All posts in “aftermarket”

Driving the GMC Canyon, and pour one out for the Camaro | Autoblog Podcast #812

In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Road Test Editor Zac Palmer. They start by discussing the the cars they’ve been driving, including the 2023 GMC Canyon AT4, ECD Jaguar E-Type EV, ECD Land Rover Defender 110 and the Genesis GV60. Next, they hit the news starting with the Chevrolet Camaro production ending. Rumors about the Hyundai N Vision 74 are bandied about, and then the two discuss the latest McLaren iteration named the GTS, which is a refresh of the GT. Lastly, the pair discuss who they think were the most influential leaders in the automotive industry throughout 2023

Send us your questions for the Mailbag and Spend My Money at: Podcast@Autoblog.com.

Autoblog Podcast #812

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Autoblog is now live on your smart speakers and voice assistants with the audio Autoblog Daily Digest. Say “Hey Google, play the news from Autoblog” or “Alexa, open Autoblog” to get your favorite car website in audio form every day. A narrator will take you through the biggest stories or break down one of our comprehensive test drives.

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Ruf reveals air-cooled Tribute, open-top R Spyder and CTR3 Evo at The Quail

Ruf is revealing three Porsche builds at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering this week in the Monterey Peninsula. Two are totally new builds called the Ruf Tribute and the Ruf R Spyder. The third is an update to the Ruf CTR3 Clubsport, which gains the new name of CTR3 Evo.

Starting with the Tribute (seen in the gallery at the top of this post), this Ruf is powered by a 3.6-liter air-cooled engine designed by Alois Ruf that is meant to be an homage to the air-cooled 911s of the past. However, this new engine features loads of new tech such as a four-cam three-valve design, variable valve timing and lift and dry-sump lubrication. It makes loads more power than naturally aspirated air-cooled engines ever did from Porsche, as Ruf claims a heady 550 horses. Ruf says its drivetrain is similar to that of the SCR and Yellow Bird Anniversary it unveiled a few years ago. Carbon fiber is used liberally throughout (not to mention the carbon tub chassis), and it features an integrated roll cage, as well.

The other new Ruf is the R Spyder, which might remind you of the also-open-top Bergmeister from last year’s Monterey Car Week. Of course, the R Spyder is better and more powerful than what Ruf managed to screw together before. This open-top Ruf is powered by a 4.0-liter naturally aspirated flat-six that cranks out 515 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque. That power is sent to the rear wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox.

Each occupant has their own little cocoon, separated by a carbon fiber bar. You get a small windshield, and screens are mounted on either side of the carbon fiber dashboard. Ruf says the car uses a McPherson strut front suspension and multi-link rear design. All that said, Ruf is still calling this car a “design concept,” so we’re not sure if it will be produced and sold yet.

The last Ruf is the CTR3 Evo, and Ruf says it’s the most powerful vehicle it’s ever produced. Output from the 3.8-liter (water-cooled) twin-turbo flat-six is an astounding 800 horsepower and 730 pound-feet of torque. This is paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, and all that speed is hauled in by carbon ceramic brakes. A top speed of 236 mph and the carbon-composite body just make it all the more alluring.

Related video:

Ferrari F40 with Liberty Walk widebody kit slinks through Tokyo

The prolific Japanese customizer Liberty Walk’s latest creation is a wildly modified Ferrari F40. The dramatically lowered and widened supercar will undoubtedly be considered heresy for Ferrari purists, but the car is undeniably staggering.

Liberty Walk has been customizing cars for decades, and each year the base cars get increasingly outrageous. It was all good and fun when founder Wataru Kato was slicing up modern Nissan GT-Rs and Lamborghini Murcielagos. No one really shed a tear about the numerous Mustangs, BMWs, or 360 and F430 Ferraris. The Mitsuoka Orochi was actually an improvement

But the Ferrari F40 is a bona fide classic. It’s one of the most beloved cars on the planet and it’s rare too, with just a hair over 1,300 ever to roll out of Maranello. And no, this isn’t some kind of kit car trickery like when they displayed a jaw-dropping Lamborghini Miura at the Tokyo Auto Salon, later revealed to be a reskinned Ford GT40 replica. Kato has had a white Ferrari F40 kicking around his garage for at least a decade plus.

With nothing more that could top past builds, it seemed that the F40’s time had come. The kit comes with a new nose section that stays true to the original intake pattern but as you move aft aggressive ducting and vents begin to resemble the race-modified F40 LM.

