September 29, 2008

NEW E CLASS CAUGHT



--- from Autozeitung, via Carscoop.



German car magazine Autozeitung is claiming to have the first official photo of the next-generation Mercedes E-Class in its latest September issue. According to Autozeitung, the above image has not been digitally enhanced in any way - and until someone provides substantial proof otherwise, we have no reason to doubt them.

September 27, 2008

CRUNCH TIME




Look past the SLR. Just barely visible behind the Goff's curtain wall is RENNTECH's 2008 SEMA / LA Auto show project car - a 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK that Mercedes is calling "the Rally Dominator" (previously covered HERE and HERE).

Many RENNTECH staffers have been putting in extra hours, extra days, and (seemingly) extra lives into this project; and to prove we're really serious about all this, we even called in the Swedes.

The GLK will be finished by 01 October, but the media embargo stays in effect until the 03 November reveal at SEMA.

Plenty of teasers until then, though.

September 26, 2008

HOW IT WORKS: S400 HYBRID




Mercedes recently revealed a pretty interesting video explaining the new S400's advanced hybrid system - expect the car to arrive stateside as a 2010 model.

Enjoy!

September 24, 2008

MIKA DRIVES THE 2010 E63




Earlier this month, online bloggers posted photos that showed drivers Mika Häkkinen and Klaus Ludwig testing the new 2010 Mercedes E-Class. eMercedesBenz posted some new "spy video" showing the pair in action.

Enjoy!

September 23, 2008

2009 SL65




A new photo of a RENNTECH modified SL65 AMG roadster. As shown, the car features RENNTECH's latest ECU software upgrade for the 65, delivering 670 HP and over 840 LB-FT of torque!

ALSO INSTALLED
- RENNTECH remote-ready v2 digital lowering module
- RENNTECH Signature 3PC performance wheels

September 21, 2008

WORLDCARFANS CATCHES 2010 E63







--- from WorldCarFans, CLICK HERE for original article.



MB's E63 AMG is still under development according to these latest spy shots taken by WCF's photographers at the Nurburgring. It still carries a good bit of camo, but there won't be many surprises in the styling department after Mercedes' Concept FASCINATION reveal (covered HERE).

We'll have to wait and see what changes AMG have made to the E's running gear.

September 20, 2008

NEW STAGE 2 DINAN SOFTWARE FOR 535i



Friday, BMW tuner Dinan introduced a new stage 2 ECU software file for BMW's E60 series 535i. As previously mentioned HERE and HERE, RENNTECH has a good history with Dinan, and has served as Dinan's South-Florida sales and support center since 2006 (with Dinan's California headquarters serving as a RENNTECH sales and support center as well).

Dinan's original release is re-printed below. CLICK HERE for contact information.



Now Available for the (E60) 535i ...

Stage 2 Performance Engine Software

Dinan is pleased to offer the same stunning increase in performance for the 535 as that achieved for the 335i. And as always, Dinan matches the new car warranty coverage for up to 4 years or 50,000 miles, including the possibility of consequential damages. No one offers better performance or backs it up with such comprehensive warranty coverage. Dinan's 535 Performance Software is 50 State Emissions Legal under California Air Resources Board Executive Order Number D-176-35. It’s legal, makes lots of power and as it has been for over a decade, Dinan covers any consequential damages. More power and peace of mind…exactly what you’re customers have come to expect from Dinan!

The Dinan Performance Engine Software safely increases turbo-boost pressure from the stock 8.8 to 13.0 psi, along with properly retuned fuel mixtures, ignition timing and full map rescaling. In fact, over 2000 engine management functions have been recalibrated, offering substantial increases in power output while maintaining the civility and reliability expected of a Dinan performance product. The results of Dinan’s tuning are nothing short of breathtaking, with the added boost and related recalibration producing maximum output of 384 horsepower at 5700 rpm and 421 lb-ft torque at 4300 rpm!

September 19, 2008

McLAREN HAS A SENSE OF HUMOR



Sometimes it's easy to forget that Formula 1 juggernaut McLaren has a pretty good sense of British humor. Team Vodafone McLaren recently released the video above as part of a marketing build-up to the next Grand Prix.

