Looking for a way to economize in these though economic times? Mercedes has the answer. If that AMG model is just a bit out of your price range, how about a model that looks the same but without the added performance?

Enter the AMG Sports Package.

For 2009 Mercedes will offer the AMG Sports package on the S and CL-Class models, giving them that great AMG look but without the massive amount of horsepower. Included in the package are new front and rear bumpers, with larger air intakes up front and a new black diffuser in the rear with rectangular exhaust pipes. New side skirts are also a part of the plan.

A new set of 19-inch five-spoke wheels and tires is included with front 245/40/19 front and 275/40/19 rear tires. An upgraded package can also be had with 20-inch wheels with 245/35/20 front and 275/35/20 rear tires.

Inside, the AMG Sports package includes a leather and wood steering wheel as well as brushed stainless steel pedals and velour floor mats with AMG lettering.

Currently the package is only offered in Europe on the S-Class and CL500 and CL500 4MATIC models, but it is expected to be offered in the U.S. shortly. A similar package for the E- and C-Class models is already available.

GALLERY: AMG Sports Package for S and CL-Class

Official release after the jump:

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Volkswagen is apparently contemplating bringing R Line models, like the new Tiguan R Line, to the United States.

The Tiguan R-Line features several aesthetic updates including a new front splitter, side skirts and a rear spoiler. Also included are 19-inch wheels. Inside, the package includes a flat-bottom steering wheel as well as sports seats (with R logos) and aluminum pedals. There’s no performance aspect to the setup, but it does look significantly more sporty than the standard Tiguan. In other words, VW’s R-Line fulfills the same purpose as Audi’s S-Line.

The Tiguan R-Line is the first to be considered and VW spokesman Steve Keyes told InsideLine that other models may be considered afterward.

In the U.K., where the Tiguan R-Line is currently being introduced, it is available on three different models, including two diesel versions of the Tiguan as well as a 197hp 2.0-liter version.

[Source Edmunds InsideLine]

GALLERY: Volkswagen Tiguan R-Line

It’s not quite official yet, but gold is definitely in the running to become the next big trend for the ridiculously wealthy. So move over matte-black.

We’ve already brought you pictures of a gold C63 from Dubai.. and just a few weeks ago we posted some photos of a gold SLR from (where else), that same sunny desert location. Now the fad seems to be spreading and thanks to our palls over at Luxury4Play.com we have some shots of a gold Cayenne Turbo with what appears to be a SpeedArt Titan aero kit.

And it’s not just the body that’s gold either, check out those hideous wheels.

[Source: Luxury4Play.com]

GALLERY: Gold Cayenne

GALLERY: Gold Mercedes C63

GALLERY: Gold McLaren SLR

A regular at the Top Marques Monaco show, German Porsche tuner and car manufacturer Gemballa is back again for 2009 with an expectedly outrageous creation. It might not be the sparkly bass-boat Mirage GT (based on the Porsche Carrera GT) that Gemballa had on show last year, but the Tornado GTS is sure to get a lot of looks.

Based on the new 957-chassis Cayenne Turbo, it has been transformed into a widebody beast with a certifiably unique new front end. Coated in a matte-black paint (or what Gemballa calls gunmetal matte-gray), the body of the car also features plenty of carbon fiber accents. The SUV also rolls on Gemballa’s latest wheel design, the Tornado GT Sport Forged.

Under the new hood (which flips forward by the way) is the Porsche Cayenne Turbo 4.8-liter twin-turbo engine which has been upgraded to produces no less than 750hp.

Inside the Cayenne has been transformed to the same extent as the outside, something which is hinted about in the Gemballa designation. Technically called the Tornado GTS 750 4, this SUV is now a four-seater and treats every occupant with the same level of Alcantara-coated luxury.

For more information visit:

http://www.gemballa.com/

GALLERY: Gemballa Tornado GTS 750 4

Best known for modifying Ferraris, German tuner Novitec has just released details of a new supercar it is building. Called the TuLesto, this vehicle, which shares certain resemblances to an F430, is the first ground-up project from Novitec.

Compared to an F430, the car is slightly larger in every way , measuring 181.9-inches long, 80.3-inches wide and 48-inches tall. This as compared to the F430 at 177.6 x 75.7 x 47.8.

