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  • EXCLUSIVE: Vilner Reveals the Bullshark

    The latest artwork of the Bulgarian luxury tuning company Vilner – BMW Bullshark, has been exclusively unveiled and again the readers of automobilesreview.com are the first to see it and read about it. The name of the project comes from the English name for the species Bull shark. The goal of the tuners was to bring back part of the forms of the sea predator, which are typical for the older models, and to weave them harmoniously with the future in the way they see it.

    They have succeeded to create the design and afterwards to realize it in one year. The professionals at Vilner have also created the project with the idea to change the 6 Series by strictly following its lines. From this vehicle, which is a generation of BMW 6 Series before the last one, they have kept only the roof and the doors unchanged.

    In order to create the details, the team has used composite materials, and this is how they now have a completely new design and in addition are lighter when compared to the production ones. The designers have utilized blue accents in the interior and exterior, combined it with brown, and from the interior they have transferred the same design language again onto the exterior.

    Outside as well as inside, the blue accents are very fine. In the coupe they are present almost everywhere in the form of decorative stitching – on the seats, sun shields, rearview mirror, the upholstery on the doors as well as on the seat belts and floor mats.

    On the outside – on the mirrors, strips next to the side windows, “kidneys”, exhaust caps and the lights “taken” from Infiniti FX. Carbon fibers are the natural solution for the bumpers, door-sills, rearview mirrors and the spoiler above the rear window.

    Additionally they have inserted LEDs in the lights. The tail-lights are taken from the facelifted E63, while the indicators are a slight reference to Z4. In the silhouette of the Bullshark is unobtrusively implied the presence of the shark.

    In the interior the seats have been completely replaced with sport ones from the M Series of the same model. The steering wheel is individualized and also includes a change in the form. Art Studio Vilner has shortened the gearshift lever and has created a new brown dials with blue rings for the mileage-meters. Leather and Alcantara are wrapping even the rearview mirror, the seat’s housing, dashboard, doors, side panels to the rear seat and the trunk.

    The project wouldn’t be completely finished without a High-End sound. In the car have been mounted 2-band systems with Ground Zero speakers at the front and rear, while for the optimal precision of the sound control takes care the Audison processor. The coupe is entirely noise-insulated.

    Power tuning has been also implemented via chiptuning, generation AC Schnitzer. Therefore the result is a breath-taking maximum power of around 370 hp (272 kW) and a maximum torque of 522 Nm (407 lb-ft) at 3420 rev. The Bullshark runs on Z Performance wheels in the dimensions of 8,5 x 19 at the front, and 9,5 x 19 at the rear. As a final touch Vilner has created for the client an individual traveling bag made in the same style and materials as the car.

  • Lamborghini Veneno Roadster On A Boat

    Lamborghini-Veneno-Roadster-Public-Debut-shadowLamborghini-Veneno-Roadster-Public-Debut-medium

    Few things can match top the grandiose entrance arranged for the Bentley Continental GT a couple of years ago. This, however, really does takes the cake. It’s the Lamborghini Veneno Roadster… on an aircraft carrier… in Abu Dhabi.

    That’s right, it’s the hypercar’s public debut. The atmosphere must have been thoroughly Italian and we are not looking simply at the Lambo. His Excellency Giorgio Starace, Italian Ambassador to the UAE and the Admiral of High Seas Forces, Paolo Treu were among the honarable guests being served by a renown chef. There was a catwalk (a 240 meter ship is the ideal place for a catwalk, isn’t it?) where fashion designer Giada Curti offered a tableau vivant of her creations with ten top models. Even footballer Fabio Cannavaro were among the first to sit in the Veneno. Stephan Winkelmann, President and CEO of Lamborghini, commented on the event saying, “We are honored that Lamborghini was chosen to represent the Italian car industry in the UAE, as a perfect example of iconic Italian super sports cars, and that we have the opportunity to show the Veneno Roadster for the first time in Abu Dhabi. Lamborghini has an extremely strong following in the region for its super sports cars, with the Middle East one of our largest markets in the world.”

