The famous interior car design firm Carlex Design has unveiled its own rendition of the McLaren 720S sports coupe. Apparently, the tuners found the interior of the car a bit lackluster.

It should be mentioned here that McLaren has its own performance shop, MSO, that usually handles overhauls like this. This time around, however, the company entrusted Carlex Design with creating an ultra-luxury interior trimming for the new vehicle, and, if the photos are any indication, the latter did an exceptional job.

Almost every part of the interior is now draped in cozy-looking leather or purple Alcantara. There are also multiple decorative elements made of composite materials. On the outside, the car sports a unique paintjob that makes it stand out strongly against the main series.

The hood compartment of the modded McLaren 720S by Carlex Design still holds the same old turbocharged V8 with 720 hp (537 kW) and 770 Nm (568 lb×ft) of torque. This is not really an issue, since the car gets to 100 km/h (62 mph) from a standstill in less than three seconds.

Carlex Design remained silent on the price of the upgrade.

Photo: Carlex Design 

Someone in Hennessey Performance must have decided that standard acceleration times demonstrated by the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk could be much, much better. Apparently, there are people who find 717 hp sorely inadequate to feel that special supercar drive…

Anyway, the performance tuning firm has released a dedicated HPE1000 upgrade package for the Trackhawk series. The vehicle normally comes equipped with a 6.2L supercharged V8 engine with 717 hp (535 kW) and 875 Nm (645 lb·ft) of torque under its command. Once the upgrade is installed, its performance skyrockets to 1,026 hp (765 kW) and 1,314 Nm (970 lb·ft) of torque.

The company made a video to demonstrate just what the boosted Trackhawk is capable of. The vehicle had no trouble accelerating 0-97 km/h (0-60 mph) in trifling 2.7 seconds, rendering the 3.5 seconds of the stock model pale in comparison.

The new top going speed was never touched upon, but we can readily assume that it goes well past 300 km/h (187 mph).

Under-the-hood improvements include lots of replacements (oil filter, fuel pump, inlet manifold, nozzles, supercharger) along with an increase in working pressure and a firmware update.

The package is available to anyone interested and even comes with a 1-year warranty.

Are there any other heavy, bulky SUVs out there that were taken to the supercar performance level? There are a few. For instance, there’s a Toyota Land Speed Cruiser Driver’s Package which packs a 2,000-horsepower (1.5-MW) engine and accelerates to 370 km/h (230 mph) when moving in a straight line. There’s also an all-electric Faraday Future FF 91, which only needs 2.39 seconds to reach 97 km/h (60 mph).

Photo: hennesseyperformance.com

The car design firm Lightweight has recently revealed the latest project it has been working on, an upgrade package for the BMW 2-Series Convertible. You may get your own LW M2 Convertible for €75,000 if you want to.

The car has received numerous fancy body parts made of carbon fiber, a new chassis and a specialty wheel/tire set. The interior hasn’t changed much, though it now features Nappa leather and Alcantara trimming along with some contrast stitching, more carbon parts and BMW M logos.

The engine compartment of the rear-driven convertible houses a reworked 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 engine which now produces up to 428 hp (319 kW) – up 68 hp / 50 kW from the stock model. It works in conjunction with a seven-speed automatic transmission.

Lightweight did not provide any acceleration data, but mentioned that the car now accelerates past 300 km/h (187 mph) when traveling in a straight line.

Photo: autoevolution.com

The U.S. car tuning firm Hennessey is preparing a big reveal of its heavily-modded Venom F5 hypercar. Driven by an enormous 1,600-horsepower engine, the vehicle will attempt to accelerate past 300 miles per hour (483 km/h).

Series production of Venom F5 hypercars won’t begin until late 2019, and it is likely that Hennessey picks a date for their show closer to that period. After all, it is the honor of the company founder, John Hennessey, that is at stake here. He personally promised to hold a public event where the modded vehicle would accelerate to the nearly unthinkable 300 mph, and maybe beyond that.

The one-of-a-kind racecar packs a massive 8.5-liter V8 engine capable of 1,600 hp (1,193 kW). Dual turbocharges will make sure to squeeze it for as much power as possible.

