Hi, I'm Haitham and I'm a master electrical engineer who loves internet marketing, automotive performance, and electronic music. I've been a car modder for over 13 years, a DJ for more than 9 years and I'm all about fun experiences.
The owner of this Infniti G37s was looking for a performance increase for his car via bolt-on mods and after looking around a bit, settled on a supercharger kit from GTM Power. In designing the kit, GTM looked at various designs and installations and settled on the Rotrex supercharger, which they found to be very quiet in operation and which perfectly suited their design requirements. By carefully considering the tensioner and belt design, they were able to achieve over 80% belt wrap on the supercharger's pulley, and with utilizing the factory automatic belt tensioner, over or under tightening has been eliminated. The resulting installation gives 400 wheel horsepower from the stock engine.
The owner was very pleased with the “significant power throughout the rev-range, factory-smooth driveability, great price, clean looks, refined sound, everything”. He also found that the reflashed ECU still gave a rock solid idle in all operating temperatures and that the torque in the low- and mid-ranges that he was looking for could clearly be felt.
This supercharger kit is perfect for the G37 owner who wants a fuss-free power upgrade for his car. That the OEM look was maintained was a big plus for this enthusiast who wanted a clean and sanitary look for his ride.
At the Top Marques Monaco on April 14, 2011, Keating cars is planning to unveil its ZKR supercar that aims to dethrone the top supercar margues like Bugatti. That they have publicly announced this intention shows that they are serious about their challenge.
It was three years ago that Keating unveiled its ambitious plans to build a world-beating supercar and towards that goal have brought out low-slung supercars powered by forced induction GM V-8s named the SKR and the TKR. Although it remains to be verified, Keating claims that their custom, hand-built cars are capable of hitting 260 mph. With a few more details like weight, horsepower, etc., it can be possible to verify the manufacturer’s claims by using a performance calculator. Says the company in a press release, “Keating’s target is to design and build a supercar that can defeat the other supercars in the world with the required performance and long service intervals. The goal is perfection”.
Keating’s aim for its third model, the ZKR, is to have 2,200 horsepower. The manufacturer has refined its monocoque chassis in order to reduce the center of gravity, and have installed dual fuel tanks integrated into the chassis to improve strength and weight distribution.
The following video is the engine for the TKR model. It remains to be seen next year if the engine builders will be able to achieve their goal of 2,200 reliable horsepower.
From the land of fine wine and pasta comes this hot little pocket rocket that will surely warm not your stomach but your heart. The Fiat Abarth 500 is a thrilling little car where the driving experience is elevated to high levels. But like it always happens in the automotive world, automotive tuners never leave well enough alone and force us to comprehend new levels of performance for whatever type of vehicles suit their tuning prowess.
Romeo Ferraris has taken the already exciting Abarth 500 to another level, boosting the 135 hp 1.4 liter turbocharged unit to the 260 hp level, renaming it in the process to the Estremo. An ECU remap, new pistons, cams, injectors and turbo are among the many things that are tweaked to achieve the leap in horsepower. Concurrent with the power upgrade, the transmission, brakes and suspension were also upgraded. The aesthetic department was also upgraded with an aero body kit and leather interior.
Here is a slideshow of the Estremo 500.
A sample of the car’s performance follows in this video.
It would be handy to have a performance calculator around to check out what this car does in terms of numbers. For urban environments where acceleration and small size combine to make a sizzling pocket rocket, the Estremo 500 would be a nice benchmark. Punching holes through traffic would not be a problem in this car.
The SL65 Black Series by AMG is known to have an output of 800 horsepower, an improvement of 130 horsepower from the base Mercedes-Benz SL65. But some people cannot have just enough. MKB, a German tuner, takes the already excellent SL65 Black Series and further tunes the engine to extract a massive 1015 horsepower by modifying the turbocharger, cooling, intake and engine management systems. That is 345 additional horsepower from the base 670 that Mercedes-Benz came up with.
The P1000 can do the quarter mile in 11.1 seconds, according to MKB. MKB’s own limited slip differential is installed in this car to ensure that the power is delivered appropriately and not just lost to wheelspin. Modifying the SL65 Black Series to P1000 spec takes three months.
