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The world horsepower record for the E9X M3 S65 V8 currently stands at 773 wheel horsepower and belongs to Gintani as well as BimmerBoost.com, just do not expect it to stand for very long. At Bimmerfest 2013 Gintani had the BimmerBoost.com project E92 M3 on display. They worked tirelessly to get the car ready for the event and took it to the dyno the night before. On MS109 race gas and 18.5 pounds of boost the car was able to hit 773 wheel horsepower with the completely stock DCT transmission slipping at 7250 rpm. Looking at the dyno graph below it is easy to see where the clutches begin to slip. At about 4750 rpm the clutch slips a bit then grabs as the pull continues up to 7250 rpm where it slips again and is unable to hold the power as the car is run to its 8500 rpm redline. Regardless, 7250 rpm was enough for a new world record on the S65 V8 platform and overall on the E9X BMW platform. Gintani will be rebuilding the cars DCT transmission and once that is complete the car will be back on the dyno for a clean run to redline and another world record. Looking at the graph, the car should conservatively be capable of ~830 wheel horsepower at 18.5 psi with MS109. What will it do on FTW Purple and 24 psi? We will eventually find out. Enjoy the picture and graph below. There is a video included of the car at Bimmerfest 2013. A huge crowd was gathered around it. For some reason the announcer at Bimmerfest never notified the crowd that the world's most powerful E92 M3 was in the house and that a new world record had been achieved on the platform. I waited for hours for the announcement which was hand written and delivered to the announcer but to no avail. Additionally, the car did not win a single award despite being the E92 M3 on display that had the most work done to it. Perhaps it needed some tacky neon green trim and red roundels? Definitely odd and awkward considering the years of engineering that have gone into it and that Gintani was a sponsor of the event. Perhaps if a competitor was not the headline sponsor Gintani and this car would have received the acknowledgement that was deserved and earned? Congratulations to Gintani on raising the bar to where nobody else on the platform is able to tread. This car is just getting warmed up.

Wow. That is exactly what came out of my mouth when I saw this supercharger kit at Bimmerfest. In all honesty, it was my main motivation for attending the event once I heard it would be there. Some people may be reading this and wondering what the big deal is as superchargers already exist for the M3. That is true, superchargers do exist, but they are all centrifugal style blowers. This is the world's first positive displacement supercharger for the S65 V8. Why is that a big deal? Because it's a completely different type of blower with completely different power delivery. This is the solution for those who complain about the M3's torque or for those who do not like the response down low of a centrifgual blower which needs rpm to make boost. This style of supercharger is always making boost, from anywhere in the rev range. That is what makes incorporating it on the S66 V8 difficult with its independent throttle bodies as positive displacement blowers usually are set to pull air through a throttle body not blow into it. The centrifugal blowers send air into a manifold. If a positive displacement were to use a similar setup it would be blowing air in while the throttle bodies attempted to close as it is always making boost. See the problem? The solution Harrop Engineering came up with was a manifold that fits in between the throttle bodies with a bypass valve fit that relieves pressure as needed and makes sure boost is not made as throttles are closing. Pretty trick setup eh? You can see the design in the photos and also how tight the packaging is. I do not even want to know how many hours were put in trying to get this all to fit. The blower employed is a TVS1740 unit from Eaton. This is a roots blower and likely will be set to 5.5 psi or so initially. Boost from this blower is different from a centrifugal and will be harder on the stock rods since it is at full boost right away. Expect horsepower in the low 500's to the wheels. Oh and see that little black box to the left of the manifold off a metal area at the inlet? There will be electronic boost control which is likely the first of its kind on a positive displacement setup although I am not able to confirm this. Different maps with different boost levels for different fuel? A possibility, yes. This is a big deal and an engineering feat for the S65. My complete and utter respect and that of this network to the guys at Harrop. There is still work to be done here. It is not quite ready although pricing is initially set at $12,990. There is still a lot of tuning to be done but this will be coming eventually. Pictures below, much respect Harrop and it was a pleasure meeting you guys at Bimmerfest. You were incredibly nice and answered all my (MANY) questions. Thank you:

I attended Bimmerfest 2013 and this was my first time at Bimmerfest. Why you ask? Well, because Tim who owns BimmerFest banned me from the BimmerFest forum once I started BimmerBoost. Well, bygones are bygones (plus BimmerBoost is too big to try to freeze out now) and this year BimmerFest invited BimmerBoost to attend as a VIP Media Sponsor. I accepted the invitation and drove down to the Rose Bowl to check it out. I am glad I did and I simply have to admit the event is phenomenal. The sheer size of the event is difficult to capture. It's big, much bigger than I expected. It's bigger than any other BMW event I have ever been to. Honestly, it dwarfs them in the amount of cars, vendors, people, you name it. I was told to go to a special side media only entrance but since I showed up at around 11:30 AM due to all the traffic that entrance was closed by that point. So, I squeezed my way in the side of the general entrance and was told to pay $20 for parking. Tim told me my entrance was free so I promptly told the guy at the gate I'm Sticky from BimmerBoost.com. After signing a few autographs I was in. The event was packed. I mean packed. People everywhere. Cars everywhere. Vendors everywhere. It was an awesome sight to behold. I was impressed and almost a bit jealous. I would be quite satisfied if BimmerBoost or a BimmerBoost event got this big one day. I will be going again but there are some things that can definitely be improved. $5 for a soda? Really? And cash only? That means I had to use the ATM which then on top of that charged me $3.50 to get my own money. So I paid $8.50 for a soda. It's definitely a blatant cash grab which somewhat hurts the grassroots community feel it should have. Perhaps getting a bit too commercial for its good? Then there was the guy on the loudspeaker reminding everyone to buy T-Shirts every 5 seconds. RELAX. How about talking more about the cars? Instead of informing the crowd what cars were where and what to see we were constantly being told to buy merchandise at every second. Gintani and I waited for hours for him to announce that a new E92 M3 horsepower record was achieved which he promised to do but instead all we kept hearing was where the ATM's were. I thought this was a car show? Additionally, the awards were a bit of a farce. The winning modern BMW was, surprise surprise, ESS-Tuning supercharged. Not that there is anything wrong with that but a bit suspect with ESS-Tuning being the headline sponsor. Especially when the BimmerBoost.com M3 which set a new horsepower world record that has been three years in the making does not even get a mention? Or any kind of award? But a dime a dozen ESS supercharged car is rated the best? What kind of judges are these and what do they really know about BMW's, tuning, or the aftermarket? These are my only complaints. Other than that, a fantastic show and I look forward to attending next year with BimmerBoost hopefully playing a bigger role. Thanks for the invite Tim, Bimmerfest has come a long way. Congratulations! Pictures and further details below. Additional articles regarding products and vendors at Bimmerfest will follow. When I say huge I mean huge, tons of cars and people: The classics were representing. The silver E9 is just jaw dropping: I have dreamt about a swap like this and it seems someone had the same idea and beat me to it. A Honda F20 motor with displacement increased to 2.3 liters with a 9500 rpm redline swapped into a 2002 BMW. Props to you good sir. And check out that plate! This guy has a point... Of course 1M's were everywhere: Very impressive matte paint job on this F10: Dakar yellow is a great vintage color but sadly in person on the E92 it is a bit dull. It is just one of those colors that perhaps should stay retired. Still, definitely different and definitely nice to see: An awesome E90 M3 until you see the neon green trim that sticks out like a sore thumb. What was this guy thinking? A tastefully modded car that is then marred with a few elements of poor taste: The red accents are a bit much on a white car. When it starts to look clownish you took it too far: Now this is a beautiful E92 M3 showing sometimes less is more. Ericsson trunk, BBS LM-R's, good looking carbon accents under the sideskirts, well done. The German flag colors on the grille may be a bit much for some people though: A pristine 2002 turbo and a posing "M2" : Lot's of E30 M3's: Self explanatory: The widebody work on this E60 M5 was the best at the show in my opinion. Clean, perfectly fitting, just absolutely gorgeous. The shop that did this body work deserves major respect: This blue foil style wrap was very, very eye catching. Definitely not for someone who does not like attention: Reminded me somewhat of an M3 GTS: Remus was there with an F10 M5 rear section exhaust: Not only BMW's attended: BimmerBoost vendor ModBargains in attendance: Completely original BMW 2002. Flawless: Akrapovic showed off their titanium F10 M5 exhaust which is a beauty to behold: Matte X6: BimmerBoost vendor Vorsteiner in attendance showing off their BMW body pieces available for the F30, F10 M5, and F13 M6: BimmerBoost vendor HRE Wheels in attendance. This car just flat out popped, hard to explain but the effect in person was awesome: Dinan was showing off their N63 intake which seems to be a ram air style for the N63 funneling air in from the grille. Looked great: Never seen fully carbon headlight covers before. Only works on a track car obviously: BimmerBoost vendor IND-Distribution in attendance. You know it's IND from far away when you see the most colorful BMW's. The attention to detail on the yellow M3 is amazing. Tasteful yellow accents everywhere from the stitching to seatbelts. This is why IND is who IND is: Of course there were Active Autowerke blowers representing: N55 and S63 motors on display but somebody switched the labels. The people at the booth were surprised when I pointed it out. Was a rather obvious mistake: Hey! Cameo by BenzBoost vendor Weistec Engineering: This Hamann widebody X5 simply is overdone: Beautiful weather and yes, tons of BMW's: The prices are a bit ridiculous and the show is cash only. Come on now, be reasonable: You look fine sweetheart: Ariel Atom cameo. Need to get me one of these: Cash only food stands and $9.50 hotdogs. Quite the racket: Techno Violet. Quite simply one of the most beautiful colors BMW has ever put on a car: Cameo by my future ex-wife: Interesting E92 M3 widebody: Whatever the hell this is, it's cool: That's all folks:

Great video here of three runs at the PBIR (Palm Beach International Raceway) between a McLaren MP4-12C and a Porsche 911 Turbo S PDK. Oddly enough, the McLaren seems to rip the 911 Turbo out of the hole on the runs despite not having all wheel drive. It's fast, very fast in the first run turning a 10.6@134 to the 911's 11.0@125. On the second run the McLaren gives the 911 Turbo the hit and seems to just barely run it down but the times are similar with a 10.6@133 for the McLaren and 11.0@126 for the 911 Turbo. The 911 Turbo S is a terror on the drag strip having shown a 10.7@127 in stock form and even a 10.6@129. That was in seemingly better weather though and the Florida PBIR strip isn't the fastest when temps start to heat up. This MP4-12C likely has the new software update which bumps output by 25 horsepower. On R-Compound rubber we have seen a 10.3 1/4 mile out of the car completely stock. It's simply quicker and faster than the 911 Turbo S, video below.

Well, no surprise here. Porsche continues to embrace the dual clutch transmission making the PDK standard and the only option on their new GT cars such as the GT3 and GT2. It started with the 991 GT3 getting the PDK transmission only with no manual option and now the 991 GT2 and GT2 RS will take the same route. Even the new 991 Turbo does not have a manual transmission option meaning the PDK dual clutch is the only way to get it. Purists may not like it but the GT2 is going to be a beast with 552 horsepower, rear wheel drive, and a dual clutch transmission. The GT2 RS is set to go up to 620 horsepower. 9 second car stock? With drag radials a high 9 second 1/4 mile certainly sounds within reach. Do not expect it until 2015 though. Source