A slammed airbag suspension and an array of canards, diffusers, and a modified wing add to the list of changes. Topping it all off are a set of exposed fastener fenders stuck to the rear haunches. The surgery is irreversible too, with parts of the F40’s original kevlar and carbon fiber body sacrificed for the installation. Watch this Hagerty video for more details on the build.

This kit is something you can actually buy on the Liberty Walk website, for some of the 1,300 or so F40 owners who would like to do this to their own car. No price is listed; one must call to inquire, and it won’t be as cheap or easy as buying stick-on portholes for your V6 Chrysler 300 at Pep Boys

Most Ferrari owners would probably rather take a hacksaw to their own limbs than cut up an F40, so it’ll be a truly niche market. However, there are probably enough F40s in climate controlled garages that one or two modified ones isn’t a big deal. In fact, there are likely more F40s left in pristine condition than Nissan NX2000s or first-gen Chrysler Town & Countrys. 

Related Video

Porsche tuner RUF opening North American headquarters

RUF, a respected Porsche tuner who notably turned the 911 into the 213-mph CTR Yellowbird in the 1980s, will open its North American headquarters in 2023. The company is setting up the facility to distribute cars, provide parts and service, and organize brand-related events.

Executives chose to set up shop at the Concours Club, a facility located in Miami, Fla., that markets itself as an automotive country club. It looks like the idea place for RUF’s North American division: it features a two-plus-mile race track, garages that enthusiasts can rent to store their cars in, and a space companies can use to organize events. The Concours Club is located in the Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport, meaning customers will be able to book an appointment with RUF, fly in, and spend time on a track before signing the dotted line.

RUF hasn’t revealed which model(s) it will sell in the United States. Its recent line-up includes a 710-horsepower, twin-turbocharged tribute to the 1980s Yellowbird called CTR Anniversary and built around a carbon fiber monocoque designed in-house, a naturally-aspirated, 510-horse variant called SCR, and a 777-horsepower coupe named CTR 3 Clubsport and powered by a mid-mounted, 3.8-liter flat-six engine. It also performs tuning work for other companies: it notably tuned the engine that powers the wild, 911-based Marc Philipp Gemballa Marsien.

We expect to hear more about RUF’s plans for our market in the coming months. It will inaugurate its headquarters in the summer of 2023.

Related Video

1,204-hp Hennessey Venom 1200 is the new kingsnake

In 2019, Texas tuner Hennessey Performance did some open heart surgery on a Ford Mustang Shelby GT500, swapping the supercharger on the Mustang’s 5.2-liter Predator engine for two turbochargers. The result waved a fast goodbye to the GT500’s stock 760 horsepower and 625 pound-feet of torque. Available in two outputs and called the Venom 1000 or Venom 1200, the latter made 1,200 hp at 7,000 rpm and 1,000 lb-ft of torque at 4,800 rpm. You know what they say about one good turn, so say hello again to the Venom 1000 and Venom 1200, this time with one (really big) screw instead of two compressors. Hennessey removed the 2.65-liter supercharger from the stock GT500, laying in a 3.8-liter unit. Final specs for the bigger boy are 1,204 hp at 7,600 rpm and 902 lb-ft of torque at 5,200 rpm.

Engineers breathed on the drivetrain from the intake to the exhaust. There’s a new high-flow induction system and intercooler, upgraded belts, fittings, lines, and tensioners, an air/oil separation system and a recalibrated dual-clutch transmission to swallow all that extra oomph. Of course, new anodized billet fuel rails and injectors convey a lot more fuel from tank to nozzle. Speaking of which, the new Venoms can run on pump gas; however, the 1200 will only corral 900 horses on basic premium. They need E85 to get out the whole herd. 

The Venom 1200 conversion costs $59,950 on top of the price of a new GT500, a dealer showroom GT500 starting at $80,815 before options and all the rest. The previous Venoms weren’t capped, but the reboots are, Hennessey saying there will be just 66 of them, the number tied to Ford winning the 1966 running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Customers who want to make that connection public can check the box for the livery in black, red and white for $4,950. It honors the Ford GT40 Mk II that won the French race. We can’t exactly call these prices a bargain, but they’re a lot less than a similar rework Shelby American’s done to the GT500 and called the Code Red. Going the twin-turbo route, the Code Red makes 1,300 hp and 1,000 lb-ft on E85, or 1,000 hp and 780 lb-ft on pump gas. There are only 30 of them, ten a year for three model years, making them more than twice as exclusive as the Venom 1200. They’re also more than twice as costly, the stewards of Carroll Shelby’s legacy charging $209,995 for the Code Red, which doesn’t include the donor coupe. But the Code Red is sold out, making the Venom 1200 the kingsnake for now.