Incredibly, however, the TuLesto is drastically lighter than most exotics on the market with a curb weight of just 2,778 lbs – thanks in part to an all aluminum chassis and lots of carbon fiber for the body work.

That body was designed with the help of Italian design-house, Luca Serafini Stile.

As for power, it comes from a twin-supercharged (we would expect no less) 4.4-liter V8 situated mid-ship. Output is rated at 777 hp at 8200 rpm and 536 ft-lbs at 6300 rpm. This is enough, says Novitec, to propel the TuLesto to 62 mph in less than 3.4-seconds and on to a top speed in excess of 217 mph. Novitec also says a speed of 300 km/h (186mph) can be achieved in just 22.6 seconds.

Other highlights on the car include 20 or optional 21-inch wheels with rear tires as wide as 355mm!

“With the Novitec TuLesto we transform our collective know-how from two decades of automobile tuning into an uncompromising high-performance sports car for eleven of our long-time customers from around the world,” says Novitec boss Wolfgang Hagedorn. “The TuLesto offers an optimal symbiosis of exceptional driving dynamics and exciting yet aerodynamically efficient styling.”

The TuLesto is Novitec’s first original vehicle and is being launched in 2009 to celebrate the company’s 20th anniversary.

For more info visit:

http://www.tulesto.com/

GALLERY: Novitec TuLesto

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When Hyundai announced at the Chicago Auto Show that Rhys Millen Racing would run a new Genesis Coupe in the Formula D series, we didn’t know (nor did they it seems) that the car would be powered by Nissan.

Despite an official press release that stated the car would be powered by a 550hp stroked and turbocharged 4.1-liter version of the V6 found in the factory Genesis Coupe, the car ran the first event of the season at Long Beach, CA with a Nissan VQ35 3.5-liter V6 under the hood. (Formula D rules aren’t too picky about what engine powers a car).

Apparently the decision was a last minute one as the planned engine was not yet ready – something Hyundai USA PR boss Jim Trainor takes partial responsibility for as the company took Millen away from his regular duties to help with the launch of the factory Genesis Coupe.

Interestingly, however, Trainor had no idea of the situation as Rhys Millen Racing made the decision independently, opting to run the car in a less-than-ideal state rather than not run it at all.

As a result the car did get some exposure, although not in the actual competition as Millen and the Nissan-powered Genesis Coupe didn’t even make it through the first round.

The team is working to complete the Hyundai engine and should be ready to compete at either New Jersey on June 6th or Las Vegas on July 10th.

For move info on the Formula D series see here:

http://formulad.com/

[Source: Autoblog]

Nissan bested its own Nürburgring record today with a 7:27.56 lap in the updated 2010 GT-R. The new time trumps the previous GT-R “personal best” of 7:29. It is, however, still short of the ZR1′s best time of 7:26.4 and the Dodge Viper ACR’s record of 7:22.1.

The new GT-R features 5 more horsepower than the previous model, as well as a revised transmission, new tires and a retuned suspension. Apparently those small modifications made a difference.

Nissan’s top test driver Toshio Suzuki piloted the new GT-R around the Ring and while the company is pleased with the result they aren’t finished yet. Citing less than ideal track conditions (including dust and sand on the track) the Nissan team will attempt a faster time tomorrow and search (somewhat fruitlessly we might add) to set a new overall Nürburgring record.

We’ll be sure to bring you an update tomorrow if there’s a better time.

Photos: Stew Lawson

For the first time ever the traveling sportscar (and SUV) experience that is the Porsche World Roadshow has made its way to Canada. Held at Mosport International Raceway, just outside Toronto, the former Formula 1 facility played host to the vast majority of Porsche’s fleet of cars, with activities both on and off the track.

The Porsche event will be in Canada for several weeks, offering current and prospective Porsche owners a chance to truly appreciate the capabilities of these amazing machines. But before the event was officially opened, Porsche Canada invited us to bang gears, hit apexes and even go off-roading, to experience just what a Porsche can do.

In total, we had the chance to get behind the wheel and experience a Boxster S, Cayman S, 911 Carrera S, 911 Targa 4S, Cayenne, Cayenne GTS, oh… and a 911 Turbo. Other vehicles on-hand included several Cayenne S models, a Cayenne Turbo and a GT2 (which was strictly reserved for instructors to give hot laps in).

