Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Mercedes ML63 AMG Performance Studio

Mercedes ML63 AMG Performance Studio, 2009





The Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG Performance Studio, the AMG Performance Studio, opened in 2006. The very special M-Class features a combination of uniquely detailed fittings typical of the vehicles designed in the AMG Performance Studio.

Matching its "metallic Peridot brown" exterior paintwork, the Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG Performance Studio features 21" high-sheen AMG light alloy wheels with a double spoke design, painted the same colour as the car. Wide-base 295/35 R 21 tyres ensure the necessary road surface contact. The high-gloss chrome trim on the upper body edges at window level is another eye-catching detail.

The extraordinary character of this unique M-Class vehicle is just as evident in the interior. The full nappa leather upholstery with a "porcelain" coloured diamond design creates an ambience of luxury. It covers the AMG sports seats, the rear seats and the door linings. The AMG emblem embossed on the front headrests points to the vehicle's exclusive origin, manufactured in the AMG Performance Studio in Affalterbach. The lower part of the dashboard, the front and back centre consoles and the backs of the front seats are all clad in glossy, porcelain-coloured nappa leather. A clear contrast is formed by the black cording, as well as the upper part of the dashboard and the door linings clad in black nappa leather. The entire roof lining, including the grab handles, sun visors and rear window frame, is lined with charcoal alcantara. The AMG sports steering wheel is black with porcelain-coloured cording.

Access strips with white luminous AMG lettering, AMG wood trim in high-gloss black piano lacquer and black AMG floor mats with porcelain-coloured nappa leather edging add further highlights to the exquisitely designed interior of the Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG Performance Studio.

Both the Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG Performance Studio and the Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG 10th Anniversary demonstrate the wide range of possibilities which the AMG Performance Studio draws from to fulfil the most individual wishes of its customers. Customised modifications, e.g. to AMG sports suspensions, AMG high-performance brake systems, AMG wheel/tyre combinations, locking differentials, or individual interior fittings are carried out by the highly qualified experts at Affalterbach. In the design and construction, they draw on decades of experience in making high-performance cars, as well as comprehensive expertise from the world of motor sports.

Famous Modern Design Classic Model Holden Efijy Concept Car

Famous Modern Design Classic Model Holden Efijy Concept Car
Greats Luxury Modern Classic Design Holden Efijy Concept Car

With the flurry of new product introductions and concept vehicles being unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show this year, standing out from the crowd can take something special. I came across that something special in my first 30 minutes of walking the show floor: the Holden Efijy concept. Developed by a team of engineers and designers at Holden (a GM subsidiary in Australia), the Efijy rides on a Corvette chassis and is powered by a supercharged 6.0 liter V8. The design screams old school, but I don’t care — this beauty is a sight to behold.


 Famous Modern Design Classic Model Holden Efijy Concept CarDesign Luxury Classic Holden Efijy Concept Car Auto Show

GM and Holden have already said that the Efijy would never see the light of day as a production vehicle, and that the effort was a “passionate side project” by Holden engineers who worked on the vehicle in their spare time. Despite the long list of concept vehicles unveiled in COBO Hall — from the Toyota FT-HS to the Chrysler Nassau and Ford Interceptor — I have to admit that the Efijy was my favorite concept of the show. Funny thing about having a passion for something: it tends to produce breathtaking vehicles like this one. Here’s hoping that the obvious talent of these Holden designers and engineers is put to good use with the new 2009 Chevy Camaro, which is being developed on a Holden-engineered RWD platform
Famous Modern Design Classic Model Holden Efijy Concept CarBeautiful Design Classic Holden Efijy Concept Car

Australian International Motor Show, 13 October 2005 : A wild 21st Century hot rod reincarnating Australia ’s most famous car, the FJ Holden, was unveiled today at the Australian International Motor Show in Sydney.


Famous Modern Design Classic Model Holden Efijy Concept CarDesign Machine Power Holden Efijy Concept Car

EFIJY is a radical pillarless custom coupe boasting V8 Supercar power under the bonnet, Chevrolet Corvette underbody and state-of-the-art automotive technology throughout.