Well, well, well, BMW responds to the criticism as well as the competition to the F10 M5 with a facelift for the 2014 model which includes a Competition Package option. The standard car is 560 horsepower but the Competition Package option boosts this output to 575 horsepower which is a direct response to Mercedes-Benz and AMG with the facelifted E63/CLS63 AMG sporting an all wheel drive option and an optional 585 horsepower. The power boost is one part but the suspension is also revised with the Competition Package. New springs, dampers, and stiffer sway bars. The F10 M5 is lowered by 10mm. The Active M Differential receives revised tuning for better traction. The stability control programs have also been remapped. These are great improvement and it is nice to see BMW forced to acknowledge the F10 M5 was not exactly as good as it could have been out of the box and seemed lacking compared to previous M models. Will these changes improve it greatly? We will see, hopefully the exhaust sound is improved as well as the steering response. Definitely a step in the right direction, press release below. Newly-available Competition Package spearheads subtle refinement for 2014. Woodcliff Lake, N.J. – May 18th 2013, 6:00pm Eastern Time . . . For five generations, the BMW M5 has served as the reference standard in the special business of ultra-high-performance sedans. In each generation since the mid-Eighties, the M5 has joined race-bred chassis components and Olympic levels of power with linear control which can only be developed through years of laps around the legendary Nürburgring Nordschleife in the Eiffel Mountains. Now, paralleling the launch of the 2014 BMW 5 Series Sedan and 5 Series Gran Turismo, BMW M’s hot-rod sedan receives an exciting evolutionary impulse. Subtle styling updates, new color choices, enhancements to interior and lighting, and a new Competition Package with 575 horsepower (preliminary) are the key highlights of the 2014 M5 Sedan update. The essential BMW M5 is driven by a 4.4-liter V-8 engine with patented M TwinPower Turbo technology and a peak output of 560 hp in standard form. This power is managed through the standard 7-speed M Dual-Clutch Transmission (M-DCT) or optional 6-speed manual transmission (North America only), Active M Differential at the rear axle, and aluminum-intensive suspension, all of which are precisely tuned to perfect harmony by BMW M’s 41 years of race-bred experience. Competition Package: New for 2014. There are sport sedans, and then there is the BMW M5. For more than a quarter-century, the M5 has been the four-door sedan which provides levels of performance previously accessible only to super-sports cars. Perhaps this claim was best proven in reality when a production-based, second-generation M5 Sedan won the IMSA Bridgestone Supercar Championship not just once in 1994, but again in 1995. It was, of course, the only 4-door car in the entire field of racers. To celebrate the M5’s competitive driving spirit, BMW M GmbH will offer the new Competition Package as an option for the M5 and its M6 siblings starting with the 2014 model year. The Competition Package specifically distills handling properties under the principle applied to all BMW M automobiles: fine-tune the suspension to match the performance of the engine, and achieve responsiveness that makes the car precise and controllable in all driving situations. The Competition Package boosts output by 15 hp / 11 kW to 575 hp / 423 kW (preliminary) in the high-revving V-8 engine with M TwinPower turbo technology that powers the BMW M5, BMW M6 Coupe, BMW M6 Convertible and BMW M6 Gran Coupe models. At the same time, the developers at BMW M have extensively tuned the chassis set-up. Along with new coil springs and damper calibrations, anti-sway bars have also been stiffened. For the BMW M5, these adjustments have resulted in a lowering of the car by around 10 millimeters, which lowers the center of gravity (CG) and roll center. The potential inherent in the rear axle design – based on the race-derived principle of the rear axle subframe being rigidly bolted to the body – and the even more precisely calibrated bushings for the front axle are exploited with the Competition Package. 0.1 seconds have been shaved from the standstill to 100 km/h (0-62 mph) sprint time and 0.2 seconds are saved when accelerating from zero to 200 km/h (0-124 mph). Cornering dynamics and flexibility are also enhanced – something noticeable in everyday driving but best experienced on the race track. In particular in conjunction with the optional M Carbon Ceramic Brake system, also available on the M5 for 2014, all the driving dynamics attributes associated with BMW M automobiles are experienced at the highest level. The Active M Differential on the final drive – standard on all M5 and M6 models – receives a unique tune when the Competition Package is specified, resulting in further-improved traction. The new rack-and-pinion steering with the M-specific Servotronic variable assist function, moreover, has more-direct programming to enable firm and secure contact with the road while further increasing the agility of the vehicle during cornering. Beyond these enhancements, the M chassis control system has been adapted to the Competition Package suspension profile. With the Competition Package, the M Dynamic Mode (MDM) of DSC (Dynamic Stability Control) is re-mapped for even sportier handling characteristics and higher thresholds of intervention. The Competition Package additionally includes unique 20-inch M light-alloy wheels along with a sport exhaust system featuring M quad tailpipes finished in Black Chrome that lend an unmistakable look and the sound to the car. Design. A striking element in the appearance of every BMW is the “kidney grille”, which now features the M5 model designation and whose slats cite the double-spoke design of the M light-alloy wheels. In addition to standard Xenon Adaptive headlights, there is now the option of Adaptive LED Headlights which emit a particularly bright white light generated by a pair of LED units situated horizontally in the middle of each light ring. A standard feature on the BMW M5 are the new-design 5 Series tail lights with strikingly thin LED light strips that generate a high contrast and add to the unmistakable night-time look. The hallmark M feeling is also conveyed by the M leather steering wheel, whose new design likewise takes visual cues from the double-spoke wheels. The interior of the sedan has also gained an increase in volume of the storage compartment under the armrest in the center console area. The Central Display of the standard-fitted iDrive4.2 Navigation system now features chrome trim on the sides. The iDrive4.2 controller now features a touchpad surface allowing, for example, characters to be entered when programming a destination for the Navigation system. As of July, BMW Individual will be offering a range of new exterior colors for the BMW M5 including Pyrite Brown Metallic, Frozen Blue Metallic, and further BMW Individual Frozen paintwork finishes, as well as exclusive leather shades (Cashmere Beige and Nutmeg). The further extended range of features from BMW ConnectedDrive also ensures that the 2014 BMW M5 is in pole position when it comes to intelligent connectivity. Innovative driver assistance systems and mobility services optimize safety and comfort while driving as well as the use of infotainment programmers. BMW Apps is now standard on all 5 Series models for 2014.

It is official, Quaife has a limited slip differential upgrade available for the C207 Mercedes-Benz E550 models. With the torque the M278 twin turbo V8 generates a limited slip differential becomes necessary to maintain traction and definitely will improve putting the power down in corners especially as well as the straightline or low traction conditions (rain, snow). The diff is a direct replacement for the factory open differential. It will not interfere with the electronics or cause any malfunction lights. The differential will also eliminate a degree of torque steer from the factory open diff. Quite simply, it's a great upgrade for the rear wheel drive E550 coupes. The diff comes with a lifetime warranty and will be available in July. Great of Quaife to take care of a definite need for C207 E550 owners.

