone else made
the front and rear.
Well, we will see, but no doubt it will be hot!

HONDA FIT/JAZ - MUCH BIGGGERRR

Yes, this is of the same platform as Fit/Jaz, but for up to 8 people.
It is 4,22m long and 1,72m high and an 1.5L engine.
Well, they made it - from mouse to elefant!

MAZDA 1 ANOTHER SKETCH - GERMAN PAPER AMS

The design is done by europeans and goes against other small
cars as IQ(Toyota),Up(VW), Ka(Ford),...
It will have a small engine 1.0 to 1.3L with around 50 Hp.
They also plan an MPS version.

FORD FIESTA FOR US - BUILD IN MEXICO

Ford will build the new smallest car Fiesta in Mexico.

BMW - smallest SUV build in Leipzig

The smallest BMW suv will be build in Leipzig Germany.
There are alredy build 1 and 3 series variants, that have
the same platform as the X1 will have.

NEW FORD KA

Pictures from Auto Express, of the new Ka.
On the same basis as the Fiat 500,
Ford made a new car, that will take place of
the old, more than 10 years sold car.
It will be presented in Paris.

Maserati MC12 by Edo Competition

Following on from Edo Competition's Enzo Ferrari we reported on yesterday, we can now bring you the Maserati MC12. The famed supercar tuner has tackled the MC12 on numerous occasions in the past including the 755hp MC12 Corsa, 800hp MC12 XX and the 700hp MC12 R therefore it comes as no shock to see yet another version which it being labelled as just a plain old MC12 this time.

The factory MC12 is based on the same chassis as the Ferrari Enzo but due to the extra weight the Maserati version is carrying, performance figures come in slightly lower than the prancing horse version. Edo looks to change this in their version by reducing the MC12's dry weight by 100kg whilst boosting the engine output up to 700hp bringing the performance figures up to the same level as the Edo Enzo with a 0-100km/h time of 3.5seconds and a top speed of 370km/h.

The FXX once again provides the inspiration for the MC12, but whereas the Edo where clever enough to leave the Enzo styling alone, the MC12 does benefit from a few exterior modifcations including a new livery and headlight covers.

Full Specifications

Engine

• Engine V12
• Power est. 700 hp (514 kW) at 8200 rpm
• Max. torque est. 715 Nm (527 ft-lb) at 5800 rpm

Performance

• Top speed > 370 km/h (230 mph)
• 0 – 100 km/h (0 – 62 mph) est. 3.5s
• 0 – 200 km/h (0 – 124 mph) est. 9.5s
• 0 – 300 km/h (0 – 186 mph) est. 22.0s

Features

• Power increase of 70 horsepower thanks to new exhaust headers like on the Ferrari FXX, highflow catalytic converter, performance muffler, modified intake system, new carbon fiber airbox like on the Maserati MC12 Corsa, high-flow air filters and ECU recalibration
• Stainless steel muffler with adjustable remote-controlled butterfly-valve, new exhaust tips
• Exhaust sound level adjustable at the push of a button
• High-performance ceramic composite brake system with 396 mm (15.6 in.) front rotors and 360 mm (14.2in.) rear rotors, special brake pads front and rear
• Wheels can be custom-painted on request
• Tire pressure monitoring system displaying air pressure and tire temperature for each wheel
• Makrolon headlight covers
• Appearance modifications, for example different exterior color
• Sport suspension for the road with adjustable compression and rebound damping like on the FIA GT MC12. Nose lift functionality is retained.
• Air intakes in carbon fiber
• Weight reduction of 100 kg (220 lb)!!
• Special lightweight wheels with Michelin tires: front: 10 x 19 with 265/35 ZR 19 and rear: 13 x 20 with 335/30 ZR 20
• New high-performance clutch. Extremely lightweight. Two different friction compounds selectable (strada/pista)
• New rear wing, adjustable
• New transmission control unit. Same shift times as on the Maserati MC12 Corsa

FERRARI WITH HARDTOP

New picture of the California with a hard top and inside of it.