Engineers still need to reduce the car weight to under 1,360 kilograms (3,000 lb) for it to have optimal aerodynamic performance. Needless to say, this means generous use of carbon fiber throughout the body and chassis.

According to John Hennessey, the company has been working hard over the past three decades to finally qualify for such a difficult task. He first came upon the idea to build a car that would accelerate to 300 mph when his modded Venom GT overtook a Bugatti in a drag race in 2014.

We’ll have to wait until next year to see how things work out.

Photo: hennesseyperformance.com

Hennessey Performance, a US-based car tuning and design workshop, has managed to get a Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk going at 60 mph (96 km/h) in mere 2.7 seconds, hich is a substantial improvement of the 3.5 seconds of the stock model.

Hennessey Performance has uploaded video footage showing the heavy, 1000 horsepower / 745 kW strong vehicle bolting from a standstill to 60 mph on its official YouTube channel.

The car reached the end of a quarter-mile streak running at 132 mph (212 km/h) – 16.7 mph or 27 km/h above the best result achievable with an unmodded Trackhawk.

The vehicle underwent profound modification in fall of 2017. Hennessey Performance has completely reworked its fuel system, updated the firmware and readjusted the chassis. They have also raised its engine performance by 310 hp (231 kW) to a total of 1,027 hp (766 kW). Not surprising, then, that the vehicle has improved its standard acceleration time by almost a full second.

Photo: hennesseyperformance.com 

Mercedes-AMG has revealed a new drop-top roadster model, the GT S Roadster, that will go on sale in July 2018 with a potent 4.0-liter V8 engine on board.

The freshly announced Mercedes-AMG GT S Roadster commands over 520 hp (388 kW) and 370 Nm (273 lb·ft) of torque, the latter attainable between 1900 and 5000 RPM. Its drivetrain features a seven-speed DCT transmission and enables it to accelerate to a maximum of 308 km/h (191 mph). The vehicle accelerates to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.7 seconds.

The base trim level offers originally-designed 19” and 20” wheel sets, LED headlights, composite brakes, and such features as the AMG Dynamic Select and Ride Control.

The interior of the car is draped in imitation leather (natural leather also available as an option), chrome-coated details, and decorative engravings. There are AMG sport seats in place of the regular ones and an AIRSCARF system to keep your head warm in winter by supplying warm air through the headrests.

Finally, those who would like an extra bit of individuality are invited to buy an optional AMG Chrome package which comes with a number of purely aesthetic improvements.

Photo: motor1.com

Porsche has officially launched pre-sales of its updated 911 GT3 R sports car. Those ready to invest in the ultra-luxurious vehicle may place a €459,000 order with one of the official dealerships of the marque. First shipments are expected in December at the earliest.

The reworked Porsche 911 GT3 R comes with an improved four-liter V6 engine with 550 hp (410 kW) at its disposal. The manufacturer stressed that the engine performance may be switched to a lower value should the racing regulations require it. In addition to this, the throttle valves have been redesigned for faster, ‘sharper’ reaction to the gas pedal.

The new Porsche 911 GT3 R also comes with reworked braking, mechanical differential lock, a six-speed sequential gearbox and a spacious fuel tank that has filler ports on either side of the vehicle.

For the first time in the history of the race-track coupe, it comes equipped with an air conditioning unit that can cool the driver’s helmet and seat as well as the air inside the cockpit. The driver’s seat now benefits from a more solid mount structure for additional safety. The doors are reinforced with purpose-designed plates made of aluminum, Kevlar and polymers.

Photo: motor1.com

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, a British luxury vehicle manufacturer, has finally revealed its first-ever sports utility vehicle. The luxury-laden off-roader was named after the largest diamond in the world.

Rolls-Royce had to develop an entirely new platform for the Cullinan, an aluminum space frame which the company said it would continue to use for all of its future releases.

Being 5,341 mm (17.4 ft.) long, 2,164 mm (7.1 ft.) wide and 1,835 mm (6 ft.) tall with a wheelbase spanning 3,295 mm (10.8 ft.), the vehicle easily warrants such descriptions as ‘grand’, ‘awe-inspiring’ and ‘impressive’.

