Vivid Racing is the first to reveal Vorsteiner’s newest creation for the Porsche 997 Turbo, the VRT front bumper. With great success manufacturing some of the highest quality body components for Porsche, BMW, Lexus and more, it’s no surprise Vorsteiner has taken the liberty to take the 997 Turbo to even newer heights.

Now Vorsteiner already has a front bumper available for the Turbo, but it looks like they decided to draw up something slightly more aggressive for the 2007-2011 body. The new design is available in their DVWP or all carbon fiber. What we’re really digging about this front end is the lower front chin spoiler (in carbon fiber of course) that really just adds a sleeker look to the already low-profile Porsche design. The bumper also includes carbon fiber radiator ducts and an OEM GT3 hood grill. You also have a choice of an alternative aftermarket carbon fiber one from Vivid Racing.

We really liked Vorsteiner’s last 997 Turbo aero bits, but this new front end is incredible. From a company that was always best known for its BMW goodies, it seems like Porsche models are becoming the norm.

Hit the link below to see the old Vorsteiner design compared to the new one on Vivid’s site.

[Source: Vivid Racing]

BMW‘s new joint venture with SGL Group on a carbon fiber plant in Washington state got underway, as the two companies broke ground on the factory.

While vehicle assembly will take place in Germany, the carbon fiber material production will take place in the state, due to the large presence of aerospace expertise in the area. An estimated 80 full-time jobs will come out of the joint venture, called SGL Automotive Carbon Fibers.

BMW’s Megacity Electric Vehicle will be the first car to utilize a full carbon fiber structure when it debuts in 2013.

If Password JDM’s Mitsubishi EVO X isn’t enough to prove that they’re excelling in the department of carbon fiber production, then their Nissan GT-R product line should solidify any thoughts otherwise. As near perfect as Nissan’s R35 GT-R is, it could stand to lose a few pounds and carbon fiber components are one of the best ways in doing this, using lightweight but extremely strong and durable material.

Judging by the photos, Password JDM is currently working on manufacturing a carbon fiber hood, front lip and front fenders for the dominating GT-R. Their front lip claims to create plenty of downforce in addition to keeping the brakes cool. The front fenders are wider and lightweight, something every enthusiast loves on their car. Lastly the hood is a perfect addition, weighing just 9.89 lbs!

Another nice sneak peek the photos offer is one of Password JDM’s fabricators working on a roof skin. We can’t wait to see the final product!

[Source: Luxury4Play]

GALLERY: Password:JDM Nissan R35 GT-R

Because Ed Hardy shirts, Bluetooth ear pieces and driving down main arterial roads in second gear is not enough to show the world how “sick” you are, BMW Performance has released new carbon fiber accessories for its M3 coupe, sedan and convertible.

Available for purchase are new mirror caps, a decklid spoiler and a front splitter made out of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic, the same material as the M3 Coupe’s roof.  The accessories carry a 2 year warranty on their own, but if installed on the car prior to delivery, they are covered under the standard 4 year warranty. The parts are expected to add 20 horsepower each – in the mind of the driver, at least.

[Source: 4WheelsNews.com]

Password JDM first established themselves as one of the premiere importers of rare and fine JDM goods. This author remembers when he had to trek over there to pick up a JDM Integra front end for one of our own project cars (back in the Modified Mag days). Their shop was filled with front clips, engines, fenders, hoods, bumpers, brakes, motors, etc. It was like a JDM fanatic’s dream come true. But recently Password JDM has expanded not only the lines they carry, but have made some products of their own. Most notable of these lines are their dry carbon/kevlar composite components. From aerodynamics to body panels to engine accessories, Password JDM has it covered for carbon.

Newest to their catalog is a fantastic line of Mitsubishi Evolution X carbon engine panels. Virtually everything that’s in sight has been replaced with lightweight, fashionable carbon fiber and it makes for some sickening eye candy. You can clearly see the high quality in the carbon fiber utilized in Password JDM’s products and the airbox and intake combination is just to die for.