Great stuff.

September 17, 2008

SEMA PREVIEW : PART 2



--- from MotorAuthority, CLICK HERE for original article.


Yesterday, Mercedes issued a press release announcing the 4 tuners they've chosen to represent the brand at this year's SEMA and LA Auto shows. In addition to the previously mentioned RENNTECH rally racer, Mercedes will be showing cars from muscle-car restoration firm Legendary Performance, baller-builders Boulevard Customs, and longtime Mercedes tuning firm Brabus.

It should be noted that the rendering of the "RENNTECH Project:Rally Racer" (above) do not tell the whole story of what RENNTECH has planned - we'll leave it at that, for now, with more pictures coming in October.

REMINDER:

There will be a friendly poll on Mercedes' website to decide the fan favorite - so vote early, vote often, and vote RENNTECH!

September 16, 2008

RENNTECH FOR FERRARI



RENNTECH recently announced a new line of performance tuning products for recent Ferraris, with performance packages that include ECU upgrades and lightweight, motorsports-style exhaust systems - all the way up to serious trackday preparation.

Contact RENNTECH for more.

CLICK HERE to view the RENNTECH Ferrari catalog.

September 12, 2008

45 MPG C CLASS



--- from eMercedesBenz, CLICK HERE for the original article and photo gallery.


eMercedesBenz recently posted this bit of news on Mercedes' new BlueEFFICIENCY line of Diesel engines for the US-market C class. The new diesel engine C is capable of 0-60 sprints in under 7 seconds and a top speed of 155 mph - but what makes the powerplant really exciting is its fuel consumption: 5.2 liters of fuel per 100 km (45 mpg!).

September 10, 2008

PARIS PREVIEW | CLK SHOOTING BRAKE



--- from Autoblog, CLICK HERE to read the original article.


When the doors open at the Paris Motor Show next month, Mercedes-Benz will be giving everyone a sneak peek of the new E-Class front-end styling. No, not in the form of the new E-Class itself, which will be unveiled at a later date, but in the ConceptFASCINATION, an attractive shooting brake concept based on the upcoming E-Class Coupe's architecture and featuring the new E's front-end styling.

September 9, 2008

SLC AT THE RING



--- from GlobalMotors.net, CLICK HERE for original article and photo gallery.


Spy pics of the upcoming Mercedes-Benz Gullwing continue to make their way onto the interweb, with a number of shots being published yesterday from the increasingly famous Nurburgring.

Despite the heavy masking, a few new details seem evident in this latest crop of photos (retro grille, the rear wing will probably be an active air-brake, like on the SLR, rear exhausts, etc.), but we'll have to wait and see how many of these "details" are just illusions and camouflage.

BERND DRIVES THE SL65 BLACK



--- from Mercedes-Benz.tv.


Yet another excellent video covering the SL65 Black Series - this time with driving ace Bernd Schneider behind the wheel and sharing his impressions of AMG's latest big gun sports coupe.

We're eagerly awaiting the first examples to land in the US, and on our dyno ...

Until then, enjoy the video!

September 6, 2008

SEMA PREVIEW : PART 1



Last week, Modified Luxury and Exotics posted some of the concept art for our 2008 SEMA build. ML&E didn't post many details (and I won't be posting many here, either!) but I will say that these were early renderings, and don't do the final design any real justice.

That's all I can say for now - check in often for more updates as we get closer to the SEMA reveal.


CLICK HERE to read the original ML&E article.

September 5, 2008

RENNTECH FOR C63



40 years ago, the hottest, fastest sedan you could buy was Mercedes-Benz' 300SEL 6.3. By placing its largest engine in a mid-sized car, Mercedes' engineers created a luxurious sedan capable of out-performing some of the quickest sportscars of its day. The 6.3 remains a landmark sports sedan that continues to influence Mercedes' design direction. Nowhere is the influence of the 6.3 more evident than in AMG's current line of sports sedans. AMG's newest cars carry the first purpose-built, "all-AMG" engine design in the company's history, and the "63" designation they wear (S63, E63, etc.) is a direct reference to the 6.3.