    Lamborghini sure know how to target their audience. If anyone’s going to afford the 3.3 million Euro Veneno Roadster, it’s going to be someone who has an oil well in their backyard. No one of the nine people who will eventually get one will feel cheated, though. The Lamborghini Veneno Roadster is not just a metal art piece. It’s not even metal. All of the exterior is CFRP. The insides of the carbon fiber monocoque too benefit from lightweight design – CarbonSkin is used to clad the entire cockpit, the seats are made from Lamborghini’s patented Forged Composite. As a result, the Veneno Roadster weighs 1,490 kilograms. That’s pretty impressive for an open-top.

    Lamborghini say that every outlandish line of Veneno’s design follows function. In other words, aerodynamic efficiency akin to that of a racing prototype. There’s plenty of downforce while the drag is reduced to a minimum. Even the wheels have a specific shape that channels cooling air to the massive brakes.

    All of this is good news for the engine compartment. The 6.5 twelve-cylinder powerplant can unleash all of it’s 750 hp in order to get you from 0 to 60 in just bellow 3 seconds. You will continue accelerating until the electronic limiter kicks in at 220 mph. No mechanical sympathy required – the ISR transmission with five modes, the permanent all-wheel drive and the pushrod suspension with horizontal sprint/damper units can all take the abuse.

    Lamborghini-Veneno-Roadster-Public-Debut-medium-2

    Source: Lamborghini

  • 2014 Porsche Cayenne Platinum Edition

    Porsche has introduced the 2014 Cayenne Platinum Edition. It is designed to to combine style and exclusively.

    This special edition comes with some nice goodies like bi-xenon headlights, privacy glass and 19” Cayenne Design II wheels with colored Porsche crests. The color range include a Platinum Silver Metallic, Black, White, Meteor Grey Metallic, Basalt Black Metallic, Mahogany Metallic and Carrara White Metallic.

    The interior boasts artial leather seats, a SportDesign steering wheel and a Porsche Communication Management (PCM) system with GPS SAT NAV. There are also anti-dazzle interior mirrors, special floor mats and “Platinum Edition” sill plate. Last, but not least are the ParkAssist and a Power Steering Plus system.

    The Cayenne Platinum Edition is powered by a 3.6 liter V6 petrol engine – 300 HP (220 kW) and 400 Nm (295 lb-ft) of torque. Diesel Platinum Edition will be also available – 3.0 liter V6 – 245 HP (180 kW) and 550 Nm (368 lb-ft) of torque.

    The special edition will hit the market in the beginning of the next year with pricing starting from €66,380 for the Cayenne Platinum Edition and €67,210 for the Cayenne Diesel Platinum Edition.

    Source: Porsche

  • Toyota Verso MPV 1.6 D-4D by BMW

    2014 Toyota Verso MPV will be powered by BMW’s 1.6 liter diesel engine. The power unit will be installed on the 1.6 D-4D model. The Bavarian manufacturer has agreed to provide 1.6 and 2.0 liter diesel engines to Toyota back in 2011.

    2014 Verso MPV will be produced in Turkey from the next month. The 1.6 D-4D model will have a 1.6 liter diesel engine with 110HP (82 kW) and 270Nm (200 lb-ft) of torque at 1,750RPM. The engine meets EURO 5 regulations with CO2 emissions of just 119 g/km.

    The two manufacturers will work together to create a fuel cell system which will be ready before the end of the 2020.

    “At Toyota, we believe that tackling environmental challenges facing our industry will require more than one approach. Hybrid is at the core of our strategy towards sustainable mobility, but we also see a role for clean diesel in Europe. Working together with an industry leader like the BMW Group allows us to benefit from economies of scale to reduce development costs as well as improve our time-to-market.”, commented Didier Leroy, Senior Managing Officer of Toyota Motor Corporation, and President and CEO of Toyota Motor Europe (TME).

    Source: Toyota

  • Ferrari 458 Speciale at Fiorano Circuit [video]

    Ferrari 458 Speciale was tested by Raffaele De Simone at the Fiorano race circuit. The test driver had the opportunity to enjoy the most powerful Ferrari V8 engine. He explained some the highlights, while driving at decent speeds.