MKB’s own figures are shown in this table:
Base engine: AMG 65. 6,0 Liter V12
Power in PS / kW at RPM: 1.015 / 746 at 5.700
Torque in Nm at RPM: 1.300 at 3.300 to 6.000
Track Performance:
0-100 km/h: 3.6 s
0-200 km/h: 8.9 s
0-300 km/h: 21.5 s
¼ mile: 11.1 s
Watch the slideshow on the MKB P1000 here.
Although theoretical top speed performance has been calculated at 370 km/h, the top speed that the MKB P1000 has actually been able to reach is “just” 350. Definitely not a figure to be disappointed with! You may wonder how much this thing costs. As the saying goes, if you have to ask...
The MKB P1000 in action:
There is no drama involved launching and driving the car down the strip. Just jam on the gas pedal and go. That simple. An amazing, fantastic car.
Applying the hot rodding mentality to modern-day variations, this builder chose a lowly Honda Civic EK for his platform but transplanted an Acura engine. Using the classic, time-tested formula of a big engine in a little car produced the predictable result of spine-tingling performance.
Fitting a VTEC V6 into a Honda has been some sort of holy grail for Honda enthusiasts and the completed project shown here proves that it is possible. Since there was no proven roadmap for such a swap readily available, owner Philip Anastacio plunged ahead, knowing that it would involve a lot of custom work. Even the electrical work involved in making a CL-S cluster work was a trial and error affair. After the work was done, the owner describes their first road test. “We were so excited to feel all that torque, we gave it a quick 1-2-3 shift and heard the driver's side shaft break.” That concisely wraps up what this package is capable of.
The performance of this car should be awesome, having a big, powerful engine in such s small package. With a performance calculator, one can accurately predict how the car should drive even before it is started up.
For the new Ford 5-liter engine, Edelbrock challenged its engineers to design a kit that would provide instant, reliable and safe horsepower for a stock Mustang 5.0L with low boost for minimum stress on the engine. Like most current designs, it is self-contained and factory-looking with an air-to-water intercooler designed into the package. Speaking of packaging, the supercharger assembly has been inverted to allow the supercharger to be placed in the valley of the V-8. This allowed longer intake runners that should improve low-end torque. Reliability is enhanced by a self-contained lubrication system that needs servicing only at 100,000 mile intervals.
The supercharger kit is emissions- and street-legal in 50 states is a huge plus for anyone interested in boosting the power of their new Ford 5-liter. And if one should so choose, a powertrain warranty covers all aspects of the original factory warranty that may be affected by installing this supercharger kit.
Here is a video introduction to the product.
This video is of the supercharger installed in a 4.6 liter Ford.
General Motor's semi-official tuning partner Irmscher, has launched the Irmscher Camaro i42, coinciding with the imminent launch of this muscle car’s European launch. A study of the Camaro i42 was presented at this year’s Essen Motor Show, where a limited production run of the i42 was revealed.
With the Camaro’s 6.2-liter V8 as a foundation, the i42 contains a raft of upgrades, with the addition of a supercharger and a new custom exhaust system being the most significant, boosting the V8’s output to 509 horsepower. This allows the Camaro i42 to get to 0-100km/h in 4.0 seconds. Top speed is a claimed 275 kph. Adjustable suspension and multi-piston brakes with enlarged rotors enable the Camaro to decelerate from triple-digit velocities.
Irmscher collaborated with Auto Magnus und Velocity Performance Parts to create this beautiful Camaro with its menacing supercharger-imposed hood cowling. This vehicle will surely be appreciated by collectors, with its limited run and Irmscher’s reputation. Depending on the configuration, the Irmscher i42 Camaro can be had for around US$64,900.
Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) and Arctic Trucks, the converters of Hilux and other Toyota products, have signed an agreement to convert six SA-built Hilux pick-ups for use in Antarctica.
Two of these vehicles will undergo full AT44 conversions. Two more will be converted to AT44 specification, but with full 6x6 configuration. These four Hilux vehicles will operate as support vehicles in the gruelling Antarctic Ski Challenge to the south pole, to be held at the end of the year as part of the Extreme World Races series. The fifth Hilux, also built to AT44 specification, will be used by the Indian National Centre Antarctic and Ocean Research, while Hilux number six will be built to AT38 specification.
