Hennessey is perhaps more closely associated with Dodge Vipers to most people, but they also do work on Ford’s late, great supercar, the Ford GT, too. What Hennessey does with the GT is sort of up to you. One option they can do is a swap, wherein the factory supercharger is removed and a pair of turbos are fitted. With additional modifications, that car can reach more than 235 mph. If it strikes you as a sacrilegious thing to do to a rare factory-supercharged car, you can keep your blower and simply add the twin turbos as well. They call that one the Ford GT1000 for the metric tonne of horsepower it produces. It can squirt from 0-60 in 2.6 seconds and cover the quarter in 10.6 on its way past 240 mph. The company had one of each on hand at SEMA this year in front of the duPont Registry trailer. Decisions, decisions. We’ll take one of each.

[Source:Autoblog]

Driving around the streets of Los Angeles, it is easy to spot a plethora of Honda Civics attempting to achieve the appearance of the world’s fastest economy car. Huge shopping cart wings, monster tachometers and racing stripes often highlight the package. Legitimate world record speed isn’t achieved on any city street, however, and not with any aerodynamic packages reminiscent of shopping. It is achieved on the Bonneville Salt Flats in northwestern Utah. The latest records indicate that there is only one car with the claim to the title of World’s Fastest Honda Civic. That car happens to belong to automotive writer Richard Holdener and it is currently available for sale on eBay.

Richard’s Lucas Oil sponsored 1999 Honda Civic Si ran a top speed of 227.7 mph back in August of this year. Despite the Civic’s ability to produce 728 hp at 29 psi of boost, the record was achieved with only 15.2 psi. Inherently weak stock Honda CV joints were apparently the hold-up in laying down the full power band. It certainly wasn’t due to any failure of the engine components, since the parts list reads like a roll call of some of the best names in the American Honda tuning game. Any small-displacement four cylinder engine tuned to output in excess of 700 ponies has to be stocked to the gills with improvements. The cost to own this piece of history, and the potential to make some of your own, starts at $21,777.77. The car’s located in Las Vegas, Nevada, so those must be some lucky 7′s in the price.

Thanks for the tip Srihari!

[Source:Autoblog]

The 996 Porsche Turbo is old news, but that didn’t stop Theory Communication and Design and iForged Wheels from whipping up a version that makes us quiver slightly, even though it’s green. Artisan stuffed 650 horses under that rear wing with its turbo upgrade package, and the TechArt GT Street wide body rear kit has a beautiful carbon diffuser and ample ports for viewing the intercoolers. The car’s speed is held in check by yellow Brembo calipers restrained behind iForged wheels, and your own speed will be held in check by the 5-point harness on the Porsche-logoed Sparco seats. Check out the press release after the jump, and the gallery of high-res photos of the build and show car below.

PRESS RELEASE

Mobil 1 SEMA Porsche 996 Turbo

Theory Communication and Design (www.theoryconcept.com) has teamed up with one of the top industry icons, to build a one of a kind Porsche 996 Turbo on behalf of Mobil 1. Vincent Wong, from iForged wheels, is no stranger to building high profile SEMA cars and this year he has taken things to a whole new level. Wong has worked closely with Theory over the past several months to build the perfect vehicle for the Mobil 1 SEMA booth.

Wong, the owner of iForged Wheels, shared with us the reasoning on why he built this Porsche the way he did. “I have strived to take one of the best engineered cars from Porsche and add my personal touch to it. I have always believed in building a car following the “show and go” concept. Even though a car looks beautiful, it should also be able to back up its good looks. Every modification performed on the car has a purpose and at the end of the day I hope people will be able to appreciate the hard work and long hours that have gone into building our one of a kind creation.”

Some of the highlights that will really make Wong’s Porsche stand out in the Mobil 1 booth, at the SEMA show, included the complete Porsche 997 TechArt GT Street wide body conversion, BASF Glasurit Porsche 997 GT3 RS Green paint job, Artisan 650HP Turbo upgrade package with Softronic ECU programming, Evolution Motorsports EVOMS intake system, Spec Clutch lightweight flywheel and Stage 3+ clutch, Custom Creative Car Audio and Motorsports custom stereo install featuring Rockford Stereo components, MA carbon fiber interior kit, GMG color matched 6 PT. roll cage, 15″ front and rear Brembo brake upgrade and of course a custom set of iForged 20×8.5 and 20×12.5 Neo wheels which are matched to Toyo Proxes T1-R 245/30/20 and 345/25/20 tires.

With less then one week to the SEMA show in Las Vegas, the buzz about the Mobil 1 Porsche 996 has been building as this amazing piece of machinery will be unveiled and showcased in the Mobil 1 booth (#25173) next week. For more information, please visit www.Mobil1.com.