The new batch of turbo motors from AMG make a lot of torque and those turbos combined with fairly large displacement produce quite a bit of heat. The factory cooling system features a water-air intercooler for this reason to keep temps down but the OEM Mercedes-Benz design has the intercooler system tied into engine coolant system. Not hard to see how this is not the most efficient setup possible and how the cooling system can become overwhelmed. Weistec improves the performance of the factory intercooler by separating it from the engine cooling system. The M157 cooling kit includes a dedicated performance heat exchanger, trunk mounted ice tank reservoir, and all the necessary fittings and lines. Essentially, this leaves the factory system now dedicated to just cooling the engine rather than the engine and intercooler. Also, the factory factory heat exchanger is positioned between the radiator and AC condenser meaning heat radiating from those elements will affect it. The Weistec unit is mounted where it can get cool air from the grille above the bumper beam. Another great performance product from Weistec Engineering for your AMG, get it here for $1999.99: http://www.weistec.com/m157cooling.html Key Features: Separates Intercooler from Engine Coolant High Performance Heat Exchanger Optimal Heat Exchanger Placement Weistec Trunk Ice Tank for Greatly Increased System Capacity All Hardware, Lines, and Fittings Included

Interesting drag race here with opponents that do not usually square off against one another. It's basically bike versus go-kart versus rally car. The bike being the S1000RR HP4 version which is 31 pounds lighter than the standard S1000RR. The Ariel Atom 500 V8 has a 500 horsepower 3.0 liter V8 engine which makes for an insane power to weight ratio in the 1213 pound car. Last but not least is a 600 horsepower all wheel drive Citroen Rallycross car. Since this comparison is done by Autocar it takes place in Britain. Since it is taking place in Britain the track is wet since it is raining pretty much as usual. That makes it difficult for something like the Atom to get traction considering it is rear wheel drive. The race video is below. No need to spoil the result, but drag racing in the wet does not offer the best comparison between these cars. Why the thought did not cross anyone's mind at Autocar to go from a roll and eliminate the launch beats me.

This is an interesting development and one that really makes one scratch their head. Porsche obviously has demonstrated hybrid technology can work and work extremely well in sports cars with their 918 Spyder hybrid supercar. A company spokesperson at the recent Panamera Hybrid technology workshop stated Porsche developed a new hybrid module that combines the electric motor and clutches in one unit is capable of fitting in all Porsche models including the 911. Does this mean the race bred GT3 will go hybrid? The GT2? Even the lightweight RS models? It's understandable Porsche wants to push for greater efficiency but the downside here is that it essentially means all future Porsche models will gain weight. The GT3 simply won't be as tossable with electric motors and batteries in it. It's great Porsche is pushing the technology but is it really necessary to put it in every car in the lineup? That just does not make sense for a sports car manufacturer trying to build the best drivers car possible where weight is one of the major enemies. Porsche even complained about the weight a dual clutch transmission would add to the GT3 so it seems odd they would now be willing to put heavy electric drivetrain components in it. Regardless, expect to see a lot more hybrid Porsches. Source

Here are pictures of what an APR Stage III turbo kit setup looks like on a MKVI Golf R. The kit is very impressive and comes with all the hardware necessary obviously. This install was done by APTuning who photographed the process. A dyno is included of what the setup is capable of. On 100 octane race gas the Stage III GTX kit shows 511 horsepower versus a stock 272. Unfortunately this dyno is at the crank and not the wheels. Photos of the install and dynograph below:

Honda will be returning to Formula 1 as an engine supplier in 2015. The will be supplying McLaren with the new turbo motors Formula 1 will be switching to. This apparently has Bernie Ecclestone thinking that BMW will soon follow suit as BMW does have history in Formula 1 as an engine supplier. BMW pulled out as a constructor in the 2008 season and completely out of the sport with engines and all after the 2009 season. Ecclestone stated, "I would be surprised if we don't see BMW again. I think they could come in. The amount of money they spent was not significant in the grand scheme of things. It makes sense for them to return." This basically amounts to nothing more than Ecclestone saying it makes sense for BMW in an effort to push them to acknowledge his comment and hopefully get them in so Formula 1 has even more manufacturers involved. It's really just political maneuvering by Bernie. Will it push BMW to come back? Doubtful. Source