So if you want some good ‘ol high quality carbon fiber that’s done right, make sure to check out what Password JDM has for you. We’ve personally never had anything but good experiences with them, so we can only imagine how nice their carbon fiber is under the hood.

[Source: Luxury4Play]

See the full gallery of Password JDM goodies for the Evo X after the jump:

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Once a fixture of only the most expensive Formula 1 race cars, carbon fiber monocoques have now filtered down into the slightly more accesible world of supercars, and McLaren  is leading the charge, after announcing plans to build two more carbon-monocoque supercars after the MP4-12C.

McLaren will be partnering with Carbo Tech, whose factory in Salzburg, Austria can supply up to 4,000 of the light weight structures per year. Carbon Fiber has the potential to be a wonder-material for the auto industry, due to its strength, malleability and light weight (which can in turn increase performance and reduce weight). However the material has traditionally been extremely expensive, and only within the realm of exclusive racing teams.

Toyota and BMW are currently investing heavily in new production facilities and development techniques relating to carbon fiber, in preparation for future products like the Lexus LFA and BMW’s Megacity urban car. The increased investment and upcoming mass production of vehicles with carbon fiber content should help amortize the costs and enable car makers to use carbon fiber on their entire range of products, allowing the benefits to be passed on to the rest of the vehicle range.

At McLaren’s price range, the cost prohibitive qualities of carbon fiber are much less of an issue, and the sports car firm claims that 1,600 orders have been placed for the MP4-12C already, a significant amount for such a niche, low volume sports car.

[Source: Inside Line]

The current Audi A4 is one of the few cars on the market to have grown in size and decreased in weight, a smart philosophy in a world where performance and efficiency are now placed on a similar footing. The next-generation A4 is set to go on a crash diet, dropping 300 lbs through the use of composites, aluminum and proprietary engineering techniques.

The weight of a vehicle affects every aspect, from fuel consumption to handling to acceleration and braking. Audi is already experienced with using lightweight materials on cars like the R8 and A8. Hopefully by the time the next A4 is ready to be launched in 2015, the costs will have been sufficiently amortized so that they will be affordable to use on their bread and butter cars like the A4. A lightweight, efficient and sporty A4 would be a real threat to the dominance of Mercedes and BMW, while furthering Audi’s rise to the top of the luxury heap.

[Source: Autoblog]

BMW‘s M3 coupe can be ordered with a roof panel made from carbon fiber, but the German auto maker has plans to expand its use of the exotic material. In addition to the upcoming MegaCity electric car, BMW is building a new plant on Washington state to manufacture carbon fiber parts. Carbon fiber is not only light weight but also incredibly strong, which makes it ideal for meeting safety requirements.

Speaking at the Beijing Auto Show, Ian Robertson, head of global sales for BMW, explained the benefits of investing so heavily in carbon fiber technology. “By using carbon fiber, which is a little more expensive but 30 percent lighter, you don’t need as many batteries for the same range,” said Robertson. “There’s a trade-off that actually works.”

Robertson also said that BMW “…will be the first manufacturer to take carbon fiber to effectively high volume.”

[Source: Autoblog Green via Automotive News]

The first ever “Sports Activity Coupe”, the X6 is quite the interesting vehicle from BMW. It’s been a controversial crossover since its release, especially with the addition of the M-moniker to the car. The X6 M features more aggressive styling than the standard-issue model while being powered with BMW’s twin-turbocharged 4.4L V8. With 555-hp and 501 ft-lbs of torque, the X6 M is a perfect competitor to Porsche’s Cayenne Turbo and Turbo S at a more affordable MSRP of $89,000. So it’s not surprise that the aftermarket has jumped on this hot new crossover with the carbon-fiber experts at Vorsteiner leading the way.

