Lexus announced a new special edition based on the IS350. The new F-Sport Special Edition will be limited to only 100 units, and will have a price of $57,500.

The IS 350C F-Sport will only be available in Tungsten Pearl or Obsidian exterior colors and is distinguished by: 19-inch forged alloy wheels, front and rear brake upgrade, F-Sport grille, Bilstein shock set, lowering springs, sway bar set, embroidered floor mats with F-Sport logo, leather-wrapped shift knob with F-Sport logo and exterior badging and an individually numbered badge on the center console.

Standard equipment includes: a seven-inch VGA touch-screen, Bluetooth® phonebook download capabilities, a rear back-up camera, Voice Command casual-language voice recognition system, Lexus Enform, XM® NavTraffic, XM® NavWeather, and XM® Sports and Stocks.

Press release after the jump.

Lexus IS 350C F-Sport Special Edition originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 9 March 2010 08:30 EST.

read more

Thanks to original article poster

Can you spot the irony in this? While the US won’t be seeing an ST or RS version for the new Ford Fiesta, it has been announced that customers from countries like the UK, Spain, Switzerland and Austria will indeed get their own special edition Fiesta that will add a sportier aura to the small hatchback.

See it? Yeah, Ford will be releasing those sought-after ST and RS versions of the Fiesta in other countries with the exception of its motherland, the USA.

Ironic, don’t you think?

In any event, those who will have these Fiestas in their countries will also have a new Sport+ package available – only for the three-doors version, though – with a choice of 120 hp 1.6-litre Duratec TiVCT petrol engine or 95 hp 1.6-litre Duratorq TDCi diesel engine.

The exterior gets a a specially designed front bumper, sporty side skirts, a large rear spoiler and a rear bumper with integrated diffuser. The car is painted in ’Frozen White’ matched with Performance Blue GT stripes on the roof and bonnet or ’Performance Blue’ finished with white stripes. The sporty package is finished by 17-inch large alloy wheels.

The interior gets sports leather seats with standard side-airbags and a black full-leather steering wheel.

Press release after the jump.

Ford Fiesta Sport+ originally appeared on topspeed.com on Monday, 8 March 2010 16:00 EST.

read more

Thanks to original article poster

The German tuner Hamann has made the first step in customizing the Ferrari 458 Italia. And they have started with a set of exclusive 21″ light alloy wheels available in two different designs: Split-rim forged or Ultra-light forged light-alloy wheel. Both versions are available Cross-spoke-design and are painted in Spider in black, titanium screwing, polished flange or Black anodized.

The tuner is also offering different Hamann emblems and a windshield sticker.

We want more!

Ferrari 458 Italia by Hamann originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 3 March 2010 11:27 EST.

read more

Thanks to original article poster

Renault extended the Megane family today with the addition of two new sporting models: Megane GT and Megane GT Line. Available for Hatchback, Coupé, Estate and Coupé-Cabriolet versions, the GT line will go on sale in June 2010.

The GT Line models are distinguished by: sports chassis settings,
 restyled front and rear bumpers, 17-inch Celsium aluminum alloy wheels (GT Line) or 18-inch Jetow wheels (GT), Megane R.S.-specification seats with specific GT cloth upholstery and extra lateral support, aluminum pedal set and a dark charcoal interior trim with polished carbon highlights and bespoke badging on the grille and tailgate/bootlid.

Press release after the jump.

Renault Megane GT and GT Line originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 2 March 2010 11:36 EST.

read more

Thanks to original article poster

Even if the car is still less than three-months old, tuning houses are already scrambling in putting together performance packages for the Audi A8. Now, it looks like the first tuning house to have struck the proverbial hot iron is Hofele Design with a tuning package that it claims to improve not only the A8’s aesthetic design, but also – and more importantly – its overall performance.

Starting under the hood, the A8’s 4.2-liter V8 petrol engine has been tuned to deliver 400 horsepower – a significant spike from the base model’s 372 horsepower capability. As far as the luxury sedan’s 4.2-liter V8 TDI diesel is concerned, Hofele Design was able to bump the A8’s horsepower from 350 ponies to about 395 horsepower. In addition to that, the performance package was also able to shave off a tenth-of-a-second – 5.3 seconds to 5.2 seconds – from the car’s 0-60mph clocked time.