This comes off a bit spiteful and bitter from Audi. A recent press release titled "Not so fast to put Tesla on that particular pedestal" by Audi lobs shots at the electric car maker. Audi even says the automotive industry is giving Tesla way too much credit. The issue Audi takes is with recent articles about Tesla sales beating Mercedes, BMW, and Audi that Audi claims are not accurate. The reasoning behind this is that Audi sales trump Tesla sales. Audi of America is right that their US sales in April alone of 13,157 units trump Tesla's 4,750 units year to date. But the article they are referencing specifically mentioned the A8 which the Tesla Model S is apparently outselling as the A8 only sold 1,462 units in April. Audi also questions Tesla's long term viability. What's with the hate Audi? This seems out of character and completely beneath Audi. Bitter Audi press release below: Not so fast to put Tesla on that particular pedestal Posted on May 17, 2013 2:38 PM Not so fast Investors, press and a lot of front-runners are enthusing over the progress of Tesla in selling all-electric vehicles, and doing so profitably, when other EV brands are faltering. But some reports are giving Tesla too much credit. A headline on CNNMoney.com this week, for instance, said "Tesla sales beating Mercedes, BMW and Audi." But the fact is that Tesla's reported sales of 4,750 units of its Model S electric car in April were less than half of Audi of America sales of 13,157 vehicles in the month, which represented a 16-percent rise from a year earlier. BMW and Mercedes-Benz sold even more than that. The story's misleading headline came from the fact that Model S did outsell at least one of each of the German luxury brands' models that are in the general price range of the Tesla vehicle. Audi A8 sold 1,462 units in the U.S. in April, for instance. And while Model S is Tesla's only nameplate at this point, the Audi A8 is the brand's flagship model and is aimed at consumers in the most exclusive segment of the market. The demand for premium models including the Audi A6, A7 and A8 is growing but remains just one segment for Audi. The CNNMoney.com story did mention that it wasn't making a "perfect comparison," noting that each of the German brands sells "a full range of cars and SUVs" and that pricing of the Tesla S and the comparison models wasn't apples-to-apples. To be sure, Tesla has been riding a boom in investor and consumer interest based on its apparent ability crack the code for EV sales with its $70,000-and-up Model S. But while Tesla founder and CEO Elon Musk has raised Model S sales estimates for 2013 to 21,000 units, the brand faces a number of long-term issues that also were noted this week by American press. "Tesla has to show it can be consistently profitable with a single product that is priced so high that most buyers can't afford it," as USA Today put it. "There are questions, too, about whether it can keep its order books full, or whether the number of people who crave electric cars is limited."

Here is a graph from Eurocharged showing three different dyno runs from a 2005 Mercedes-Benz R230 SL65 AMG. The runs show stock, then flashed with the Eurocharged Stage 1 software, and then flashed with the more aggressive Eurocharged Stage 2 software. The baseline for the SL65 shows 374 wheel horsepower meaning this is a very, very conservative reading Mustang dyno. On a Dynojet the car shows about 520 rear wheel horsepower stock so this is a heartbreaker dyno. Regardless, the Stage I software adds about 100 horsepower at the wheels on this dyno over stock. Torque jumps up 106 lb-ft at the wheels to an eye opening 628 lb-ft. Bringing up the Dynojet again that would be close to 900 lb-ft at the wheels. Yes, an insane amount of torque. The Stage II software is able to further improve on the Stage I with gains of 33 wheel horsepower and 87 lb-ft of torque at the wheels for a total of 715 lb-ft. Yes, the torque falls off hard. This is not a motor that likes to rev or that has a flat curve. It's a stump puller and all about big, big torque down low. Great comparison illustrating just how much power can be pulled out of the SL65 AMG M275 twin turbo V12.

McLaren is expanding as a sports car manufacturer and seemingly plans to add a third model. McLaren currently builds the MP4-12C which is slotted against the 458 Italia and has a ballistic hybrid supercar called the P1 coming that will compete in the highest end of the supercar sectors likely directly rivaling the Porsche 918 Spyder hybrid supercar. It seems McLaren is not done going to head to head with Porsche and plans to take the battle to the "entry level" realm with a car to rival the Porsche 911. The MP4-12C is in the $250k and up range and the P1 will be over a million dollars. Clearly there is room in the lineup for a car to slot in beneath these. The 911 has no true rival and if anyone can take beat it at its own game that would be McLaren. The P13 would be priced slightly above a Carrera S at $120k. The motor would be a detuned version of the MP4-12C 3.8 liter V8 with approximately 450 horsepower. That would make for a very appealing car with that motor and a mid-engine layout at this price point. Source