Related video:

The ProDrive Hunter is an extreme off-road racer for the street

If your idea of a daily driver is a nearly-600-horsepower anime monster on wheels, ProDrive has just the car for you. The Hunter, based on the BRX extreme off-road race car of the same name, is billed by developer ProDrive as the “World’s First All-Terrain Hypercar,” and it can be yours for just £1.25 million ($1.63 million). Plus tax. 

“There are numerous hypercars on the market, however they all need good roads or even race tracks to show their performance,” said ProDrive chairman David Richards in the company’s announcement. “We identified that in certain parts of the world, particularly the Middle East, there are vast expanses still to be explored that go way beyond the access provided by asphalt roads. Therefore why not create a vehicle that gives the opportunity to explore these regions with performance way beyond that offered by any off-road vehicle before.”

The Hunter is built around an old-fashioned internal-combustion engine. The twin-turbo, dry sump Ford six-cylinder produces at least 592 horsepower (600 bhp) and 516 pound-feet of torque, which is significantly more than it makes in race spec. That’s one benefit of the street; there are no regulations (and corresponding restrictor plates) to spoil all your big-horsepower fun. Power goes to the ground by way of a six-speed paddle-shifted gearbox mated to front, rear and center differentials routing torque to all four wheels. ProDrive says this combo is good for a 0-62 time under 4.0 seconds and a top speed in the neighborhood of 180 mph, but stressed that on-road performance is not the Hunter’s raison d’être. 

“We took the deliberate decision to keep the Hunter Hypercar as close to the original as possible,” said Richards. “It’s about giving owners the opportunity to experience what it is like to drive Loeb’s Dakar car across the desert, but with all the comforts of a road car and the ability to drive it from your home, through a city, to any destination of your choice.”

Like the race car, the Hunter’s chassis is a steel tube-frame setup wrapped in carbon fiber body panels. The suspension is a double-wishbone setup front and rear with adjustable dampers. 17-inch wheels with 35-inch off-road tires are standard; behind them you’ll spot six-piston Brembo brakes. The Hunter street car also gets an extra 50mm of suspension travel to improve ride quality over the racer’s. The exterior may look a bit like Pikachu auditioning for a “Cars” sequel, but at least you can tell all your friends that it was penned by Ian Callum. That means it’s basically a Vanquish, right? 

We’re normally not convinced by the typical race car for the street (or in this case, “Ferrari of the desert” turned race car for the street) hyperbole, but the Hunter is an incredible performance machine that is conspicuously lacking in creature comforts. How lacking? Well, ProDrive’s list of interior features includes carbon fiber seats, six-point safety harnesses, a fire suppression system and lightweight battery.

That’s not exactly an excess of creature comforts, but Callum was brought back in to help design some cabin elements that were necessary to make the Hunter more livable in daily life, including a center console with slightly more conventional switchgear. The announcement made no specific mention of air conditioning, but there’s a snowflake icon visible amongst the controls, so we’re going to assume it at least offers that. For nearly $1.5 million, that seems reasonable.

Related video:

2020 Audi R8 Decennium gets six-speed manual conversion

One of the best manual transmissions ever put on the market was the gated six-speed in the first-generation Audi R8. That silken, row-your-own warrior departed to the afterlife with the introduction of the second-gen car in 2015, replaced by a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. But if money can resurrect whole and long-dead car brands, it shouldn’t have any problem with a few hunks of metal in a bell housing, no? It won’t, so long as there’s a well-heeled customer on one side, Underground Racing on the other, and a 2020 Audi R8 Decennium in the middle. Oh yeah, and a couple of turbos.

The Dallas-based customer owned one of the 222 R8 Decennium special editions that Audi produced to commemorate a decade of the 5.2-liter V10 and motorsports success — only 50 of the cars came to America, each producing 602 horsepower and 413 pound-feet of torque. He requested a twin-turbo kit from Charlotte, North Carolina-based Underground Racing, the shop specializing in R8 and Lamborghini builds. While they were toiling in back of the car, he also requested they swap that dual-clutch for a manual. The result is a riotously double-boosted V10 with 1,500 horsepower and six forward ratios chosen by hand. Underground Racing told Road & Track they started with the gearbox from a 2012 Audi R8 and reworked it with custom parts to make it fit, manage the power, and be daily-drivable. The task also involved installing a JRR engine management system to shepherd the reconfigured drivetrain.   