-boot capacity of 360-litres - top up
-storage space of 260-litres -top down

Audi PS TT by PPI

PPI and WCF have a little bit of history together. Back in 2004 when WCF was still operating as GermanCarFans.com, we were the first to give coverage to a small new tuning firm from Germany who's first product was based on the first generation Audi TT, known as the PPI RS TT. The RS TT went on to become a top seller and the foundation for the success of this Audi tuning specialist from Swabia, Germany. Over the past 4 years PPI has evolved with a suite of products covering the entire Audi range. Their latest product, which was first shown in Essen this past December, now follows up on this success story, with the second generation named, PS TT.

In addition to the lift-reducing body kit, one standout feature is the windscreen spoiler. Take it or leave it, the rest of the package is quite tasteful consisting of a front apron, side skirts and rear fascia with integrated carbon fiber rear fascia diffuser, and rear spoiler.

Performance kit I for the 2.0 liter turbo FSI engine bumps output up to 180 kW / 245 bhp at 5100
rp. and 366 Nm torque between 1800 and 5000 rpm. 100 km/h (62 mph)arrives in 6.3 seconds which is 0.3 second faster than the stock TT. The PS TT is capable of a limited top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph).

Ferrari Enzo by Edo Competition

When a tuner is ready to get down and dirty with the likes of the Maserati MC12, Porsche Carrera GT and the Lamborghini Murcièlago LP640 it pretty much says there is no challenge too much. In the case of supercar tuner Edo Compeition they certainly have crossed every boundary you could possibly with exception to the mother of the all – the Enzo Ferrari.

We can well and truly say that this boundary has been crossed with a new tuning package which boosts power output to an estimated 700hp and 715Nm of torque which achieved with new exhaust headers similar to those found on the Ferrari FXX, a high-flow catalytic converter, performance muffler, modified intakes with a ram-air system, high-flow air filters and ECU recalibration.

The impressive systems continue through the transmission system which gets the same shift times as the Ferrari FXX helped by its new high performance clutch. It also features an adjustable sport suspension system coupled with lightweight 19'' front and 20'' rear wheels complete with a Tire pressure monitoring system.

The Edo Competition Enzo Ferrari launches from 0-100km/h in just 3.5 seconds, hitting 200km/h after 9.5 seconds and 300km/h at 22 seconds flat. Maximum speed lies at 370 km/h.

Porsche 911 Targa by VeloTech

Back in 2006 most Porsche fans were rubbing their hands in anticipation of the new Porsche 911 Targa but some were left disappointed to discover the 911 Targa only had a large sliding roof rather than an actual removable roof.

VeloTech of Paso Robles, California in the USA has the solution for roughly USD 10,000 and can transform your current 911 Convertible to be a true targa. The new carbon fiber roof can be partly removed to reveal the roll-cage / B pillar and wrap-around rear window. VeloTech, a Euro brand turbo-charger firm, announced at last year's SEMA show that if they can drop the price to USD 6,000 the demand will follow.

The targa came about after US government set some strict safety regulations in the 1960's about top-down driving which made it impossible car manufacturers to continue making traditional cloth-top convertibles. In due time manufacturers raised the safety of their soft-top convertibles to meet the new safety regulations resulting in the return of the cabrio.

Ford Kuga by Delta4x4

The kinetic design language seen on the Ford has been received very well by the worlds media ever since we first see it in full production trim at the 2007 Frankfurt Auto Show. Now comes the role of specialists SUV tuner Delta4x4 to work its magic and create that extra bit of individuality for the fussy consumers out there.

SUVs are meant to be made for their off-road abilities, but lets face it, there are few examples out there that have been designed for off-road peformance – Ford Kuga included. This is where Delta have focused most of their efforts on this latest tuning program by increasing the ground clearance to 550mm combined with new wheels with a diameter ranging from 18inches to 22 inches. The wheels also feature 5mm thick aluminium alloys for extra protection from the thick dirt usually gathered from off-road driving.

The 2.0-liter turbo-diesel engine also recieves the Delta4x4 touch with power output increasing to 162hp and 380Nm of torque

Pricing for the complete model is €34,990 including the price of the manufacturer's model.

Porsche 993 Turbo tuned by 9ff

An abundance of older cars now on the road, too, thanks to the magic of galvanised steel that resists the onset of rust, the classic car scene has never been stronger and sports car fans that really want to enjoy themselves are often picking up the specialist press rather than the latest brochure.

