Vath boosts C63 AMG Estate to 585hp V63 RS status

Carbon emissions taxes and fuel efficiency requirements are throwing a bit of a wet blanket on the horsepower wars, especially in Europe, but the aftermarket is carrying on the battle with undiminished ferocity. The latest combatant is Vath's V63 RS Estate, a re-interpretation of the already impressive Mercedes Benz C63 AMG Estate.

For those that are thinking this sounds familiar, it is. Vath released a nearly identical tuning package for the C63 AMG sedan last year. Once the gang at Vath are done with them, both cars generate 585hp (436kW) and 510lb-ft (690Nm) of torque - up 130hp (97kW) and 66lb-ft (90Nm) over the stock values.

But even with all that power, the V63 RS is barely on par with a stock Audi RS6 Avant, though its 6.2L V8 is a very different beast than the twin-turbo V10 in the RS6.



Vath V63 RS Estate







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Report: Mercedes prices the 518hp E63 AMG sedan in Europe at €105,791

Unveiled during this year's New York Auto Show sporting the new look of the E-Class but with unprecedented levels of power and performance, Mercedes Benz and AMG fans are eagerly awaiting the start of sales of the new E 63 AMG. Pricing information for the U.S. has yet to emerge, but a report today out of Germany pegs the price in Europe at €105,791 ($147,494).

From an American point of view, that's pretty steep - the current E63 AMG starts at $87,700. Even in Europe, where cars are more expensive generally and monstrously powerful limited-edition sedans carry an even higher premium, it's still a hefty price.











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Report: Mercedes planning new shooting brake based on E-Class Coupe

We’ve reported about Mercedes Benz planning to launch a new shooting brake version of its next-generation CLS but latest reports indicate that a smaller version based on the 2010 E-Class Coupe is also in the pipeline and could be on the market by 2011.

The shooting brake is essentially a two-door wagon that dates back to the first half of the century. Mercedes designers hinted at the possibility of a modern version with the unveiling of the ConceptFASCINATION study at the 2008 Paris Motor Show, and now AutoExpress is reporting that the car is in the works.

At the original unveiling of the ConceptFASCINATION, most thought the concept was merely a preview of the E-Class Coupe but the fact that it featured a shooting brake bodystyle strongly suggests Mercedes already had big plans for the new E-Class range.



2008 Mercedes Benz ConceptFascination concept at Paris Motor Show







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Mercedes Benz launches high-end bicycle range

Before the invention of the automobile, cycling was a popular way to get around and even today many developing countries feature far greater numbers of cyclists then motorists. That at least goes some way into explaining this new range of bicycles from Mercedes Benz, which the automaker claims feature the same level of quality as its cars.

The range of two-wheelers from Mercedes consists of a folding bike, a new mountain bike and a racing bike. The folding bike features a patented mechanism that Mercedes says allows cyclists to fold the bike down in just a few seconds without any tools.



2009 Mercedes Benz bicycle range







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ACS3 Sport BMW M3 Cabrio by AC Schnitzer

Despite its M3 moniker, the BMW M3 Cabrio isn't the pure-performance beast its hard-top brother is. This is mostly due to the chassis stiffness disadvantage spawn from its roofless design as well as the necessary weight gain from the added reinforcements that attempts to overcome this. Still an impressive machine, it's somewhat less heretical to perform a purely aesthetic conversion to the more style-oriented drop-top as AC Schnitzer has done with its rebranded ACS3 Sport Cabrio.

The engine is untouched, but with 420hp (309kW) it's hard to complain.



AC Schnitzer AC3 BMW M3 Cabrio







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Vorsteiner mods the E92 BMW M3 with CSL techniques

While German tuners generally tend to stick with a single marque, tinkering with the likes of BMWs, Audis, Mercedes or Porsches to the exclusion of others, American tuner Vorsteiner works with all three marques, and its latest creation has tuners from around the world sitting up and taking notice. Borrowing inspiration from a now-neglected slice of BMW's own factory-produced special-edition lineup, the Vorsteiner car shows what could have been.

Working with the new BMW M3, Vorsteiner has attempted to recreate the flavor of BMW CSL models, which had extra power and lighter kerb weights to provide a more exhilarating driving experience.



Vorsteiner BMW E92 M3 Coupe







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Hartge releases E92 BMW M3 Convertible mod package

This February Hartge released its E92 M3 Coupe tuning package, adding power and more aggressive looks to the already imposing base vehicle. Now the company has released its treatment for the M3 Convertible as well.

The primary focal points of the drop-top treatment are the points of difference from the Coupe's package: a unique front air dam and lip spoiler, decklid spoiler and rear diffuser.

Hartge hasn't revealed what it has in store for the Convertible on the mechanical side of things, but being essentially identical to the Coupe, it should be able to take advantage of the same performance enhancers.

Those include a raised electronic speed limit (up to 180mph or 291km/h), or optionally the speed limiter can be completely removed.



Hartge M3 Coupe







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