Last year, Mercedes revisited the "bigger engine, smaller car" formula and introduced the C63 AMG. Powered by the same 6.2 liter V8 as its bigger, more expensive S and E class siblings, the C63 promised heart-stopping performance at a bargain price ... but, somewhere between concept and production, something happened: the C63 put out a "mere" 451 hp.

While the C63 is certainly no slouch, it didn't make the same 507 or 518 horsepower that its E and S class siblings made. Some of the power difference can legitimately be blamed on more restrictive intake and exhaust paths - after all, the big V8 is a tight fit in the smaller C class, but this fails to explain how the same engine, when found under the hood of a CLK63 AMG Cabrio, makes 475 hp.

Where did that 24 hp go?

"Mercedes restricted the car," explains Hartmut Feyhl. "So, our first step in extracting more power from the C63 is to de-restrict the car." Of course, in this modern age of software encryption and electronic obstacles, that kind of "de-restricting" is easier said than done - which is why Feyhl is exactly the man you want to talk to when it's time to take your C63 to the next level.

Hartmut Feyhl was technical director at AMG North America before forming his own company, RENNTECH, in 1989. Since then, Feyhl built a reputation as one of the world's premier tuners and America's foremost authority on Mercedes-Benz high performance.

It should come as no surprise, then, that RENNTECH's first offering for the C63 was an effective ECU software upgrade (ECU1) to unleash the same "factory" 475 hp and 465 lb-ft (up from 451 and 443) as the CLK.

It should also come as no surprise, then, that RENNTECH didn't leave it at that! "In a sense, the C63 is a return to the roots for Mercedes, and for AMG, and also for RENNTECH," says Feyhl. "It is a very special car, as the C class has grown to about the same size as the 6.3 and the W124 Hammer, but with much more power. We want to see how far we can go with this car."

With that in mind, RENNTECH has introduced a comprehensive line of performance products to turn the AMG C63s of the world into more focused trackday performers, starting with the car you see here.

To get the most from the C63, RENNTECH began with the ECU2 high-performance software. Much more than a (relatively) simple de-restriction, this flavor of RENNTECH's software optimizes every aspect of engine performance, building massive amounts of torque across the low-to-mid rpm range and boosting the C63's top speed to 187 mph. When combined with RENNTECH's stainless-steel long-tube headers and new, track-oriented sound/performance pipes, the RENNTECH software produces 548 peak horsepower and 510 lb-ft of torque.

RENNTECH sharpens the C63's handling reflexes with a fully adjustable sport suspension and adjustable front and rear camber bushings that allow customers to "dial-in" ride height and shock damping while the camber bushings help maintain proper camber and alignment for maximum grip (RENNTECH considers these camber bushings a must-have item for serious performance drivers).

To rein in the C63's newfound horsepower, RENNTECH offers maximum stopping power in the form 15.2" 2 PC rotors clamped by RENNTECH calipers. Along with stainless steel braided lines front and rear, these brakes improve overall feel and driver confidence at speed. Additional cooling from RENNTECH's carbon-fiber brake ducts further reduce fade - another must-have upgrade for competitive driving styles.

In the past, few would have considered a car like the C63 a truly capable trackday ride, but with the success of track events like the AMG Challenge and SLR.Club Trophy, it is clear that there are a growing AMG drivers who want to experience their car on the track. "We are all racers," says Feyhl, "and when we find ourselves on a track, we want to be competitive."

With almost 100 hp over the stock C63, RENNTECH-tuned C63s will probably be competitive enough for most people - but keep in mind that this is RENNTECH (birthplace of the "real" 722 SLR, where a 900 lb-ft twin-turbo V12 sedan is a daily occurrence) and that 2009 marks RENNTECH's 20th anniversary ... does Herr Feyhl have some kind of "birthday party" in mind for RENNTECH that involves the C63 and ties all this rich history and tradition together?

Probably!

September 4, 2008

DINAN REBATE OFFER FOR 335i



Dinan is offering a 20% rebate on select parts for BMW's 335i, including exhaust, suspension packages (stage 1-3), oil coolers, and Dinan wheels.

CLICK HERE for contact information.