    The 458 Speciale is powered by an upgraded 4.5 liter naturally aspirated V8 engine – 605HP (445 kW) and 540Nm (398 lb-ft) of torque. This is an increase of 35HP over the normal version. The engine is mated to an improved dual-clutch transmission. 0-100 km/h in 3.0 seconds and a top speed of over 330 km/h (205 mph). A lap around Fiorano in 1 minute and 23.5 seconds.

    Enjoy!

    httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-GxPnoBR64

    Source: Ferrari via Youtube

  • Regula Tuning’s R8 V10 Spyder Is All Show and No Go

    Regula-Tuning-Audi-R8-v10-Spyder-shadowRegula-Tuning-Audi-R8-v10-Spyder-medium

    We are sorry, but has the world ran out of wheels? This is the third time in the last five days that we encounter the flamboyant Oxigin-Oxrock 8,5 x 20s along with the accompanying spinning covers. At the very least, this time they don’t seem to ruin the overall vista of the car in question. No, everything else does.

    What you see here is the newest (post-facelift) Audi R8 V10 Spyder that’s been tricked out by Regula Tuning. This is not their first time when they’ve butchered an R8. Don’t get us wrong, it doesn’t look that bad. Over the top and vulgar with those scarlet red accents for sure, but still kind of cool-looking. The biggest problem we have with it, however, is the pretence that it is something that it is clearly not. Besides the carbon-fiber bodykit (consisting of a front and rear apron and side skirts) and the wheels, there don’t seem to be any other features that differentiate it from the stock R8. You still get the same 525 hp Lambo-sourced V10 and the standard suspension setup.

    Nobody’s trying to dispute the Audi’s original performance here, but one has to be able to walk the talk, right? If you look like a Nürbergring thoroughbred on track days, you need to be able to leave your opponents trailing behind, not just intimidate them with a virtually non-existent ground clearance and paper-thin tires. Out on the streets, on the other hand, you’ll need to do countless recalculations of your route on the satnav since you obviously won’t be able to clear the speed hump that’s spanning before you.

    Amazingly, though, the most striking thing about the Regula R8 is the price – $9,400. Worth it?

    Source: Regula Tuning

  • 2014 Lexus CT 200h Goes On Sale In January

    2014-Lexus-CT-200h-THUMB2014 Lexus CT 200h compact luxury hybrid is ready to go on sale and to offer its customers revised exterior and updated features. What is more, the 2014 CT 200h will be also equipped with a lot of additional standard and updated features.

    The customers will appreciate to see that the car will return an estimated fuel economy of 43 MPG city and 40 MPG highway (42 MPG combined). For the next model year, the CT gets a fresh, sporty look with a revised front fascia.

    The latter includes Lexus spindle grille, new front bumper, LED daytime running lights and updated fog lamp surrounds. In addition, the car will run on brand new five-spoke 17-inch wheels and will also sport new rear bumpers, LED rear license plate lighting, larger rear spoiler (3 cm), aero-stabilizing fins, shark fin antenna and scratch-resistant clear coat.

    In the interior the designers at Lexus have included a thinner Display Audio (DA)/Navigation screen which features the next generation multimedia system. What is more, the occupants of the car will enjoy to be surrounded by standard six-speaker and premium 10-speaker audio systems which now have improved design.

    As a standard there has been included also redesigned leather shift knob and sliding sun visors, while the DA and navigation get Bluetooth 3.0 and dual USB. Another redesigned feature in the interior is the steering wheel. The metallic interior ornamentation enhances the luxurious cabin.

    Not only the standard equipment has been improved here but also the trim choices via the addition of Parchment NuLuxe and perforated Flaxen leather. 2014 CT also receives a new exterior color called Redline, which includes a highly scratch resistant self-restoring coat.