Famous Modern Design Classic Model Holden Efijy Concept CarBeautiful Design Holden Efijy Concept Car in Beside

The ‘Soprano Purple’ paintwork highlights its curvaceous 5.2-metre body, reinterpreting the classic design cues of the iconic 1953 FJ Holden. It delivers retro, mumbo and gizmos in one glorious package.


Famous Modern Design Classic Model Holden Efijy Concept CarCute Design Holden Efijy Concept Car in Front

Obviously not intended for production, EFIJY has been a passionate side project for some Holden Design team members otherwise dedicated to creating the all-new 2006 Commodore.

Famous Modern Design Classic Model Holden Efijy Concept CarBeautiful Modern Headlamps Holden Efijy Concept Car


Automotive excess pounds through a 480-kilowatt, supercharged six-litre V8 engine and air-adjustable shock absorbers through to a touch control LCD screen and fan-cooled LED headlamps.

Famous Modern Design Classic Model Holden Efijy Concept CarAmazing Design Fantastic Headlamps Holden Efijy Concept Car
GM Holden Chairman and Managing Director, Denny Mooney, today said the EFIJY project was a bold statement on the creative talent available within Holden’s design ranks. Mr Mooney said the project was developed as a collaboration with suppliers which reduced impact on the company’s heavy work schedule and ensured the highest possible quality result for the showcar. “EFIJY is all about fun, emotion and imagination. It shows what a bunch of clever and talented design people can do when they are let loose to create something really wild,” Mr Mooney said. “This year was a fantastic opportunity for us to create something which highlights our designers’ ability and versatility. “EFIJY is sure to evoke different memories for everyone who sees it. People might focus on the FJ links, the glorious custom coupes of the 1930s or the great design flair of the 1950s.” Design philosophies Holden Chief Designer and EFIJY project leader Richard Ferlazzo, who sketched the first EFIJY designs in 1989 and is a long-time custom car fanatic, said the car existed purely for automotive entertainment. “Invariably, people smile when they see it for the first time. EFIJY is our accolade to the talented designers who cut loose with some fantastically flamboyant styling in the post-war 1940s and 1950s,” Ferlazzo said. “Ask the question, ‘what would these people have created using all the skill sets and technology we have now’, and EFIJY might be the all-Australian answer to that question. “EFIJY is also aimed at the legions of custom car and hot rod enthusiasts out there whose appetites aren’t generally met in the concept car arena. “Most importantly, itsends the message that the same people who have sensible day jobs designing entirely practical cars have the passion and inspiration to create something as outrageous as EFIJY. “We’re all car nuts together and the fact that EFIJY stands on our Sydney motorshow stand goes some way to legitimising this form of automotive design in the mainstream.” Exterior and interior highlights


Famous Modern Design Classic Model Holden Efijy Concept CarCute and Cool Modern Classic Holden Efijy Concept Car
The design team has cleverly incorporated FJ design cues into EFIJY’s radicalcustom coupe body, acknowledging the most important aspects of the iconic 1953 release. The famously familiar FJ grille looms larger than life, fronting a low, wide and handsome body extravagantly elongated and brimming with retro chic style


Famous Modern Design Classic Model Holden Efijy Concept CarDesign Modern Classic Holden Efijy Concept Car


The Corvette rolling chassis was lengthened to accommodate the EFIJY body, which is more than 700 millimetres longer than the FJ by which it was inspired. The Soprano Purple paint has multiple layers of translucent pigmented topcoats which creates the rich, deep effect. All brightwork on the vehicle is hand-made billet aluminium to maximise its authentic look, nowhere more evident than the stunning grill salute to FJ’s distinctive front.


Famous Modern Design Classic Model Holden Efijy Concept CarElegant Design interior Holden Efijy Concept Car


A proximity sensor opens the door automatically as the driver approaches, revealing deep cream leather twin tombstone-shaped seats equipped with integral belts.


Famous Modern Design Classic Model Holden Efijy Concept CarBeautiful Design interior Holden Efijy Concept Car

The drop-down, touch control LCD screen and an instrument cluster glowing with the number ‘53’– another FJ gesture – are set in the body-coloured metal dash and pulsate with a radiogram retro orange glow.


Famous Modern Design Classic Model Holden Efijy Concept CarAutomotic Transmission Design Holden Efijy Concept Car


There are pearlescent, Bakelite-look push button controls for the electronic automatic transmission and the hard curved floor is finished in figured maple timber veneer with aluminium inserts.