These Hilux models can lay claim to several world firsts, having driven thousands of kilometres to both poles, not least as part of the BBC's Top Gear expedition to the magnetic North Pole. An Arctic Trucks Hilux was also the first to drive over the entire ice shelf in Greenland, while many of the models do thankless service as backup and support vehicles for major scientific, climbing, skiing, hiking and rescue missions. The vehicles have been chosen as support vehicles for various Antarctic missions due to their proven durability as the only approved pick-up for use on this continent. Their large tyres offer the same abilities as traditional track-driven ice vehicles, but with a CO2 footprint that is significantly smaller than the more traditional modes of ice transport.
The conversions, which have been designed and perfected by Iceland-based Arctic Trucks, will be done under Arctic Truck supervision at TSAM’s Sandton workshops in Johannesburg in partnership with 4x4 Mega World. The process, which has already begun, will provide Arctic Trucks with a cost-effective means of converting the Hilux bakkies before shipment through Cape Town to Antarctica.
TSAM senior vice president for sales and marketing Andrew Kirby said: "We are very excited about this partnership with Arctic Trucks. Not only does the Arctic Truck conversion showcase the strengths of the Hilux in extreme conditions, but the various Antarctic projects’ aim at creating awareness of environmental issues also underscore Toyota’s strong commitment to sustainable mobility and the protection of our habitat."
Kirby added: "We believe the Hilux is a most appropriate vehicle for use on the Antarctic continent. Besides its proven ability to work hard and last long, it offers the scientists and adventurers a way of traversing the ice landscape with the smallest possible CO2 -footprint."
Arctic Trucks head Emil GrÃmsson said: "The vehicles we are preparing with TSAM and 4x4 Mega World in South Africa will soon perform tasks that few people knew to be possible, notably by travelling unsupported in the most extreme conditions, while being more comfortable and using a fraction of the fuel that conventional track driven Arctic support vehicles use. Besides being able to rely on the South African built Hilux-vehicles, I believe we have a lot to learn from the 4x4 expertise in South Africa, while I hope we can benefit this market as well."
The models are the product of two decades of research and real world testing, with many of these converted vehicles in use in some of the world's harshest conditions. The vehicles are in use in Antarctica and can also be found in some of the driest and hottest deserts in the world.
Model specifications:
AT35
Sporting 35-inch tyres, flared wheel arches and a suspension raised by 40mm, the AT35 is a popular choice amongst hunters, 4x4 enthusiasts, farmers and park rangers across the world.
The 35x12.5R15 tyres are fitted to 15x10 wheel rims and are key to Arctic Truck's proposition that the AT35 offers greater off road capabilities, a softer ride, higher seating and, thanks to the tyres that can be deflated for soft sand or snow, better traction off the beaten track.
AT38
This is the version that transported the BBC Top Gear team to the magnetic North Pole without a glitch. Fitted with Toyota's trusty three-litre D-4D diesel engine with a power rating of 126kW and 360Nm, the AT38 Hilux rides on 38x15.5R15 tyres and 15x12.5 rims.
The AT38 can be ordered with either an automatic or manual transmission, and can be fitted with a heavy duty suspension. Heavy duty diff locks on both axles can be ordered, while the fuel tank can be expanded by 55 litres (for a combined 110 litres) or to 160 litres (two 80 litre fuel tanks). Other added extras include a compressed air tank with waterproof compressor, an extra heavy duty dual air filtration system, a 24-volt generator and more power outlets, as requested. Ground clearance on this beast is 420mm under the vehicle's belly.
AT44
Designed for the harshest conditions, the AT44 is the vehicle that drove from the Novo airbase on Antarctica to the South Pole and back in 2008/09.
The AT44 rides on 15x16 rims with massive 44x18.5/15 tyres. These large wheels can be deflated to allow the AT44, with 1.5 ton carrying capacity, to traverse ultra-soft ground surfaces. The vehicle can be ordered with manual or automatic transmission, while the transfer case is fitted with a trawler gear offering a 5.132:1 ratio in low range.