In the cabin, UR removed the square section that houses the seven-speed dual-clutch shifter, replacing it with what looks like a custom fabbed gate giving off Ferrari vibes. It’s quite nice. Intriguingly, the R8 retains its paddle shifters behind the steering wheel. UR says these paddles have been equipped with “rolling antilag,” plus “launch control, drift mode, and more.” Curiouser and curiouser. The R8 Decennium was finished off with tweaks like a custom billet intake and custom-finished, center-lock wheels mimicking those on the Huracán Performante,  

With one six-speed conversion done, UR says it’s ready to do the same for any other manual-craving R8 owners, but the swap can only be added onto a twin-turbo kit. That means spending at least $49,000 for the Base Twin Turbo System that takes an R8 up to 800 wheel horsepower on 93 pump gas, before adding the cost of the manual transmission work. Underground Racing says it will release pricing for the six-speed manual kit soon, and we assume the new gearbox will be included in UR’s two-year, 24,000-mile warranty for peace of mind along with power and proper shifting. 

Everrati and Superformance team up to build an all-electric GT40

Britain’s Everrati and America’s Superformance are teaming up to build all-electric continuation models of the iconic GT40 race car. Everrati, which has developed electric overhauls for the Porsche 911 (964), Land Rover Series IIA and Mercedes-Benz SL Pagoda, will take the lead on the powertrain, with Superformance supplying the body. 

Superformance’s licensed replicas may conjure images of America challenging the best from Italy at Le Mans, but that was a trans-Atlantic effort as well; the body for the original was built in Coventry. The roles may be reversed, but the pairing is as old as the idea of dethroning Enzo Ferrari. 

“The Everrati and Superformance partnership will allow enthusiasts to drive an electric-powered GT40, with development of this first model already underway,” the two said in their announcement. “A prototype chassis has been built and is being comprehensively adapted from ICE power to advanced electric propulsion at Everrati’s UK development centre in Upper Heyford, a former U.S. air base in the English Cotswolds.”

Neither provided any details regarding the GT40’s potential powertrain or its ultimate performance, but Superformance has pretty much always left such things up to the end customer, letting them choose from existing vintage and modern powertrains for its licensed replicas. There likely won’t be as many options for the electric GT40, but we sincerely doubt it will be a one-size-fits-all setup. Stay tuned. 

Related video:

Bussink GT R Speedlegend is an extra-open Mercedes-AMG GT R Roadster

The number of roofless (and windshield-less) supercars continues to grow, and now even the aftermarket is getting into making wildly expensive rockets without a roof. The particular rocket we’re referring to here is the Bussink GT R Speedlegend. Who or what is Bussink? Well, Bussink is the last name of Ronald A. Bussink — a product designer who made his money in amusement rides and leisure facilities — and he’s the man responsible for the car you’re looking at here.

This intriguing contraption is based on the new Mercedes-AMG GT R Roadster, a model that is limited to just 750 units worldwide. What you see is basically what you get. Bussink sought engineering help from the HWA AG team in Affalterbach to build this extra-open version of the GT R Roadster. The “Speedbow” that travels from the hood back to the rear of the car is what gives the Speedlegend its defining look. It’s inspired by the Formula 1 protective halo, and the car as a whole is meant to emulate the roofless SLR Stirling Moss. The bow incorporates lights and necessary sensors that might’ve been removed when the top and windshield went away.

To execute this design, the convertible top is completely removed, and the A-pillars and windows are shortened. Bussink claims this drops 220 pounds and lowers the car’s center of gravity. Bussink added styled louvers, body-color-painted carbon fiber throughout and even more power than what Mercedes-AMG offers from the factory. It’s an optional item, but you can have Bussink increase output to 850 horsepower, which is far more than the 577 horses you get stock. 

Bussink GT R Speedlegend

If downforce is what you want, Bussink says it has the ability to fit the AMG GT R Pro’s front. Driving around will require use of a helmet — there is technically a windshield, but it looks too small to be useful. Each car comes with a helmet that is color-matched to the car’s paint. Owners had the ability to modify the interior with body-color-painted accents, decorative stitching or a new carbon fiber steering wheel with LED shift lights. It comes with a fancy Armin Strom watch, too.

Bussink limited build slots to just five cars, and all of them are already spoken for. A price wasn’t provided, but it’s surely very expensive — the car had an MSRP of $189,750 from Mercedes. With the help of AMG-entwined HWA, we suspect this car’s engineering and performance won’t disappoint. Seeing the instant sales success, Bussink says there will be more cars like this one coming down the road.