Famous Modern Design Classic Model Holden Efijy Concept CarModern Design Suspension Holden Efijy Concept Car


EFIJY’s prowling appearance can be accentuated by the air-adjustable suspension. At the touch an LCD screen, At a touch of the LCD screen, EFIJY can hunker down to just 27 millimetres from the ground or rise to a more practical drive height.


Famous Modern Design Classic Model Holden Efijy Concept CarModern System Featuring Hard Drive Audio and Video Holden Efijy Concept Car


Like any great showcar, EFIJY is stocked with a cutting edge entertainment system featuring hard drive audio and video storage driven through a major amplifier and speaker setup.


Famous Modern Design Classic Model Holden Efijy Concept CarModern System Featuring Hard Drive Audio Holden Efijy Concept Car


The 6.0-litre LS2 V8 engine has been supercharged and modified by Ron Harrop, well known throughout the Australian automotive and motorsport industry and an ex-FJ Holden racer.


Famous Modern Design Classic Model Holden Efijy Concept CarIncreadible Machine Power Holden Efijy Concept Car

Driven by a Roots-type supercharger, the engine delivers peak power of 480kW (645 horsepower) at 6400rpm and peak torque of 775Nm (560 foot-pound) at 4200rpm. Such performance figures are equal to the stated output from 2005 Series V8 Supercars, and almost 11 times greater than the 45kW (60 horsepower) offered in the 1953 FJ Holden.


Famous Modern Design Classic Model Holden Efijy Concept CarDesign speed automatic transmission Machine Power Holden Efijy Concept Car

EFIJY’s engine is mated to a rear-mounted four-speed automatic transmission featuring push button electronic control. Limited slip differential has been fitted for obvious reasons.

Monday, June 28, 2010

Mercedes ML63 AMG 10th Anniversary, 2009

Mercedes ML63 AMG 10th Anniversary, 2009





The exclusive Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG 10th Anniversary is the 375-kW/510-hp top M-Class model fascinating with its striking appearance and extraordinary standard features. With the ML63 AMG 10th Anniversary, Mercedes AMG is celebrating ten years of high-performance SUVs. The Mercedes-Benz ML55 AMG with a 255-kW/347-hp AMG 5.5-l V8 engine, launched in 1999, is considered the trendsetter and founder of an entire vehicle segment.

The Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG 10th Anniversary jubilee model was developed in the AMG Performance Studio and showcases AMG's expertise in catering to the wishes of individual customers. The experts at the AMG Performance Studio were also responsible for developing the new Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG Black Series, as well as Official F1™ Safety Car and Official F1 Medical Car.

The newly designed front end dominates the extraordinary appearance of the Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG 10th Anniversary: the bonnet with power domes catches the eye, as does the radiator grille with fins painted Himalaya grey. A matching Himalaya grey underseal and fog lamp fittings form a delightful contrast to the exterior paintwork in metallic obsidian black, metallic iridium silver and calcite white. Shaded Bi-Xenon headlights add the finishing touch to the front view.

From the side, the exclusive 21" AMG light alloy wheels with a five-spoke design commands attention: the combination of Himalaya grey paintwork and the high-sheen surface creates a lasting impression. The 10 x 21" AMG light alloy wheels are fitted all round with size 295/35 R 21 wide-base tyres. On the rear end of the Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG 10th Anniversary, the underseal in Himalaya grey mirrors the design of the front end.

Exquisite two-tone nappa leather upholstery in the interior
The AMG sports seats can be adjusted electronically, and feature a multi-contour function and seat heating. The AMG sports steering wheel is also two-tone, designed to match the interior colour scheme. Perforated leather covering the grip area ensures optimum handling, and the AMG switch paddles enable manual gear changing. The exclusive tone is emphasised not just by the upper part of the dashboard clad in design leather and the black roof lining, but also the charcoal poplar wood trim.

