Filed under: Aftermarket, Tuners, Crossovers/CUVs, Mazda, Misc. Auto Shows
Click above for a high-res gallery of the Kesselman Mazda CX-7.
From afar, our first reaction was: what’s a Matrix doing at the Mazda booth? Upon closer inspection, the dumped wagon you see above revealed itself as a tuned Mazda CX-7. Unfortunately, our Russian is about as good as our Swahili, so we weren’t able to get any definitive details on what exactly has been done to Mazda’s mid-level CUV. But the upgraded intercooler, ultra-low stance, gaudy body kit, stripped interior and six-point roll cage is proof that Russia’s Kesselman tuning excels at answering questions that no one asked.
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Filed under: Aftermarket, Gadgets, Tuners, Hybrids/Alternative, Green, Tech, Toyota, Lifestyle
Click above to view video after the jump
We truly do appreciate the custom-car scene, in all of its various guises. There is, however, a problem with the custom Prius you see above and in the video embedded after the break. Generally speaking, the goal of modifying a car is to either A) make it go faster or B) make it look better.
When Classe Gustafson, Elvis Häggbom and Kenny Kyrk from Sweden had finished spending $184,000 customizing a Toyota Prius, they had accomplished neither. This Prius-trocity, which was modified for a television show, is anything but subtle. It lost two doors during its transformation from mild-mannered hybrid eco-mobile to whacked out sport compact that just happens to get good fuel economy, though it did get scissor-style portals that are nearly impossible to open in the process. And it also gained a huge honkin’ stereo and the body-kit from a Volvo SUV. The over-the-top paint-job is the final touch. The Hybrid Synergy Drive powertrain, however, went untouched save for the obligatory fart-can exhaust. Nice.
[Source: Wired]
Continue reading The most obnoxiously tuned Toyota Prius… Ever
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Filed under: Aftermarket, Tuners, Coupes, Sports/GTs, Dodge
Click above for more high-res shots of the Hennessey SRT600
Hennessey Performance is apparently excited that the Dodge Challenger is finally here. They now offer a myriad of performance upgrades for the Challenger SRT8 including naturally aspirated versions of Chrysler’s 6.1L VEMI V8 that increase power up to 575 horsepower, as well as supercharged and turbo versions producing up to 725 hp. There’s clearly a power upgrade for everyone, but the most impressive appears to be the Challenger HPE600 Turbo, also known as the SRT600, which Hennessey reports has ripped off a quarter mile time of 11.9 seconds at 121 mph. The company called the car’s launch during the run “conservative”, though it was wearing optional Nitto Drag Radial tires at the time.
Of course, any big bump in power should be accompanied by equal improvements to the suspension and brakes, and Hennessey will also fit your car with a KW adjustable coil-over suspension, larger anti-roll bars, new bushings and unique StopTech brakes. The cost of a complete Challenger HPE600 Turbo package (including Hennessey embroidered floor mats but not the cost of the donor car, of course) is $74,950, though one can opt for just the engine upgrades and be liberated of only $29,500. In total you could be spending well north of $100,000 on a 725-hp Challenger if you find Hennessey’s approach appealing, but look at this way, you’d probably be the only one.
Check out high-res pics of the Hennessey Challenger HPE600 Turbo in the gallery below and video of its quarter-mile run after the jump.
[Source: Hennessey]
Continue reading Proof of Hennessey Challenger SRT600 Turbo’s punch: 11.9 sec @ 121 mph
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