Hofele Design also went out of its way to provide a laundry list of aerodynamic modifications for the A8, not the least of which includes a new front bumper with big air intakes and air vents, air intakes / outtakes in the front fenders, discreet side skirts, rear apron as diffuser with openings for the stainless steel sports muffler with four tailpipes and flap control for sound optimization, a bigger trunk spoiler lip, and last but certainly not list a set of 20-inch or 22-inch alloy wheels.

Audi A8 by Hofele Design originally appeared on topspeed.com on Saturday, 27 February 2010 15:52 EST.

read more

Thanks to original article poster

BMW has officially announced the details of their new M Sports package for the X5 SUV with the new package will be available for order starting this spring.

Similar to what we’ve been accustomed to with BMW and its M Division, the new M Sports package for the BMW X5 comes with a high-speed setting and the sporty chassis, a set of 19-inch M light-alloy wheels in V-spoke design and with a set of 20-inch M light-alloy wheels being offered as an option, special tailpipes for the exhaust system and Carbon Black metallic paint. All of these features are exclusively offered for this package.

Not to be left behind, the M-Series X5’s interior was also given some pampering in the form of sports seats for the driver and front passenger, the M leather steering wheel and the M driver’s footrest, brushed aluminium interior trim elements and a BMW Individual roof liner in anthracite.

Press release after the jump.

BMW X5 with M Sports package originally appeared on topspeed.com on Friday, 26 February 2010 12:00 EST.

read more

Thanks to original article poster

The second model in Abarth’s line-up at the Geneva Motor Show is Punto Evo, a model powered by a 165 HP Multiair 1.4 turbo petrol engine with a maximum torque of 250 NM. And if you want more than that Abarth is also offering a “SS” kit that will raise the maximum power to 180 hp.

The new Abarth Punto Evo features a new performance mode selection system that modulates engine, braking and steering action to offer a choice of two different driving styles – Sport and Normal. The SS kit gets modifications to chassis components, including perforated, ventilated discs, high performance brake pads, lower springs, and 18″ Abarth “SS” alloy wheels painted in white or titanium, and fitted with performance tires.

Press release after the jump.

Abarth Punto Evo originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 24 February 2010 12:00 EST.

read more

Thanks to original article poster

The Nissan Pathfinder won’t be the only one representing Nissan in the Geneva Motor Show.

Joining the Pathfinder as the second model to be revealed by Nissan at the Geneva Motor Show will be a facelift version for the Navara pick-up.

Similar to the Pathfinder, the Navara will receive exterior changes, improved engines and an enhanced interior quality. Sales will begin this April.

As with the SUV, the 2011 Navara will also come with at least two engine variants including a new 3.0-liter V6 diesel engine with an output of 230 hp and 550 NM of torque and a 2.5 dCi four cylinder engine with an amount of 190 hp and 450 Nm of torque.

As for exterior changes and modifications are concerned, the Navara will now come with a new bonnet, a revised grille and bumper assembly, a new headlamp design with distinctive projector styling and a new set of 16-inch (steel and alloy) and 17-inch (alloy) wheels. The interior modifications include revised door trims, new seat fabric, the addition of chrome highlights, revised dials and, depending on the model, the availability of Nissan Connect Premium with a new high resolution touch screen.

Press release after the jump.

Nissan Navara originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 24 February 2010 07:30 EST.

read more

Thanks to original article poster

Volkswagen will add a fourth version to it’s immensely successful Polo line-up in March at the Geneva Motor Show. Following in the trail of the Polo, the Polo Blue Motion, and the Polo GTI will be the CrossPolo, a robust all-terrain hatchback featuring a new freshly-cheeky design, new exterior and interior colors and a suspension higher by 15mm.

The CrossPolo will be offered with a choice of six engines – three petrol and three common rail TDI – with output ranging from 70 hp to 105 hp. Two of these engines will be combined with a 7-speed DSG transmission. The gasoline engines will have a fuel consumption of 5.5 liters/100 km with the TDI variant having a fuel consumption of 4.7 L/100 km.

The car will be available with a choice of six special exterior colors, including “Magma Orange” and “Terra Beige Metallic”, with the upper areas of the bumpers and handles – doors and tailgate – being painted in using the car’s body color, while the cover trim of the B and C pillars and the window frames being treated in a high-gloss black hue. The CrossPolo sits on 17-inch alloy wheels.

Press release after the jump.

Volkswagen CrossPolo originally appeared on topspeed.com on Friday, 19 February 2010 12:00 EST.

read more

Thanks to original article poster