OFF-ROADING IN CAYENNES

First up during the busy day of activities was an off-road course, which was a genuine eye-opener. In just a standard Cayenne I drove through ditches, clawed my way up steep hills and climbed treacherous inclines – even dropping off small cliffs and getting the luxury SUV’s wheels up in the air at times.

Possibly even more amazing is how relaxed such an off-roading adventure can be in a luxurious Porsche cabin that doesn’t creak or squeak. Even the engine seemed relaxed, thanks in part to the low-range gearing that can be selected, a setting that also tells the Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC) to give maximum range to the active front anti-roll bar, allowing the wheels a greater range of movement.

The only real sounds detectable from inside the cabin are the differentials locking and the traction control ticking and clicking away, giving you maximum grip to get up a dirt slope you never dreamed a Porsche could.

The Cayenne, our instructor informed us (and we experienced), is capable of tremendous off-road feats, even though very few drivers will ever need or want such back-country credentials. Greater off-road capability is possible, however the Cayenne, being a Porsche, needs to sit somewhere in the middle to ensure the best possible on-road performance as well.

Normally a Cayenne has 215mm (8.46-inches) of ground clearance, while selecting the High Level I will give 241mm (9.49-inches) of clearance for speeds below 50 mph. A special High Level II, which we used, stretches the maximum ground clearance to 271mm (10.67-inches) and stays that way for speeds below 19 mph.

In the High Level II setting the Cayenne has an approach angle on gradients of 31.8 degrees and a departure angle of 25.4 degrees, with a ramp breakover angle of 24.7 degrees – all of which we used to their full extent.

OUT ON THE GRAND PRIX RACE TRACK

And so with mud covered SUVs we headed back to the main tent and exchanged our Cayenne keys for a set of sportscar starters. In groups of two we followed instructors out onto the Mosport Grand Prix track (officially the third fastest race track in the world), where we had the chance to toss around a Cayman S, Cayenne GTS and two 911s (a Carrera S and Targa 4S).

I felt the most at home in the Carrera S with the Targa 4S a close second. Both cars kept me pushing the instructor harder in his Boxster S, with the roadster’s smaller and less powerful 310hp 3.4-liter engine no match for the 385hp 3.8-liter engine in the 911s – especially on the back straight.

Having never had the opportunity to track drive a Cayman, I wasn’t as blown-away as I expected to be. There was nothing wrong with the car, as it delivered a well-balanced and neutral experience. I think I can chalk up my experiential discrepancy to the fact that unlike a lot of folks I’ve always felt at home in a 911, despite its rear-engine layout.

The final vehicle was a 405hp Cayenne GTS, which was certainly a surprise. It handled fabulously for a big SUV and I had no problem hanging with the Cayman driver in front of me. Body lean was incredibly minimal and the brakes were equally as good.

I don’t think I’d take mine in the Nordic Gold Matallic (with matching wheels), but the full Alcantara interior was a sight to behold.

BOXSTER AUTOCROSS, 911 TURBO BRAKE TEST

The final two events of the day involved the Boxster S on a large autocross track and a 911 Turbo, which we used for a braking exercise.

The Boxster really is a fabulous vehicle for autocross and when combined with Porsche’s PDK double-clutch transmission (which automatically upshifts, taking one element of difficulty out of the equation) is incredibly easy to drive hard. Even when the body does pitch and roll (as evidenced by the photography) it never felt that way inside the cabin.

As for the braking exercise, it’s arguably a waste of the 911 Turbo’s acceleration talents, however, it proved an excellent way to get a feel for the Porsche Carbon Ceramic Brakes (PCCBs).

We did also get a chance to try out the Turbo’s torque converter that allows the car to build boost while sitting still for better off-the-line performance. Just place your left foot on the brake, with your right foot on the gas and watch (and hear) the boost build on the dash gauge. Once you’re at a suitable level (0.8 bar or 11.6 psi in our instance) just release the brake and hold on.