The exterior design of the vehicle is supposed to remind you of a face of a Saxon warrior – at least, that’s how the manufacturer wants you to perceive its latest creation. One of its more interesting features comes in the form of coach doors that open against each other. The rear part of the car body is styled after classical Rolls-Royce D-Back models produced all the way back in the 1930s.

The interior space is packed to the brim with luxury and novelty. For example, the second seat row is positioned higher than the front row, so that all passengers may enjoy unobstructed view. There are flip tables that can be operated with a press of a button. Perhaps most impressively, the vehicle can actually lower itself 40 mm (1.5”) closer to the ground for that extra bit of convenience getting in and out.

At the core of the opulent SUV lies a 12-cylinder, 6.75-liter engine with dual turbochargers, reportedly producing up to 570 hp (425 kW) and 850 Nm (627 lb·ft) of torque. It operates in conjunction with an eight-speed, automatic, ZF series transmission and can accelerate the vehicle to a manufacturer-set maximum of 250 km/h (155 mph).

In terms of equipment, Rolls-Royce Cullinan comes with all-wheel-drive, chassis control, air suspension and a torque distribution system. Driver aids include night vision, living entity recognition, cruise control, blind spot monitor, collision warning, and off-road steering assistance. There are also five USB ports, a Wi-Fi hotspot and a slew of other features.

Prices for a new Rolls-Royce Cullinan in Europe begin at €265,000. First vehicles will reach their owners in 2019.

Photo: motor1.com

The Brabus car tuner team came forth with a video showing an extremely heavily-modded Mercedes-Benz G500 4×4² Adventure. With all upgrades and mods installed, the off-road vehicle costs north of €540,000.

First off, there are twin induction pipes made out of carbon, an air intake opening on the hood cover, a spare wheel mount and lots of decorative body parts.

Moving in pace with the times, Brabus equipped their Mercedes-Benz G500 4×4² Adventure with power-assisted door sills / kick plates, a grille guard with headlight protection, and some additional lights both in front and in the rear. They also gave it dual shock absorbers, an expedition rack, a winch and a set of 22-inch wheels clad in fang-thread tires suitable for all kinds of off-road. In the end, the vehicle had 45 cm (18 in.) of ground clearance.

The engine compartment is occupied by the standard 4.0-liter, twin-turbo V8 engine now capable of 550 hp (410 kW) and 800 Nm (590 lb·ft) of torque – full 128 hp or 95 kW above the stock model. The heavy and bulky Brabus 550 Adventure 4×4² only needs trifling 6.7 seconds to accelerate 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) and doesn’t hit its speed ceiling until 210 km/h (130 mph).

Photo: motor1.com

Following a series of intriguing announcements, BMW finally took the veil off the M5 Competition performance sedan. The updated car packs a potent engine alongside the reworked suspension and chassis, and should go into production in summer.

In contrast to its not-so-well-performing standard version, the M5 Competition sports a louder M Sound Control exhaust system which roars about the same regardless of the particular engine you decide to go with. On the outside, it is interspersed with black highlights and wears performance series logos as well as a set of 20-inch exclusively designed forged wheels.

The interior of the vehicle houses trademark BMW M floor mats and safety belts, a personalized dashboard, and has some high-quality trimming throughout.

Perhaps the most interesting part of the deal, however, lies hidden under the hood. The new BMW M5 Competition comes equipped with a 4.4-liter V8 engine now capable of 626 hp (467 kW) – up 26 hp or almost 20 kW from its predecessor. As such, its routine acceleration time also went down to just 3.3 seconds. The engine works in conjunction with an eight-speed M Steptronic transmission.

In addition to all of the above, the all-wheel-drive car has had its chassis and suspension reworked. In particular, it now has new shock absorbers and rear stabilizers, and rides 7 mm (approx. 1/4”) lower than the current model.

Once it is out on the market, the performance vehicle will sell at U.S. $111,000 and above and mainly face competition from such entries as the Mercedes-AMG E 63 S and the Audi RS7.

Photo: motor1.com