    2014 CT 200h F SPORT will also be revised and will ride on newly designed 17-inch 5-twin spoke alloy wheels with two-tone graphite and machine finish. Other enhancements include front bumper with F SPORT mesh grille, black contrast roof, new rear spoiler with two large air ducts, and mesh fog lamp inserts, black surround, F SPORT exterior badging and two new unique exterior colors: Ultra White and Ultra Sonic Blue Mica.

    CT 200h will be powered by a 1.8-liter in-line four-cylinder gas engine which works together with a 650 Volt motor/generator. Both deliver a combined output of 134 horsepower (99 kW). The powertrain is mated to an Electronically Controlled Continuously Variable Transmission (E-CVT).

    2014 Lexus CT 200h has a starting price of $32,050 USD and will go on sale in late January or early February.

    Source: Lexus

  • 2014 BTCC Honda Civic Tourer Debuts In March

    2014-BTCC-Honda-Civic-Tourer-THUMB2014 BTCC Honda Civic Tourer will participate in the 2014 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) with the same championship-winning team and driver line-up of Honda Yuasa Racing. The all new Civic Tourer race car will make its track debut in March and will be driven by Matt Neal and Gordon ‘Flash’ Shedden.

    The Tourer will undoubtedly deliver uncompromised racing because it includes the weight, wheelbase, layout and suspension of Honda’s hatchback, but at the same time length of the car is extended due to the larger tailgate.

    The engineers have worked hard over the past few months to develop the 2014 BTCC Civic Tourer. The versatility and practicality of the Tourer is complemented by its dynamic performance.

    The testing of the 2014 BTCC Honda Civic Tourer will begin in January. Then the sportscar will make its race debut at Brands Hatch for the first round of the 2014 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship on 29th and 30th of March.

    Source: Honda

  • 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Premiere Edition Convertible

    2014-Chevrolet-Corvette-Stingray-Premiere-Edition-Convertible-THUMB2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Premiere Edition Convertible comes to bring some glamour for the Christmas Holidays. The car is based on the current model, and will be built in limited examples which will be exactly 550.

    All top-of-the-line 3LT models will have the sumptuous Lime Rock Green exterior which will be complemented on the inside with a Brownstone suede interior. The vehicle also includes suede-wrapped interior trim, carbon fiber accents, variable tuned performance exhaust system, Z51 Performance Package and Magnetic Selective Ride Control.

    2014 Premiere Edition will bring about its exclusivity onto the road via its unique five-spoke wheels with “Stingray”-logo center caps. In addition, in the interior will be included the “Stingray”-logo interior sill plates and a five-piece set of Corvette-branded luggage from Thule. These components were delivered by the Corvette Accessories catalog.

    Being produced in only 550 examples, the model becomes a collectible car and therefore it will have a unique VIN sequence and unique dash plaques commemorating the limited-edition status.

    2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Premiere Edition Convertible will have a starting price of $77,450 USD and will arrive in dealerships in early 2014.

    Source: Chevrolet

  • AC Schnitzer ACS4 BMW 2.8i Coupe Police Concept [VIDEO]

    AC-Schnitzer-ACS4-BMW-4-Coupe-shadowAC-Schnitzer-ACS4-BMW-4-Coupe-medium

    VDAT (from German: Verban Der Automobil Tuner) stands for the “Association of German Vehicle Tuners”, and the Essen Motor Show is where all of the members have a get together and show off their ambitious, and sometimes even mad, projects. Annually, however, they take the opportunity to work together on a concept vehicle as part of a campaign called “Tune it! Safe!” What that mutual effort aims to show, is that one can still make insanely cool and fast vehicles and be responsible all the while. So nothing like the R8 from yesterday then. For the fourth consequent year, the subject vehicle was a police car (a BMW 428i Coupé, to be precise). Baddies, beware!