[Source:Autoblog]

The Volkswagen Tiguan, already a hot little CUV, added some bodywork and an APR turbo to go with its Super CC and Jetta TDI Cup Edition Street Concept show car siblings, and then threw in a Rockford Fosgate system to raise the bar further. The little big guy wears fender flares connected by side steps and contrasting rocker panels. Inside is a two-tone leather job with some very attractive speaker enclosures in the doors. Under the hood goes APR’s 3-stage turbo to boost output to 295 hp and 300 lb-ft. And out back: a 1,400-watt Rockford Fosgate system with dual 10-inchers taking up the rear floor. And as we learned at the press conference, you can play a guitar through the amp. Of course, you can’t store anything back there, but this is SEMA, not a PTA meeting. Read all about it in the press release after the jump, and check out the gallery of high-res photos below.

PRESS RELEASE

2008 SEMA: VOLKSWAGEN PERFORMANCE TIGUAN
Compact Sport-Ute brings in the noise and the funk

LAS VEGAS – For the 2008 SEMA Show, Volkswagen has brought performance, styling and audio upgrades to their popular new Tiguan, the GTI of compact SUV’s.

The upgrades start on the outside of the Tiguan Performance with a complete body styling and fender flare kit, spoiler, side steps and a custom two-tone paint job. Not to be shown up by the new interior the performance level has been raised in this already hot compact SUV. The 2.0L TSI four-cylinder engine is now breathing through an APR Stage 3 Turbo Kit, and is rated at scorching 295 hp and 300 lbs. ft. of torque, coupled with the 6-speed Tiptronic® automatic. Also included is the new APR sport rear muffler and carbon-fiber cold air intake.

Holding the Tiguan Performance to the street are Yokohama 225/40 R19 tires and Volkswagen’s 19-inch Omanyt alloy wheels and the 4Motion all wheel drive system. For added stopping power, the Tiguan Performance was upgraded with an APR/Brembo GT Performance Braking System featuring 328x28mm drilled rotors and Brembo high performance brake pads. H&R performance springs and sway bars provide an extra measure of control for the Tiguan Performance.

To ensure interior performance was not neglected, Volkswagen worked with Rockford Fosgate to bring in a custom-built audio system. The system features 1400 watts of legendary MOSFET power. Rockford’s, brand new for 2009, POWER T1000-1bd 1000 watt mono amplifier powers two P3D410 dual voice coil 500 watt PUNCH subwoofers.

A Power T400-4 amplifier delivers 400 watts of clean power to each of the door component speakers featuring 6.5″ mid-bass in the front doors & 5.25″ mid-bass in the rear doors, with matched inverted hard dome tweeters. The newly amplified system was seamlessly integrated to the Volkswagen Multi-media player and DVD-navigation system.

[Source:Autoblog]

The Jetta TDI Cup Series did so well this year that Volkswagen is expanding the series from eight to ten races next year. And now non-racers may have a chance to live the diesel racing dream, and if they do, it will look very similar to the Jetta TDI Cup Edition Street Concept unveiled at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas today. The diesel-powered sport sedan gets upgraded sway bars and brakes from the Euro-spec Jetta GLI and a “European sport-tuned suspension”, along with some cosmetic enhancements like a three-spoke steering wheel, sill plates, and Interlagos sport seats. This is one of those, “If we get the right response we’ll might make it” deals, but VW is so open to producing this sport version of the Jetta TDI that it even has a price point already established: under $30,000. So have look at the high-res gallery of images below and let VW know what you think. We say build it.

PRESS RELEASE

2008 SEMA: VOLKSWAGEN JETTA TDI CUP “STREET” EDITION
The performance of the Volkswagen Racing Jetta TDI is now available

LAS VEGAS – With the conclusion of the successful 2008 Jetta TDI Cup Volkswagen of America is bringing the race car to the people with their Jetta TDI Cup “Street” edition special model unveiled at the 2008 SEMA show.

The similarities to the race car are evident at first glance – the Jetta TDI Cup edition features the front bumper, side skirts and rear valance that are on the Jetta TDI Cup cars. However, the upgrades on the Jetta TDI Cup “Street” edition go beyond cosmetic with the addition of the brakes and sway bars found in the performance-oriented GLI sedan combined with a European sport tuned suspension.

The TDI Cup “Street” is powered by Volkswagen’s powerful 2.0L clean-diesel TDI producing 140 hp and 236 lbs. ft. of readily available torque, mated to the six-speed DSG transmission with Tiptronic® and Sport mode. The TDI Cup Street edition rides on Yokohama 225/40R18 ADVAN sport tires and 18-inch multi-spoke wheels.