With all the money they’ve saved paying for the salesman’s hair gel, and the kind of depreciation that only the US dollar can understand, they’re taking their new old toy to the tuners, too. And that can result in real monsters, like this Porsche 993 Turbo with a simply mental 600bhp.

Jan Fatthauer made his name with the headline-grabbing Vf400 and followed up with the GT9, which should be the fastest production car in the world soon enough as soon as he can find the right track on the right day and breeze through the 258mph mark. But a visit to his mighty Dortmund workshop reveals a collection of 996s, a 944 Twin Turbo and even a GT2-powered classic camper van. The public face of the company does not convey the sheer madness of the projects behind closed doors.

It often starts with a simple restoration for a valued customer, but when you’re dealing with a man who has created an 1100bhp 911 Turbo Cabriolet then a few tweaks are inevitable. Blessed with hindsight Jan can improve upon the originals and then just keep going to an inordinate, dangerous level. As he has here…

Because a simple shove on the throttle elicited the kind of fearsome response you might expect from walking up to a sleeping lion and kicking it squarely in the testicles. Even the most savage modern car sounds smooth, honed, tuned, this thing sounded like it was firing nails through the block and would probably bite your face off in a bar fight.

There are whole forums devoted the air-cooled vs water-cooled 911 debate and this, the 993, was the last of those regulated by simple cold air. That means it’s about as refined as a Tasmanian Devil and has a deep growl that is somehow more dangerous than anything we could come up with today.

Then there was the open road, a set path that 9ff describes as its “test route”. In fact it’s the road next to the airport, a place I have wiled away many an afternoon in deep discussion with the local police about what constitutes a safe speed. In a car like this, another little chat seemed more than inevitable.

Because although the Turbo remains eminently drivable and simple beneath 4000rpm, with just the long throw of the gearshift, the stiff pedals, the gruff bark from the Flat Six and the funky dials to remind that this is a throwback to olden days, it goes absolutely, window-licking mental in the final 2000rpm.

This is where it all happens and I had to grab the next gear fast and hard to avoid running out of revs as the car blasted through the 60mph mark in around 4.5s and on to a top speed in excess of 175mph. You can get faster with a modern 997 Turbo, but it won’t have nearly the sense of occasion and with no traction control or major electronic safety nets.

After fitting the GT2-style bodykit and refurbing the BBS period-look wheels, Fatthauer’s boys retrimmed the sports seats and set about producing a perfect yet authentic interior. It truly looks the part and while it’s neither a perfect GT2 or Turbo, but a hybrid of the pair, only a true expert, or anorak, would care about such things.

Inside it’s a beautiful dissertation in 90s design, with bright orange needles playing freely round the backlit dials and chunky plastics that were the peak of automotive couture just a decade ago but wouldn’t make it past the drawing board at Tata right now. Even the key, a bog-standard, unblippable metal cylinder reminds us just how far cars have come.

Of course if they opened the engine cover they would probably run for the hills, as the Flat Six Twin Turbo is now completely invisible thanks to the intrusion of an epic, simply stupid intercooler that is as big as Physics allows and runs right to all four corners of the bay. Obviously cooling was an issue when they tuned this mid-90s powerplant to the max and lowering the charge pressure was just about the hardest step in a car that relied on simple, cold air to stop the engine melting.

From there it’s the usual story of new pistons, air intake, sports exhaust and the usual accoutrements that go with a big power conversion. And that results in the kind of horsepower figures that would have the international press drooling all over Ferrari’s stand at Geneva, in a car that hit the market in 1995. But the power is only half the story, it’s the way it’s delivered that sells the whole classic car market and when a tuner with the balls-out approach of 9ff gets involved then the character can go to a whole new, dangerous level.

And 9ff fitted its own fully adjustable suspension kit to the car, which at 1500kg isn’t much lighter than its modern counterparts but still manages to give that pin-sharp feeling thanks to a lack of power assistance and smaller dimensions than the relatively huge 997. A lack of feel is the problem in a modern car, thanks to a combination of monster tyres and electronic interference, but there’s none of that here. The car takes an armful of muscle to throw in, but the wheel feels connected to those alloys in a way that most of us could never imagine.

It might not be as fast as the modern equivalent and in this state of tune it costs about the same, but I climbed out the 993 with a big smile and a healthier respect of what could be achieved with cars from years gone by. For those with the luxury of choice, a modified classic is an interesting proposition.