    It would appear that most of the credit for this year’s concept goes to AC Schnitzer. In fact, it is called the ACS4 2.8i Coupé which really means that most of the work was done by them. What they did was to add a little more oomph to the standard 2.8i engine, fiddle with the suspension, install some spoilers, and throw in a couple of accessories for the inside. The only other companies mentioned are the ones that provided the Foliatec (responsible for the police décor) and Hella (RTK 7 signalling system). Hankook, on the other hand, are said to be the chief sponsors behind the project. That’s why the AC Schnitzer Type VIII Lighweight Forged Wheels get to wear two pairs of Hankook Ventus S1evo tires in sizes 245/30 R21

    With the AC Shnizer performance upgrade, the BMW now boasts a power value of 294 hp (up a sensible notch from 245 hp). As a result, the top speed is now limited to 155 mph; and 0 to 62 is done in 5,7 seconds. The based-in-Aachen guys claim that now the CO2 value per HP sees an improvement over the standard setup.

    Because the torque is also up to 420 Nm, the ACS4 needs something to tame the additional grunt and put it to use. This is where the AC Schnitzer racing suspension comes in place. It ha has adjustable bump and rebound settings and lowers the whole of the car with around 25 mm. Hopefully, the officers of the law will still be able to clear a speed hump withouth wasting the AC Schnitzer front splitter. There’s also a spoiler at the roof and at the back.

    Inside aluminum seems to be the predominant theme – “Black Line” (still aluminum) handbrake handle and gear knob plus aluminum pedals and foot rest. There’s also a new key holder and velour floor mats – fascinating.

    So, there you have it. Responsible. sensible, cool and safe in just about every sense of the word.

    httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7zrsNWSvr0&feature=youtu.be

    Source: AC Schnitzer

  • TEASER: BMW Bullshark by Vilner [VIDEO]

    The best project of the Bulgarian luxury tuning company Vilner has just been teased via an exclusive video which you can watch below. This time the creative tuners have decided to entirely transform BMW 6 Series (E63).

    Since we are familiar with their craftsmanship and talent, and have seen the unique transformation of Bentley Continental GT, we are undoubtedly expecting to see one of the most exquisite tunings ever made. In this project Vilner was inspired by one of the greatest predators on our planet – the shark.

    Even more, it has offered its unique vision for this BMW, which now proudly carries the name Bullshark. From the video we can draw the conclusion that the magic hands of the team have given the E63 new aggressive headlights, new side fenders that look like branchia and a completely new front fascia that definitely puts an impression on one’s mind as if they are being watched by a shark.

    It is also noticeable that the side rearview mirrors have received a carbon fiber treatment, while regarding the back of the car, the Bullshark got taillights that have unusual form for the original model. So we are wondering whether we are to see an entire facelift of the rear.

    Nothing around the interior has been shown in the footage. However, knowing the capabilities of Vilner, we are sure that we are to be revealed a real embodiment of  perfection.

    httpv://youtu.be/kofBj8H31h0

    Video Source: YouTube

  • Hamann Range Rover Mystere Gets Wide-Body Upgrade

    Hamann Range Rover Mystere pushes the limits of individualism. The tuners have definitely showed their best with this project making unique and literally an embodiment of perfection.

    To reveal the details, the front spoiler includes integrated LED daytime running lights, while the bonnet is made of true carbon fibre. For the side skirts, Hamann has used four-part Widebody kit which adds the additional 80 mm to car’s width.

    Next, the front wings are hand-crafted from special carbon GFK composite. What also contribute for the extended width of this Range Rover are not only the side skirts, but also the door fixtures and the panels for the rear wheel wings.

    At the rear, there has been added a rear spoiler with integrated end pipes milled from a solid block. The handling was optimized via electronic lowering module. The latter brings the car 40 mm closer to the pavement.

    Hamann Range Rover Mystere runs on 23 inch forged rims with either the three-part “Edition Race” with a polished rim flange and Titan bolts or the single unit variant “Unique Forged”. On all four wheels were mounted Continental tyres in size of 305/30/23.

    Of course, the same approach that evokes luxury and individuality is continued in the interior. Tuning company’s logo is visible on the door sill trims and the velour floor mats. In addition, the upholstery used inside features materials such as leather and Alcantara. Otherr materials found throughout the cabin include double-clear-coat finishes, stainless steel, aluminium and carbon fiber.

    Source: Hamann