Related video:

Marc Philipp Gemballa’s 959-inspired supercar will have an engine tuned by RUF

Last year, Marc Philipp Gemballa, the eponymous supercar company started by Uwe Gemballa’s son, said it would build a heavily modified 911 Turbo S inspired by the Porsche 959 Dakar Rally cars. Based on the official render and past announcement, it will have retro-inspired body work and the ability to drive fast even on rough dirt roads. Since last year’s announcement, the company has developed a number of partnerships for development, and the latest was announced this week: RUF.

Yes, the legendary Porsche tuner and supercar builder is working with MPG to develop the engine for what the company is only calling “Project Sandbox.” It will be based on the 911 Turbo S engine, which starts with 640 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque. MPG and RUF say that the upgraded one will make more than 750 horsepower and 686 pound-feet of torque. The MPG car won’t be the only car to benefit, though, as the company said that RUF’s upgrades will be available for owners of regular 911 Turbo S cars looking for more power.

Other major automotive partners helping develop the MPG Project Sandbox include KW Automotive, Michelin, Akrapovic, VELA Performance and KLK Motorsport. The finished car will be revealed this spring, and production will begin later this year. MPG will build 40 examples, and the 10 first edition models have already been sold.

Related Video:

Another Ford GT gets Mansory’s controversial Le Mansory treatment

Mansory turned heads, for better or worse, when it transformed the Ford GT into a creation dubbed the Le Mansory. It announced plans to make three examples, and it unveiled the trio’s second member in 2021. While we don’t know who ordered it, we wouldn’t be surprised if “Bruce Wayne, aka Batman” appears on the title.

It looks like the visual modifications are identical to the ones made to the first Le Mansory shown in June 2020, so they include a fully redesigned front end with recessed LED headlights and a diverse array of aerodynamic add-ons. Air scoops popped up from the GT’s roof, while the rear wing and the rear diffuser have both grown significantly. Specific wheels with y-shaped spokes complete the look. The person who ordered this car requested a rather Batmobile-like black paint job with red accents and a checked flag-like finish for the carbon fiber. 

Splitting the public’s opinion is one of Mansory’s specialties, and the Le Mansory is not an exception to the rule. It wears a look that most will either love or hate. We can’t help but wonder what Moray Callum, the soon-to-be-retired Ford designer who led the team that styled the GT, has to say about the new-look front end.

Passengers are reminded of the car’s new name as soon as they open the door, because Le Mansory (chosen to honor the car’s success at Le Mans) appears on the Alcantara-upholstered sills. Inside, the buyer requested a combination of red and black upholstery with numerous carbon fiber accents. It matches the exterior well.

Mansory’s mechanical updates are less controversial than the visual changes; nearly everyone agrees with more power. It kept the twin-turbocharged, 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 and tuned it to 700 horsepower and 620 pound-feet of torque, compared to 647 and 550, respectively, for the stock model. Still bolted to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, the six-cylinder sends the Le Mansory to a top speed of 220 mph (four more than stock).

Pricing information remains under wraps, but it’s reasonable to assume that the person who commissioned this Le Mansory received a seven-digit bill. Now that two of the three cars are spoken for, what remains to be see is how the third one will be configured — it could be relatively subtle, or it might get an outlandish design.

Related Video:

Koenigsegg re-engineers a 2017 Agera RS at the request of a customer

Buyers who order a Koenigsegg are encouraged to personalize their car by working directly with the company to select unique paint colors and trim materials. One customer took the customization process to the next level by commissioning the company’s little-known Aftermarket division to re-engineer a 2017 Agera RS.

Twenty-five units of the record-breaking Agera RS were available, and production ended in 2018, so it’s too late to buy one new. Instead, an owner approached the Swedish firm with a simple request: He wanted to add air vents similar to the One:1‘s to his car’s hood. From there, the project escalated into a relatively long list of upgrades.

Koenigsegg explained that after adding the pair of vents, it redesigned the carbon fiber hood and fitted additional winglets on either side of the front bumper. It then turned its attention to the back of the car, where it added an air scoop that’s also inspired by the One:1 and an updated adjustable wing controlled by the in-car software. Black paint on the logos, on the exhaust outlet, and even on the visible bolts add a finishing touch to the design.

Inside, the anonymous customer requested a digital instrument cluster named SmartCluster in Koenigsegg-speak. Borrowed from the Regera, it takes the form of a big, driver-configurable screen that neatly replaces the three digital gauges and the small clusters of warning lights fitted to the Agera RS when it was new.