The TDI Cup “Street” will be available in similar GLI colors and feature “TDI Cup Edition” appliqué for the vehicle side and branded door sill inserts. The interior brings upgrades that include a race-inspired three-spoke steering wheel with the TDI Cup logo and interlagos cloth sport seats.

Based on consumer feedback, the Jetta TDI Cup Edition may be available as early as 2010 with a price starting under $30,000.

[Source:Autoblog]

Even though our lust for Japan’s forbidden fruit has been sated by three generations of the Subaru STI and Mitsubishi EVO – and now, the Nissan GT-R – one guilty pleasure is still out of reach. The Subaru Forester STI has always held a special place in our hearts, combining a healthy dose of practicality with a dash of rally-bred performance, and that’s carried over to the Forester XTI concept. Packing the WRX STI’s turbocharged 2.5-liter boxer four-cylinder putting out 315 hp and 300 lb-ft of torque, a cat-back exhaust, reworked suspension, STI wheels and a deep red/black paint job, the Forester XTI is begging to go into production. Here’s hoping Subaru wises up and gives it the green light.

Joining the Forester on the show stand is a five-door 2009 WRX tweaked by Subaru Performance Tuning (left) with a cat-back exhaust, short-throw shifter, OZ Botticelli III 19-inch wheels, a lower chassis brace and strut tower brace. The 2.5-liter four has gotten a 10-hp boost in output (from 265 to 275 hp) and an additional seven lb-ft of torque, and sitting beside that guy is the STI that’s making its big screen debut in the next installment of the Fast and Furious franchise.

[Source:Autoblog]

If the 2010 Camaro is, as Ed Peper said, “a 21st century sports car for the young and the young at heart,” then this is the race car for those actual and spiritual whippersnappers. The Camaro GS Race Car Concept takes its inspiration from the Trans Am racer of Mark Donohue, but Riley Technologies updates it with a just a few go-fast add-ons. The body is seam-welded, the hood, trunk lid, and doors are swapped for carbon fiber components, and in the front a racing radiator and an upgraded engine cooler are fitted. The production LS3 V8 swaps gears though a Tremec close-ration six-speed gearbox, and all those spent hydrocarbons exit through three-inch dual exhaust pipes. Even better than all that: you can buy it from Riley for the 2009 Grand Am season. Check out the press release after the jump and the live high-res photos below.

PRESS RELEASE

“The new Camaro is a 21st century sports car for the young and young at heart,” said Ed Peper, GM North America vice president, Chevrolet. “Wherever your automotive passion lies, the Camaro complements it with world-class design and an exciting driving experience. The concepts unveiled at SEMA accentuate those qualities and trigger the imaginations of countless enthusiasts.”

Camaro GS Racecar Concept: One of the most iconic cars of the legendary Trans Am road racing series was the distinctive blue-and-yellow Camaro of Mark Donohue. He was a dominant racer in the series and drove his #6 1969 model to the series championship that year.

With the assistance of GM’s High Performance Vehicle Operations, North Carolina-based Riley Technologies re-created the look and feel of that standout racecar with a tribute that looks, sounds and drives like it’s ready to do battle with its contemporary pony car competitors. In fact, the heritage-inspired racer is more than concept. It is an early prototype for the Grand Am Koni Challenge GS racing class. Racecars like the GS Concept are offered and manufactured by Riley Technologies for the 2009 Grand-Am season.

The GS Concept features the race-ready suspension, reinforced chassis and drivetrain conform to the specifications required of racecars certified for the series. In fact, this racecar has already logged many hours on the racetrack as Riley team members worked to dial-in the chassis and powertrain. Additional features include:
• Seam-welded production Camaro body-in-white
• Carbon fiber hood, trunk lid, doors and fenders
• Production LS3 V-8 engine (used with solid engine mounts)
• Tremec 6060 six-speed manual transmission with close-ratio gearing
• Three-inch exhaust system with Coast Fab mufflers
• C&R racing aluminum radiator
• Upgraded engine oil cooler
• Transmission and differential coolers

The GS Racecar Concept is shown at SEMA just as it was last driven off the track, with the grime, brake dust and body imperfections commensurate with a day’s worth of racing. Indeed, it isn’t a car that spent hundreds of hours in a body shop in a quest of sheet metal perfection. It displays the bruises of competition and wears them as badges of honor.

Like Donohue’s ’69 Camaro racecar, the GS Racecar Concept wears a deep blue paint scheme that is accented with yellow graphics, a yellow-painted interior and yellow racing wheels.

[Source:Autoblog]