The AT44 can be fitted with two 80 litre fuel tanks or with a combination of 135 litre and 55 litre tanks for a total capacity of 190 litres. An Arctic Truck trailer can be fitted that will offer as much as 1350 litres of fuel to be carried with the vehicle.
Ground clearance is 480mm under the vehicle’s belly (minimum of 360 mm). The AT44 is fitted with 100 percent differential locks on both axles and a heavy duty suspension. As with the AT38 the AT44 offers a compressed air tank with waterproof compressor, an extra heavy duty dual air filtration system, as well as a 24-volt generator.
6x6
This specialist machine offers the same features as any of the AT-models, but with a much longer load bay, especially when ordered as single cab. Off road carrying capacity is 3 tonnes and the fuel capacity can be stretched to 400 litres.
The 6x6 can be ordered with any of the AT-conversions and is powered by the same 3.0 D-4D. Rear brakes are drums on both axles and coil spring suspension is used on all wheels. The 6x6 is 6.36 metres long and offers 100 percent differential locks on all axles.
According to our Performance Calculator, the has better performance and it is most suitable for Antarctica. This best option is, it can move first in sand or snow.
The MRT Mustang GT Predator is takes the Ford Product Excellence Award. It is equipped with a twin-screw supercharger, long tube headers, hi-flow exhaust, and an aluminum one-piece driveshaft. There are a myriad of other updates to the base Mustang GT that seal its transformation into the MRT Predator.
The power train starts with the 5.0 Ti-VCT V8 4V coupled with a Sean Hyland twin screw supercharger. The Dynatech long tube headers together with the new MRT Max Flo H-Pipe and new MRT stainless steel axle –back exhaust enable the spent gases to be quickly expelled from the motor. The Ford six speed manual gearbox is connected to a Shaftmasters aluminum one-piece drive shaft.
Chassis upgrades include Baer Racing Brakes, H&R coil over suspension, and the new MRT rear suspension handling package. The F14 Forgestar 20×9 front and 20 x 11 wheels with Pirelli 255/35/20 front and 295/30/20 rear performance radials are in keeping with the Predator’s total performance capability.
Check out the smooth performance of this Predator .
The impressive update done to MRT Mustang GT is pushing off its own limits in becoming a Predator. Nabbing the Ford Product Excellence Award, transforming into MRT Predator could just be a dust kicking start!
It is good to know that upgrades like these can be made easy with the help of experts in automotive engineering like http://horsepowercalculators.net/
The 2011 Mustang, with its new 32-valve engine featuring variable cam timing providing out-of-the-box performance worthy of its heritage, is a car that most owners would leave alone. However, not all owners want to leave such cars alone, and that is to our collective benefit. In a comparison of five 2011 5-liter Mustangs, this example below by Evolution Performance bested all other noteworthy competitors in straightline performance through a combination of well-thought supercharger mods and crafty tuning. It must be noted that all of these cars have admirable performance, despite their 4,000 pound curb weight. The heart of this Mustang's accomplishments by Evolution Performance is the F1-C ProCharger supercharger system. This setup feeds through a front-mounted water-to-air intercooler that produces upwards of 24 pounds of boost, along with an Alky Control water-meth fuel injection system.Utilizing the stock engine components except for Diamond Piston 10.1 (stock compression is 11.0:1) pistons and Oliver billet connecting rods, the car has turned in an 8.89 pass. The Evolution Performance Mustang, with co-owner Nelson Whitlock at the wheel, gave an indication of just the kind of power it was making at the NMRA Finals in Beech Bend, with a bumper-dragging wheel stand that broke the front struts upon return to Earth. As you can see from the image above, the supercharger setup is beautifully executed. A supercharger calculator can help you set up a beast like this. While all the 2011 Mustangs in the feature article are all capable of serious performance, off the track and on it, it is the Evolution Mustang that has proven itself to be the baddest of the lot. Pictures will not do it justice. You have to check out the video to see how bad it can truly be. The original article can be read at this link.A video of the car's stunning performance can be found here.
However, a couple of days ago, I ran into this interesting purpose build supercharged time attack RX-8 running a centrifugal Procharger head unit. The car is an immaculate example of a purpose built and track ready RX-8 which is great considering this car left Mazda designed with a 50/50 weight distribution, a low center of gravity, and a linear powerband (using it's triple stage intake manifold for the naturally aspirated engine).
