Volvo Launches Performance Software Line

Of all the reasons to buy a Volvo. “because I can have it tuned” probably doesn’t make the top ten very often. Nonetheless, Volvo does indeed have a corporate tuning partner, Polestar, which has developed a line of performance software for select 2008 and later Volvo models. If you own a C30, C70, S40 or (soon) a V50 with Volvo’s T5 engine, Polestar’s tune will net you an additional 23 horsepower and 29 lb.-ft. of torque. Read more

APR Creates The GTI Volkswagen Should Have

When it comes to tuning in the Volkswagen, Audi and now Porsche world, one name stands out above the rest. APR LLC, which was originally founded as “Auburn Parts and Repair” in Auburn, AL, has continued to blend performance with functionality since the shop began tuning Audi A4s in 1998. Since then, their market has expanded to include Volkswagen Seat, Skoda and Porsche, and the company now has a presence around the globe. Read more

Hennessey’s Venom GT: King Of The Roll-On

Try this experiment next time you’ve got a long stretch of open track in front of you (because we’d never condone this kind of driving on public roads): at 70 miles per hour, drop the hammer and keep it matted for 17 seconds. Record your top speed, and compare it to the speed of the Hennessey Venom GT, on a “low boost” setting.

If you’ve got a fast car, I’ll bet you can hit 150 miles per hour from 70 in 17 seconds. An average car will probably struggle to hit 120 or so, but the Hennessey-built Venom GT will run from 70 to 215 mph in those 17 seconds. Need proof? It’s in the video below. Read more

Video: JDM Legends Brings New Life To Old Japanese Iron

JDM Legends tunes, rebuilds and resells old Japanese sports cars. Located in Salt Lake City, the shop blends art, engineering and craftsmanship in their restorations, and shop manager Eric Bizek admits to being a bit obsessive. They won’t cut corners to save a few dollars, so don’t expect JDM Legends to match the price of a “restored” Celica that you found on eBay. Read more

Ford’s Latest TSB Warns Against Modding 5.0 Mustangs

Perhaps more than any other kind of vehicle, muscle cars are meant to be modded. In the old days, that generally involved a new intake manifold, a bigger carburetor, a high-lift, long duration cam and a new exhaust system from the headers back. Today, squeezing more ponies out of your car is generally done by reflashing the ECU, followed by a low restriction intake and high flow exhaust. Aftermarket blower or turbo kits can add serious horsepower, but often require additional upgrades (to the cooling system or clutch, for example) to handle the added power. The point is this: muscle cars are still meant to be modded, both to personalize them and to squeeze the last bit of horsepower from the engine. Read more

Honda Shows Their Mugen Tuned CR-Z

If you like the looks of the Mugen-tuned CR-Z in the picture above, I’ve got good news and bad news. The good news is that the car has legitimate performance gains over the stock CR-Z, yet still delivers reasonable fuel economy. The bad news is that the car is a work in progress, and is still officially described as a “concept vehicle”. The translation of that is that it may or may not see production, and that production may or may not be sold in the United States. Honda isn’t releasing a lot of performance data just yet, since the car won’t be “officially” unveiled until July’s Goodwood Festival of Speed. Read more

Report: AMG Tuning Up The Mercedes A Class

Mercedes-Benz’s recent Concept A-Class has drawn a lot of attention from fans and critics alike. The design is a lot edgier than what people expect from a conservative German auto manufacturer, but that’s necessary to draw in a new generation of buyers. Also necessary is a tuned version of the car, to compete against the likes of the Mini Cooper John Cooper Works and the upcoming Audi S1. For Mercedes, that involves giving the green light to AMG and saying, “bitte, mehr Pferdestärke.” Be careful what you wish for, since rumor has it that the AMG-tuned baby Benz may have as much as 350 horsepower, which would make the diminutive, front-wheel-drive car a handful to pilot in all but dry weather. Read more

Ever See An Escalade Beat A GT-R?

I’ll admit that these videos, from Hennessey Performance Engineering, are getting a little old. Every week it seems that HPE has a new and obscenely-tuned ride to pit against last year’s Nissan GT-R. At the current rate, I predict we’ll see a video pitting a 1975 Winnebago Chieftain motorhome, tuned by Hennessey, against the 2011 GT-R by the end of May. You know the Winnebago will smoke the GT-R, but they’ll probably have to use a rolling start. GT-R fans will pan this video, saying the Escalade left the line first, and that if Hennessey really wants to brag they should run the same test using the new and improved 2012 GT-R. That misses the point entirely, and Hennessey could have used any number of cars to run against the big Caddy SUV. Regardless of any staged drag race, if you’re not impressed by a 5,500 pound truck hitting sixty miles per hour in 3.3 seconds (faster than a stock Cadillac CTS-V), I’d encourage you to check your pulse. Video below. Read more

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