HOT LAPS… AKA REVENGE

As the day drew to an end, there was one final event left. Referred to as “Hot Laps” a more accurate name would be “Revenge,” as the instructors took willing journalists out for a full-speed romp on the Mosport track.

Unfortunately, with the huge number of journalists in attendance it wasn’t possible to get a ride in every vehicle. We all drew straws for our “hot laps” and unfortunately I didn’t draw the GT2. Instead I got the Carrera 4S and Cayenne Turbo.

First up was a Carrera 4S, which rocketed around the track with precision and poise. Next was the Cayenne.

As both the Cayenne off-roading experience the Cayenne GTS track drive proved to be the most surprising events of the day, I decided it wouldn’t be wise to pass up a tour around the track in a Cayenne Turbo. Boy was I right… this was no Sunday drive.

Along with two other writers I went for the ride of my life as our 26-year-old instructor manhandled the Porsche SUV with frightening vigor. Throwing the big truck around with the fearlessness of youth on his side, it wasn’t until we reached turn 8 at the end of the back straight that things got really hairy. After shaving off some speed, he flicked the steering wheel and sent us into a completely sideways drift, all four tires screaming for their lives as we defied gravity and never even came close to rolling over. Knowing full well that we were moving at a good clip, I chanced a glimpse at the German-spec speedometer and sure enough it read 160 km/h (100 mph)!

Porsche needs to work this into its marketing materials for the event. “The Porsche World Roadshow: 100 MPH… Sideways!”

AN EASY SELL

As I mentioned earlier, this was the first time the Porsche World Roadshow was held in Canada, and it’s not likely to be the last time either. Every aspect of the experience leaves participants with a specific impression of just how capable a Porsche is.

It’s hard not to think how successful this sort of event must be for securing vehicle sales. Who wouldn’t want to take this experience home with them?

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GALLERY: Porsche World Roadshow

When General Motor’s first submitted it’s viability plan to the Obama Administration, Saab, Hummer and Saturn were put on notice, while other brands like Pontiac and GMC (as well as Chevy, Buick and Cadillac) were guaranteed to stay on.

There are no guarantees in an economy like this, however, and so both Pontiac and GMC may be on the chopping block after all – this according to a Bloomberg report that cites unnamed sources involved in GM’s talks with the Obama Administration’s automotive task force.

One source stated that while no decisions are final, if either one of the two are to survive the GMC brand is favored – which is expected as it is GM’s second best-selling brand after Chevrolet.

“We are continuing to assess our global operations, brand portfolio and nameplates, and will take further actions to more aggressively restructure our business,” said GM spokesperson Renee Rashid-Merem. “It’s premature to comment on what those actions could entail.”

The Pontiac brand emerged in in 1926 and posted its best U.S. sales year in 1978 with 896,980 units sold. Last year the brand sold just 267,348 vehicles, a decline of 25 percent over 2007,

GMC’s history dates back to 1902 when brothers Max and Morris Grabowsky sold their first vehicle. What then became the Rapid Motor Vehicle Co. was sold to GM in 1912 and in 1915 GMC produced its first light-duty pickup. GMC’s U.S. sales fell 26 percent last year to 376,996 units.

The Obama administration has given General Motors a June 1st deadline to come up with a viable plan to solve its financial woes or face bankruptcy.

[Source: Bloomberg]

The inventive minds at the the University of Warwick in the U.K. have developed a Formula 3-spec race car made of vegetables and powered by chocolate – and it’s capable of speeds up to 125 mph!

The WorldFirst F3 race car is was created by staff at the Warwick Innovative Manufacturing Research Centre (WIMRC) and was built under the direction of project manager James Meredith. The philosophy behind the projects was to build, “the first Formula 3 racing car designed and made from sustainable and renewable materials, putting the world first by effectively managing the planet’s resources.”

That they most certainly have achieved. The WorldFirst F3 race car features a body bade of potatoes, a steering wheel made of carrots and a seat made of soybeans. The powerplant is a biodiesel engine capable of running on chocolate and vegetable oil and is lubricated by plant-oil based oils.

WIMRC says that the engine is even capable of cleaning the air as it drives, thanks to an emission-destroying catalyst. (To be more accurate, however, such a system wouldn’t actually clean the air, it would just not add any new pollutants to it).

[Source: Inhabitat]