Sebastian Geisler brings more pictures and news from the recent Essen Motor Show.
Loder1899 / Aston Martin V8 Vantage
The Bavarian design team at Loder1899 has a fresh take on the Aston Martin Vantage V8, courtesy of a new high-end titanium suspension system.
The Vantage V8 normally comes with a non-adjustable suspension. But Loder1899 now offers a four-way adjustable sport suspension system. This enables the driver to adjust vehicle height, gradient, pressure level and strut compression; thereby optimizing driving pleasure and cornering speeds without sacrificing comfort levels. This exclusive titanium suspension package - for the front and rear axles - is available for €9,320 (£6,242).
The sport exhaust system (€5,900 -- £3,952) includes a sport catalytic converter and is completely assembled from stainless steel. At 4,000 rpm a special valve opens, allowing the 4.3 litre V8 better breathing. The result is an even more strident exhaust note, as well as a notable increase in horsepower (from 385bhp to 405bhp).
Additionally, Loder1899 has developed its own carbon-fibre parts to reduce the vehicle's weight and include a modified front lip, engine cover, a subtle rear diffuser and rear spoiler. The package costs €4,680 (£3,135).
Loder1899 recently joined forces with the British wheel designer Afzal Kahn for the Aston Martin Vantage V8 portfolio. International wheel design has been strongly influenced by this British design icon.
Loder1899 is the exclusive German distributor of the Kahn Design RS-V wheel line in 9x20 and 11x20 inch for Aston Martin V8, Aston Martin DB9, Bentley GT, Mercedes SL, VW Phaeton and Audi A8. They start from €7,000 (£4,688).
The Vantage V8 can also be equipped with the technically innovative 9x21 inch Hollowspoke wheel. The price for the complete set of these lightweight wheels is around €6,000.
For the first time, Loder1899 is also offering a set of winter wheels. Named Gaydon after Aston Martin's HQ, they can be ordered in dimensions of 225-, 245- or 255/40 R18. A set of Gaydon wheels (for either the Vantage V8 or DB9) starts from €2,799 (£1,874).
Technical data
- 4.3-litre longitudinal V8, located behind the front axle
- four valves per cylinder
- cylinder capacity of 4280 cm³
- power increase from 385hp to 405hp at 7,000rpm
- maximum turning moment of 376lb-ft at 5,000rpm
- rear wheel drive with transaxle six gear gearbox
- independent suspension
- length/width/height 4,382/1,866/1,255mm
- tank capacity 77 litres
- tyres: front 255/30 ZR 21, rear 295/25 ZR21
- net weight 1,570Kg
- 0-62mph in 4.9 seconds, top speed 174mph
- Price €147,900 (£99,042)
JB Design / Porsche 996 Turbo
For several years JB Design from Alsdorf near Aachen in Germany has specialised in customising mainly Porsches. One example of their work, the JB GTR, is based on a Porsche 996 Turbo.
Details
Offers 600 hp from its Haugg intercooler, modified special turbocharger, sport exhaust, catalytic converter & manifold, re-programming of electronics.
- KW - suspension
- PCCB (Ceramic Brakes)
- Schmidt Revolution wheels (front 9.5 x 20 with Michelin tyres 245/30 ZR20, rear 12 x 20 with Michelin tyres 325/25 ZR 20)
- Roll cage, LSD - wing doors, Spezial Body Kit with many carbon-fibre parts
Hansa 23R / Mazda MX-5
Founded in 1905, Hansa-Automobilwerke has produced 10,000 cars over its first 25 years with more than 1,000 employers in the small town Varel in north Germany. The firm was recently revived with foundation of the Hansa-Mobile GmbH by Stefan Janssen.
It offers tuning especially for Japanese cars and its first project is the Hansa 23R, a heavily modified Mazda MX-5. It's got a modified bonnet, up-rated brake system and steering, OZ wheels with Yokohama tyres, sport suspension, weight optimised, exhaust, and more). It's powered by the drive-train of the 231bhp Mazda RX8.