Koenigsegg initially estimated that implementing the customer’s request for additional vents would take a month, but it ended up spending longer than half a year making the aforementioned changes to the Agera RS. It stopped short of revealing how much it charged the owner to re-engineer a car that cost more than $2.5 million when it was new.

AddArmor’s Ferrari 458 Speciale is a 605-horsepower safe on wheels

Exotic cars and armored cars are often found in the same garage, but they’re positioned on opposite ends of the automotive spectrum. AddArmor leveraged the latest developments in armoring technology to build a Ferrari 458 Speciale that can survive .44 Magnum impacts while posting a sub-three-second sprint from zero to 60 mph.

Founded by military and law enforcement veterans, the California-based firm explained it wanted to build an armored Speciale without sacrificing the model’s performance or handling. It’s much more difficult than it sounds, because the simplest and most straight-forward way to make a car bullet-proof is to add heavy metal plates to it. For example, Brabus unveiled an armored G63 earlier in 2020 that weighs a hefty 8,400 pounds.

“Heavy vehicles tend to be slow, and a slow target is an easy target. In situations where clients need to be protected, speed is always an advantage,” reasoned company president Jeff Engen.

AddArmor upgraded the 458 Speciale with a type of light armor that’s 10 times stronger and 60% lighter than ballistic steel. It achieved a B4 level of armor, meaning the mid-engined supercar can withstand bullets fired by a handgun. It’s offers relatively basic protection; an AK-47 or a high-powered rifle can pierce right through it. It adds 156 pounds to the Speciale’s weight, so AddArmor offset it by ticking every carbon fiber option offered by Ferrari, including exterior and interior parts plus bits in the engine bay. It also fitted a custom exhaust system provided by Capristo that further reduces weight while adding 40 horsepower and 65 pound-feet of torque.

All told, the armored 458 weighs 67 pounds more than stock. It still posts a 2.8-second sprint from zero to 60 mph, and it’s still capable of reaching 202 mph. We’re told it handles like a non-armored model, too. If you lose the heat, all of the armored extras can be removed to end up with a lighter 458 with a 40-horsepower bump.

AddArmor stressed its 458 Speciale is a one-off prototype built to showcase how far armoring technology has come, and what’s possible in the exotic car segment. If it were to sell it, it would charge about $625,000 for it.

Related Video:

Ferrari SP1 and SP2 get faster with Novitec exhaust and tune

Finally, the poor saps who own the Ferrari SP1 and SP2 have an aftermarket solution for more horsepower. The car was just a total dog with the 809-horse 6.5-liter V12 it came with from the factory. 

We jest.

But for real, Novitec just released a tuning and performance package compatible with the SP1 and SP2 that ups the performance to an even higher bug crushing (with your face) 844 horsepower and 575 pound-feet of torque. That’s 34 horsepower and 45 pound-feet more than normal, reducing the 0-62 mph run from 2.9 seconds to 2.8 seconds. Top speed is simply said to be above 186 mph, at which point the bugs and your face become one.

The extra power comes thanks to a full Novitec exhaust system (headers on back) and a Novitec tune. You can select between stainless steel or Inconel (lightweight material used for Formula 1 car exhaust systems) pipes. Additionally, you can have the exhaust plated with fine gold for better heat dissipation — plus you get to say that your exhaust is plated in gold. You’ll be able to choose between a system with electronically controlled exhaust flaps, or a standard one-noise system. Novitec says the one with exhaust flaps can go especially quiet.

If the power isn’t enough, Novitec also offers aftermarket springs that lower the ride height by 1.4 inches to give the car a lower center of gravity. Aftermarket wheels developed with Vossen are also available. They’re wrapped by 275-section-width rubber in front and 335-section-width rubber in back.

And lastly, if the Ferrari interior you chose wasn’t exactly what you wanted (but why wasn’t it?) Novitec will also customize the interior to “any desired color.” Pick your leather and Alcantara, and have at it.

Novitec didn’t release prices, but Ferrari didn’t either when it revealed the SP1 and SP2 originally. Just know that many zeros are involved. For the 500 folks who own an SP1 or SP2, it very likely won’t matter what the price is.