Mercedes-Benz ML55 AMG: Worldwide trendsetter and first ever high-performance SUV

With the new ML63 AMG 10th Anniversary, Mercedes AMG GmbH is celebrating ten years of AMG high-performance SUVs. The ML55 AMG, the high-performing top model from the popular first generation of M-Class vehicles, was launched in September 1999 at the International Motor Show in Frankfurt on Main. As the founder of the new "high-performance SUV" segment, the ML55 AMG quickly became a best seller in the AMG range of models. With a maximum output of 255 kW/347 hp, an engine displacement of 5.5 litres and eight cylinders, the ML55 AMG offered a level of driving performance previously unthinkable in this segment: it could accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in just 6.8 seconds, and had a top speed of 235 km/h.

Saturday, June 26, 2010

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Friday, June 25, 2010

Ferrari's New Sales Pitch

Ferrari's new 458 Italia

Ferrari's new 458 Italia sports car. From PatrickMcMullan.com.

On Wednesday night at New York’s Ferrari showroom on Park Avenue, the centerpiece of the party celebrating the newly revamped corporate space was not the boldface guest list, but instead a white model of Ferrari’s new 458 Italia sports car, with a starting price north of $225,000. Scrubs star Zach Braff, The City star Olivia Palermo and boyfriend Johannes Huebl (who made their appearance particularly short and sweet, doing a once-around-and-out in about 10 minutes), model Kiera Chaplin, and actor and screenwriter Justin Theroux, were among those milling about the venue, paying homage to the luxury-car purveyor.

Many of the guests, who looked particularly dressy for an early-evening affair, were current Ferrari owners. While they perused the memorabilia and collector’s items that lined the walls, and, most important, checked out other attendees’ recently released 4G iPhones, they also swapped joyride stories. One guest even discussed his recent 149-mile-per-hour dash down New York’s Brooklyn-Queens Expressway in his Ferrari convertible.

The Park Avenue showroom is the first location in Ferrari's history to combine an apparel line with the cars. One executive explained that the aim is to feature the “Ferrari lifestyle” for those who cannot afford the luxury vehicles, pointing to a back room filled with Ferrari shirts, ties, hats, and other items priced just slightly less than the cars themselves.

Lamborghini Replica 2010

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Auto Salon Aussie Car

While you have to be different to want to modify a car, there are varying levels of "uniqueness" that each person brings to the scene. I mean, it's not the act of a cold, calculatingly logical person to invest tens of thousands of dollars into a means of transport, making it more expensive to run and making it far more uncomfortable and too powerful to drive on the street.

Theo and George Spartalis are not ordinary, and their cars are certainly far from average, often seamlessly integrating show quality build finish to hardcore race-style performance engineering. Both of these very special brothers shine on like crazy diamonds in the coalface that is the tuning scene and this wild S15 is Theo's opus, his toy, his pride and joy. Rather than keeping it placid with big rims, dumped stance, some styling efforts and around 250kW at the wheels, the Spartalis brothers took their inspiration from the most hardcore drag and circuit racing Silvias in Japan.

Theo made a pilgrimage to Japan a few years back, where the sight of the HKS Kyushu S15 running 10.4 on drag radials and using an SR20 pulled the strings in his mind, while it was witnessing the GT300-class C-West S15 JGTC racers (now Super GT) that stamped those formative lustful ideas and dreams into a cold, hard, wanton desire to build his own SR20DET-powered S15, something that could run a number at the drags or blast an enthralling lap out at a local circuit.



To achieve this, he scored himself a 2001-vintage Spec R S15 Silvia import and set about building a car that bridged JGTC circuit influence with some drag racing hardware and a pinch of road car smarts. At first, having spent well over $120,000 and three months in construction, it was a capable all rounder with over 400kW at the treads from its highly engineered SR20 (without nitrous), though it soon copped evolutionary upgrades to assist in its chase for a time slip and the world record for fastest SR20 on radial tyres.

At the start of the original build, Theo wanted the car to blend JGTC and drag styles into a road car and then take it from track to strip to street. However, his desire to run a fast time overcame the short-term circuit aspirations and any shred of road usage for the car, and so it slowly turned more into a strip-focused monster, though Theo reckons it can be re-tuned to smash lap records fairly easily and cheaply.

Before this latest round of modifications to really push it into drag car territory to run a number that Theo would be happy with, it had run a best time of 10.24@138mph on radials and 9.23@148.5mph on slicks, though these passes had been plagued with the kind of teething problems associated with massive feats of engineering like what this car packs. They had suffered all kinds of set-backs, from faulty battery charge warning lights, to shearing billet driveshafts, to a programming glitch on the MoTeC accidentally advancing the timing to nearly 27degrees (which would be enough to kill any normal motor)!