The first prototype has just been finished and its world premiere was recently here in Essen. Next year, Hansa Mobile will test the car in cooperation with Rotary-Motorsport and finish the German type approval (TÜV). The first customer cars / conversion of customer cars are expected in summer 2007.
Hansa Mobile will offer the complete car or convert customer cars, the pricing hasn't been calculated yet, but we expect that the conversion from a Mazda MX-5 to a Hansa 23R will cost something around €20,000 (£13400).
Hamann BMW M6 Widebody Edition Race
- Wing doors: €18,444 (£2,352.84)
- Wide body-kit Edition Race: €13,212 (£8,848.72)
- Front spoiler Competition carbon-Kevlar: €2,359 (£1,580.08)
- Rear spoiler carbon-Kevlar: €2,081 (£1,393.87)
- Roof spoiler carbon-Kevlar: €1,535 (£1,028.16)
- Edition Race wheels including Hankook tyres: €8,897 (£5,959.29)
- Front: 9.0x21 with 255/30 ZR21
- Rear: 10.5x21 with 295/25ZR21
- Sport Exhaust: €2,271 (£1,521.14)
- Sport Catalyst: €3,663 (£2,453.51)
- Sport manifold: €6,148 (£4,118.05)
- Reprogramming of electronics with removing of top speed limiter: TBA
- Performance: 567bhp, max torque: 423lb-ft, top speed: 189mph
Lotus Sport Exige Cup 255
The successor to the Cup 240, this official Lotus was premiering at Essen -- although it won't be available in the UK.
- 255 hp (uprated fuel pump, reprogramming of electronics and enhanced roof scoop)
- new roof design with enhanced roof scoop (similar to the GT3, but a little bit smaller)
- uprated brakes with 4-piston front calipers
- FIA approved 70 litre bag tank available as option (for track use only),
- 0-62mph around four seconds, top speed over 155mph
- Price: €56,034 (£37,534) exclusive of local taxes and on the road charges.
The 255 is powered by a 1796 cc supercharged engine developing 252 bhp (255 PS) driving through a 6-speed close ratio C64 gearbox. Bespoke performance enhancements are designed by Lotus Sport, and make the car very track-focused.
Track-focused, the Exige Cup 255 is powered by a 1796 cc supercharged engine developing 252bhp driving through a six-speed close ratio C64 gearbox.
It weighs under 950Kg, and power is up from 243bhp. Standard equipment includes LTS branded Yokohama A048R tyres, new for 2007 uprated 4-piston front brakes, adjustable dampers and anti-roll bar, the latest FIA 6-point roll cage and sports driver and passenger seats. The options are even more race-focused with slick tyres, an FIA approved Recaro/Lotus Sport driver's seat, an FIA approved 70 litre fuel cell, 'Level Two' stainless steel sports exhaust with de-cat pipe, dog gearbox and a plate type Lotus Sport limited slip differential -- all for track use only and special conditions apply.
Lotus boss Mike J Kimberley said: "In keeping with our racing and high performance sports car heritage, we are very pleased to launch this exceptionally exciting, phenomenal-handling Lotus Sport Exige Cup 255. This is yet another example of how Lotus Cars and high-tech engineering - our Lotus Sport division - can transform an already brilliant road car into an exceptionally high performance product for the track."
Pity you can't buy it here, then...
MPM Thunder
MPM Sportcars presented the MPM Thunder, a lightweight (930 kg) sports car based on the Opel (Vauxhall) Speedster, a design reminiscent of the K1 Attack.
At the moment the car is a prototype, but it will be available from March 2007 with two engines:
- 2.2-litre 16V normally aspirated with 147bhp for 0-62mph in 5.9 seconds and a top speed of 135mph
- 2.0-litre turbocharged with 260hp for 0-62mph in 4.7 seconds and a top speed 158mph
The company is working on a 2.7 V6 bi-turbo with 340-420bhp.
All pictures and (most of) the words by Sebastian Geisler