Very strong showing from the SLS GT3 at the 24 Hours of the Nurburgring. You likely already know what a grueling course the ring is and a 24 Hour endurance race on the famous circuit is no joke. The winning Black Falcon SLS GT3 started in sixth and worked its way up to first finishing two minutes and thirty nine seconds ahead of the second place car. Rowe Racing took third and fourth place with their SLS GT3's. The race was red flagged for 9 hours due to rain. A total of 7 SLS GT3's were entered. The Nurburgring 24 Hours is mostly aimed at amateurs who purchase factory race cars. Some of the drivers are professionals. Would be a lot of fun to buy an SLS GT3 and race in something like this. Congratulations to Mercedes and Team Black Falcon. Results below: 2013 Nurburgring 24 Hours selected class winners SP9 – #9 Black Falcon Mercedes – Bleekemolen/Edwards/Schneider/Thiim SP7 – #18 Manthey Racing Porsche – Bernhard/Dumas/Lieb/Luhr (7th overall) SP8 – #81 Corvette – Guttroff/Kiesch/Klasen/Strycek (21st overall) SP4T – #105 Besaplast Racing Audi – Kovac/Lestrup/Thiim/Tshornia (23rd overall) SP3T – #111 Raeder Motorsport Audi – Breuer/Deegener/Schmidtmann/Wohlfarht (25th overall) SP10 – #56 Bonk Motorsport BMW – Akata/Mies/Uebler/’Wolf Silverster’ (28th overall) SP2T – #216 Peugeot Automobiles Peugeot – Frankenhout/Niederhauser/Radermecker/Ricci (32nd overall) Alexander Böhm, Black Falcon General Manager: “The ultra-reliable SLS AMG GT3 was once again the cornerstone for this historic victory. All the drivers did a great job – we were really fast, especially in the wet. A big thank you to all team members!” Hans-Peter Naundorf, ROWE RACING Team Manager: “I am extremely pleased with securing P3 and P4 with #22 and #23, especially as we were forced to retire last year while in the lead. My thanks go to all drivers and team members. Congratulations to the winning team, Black Falcon.” Uli Fritz, Head of AMG Customer Sports: “We were not among the favourites to win, as we are not a works team but simply a customer outfit. We are very excited about this historic success. So far in 2013, we have won every major endurance race with the SLS AMG GT3 – in January, the Dubai (UAE) 24-hour race, in February, the Bathurst 12-Hours (Australia) and now the legendary 24- hour race here at the Nürburgring. My congratulations go to all AMG customer teams, and many thanks to tyre partner Dunlop for the excellent manner in which they have supported our team.” Ola Kaellenius, CEO of Mercedes-AMG GmbH: “A great success for our customer teams Black Falcon and ROWE RACING. I am very pleased that we have succeeded at only the third attempt in taking the top spot in the SLS AMG GT3. This victory is the best confirmation of our customer sports programme.” Toto Wolff, Head of Motorsport at Mercedes-Benz: “This victory in the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring is the just reward for the loyalty of our customer teams. Mercedes-Benz has a magnificent tradition in endurance racing that stretches back as far as the 1950s. The Nürburgring has always had a great importance and symbolic meaning for Mercedes-Benz, because this is where the legend of the Silver Arrow was born, so it is all the more gratifying to witness the success here today of the AMG customer teams. The Mercedes-Benz name stands for performance, quality and reliability – which are the perfect prerequisites for winning such a tough race on the most demanding racetrack in the world. I extend my congratulations to our customer teams, Black Falcon and ROWE RACING. Credit is also due to Mercedes-AMG for their outstanding support without which this success could not have been achieved.” Bernd Schneider, Black Falcon, # 9: “Our car was super to drive, especially in the wet, and even while the surface was drying out, we were always up with the leading group. I’ve attempted the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring on several previous occasions, but this is the first time I’ve ever crossed the finish line. My congratulations and thanks go to the whole team. The guys at Black Falcon did a great job.” Thomas Jäger, ROWE RACING, # 22: “Once again, we have seen what a fabulous car the SLS AMG GT3 is to drive, even under these very difficult conditions here at the Nürburgring. Our third and fourth place finishes represent a great team result for ROWE RACING, and obviously I’m delighted for the guys at Black Falcon on their historic victory.” Lance David Arnold, ROWE RACING, # 23: “I’m very pleased that I was able to finish fourth on my very first outing for the AMG customer team ROWE RACING. This was very tough race, not least because of the heavy rain and the constantly changing conditions. I’d like to express my gratitude and congratulations to the whole team.”

The current Audi Q7 is a solid SUV but also pretty heavy with the diesel and V8 (which has now been replaced with a lighter 3.0 TFSI) versions coming in at about 5500 pounds. Audi has shown a lot of emphasis on as of late on lightweight materials showing they are very aware their vehicles used to be the heaviest in the segment. That is changing and Audi is quite serious about it going so far as to shave 800 pound from the Q7 for the next generation Q7 model. That means a curb weight somewhere around the 4700 pound range. That would undercut the current BMW X5, Mercedes ML, and Porsche Cayenne. It definitely is nice to see Audi put an emphasis on making its models lighter and not just adding power to mask it (like BMW as of late). Expect the new Q7 in 2015. Source

A couple weeks ago an article was posted on PorscheBoost showing a stock 997.2 Turbo S going 10.6@129.8 in the 1/4 mile. Absolutely incredible performance out of a stock car. In case anyone thought that run was a fluke here is a video showing another 997.2 Turbo S at the drag strip this one going 10.71@127.73. This just confirms the Turbo S on street tires is a car that is just short of mid 10 second performance making it a stoplight terror. It also shows the PDK is deadly consistent. Just look at the launch. No fuss, no drama, just insane acceleration. This car is a beast.