The whole build was excruciatingly difficult as the detail had to be off the clock. It had to be supremely well engineered, but finished to a standard that wouldn't be out of place on a brand new supercar or works-built factory racer. Still, running that first nine second pass made it all worthwhile for Theo, and he's rightfully proud of the advanced workmanship that is packed into the fatter-than-a-sumo two-door, the highlights of which are the seamlessly integrated C West GT widebody, the seam-welded chassis, the R32 Skyline GT-R rear-end, the carbon brakes from the USA and that ludicrously large T51R turbo.


Actually, that monster S13-generation SR20DET (used for simplicity's sake) is one area that has copped plenty of revision and updates over the tenure of the S15's life though most of that work has focused on attaining reliability rather than going for sky high dyno figures. The way the car gets out of the hole (off the line) and how strong it is in the mid-track has more to do with Theo's desire to run an ace time than outright grunt ever will (though that would net him a sweet mph figure).

The first thing most people spot in the engine bay is that monster HKS T51R KAI turbo, the snail pumps 30psi worth of boost into the now-2.2-litre SR20, though that's managed by the HKS 50mm external wastegate, TAL blow-off valve and Blitz Dual SBC boost controller. You can't run such a large huffer without the appropriate preparation being done to the bottom end, and on the GT Autosound S15 there's enough hi-po hardware in there to make a Silvia junkie drool with excitement.

In the block lies a Tomei stroker crank that has bumped capacity up to 2.2-litres and can spin far harder than the Nissan effort, while Power Enterprise bearings now handle the rpm, heat and stress from the manic motor, being able to turn to over 11,000rpm! While shopping at Tomei, Theo picked up a quartet of their matching 2.2-litre con rods to suit the motor as well as a set of oversize 87.5mm pistons that were then also Nikasil coated for extra strength and installed with unbelievably exotic titanium piston rings that are both lightweight and strong. There's also a Trust sump and oil cooler to ensure the motor's longevity.

Having experimented with both standard and heavily modified heads, Theo has settled on this expensive, labour-intensive set-up that is reportedly worth around $12,000 and packs exotic, intricate detailing like CNC porting, JUN billet plenum, Tomei valve springs and Manley titanium and aluminium valves. On the front of the motor, there is a Nissan VQ45 V8 throttle body and Tomei cam gears, while ARP head studs have been fitted to stop the top-end lifting off the long motor when that massive T51R gets a'spoolin'.

With the switch to methanol, the Sard 1000cc injectors currently doing duty will be joined by a second set. Theo had been running American-made Rochester units, but found them to be less than reliable on such a monstrously worked motor, something that can spell disaster and tens of thousands of dollars down the drain if it all goes wrong.


There's also twin SX fuel pumps that basically shower the 2.2-litre four-cylinder with C16 race fuel and twin VL Turbo fuel pumps for the nitrous system. Up the front, a custom radiator and cooling system reduce weight and handle the increased pressures in the system, while the whole exhaust was also custom made from scratch to suit Theo's exact specifications. Ignition is handled by twin MoTeC CDI ignitors as well as high-rate MSD coils and leads, ensuring massive amounts of spark get to those plugs and burn the huge amounts of fuel flowing into each combustion chamber, something that will be even more important with the switch to methanol as it takes double the amount of alcohol to provide the same amount of propulsion as conventional petrol.

Helping keep the detonation at bay is the Trust front-mount air-to-air 150mm-thick drag-spec intercooler. This unit sacrifices ultimate long-distance cooling efficiency for almost no pressure drop at all across the massive core, something that Theo's able to cope with seeing how the car's really only running at full-tilt for a maximum of 10.24 seconds at a time.

All that work adds up to 490 rear-wheel kilowatts without nitrous through the auto gearbox (and well over 500 with a manual), but has seen as high as 600kW at the wheels on the bottle, though this was running a very conservative 18deg of timing. Some of the reasons Theo wants to change the to methanol is because alcohol will burn much cleaner than C16 race fuel, run the motor at a much cooler temperature and allow almost 35 degrees of timing, which should add around 200hp to the car's prodigious total!