Related Video:

Mansory Ford GT ‘Le Mansory’ brings extra width and power to the supercar

When it comes to automotive tuners, one of the most infamous is Mansory, a tuning firm based in Germany, which has built a reputation on its many garish, gaudy custom cars. Usually it works on European sports and luxury cars, but this time, it has turned its attention to the Ford GT. It has over-the-top bodywork, some extra power and, to top it off, the company gave it a pun name: “Le Mansory.” Get it? Like, Le Mans, but Le Mans-ory? We know, it’s a terrible name. (Well, at least on of us loves it. —Ed)

Anyway, you’ll notice right away that some drastic changes have been made to Mansory’s GT as it loses the stock headlights for custom units from the tuner. They sit deep within a completely new front fascia. But that’s just the start of the changes that touch every panel on the car. There are additional vents and splitters all around the car. Twin air scoops have sprouted from the roof. Carbon fiber blades run down the doors and connect to the roof pillars. Extra intakes have appeared next to the factory radiator intakes. The air channels in the hood also get carbon fiber pieces with a curious square pattern molded into them, almost giving it an alligator-esque texture. The motorized factory wing has been replaced by an enormous fixed version, a third exhaust tip has been added, and the entire car is now two inches wider. The interior also picks up white, blue and black leather and Alcantara to match the outside.

Mansory did give the modified GT extra performance to help back up the bold design. Power has increased from 647 horsepower to an even 700 and torque is up from 550 pound-feet to 620. Mansory claims that top speed has also increased from 216 mph for the factory Ford GT to 220 for the Le Mansory. Mansory doesn’t say anything about suspension changes, so presumably that all remains stock.

If you’re afraid you’ll start seeing a bunch of Ford GTs given the Mansory treatment, don’t be. The company says there will only be three available worldwide. Apparently it’s building one for each decade that the company has been in business. No price is given, but it’s safe to say it will be extremely expensive considering its rarity and the large amount of expensive materials such as carbon fiber, leather and Alcantara.

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Alois Ruf details 80 years of history in ‘RUF: Love at the Red Line’

Alois Ruf, Jr. knows the exact moment he and his father Alois Ruf, Sr. realized just how fanatic Porsche people are about their cars. While sitting at a stoplight in their Porsche 356 Karmann hardtop one Sunday afternoon, a stranger knocked on the window and begged for a chance to buy that exact car. The Rufs agreed to follow the person to his house, and the random buyer used cash from a candy box to overpay for the car that same day. After handing the cash over, the trusting stranger then loaned the Rufs a different Porsche to use to grab the necessary paperwork. “These Porsche people, they must be crazy,” Alois, Jr. remembers his father saying. “Everything is different with these people. Something is there that is not normal.” The Rufs went on to use craziness to build an 80-year business that is now engrained in Porsche lore.

Marking eight decades of service, Ruf put together a 30-minute documentary about its own history and recently released the project in full on YouTube. The video is spearheaded by Alois, Jr., and includes several other notable Porsche employees, owners, historians and fans. Ruf remains headquartered at Pfaffenhausen, Germany, where Alois, Sr. first opened a small repair shop.

Senior’s first Porsche was the result of a terrible crash. In 1963, while driving a Mercedes-Benz O 321 HL, he witnessed a Porsche 356 Karmann hardtop pass his slow-moving omnibus. When the Porsche try to correct into the proper lane, it lost control, drove into a ditch and flipped twice. Senior calmed the man down, brought him to the hospital, and explained he had an auto shop that could repair the car. But the owner ended up selling the car to Alois, and Alois sold it about a year later in the previously mentioned scenario. From that seed, a lasting relationship grew.

The car RUF is known for, the Yellowbird, came from an idea that emerged back in 1979. At the time, Junior called it the 945 R, and he planned to give it 450 horsepower with a twin-turbo version of the 935 engine. He ended up building the CTR 1 out of a shell from a 911 Carrera 3.2, and the car’s pure performance characteristics filled a gap left by Porsche at the time. In part due to a popular VHS tape, that car later became a legend.

Learn more about RUF’s beginnings, and how the business progressed, straight from Alois, Jr., in the video above.

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McLaren P1 GTR-18 by Lanzante takes its inspiration from the F1

The McLaren P1 GTR is already one of the most exclusive hypercars ever built (McLaren made only 58 of them), and now Lanzante is making it even more special. The storied British racing company has decided it’s going to convert six P1 GTRs into what it’s calling the P1 GTR-18.

Lanzante applies a longtail style body to the P1 GTR, increasing the length and adding even more aero equipment. It has a larger front splitter and modified rear wing to create additional downforce. The appearance is the biggest draw to go with the Lanzante P1 GTR-18, though. All six will get their own special McLaren F1-inspired paint scheme, meant to match the liveries of Lanzante’s racing efforts with the F1. This car is finished in the Gulf Team Davidoff No. 28R scheme, which is the livery from the last McLaren F1 GTR ever produced by Lanzante to compete. Here’s a Bonhams listing for that car, so you can compare and contrast.