In recent years, Vorsteiner has made a huge name for itself with fantastic tuning packages for multiple BMW, Porsche, Mercedes-Benz and Bentley models. From performance to wheels to aesthetics, Vorsteiner’s trademark has been a nice blend of carbon fiber to its mild aggressiveness. The BMW X6 M aerodynamic package from Vorsteiner comes complete with a front spoiler, vented hood, roof and deck lid spoilers and a rear diffuser. Vorsteiner claims the vented hood is 40-percent lighter than factory and adds some big vents for cooling. Vorsteiner is also pushing its 23-inch V-102 wheels on their demo car. The VRS X6 M aero kit will be available in the summer of 2010.

[Source: Vorsteiner News]

GALLERY: Vorsteiner BMW X6 M

Not to be left behind with all the other Japanese aftermarket manufacturers that have taken to the trend of modifying hybrid/green cars, Tommy Kaira not only impressed with its GT-R at the 2010 Tokyo Auto Salon, but with its Prius and Insight offerings too. Earlier this month both vehicles were released to the public and onto the Internet but this was our first opportunity to get up close with the vehicles in person and we’re quite impressed.

Both Eco-Sports Edition vehicles, part of the new Tommy Kaira Eco Spo line of aerodynamics for hybrids, carry a mixture of light weight carbon fiber and fibreglass body accents that are both conservative and appealing.

GALLERY: Tommy Kaira Eco Spo Honda Insight and Toyota Prius

This past weekend the Lamborghini Super Trofeo racing series was in Belgium, running during the same weekend a the famous 24 Hours of Spa. Lamborghini race car manufacturer Reiter Engineering used this opportunity to debut its full carbon-bodied version of the new LP670-4 SV.

Dubbed the LP670 R-SV, the racing version is powered by the same 6.5-liter V12 engine as the street car with 670hp and 487 ft-lbs. Incredibly, as the SV is already a lighter version of the LP640, this race-ready version weighs even less, tipping the scales at just 2,535 lbs.

The LP670 R-SV is the followup the carbon-fiber Murciélago R-GT by Reiter and features a new suspension setup and improved steering thanks to an even wider track. The braking system has also been upgraded with carbon discs and pads and better air ducting to keep the brakes cool over long periods of time.

Reiter Engineering has built the car to meet FIA regulations so that it can qualify to race in the GT World Championship

GALLEY: Reiter Engineering LP67- R-SV

Official release after the jump:

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For 2009 Lotus will once again improve the already perfect Exige by adding more power and by further reducing the sportscar’s already anemic curb weight.

Lotus has managed to squeeze an additional 17hp out of the supercharged 1.8-liter Toyota powerplant for a total of 257 ponies at 8000 rpm. Torque is rated at 174 ft-lbs at 6000 rpm.

More importantly, the Exige will drop another 50 lbs thank to the extensive use of carbon fiber. In total it will weight just 2,020 lbs thanks to a carbon fiber front splitter, rear spoiler, roof, engine cover, side air intake ducts, sill covers and even the top of the dash.

Part of the 50-lb weight savings is also due to the use of several other lighter parts including a lightweight “motorsports” battery, lighter 12-spoke forged alloy wheels, a revised rear engine subframe, a lightweight flywheel, alloy piping for the supercharger and intercooler and a composite panel that replaces the rear window.

Unveiled at the 2008 LA Auto Show, the 2009 Exige 260 will retail for $74,995 – a small price to pay for one of the most amazing driving experiences possible.

Official press release after the jump:
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While Aston Martin isn’t releasing any more information on its upcoming supercar, the One-77, the British automaker has provided full images of the mysterious beast. If you recall, Aston Martin did bring the car to the Paris Auto Show, where it sat in a prominent position. With the exception of a small portion of the front of the car, however, Aston kept it under-wraps. Visible then was a headlight and a somewhat oddly shaped intake. This strange shape worried us as it’s unlike any previous Aston Martin design.
Our fears that Aston designers might have botched the project have now been put at ease with these latest photos. The One-77 is stunning and looks every part the supercar that Aston claims it is.
With a 7.3-liter V-12 engine, an all aluminum body and a carbon fiber chassis, the One-77 will be an historic supercar. It even has an historic asking price… $2.1 million.

More pictures after the jump:

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