Taking a car that already has the race DNA in it's fabric and building on it with even less weight, even more linear power (courtesy of a supercharger that irons out the dips and peaks of the powerband unlike a turbo which runs off of the engine power and thus amplifies them, and a centrifugal at that which by its nature delivers tractable linear power with impressive top end), and even more grip makes this a very interesting car indeed....
After doing our previous tuner report on the Nissan SR20DE (2.0 litre dohc motor), I ran into this great writeup of a 9 second car based on the 'truck motor' the K24DE. People always shy away from building up the K24 motor because it's a low redline, large displacement motor.
However, when you buildup a motor from scratch to be a purpose built drag motor, there really is no limitation on what you can build because you're practically replacing everything in the motor to your own specifications... so, if that were the case, the only difference between a K24 and an SR20 ends up being the price of off the shelf parts for a commonly used platform (in the case of the SR20) vs the cost of creating some one-off parts specific to the K24... either way, the net result will be two equally stout engines.
The car uses a massive single turbocharger, custom automatic transmission and slicks to produce it's impressive low 9 second quarter mile time at over 157mph!
Take a close look at these nitrous lines, these softer nitrous lines are able to curve smoothly. The smooth curvature prevents any radius changes or abrupt transitions in the nitrous flow which keeps the nitrous in a liquid state until it exits the nozzle (saving most of its cooling effect to happen inside the manifold rather than inside the lines) ...
If you're interested in a similar (albeit smaller scope) buildup of your K24DE, checkout our turbo calculator to help you design your one off dragster.
Toyota's new RTR concept is a truck that is not only ready to rock, but also purpose built to race... with a supercharged 5.7 liter V8 putting down 504 horsepower in place of the factory V6 engine, and with only 150 lbs of weight over the stock truck the power to weight ratio has significantly improved.
With the off-the lot x-runner running a 236hp V6, and running the 1/4 mile in around 14.6 seconds, our performance calculator estimates that the new X-Runner RTR with 504hp is capable of a low 10 second quarter mile in ideal conditions!
However, Toyota is not just about big power figures, but rather about a total RTR (ready to race) track ready conversion...
Other unique changes include a fabricated steel driveshaft, because the Tundra's stock driveshaft was too long, and fabricated torsion bars. TRD drafted Eaton's help to create a prototype mechanical limited slip rear diff. The only body modification was relocating the exhaust from behind the passenger-side rear wheel to under the cab, which helps maximize rear-suspension squat for optimal takeoffs. The RTR's ride height was reduced 4.5 inches from its already-low stock level.
This is a must read report on how to use the nitrous calculator to design and build a safe and effective nitrous powered car.
Nitrous is by far the grand equalizer, it is not model specific and does not require welding or fabrication experience. No matter what car (or motorcycle or watercraft) you ride nitrous is an option for power and performance.
(Direct port setup on a 4 cylinder motorcycle - Simple to install, effective when you need it)
I'm very excited about October... MotoGP has four events this month and Formula1 has at least 4 contenders for this season's championship with only 5 events to go.... Ferrari has made a remarkable comeback against Redbull... McLaren's consistency in performance, driving, and development is not too far behind and they may have a surprise up their sleeves... Yamaha after being so dominant has taken a step back, and Ducatti and Honda seem to have saved their fresh engines for a final death push against they Yamaha M1 ...
I was at the gym yesterday trying to lower my weight (partly to improve my car's power to weight ratio.... partly to boost my own octane-less human power)... and during that hour in the gym I was watching Tom Cruise's so-so movie War of the Worlds (imdb)... in that movie Tom uses a stolen minivan to escape from the Aliens and drive across the country....
Now I understand the use of the mini-van (as apposed to his wrecked muscle car) to crystalize the idea in the viewers mind that he has transformed (due to very harsh events) from a single dad to a soccer mom and that he will now fend for his offspring (from his minivan) with vengence.... however, my honest thought was 'A minivan? How lame? Couldn't they have given him a cooler car?'
Today I happened to run into some people that could have probably delivered tom with a much more interesting vehicle for the job... people who seem to be serious about horsepower, off-the-leash off-road fun, and music ... check out the video and gallery below