BMW is to be commended for creating a niche with the X6 and a successful one at that. Essentially, they took what Mercedes-Benz did with the CLS creating the four door coupe segment and applied to an SUV giving it a lower roofline for sleeker looks. Now everybody else is scrambling to catch up and it seems Audi intends to join the fray with a Q8 to compete. The Q8 of course will be based on the Q7 so just as the X5 and X6 share a platform so will the Q7 and Q8. This also means the Q8 will share the same weight loss as the next generation Q7 which is set to shed about 800 pounds. That means it will be lighter than the X6. If this car comes by 2017 though the X6 will likely be gearing up for a next generation model. Regardless, expect the Q8 as a 2017 model with 4.0 TFSI V8 power. Also expect a Q8 RS to take on the X6 M. Source

Congratulations to Audi for winning the second race of the 2013 DTM season which took place at Brand Hatch in the UK. Audi started the race in a strong position with four cars qualifying in the top five spots. Winning the race is nice but Audi is still in last place in the manufacturer standings with BMW remaining in first due to a strong performance taking second, third, fourth, and fifth place spots to pick up a good amount of points. Audi is getting very strong performance out of driver Mike Rockenfeller who is now the overall leader in the driver standings after his race victory for Audi. He also was sitting on the pole for this race. The other Audi drivers need to step it up though as Rockenfeller is carrying Audi at the moment. Race results and standings below. Brands-Hatch: Position Fahrer Runden Zeit Rückstand 1. Mike Rockenfeller Audi Sport Team Phoenix Audi RS 5 DTM 98 1:11:28.719 1:11:28.719 2. Bruno Spengler BMW Team Schnitzer BMW M3 DTM 98 1:11:36.360 07.641 3. Robert Wickens STIHL Mercedes AMG DTM Mercedes AMG C-Coupé 98 1:11:53.087 24.368 4. Marco Wittmann BMW Team MTEK BMW M3 DTM 98 1:11:53.683 24.964 5. Joey Hand BMW Team RBM BMW M3 DTM 98 1:11:54.795 26.076 6. Gary Paffett EURONICS Mercedes AMG DTM Mercedes AMG C-Coupé 98 1:11:55.790 27.071 7. Mattias Ekström Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline Audi RS 5 DTM 98 1:12:05.242 36.523 8. Christian Vietoris Mercedes AMG DTM-Team DTM Mercedes AMG C-Coupé 98 1:12:07.659 38.940 9. Timo Scheider Audi Sport Team Abt Audi RS 5 DTM 98 1:12:08.238 39.519 10. Pascal Wehrlein Mercedes AMG DTM Mercedes AMG C-Coupé 98 1:12:09.009 40.290 11. Miguel Molina Audi Sport Team Phoenix Audi RS 5 DTM 98 1:12:09.572 40.853 12. Dirk Werner BMW Team Schnitzer BMW M3 DTM 97 1:11:29.832 1 Runde 13. Martin Tomczyk BMW Team RMG BMW M3 DTM 97 1:11:34.364 1 Runde 14. Timo Glock BMW Team MTEK BMW M3 DTM 97 1:11:35.137 1 Runde 15. Jamie Green Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline Audi RS 5 DTM 97 1:11:35.862 1 Runde 16. Roberto Merhi THOMAS SABO Mercedes AMG DTM Mercedes AMG C-Coupé 97 1:11:53.270 1 Runde 17. Filipe Albuquerque Audi Sport Team Rosberg Audi RS 5 DTM 97 1:12:06.978 1 Runde 18. Adrien Tambay Audi Sport Team Abt Audi RS 5 DTM 97 1:12:15.211 1 Runde 19. Andy Priaulx BMW Team RMG BMW M3 DTM 96 1:11:36.646 2 Runden 20. Daniel Juncadella stern Mercedes AMG DTM Mercedes AMG C-Coupé 96 1:12:05.626 2 Runden 21. Edoardo Mortara Audi Sport Team Rosberg Audi RS 5 DTM 87 1:04:30.512 11 Runden Nicht gewertet Augusto Farfus BMW Team RBM BMW M3 DTM 65 47:42.966 33 Runden