Paint codes and samples were taken from that F1 so as to make the colors identical. Even the carbon fiber has a special tint to it, different from the regular P1 GTR. Lanzante does throw in some interesting extras, too. You get a headset (to talk to your passenger on track) finished in the same paint scheme as the car, and a set of “bespoke dust bags” and tinted carbon fiber keys to match the car. Powertrain details are not final yet, but the GTR made 986 horsepower combined from its gas engine and electric motor from the factory. It probably doesn’t need anything more.

All great stuff, and it will likely cost untold amounts of money. Lanzante didn’t say how much, but anybody who had enough cash to pick up a P1 GTR can likely spring for this special Lanzante treatment if they want it.

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Listen to a twin-turbo 2020 Corvette built by Hennessey

Hennessey has built the first twin-turbo 2020 Chevy Corvette that we know of, and it’s released a short video to let us listen to the fruits of its labor. To nobody’s surprise, the turbocharged C8 sounds spectacular. In addition to the traditional meaty rumble from Chevy’s small-block V8, we’re treated to a cacophony of turbo whooshes and whistles.

Back in December, Hennessey revealed its plans to sell a 1,200-horsepower version of the standard Corvette. It’s called the HPE1200, and it’s going to be ludicrously quick. Hennessey says the twin-turbo C8s will have upgraded internals, an upgraded dual-clutch transmission and a Brembo brake system installed. All we know about this particular car in the video is that it has two massive snails attached, and it does in fact run. For how long, that’s anybody’s guess.

The sound it’s making may not be entirely accurate, too. There doesn’t appear to be much of an exhaust system fitted. Instead, we can see a short pipe post-turbo pointing toward the left rear wheel that’s acting as a makeshift exhaust for the time being. Hennessey previously said it would offer a stainless steel exhaust with the new twin-turbo system, so expect something similar to this noise for a finished car. As long as we get to keep most of this turbo Vette’s extremely loud noises, we’ll be happy. 

Hennessey still hasn’t indicated any performance numbers or detailed specs on the HPE1200. A stock 2020 Chevy Corvette with the Z51 package will hit 60 mph in 2.9 seconds and do the quarter mile in 11.2 seconds. Assuming Hennessey is able to translate some of this power into actual forward momentum, we can expect some quicker times.

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The Mansory Cabrera is a Lamborghini Aventador SVJ with a bullish mug

Mansory does not care if a car is rare or special or unique. If it’s not a Mansory, it’s probably not good enough. But it might qualify to become a Mansory. The aftermarket tuning and design company has captured the limited Aventador SVJ and transformed it into a new vehicle called the Cabrera, which sports new looks and has more power.

Lamborghini will only produce 900 Aventador SVJs, and of those 900, three will go under the knife at a Mansory workshop. Mansory quotes a motto, “one car per decade,” and says the Cabrera “marks the start of several special editions on the occasion of Mansory’s 30th anniversary in 2020.” The name Cabrera is a breeding line of the Spanish fighting bull, similar to the names Miura and Gallardo.

The Cabrera has an entirely distinct face thanks to a new set of LED headlights. Rather than the chunky stock units that point toward the rear of the car, the new four-unit headlights are slim and horizontal. With the adjustments to the headlights came tweaks to the hood and front fascia. New air inlets on the front apron improve radiator air flow and help improve downforce. The carbon fiber widebody kit, which adds 1.6 inches in width, continues with bulbous wheel arches, aerodynamic side skirts, and a rear “double diffuser.” Extra downforce comes courtesy of a massive angular rear wing, and aggressively designed forged lightweight wheels (9×20 and 13×21) are wrapped in Pirelli P Zero tires.

The body kit is also designed to help cool the upgraded 6.5-liter V12 engine. While the “normal” SVJ makes 759 horsepower and 531 lb-ft of torque, the Cabrera makes 810 hp and 575 lb-ft. Mansory claims zero-to-62 mph in 2.6 seconds and a top speed of 221 mph.

Inside, Mansory takes the Aventador’s fighter-jet inspiration literally. The forged carbon fiber has “arrow-shaped decorative seams,” that look awfully similar to stealth bombers. That’s also mimicked with imprints in the seats. Every part of the interior has been redone and refitted with upgraded materials, including the ceiling, which has a colorful accent spine.   

The Cabrera is only one of many vehicles that were launched surrounding the canceled Geneva Motor Show. Other new custom creations include the Lamborghini Urus Venatus and the Bentley Continental GT V8 Convertible.

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