Mercedes-AMG C63 Coupe by Manhart Looks and Feels Powerful and Aggressive

After dealing with some heavy customizations on different BMW models like the M4 or the M4 GTS recently, the German based tuning company Manhart has turned its attention towards giving the below AMG C63 Coupe a new look and providing more power under the hood.

The fully-fledged tuner that dabbles with incredible body kit, custom interior, plenty of adjacent accessories and impressive power upgrades under the hood, is well-known for its attraction towards German cars. And besides BMW, Mercedes-Benz is perhaps its second most loved carmaker.

The program you see below is a full treatment on all levels – at the exterior, inside the cabin as well as under the hood – a rare thing that only happens to rare models like the feisty Mercedes-AMG C63 Coupe.

This particular tuning job has it all – new aero parts, wider and more impressive wheels, updated interior and upgraded power.
Starting with the exterior, the technicians from Mansory have added a black and red treatment, which perfectly complements the massive and standout 20-inch alloy wheels and lowered suspension. Speaking of which, it brings the Mercedes-AMG C63 Coupe closer to the ground by 1.18 inches, adding a more aggressive look and better grip.

Along with the new wheels and suspension come as well carbon fiber elements, such as front splitter, side skirts and rear diffuser. There is also the bespoke mirror caps, roof and trunk-lid spoilers, made from the same carbon fiber.

Interior updates refer to illuminated door sills, aluminum pedals, special floor mats, as well as a mixture of carbon fiber, wood, Alcantara and leather upholstery, all together creating a sportier and much elegant look.

The car`s power has also been enhanced, thanks to an ECU remapping and sports exhaust system, along with the car`s top speed which now sits at a whopping 310 km/h. In stock form, the model is equipped with a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine, developing 469 horsepower and 650 Nm of torque. However, with the tuner`s new power kit, the model is able to squeeze an impressive 650 horsepower and 850 Nm of torque.

Mansory has detailed its project in the media gallery below! Enjoy!

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Video: 2018 Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 Is the Absolute Racer – Price Released

Nissan`s strongest arm and tuning firm Nismo is well-known for its high-performance models, developing unique programs for some of the most impressive cars within the carmaker`s lineup. One of them remains one of the fastest sports cars in the world – the Nissan GT-R Nismo.

In racing form, the 2018 Nisasn GT-R Nismo has now received the GT3 badge, which makes it one of the most complete racing cars in the business. It was recently released with whistles and bells in an official video titled “2018 Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 Shakedown at Fuji”, which showcased the car`s exclusive characteristics on the track.

It is a racer with advanced aerodynamics designed to cope with the tightest corners, featuring as well the most sophisticated mechanical tweaks. Not to mention that it is also expensive, meaning ¥60,000,000 or $550,000 USD at today`s exchange rate.

Takao Katagiri, CEO of NISMO, has best described the car`s use of technology and most advanced mechanics, stating that:

“To develop the 2018 model NISSAN GT-R NISMO GT3, NISMO, as the official sporting arm of NISAN, has made full use of the advanced technology and expertise we have gained through our vast experience in racing, and this car is built to be competitive in GT3 racing around the world.”

“Whilst this is its first year of actual competition, it is already demonstrating its competitiveness, having attained achievements such as 3rd place podium finish in the Japan`s SUPER GT (GT300 class) and a 3rd place podium finish in the Blancpain GT Series Asia. I would like to greatly thank our official partner teams for being the first to choose and demonstrate the full potential of the car and we have high hopes that a number of teams will be competing with the 2018 model NISSAN GT-R NISMO GT3,” Katagiri also concluded.

The output remains the source of widespread speculation but it’s safe to assume the model will be around 0.0001 of a second faster around the corners than the standard variant. Besides the great performance, the racer handles extremely well thanks to the new lubrication system and optimezed weight distribution, as well as lowered center of gravity.

There is also the updated aero package and new suspension system with flexural and torsional rigidity. All these add exceptional stance, grip, stability and fast acceleration. You can get more details in the official video below!

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Australia: 2018 Mazda6 Sedan & Touring with New Engine and Full Price Tags

Recently launched in Australia, the all-new 2018 Mazda6 in both the Sedan and Touring brings along an improved design, more technology onboard and new engines under the hood.

Available in four trim variants – Sport, Touring, GT and top of the line Atenza – the 2018 Mazda6 comes with pretty affordable prices. For instance, the entry-level 2018 Mazda6 Sedan Sport 2.5L is offered at $32,440, while the top of the line 2018 Mazda6 Touring Atenza 2.2TD is set at $50,090.

2018 Mazda6 – Full Prices:

Sedan
2018 Mazda6 Sport 2.5L – $32,490
2018 Mazda6 Touring 2.5L – $36,690
2018 Mazda6 Touring 2.2TD – $39,690
2018 Mazda6 GT 2.5T – $43,990
2018 Mazda6 GT 2.2TD – $45,090
2018 Mazda6 Atenza 2.5T – $47,690
2018 Mazda6 Atenza 2.2TD – $48,790

Wagon
2018 Mazda6 Sport 2.5L – $33,790
2018 Mazda6 Touring 2.5L – $37,990
2018 Mazda6 Touring 2.2TD – $40,990
2018 Mazda6 GT 2.5T – $45,290
2018 Mazda6 GT 2.2TD – $46,390
2018 Mazda6 Atenza 2.5T – $48,990
2018 Mazda6 Atenza 2.2TD – $50,090.

Visually, all variants come with new design lines, highlighted by standout mesh grille, new headlights and relocated fog lights, as well as revised front and rear bumpers and taillights. The wheels also come in choices of 17 to 19 inches.

Inside, the cabin has also been refreshed with more elegant materials, like Ultra-Suede, along with Japanese Sen wood accents or aluminum garnishes. Other features also refer to radar cruise control i-ActiveSense safety suite with autonomous emergency braking, or TFT digital instrument cluster with 360-degree parking camera in the top of the line Atenza.

However, the most significant changes occurred under the hood, the new model receiving a more potent engine. We`re dealing here with a new 2.5-liter turbo flat-four cylinder borrowed from the CX-9, and developing in this case 170 kW and 420 Nm of torque; it is also paired to a six-speed automatic transmission with front-wheel drive setup.

This particular engine joins the group`s 2.5-liter non-turbo with 140 kW and 252 kW, respectively, or the 2.2-liter twin-turbo diesel with 140 kW and 450 Nm of torque.

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Australia: 2018 Audi RS4 Avant Costs $152,900

Audi has come a long way with its RS lineup, creating more exclusive models, with a more aerodynamic design, wider body style, the latest technology on-board and more powerful engines under the hood.

The newest kid on the RS block to arrive in Australia is the gorgeous and refined 2018 RS4 Avant, an absolute beauty with beasty performance and exquisite interior. However, all these come at high price, meaning that Australian customers will have to empty their pockets for a rough $152,900.

For that you get plenty of exquisite features at the exterior, new interior highlights, a plethora of advanced safety systems and a new powertrain with more power than the previous model.

Compared with the last year`s model, the new Audi RS4 Avant is much larger, being 62mm longer and 16mm wider, providing thus greater stance and stability.

Among the most noticeable exterior chances we mention the more aggressive front and rear bumpers, neat wheel arch bolstering, updated rear diffuser and a set of new 20-inch alloy wheels available in three designs. The whole new aero kit perfectly complements the new colours – Sonoma deel green metallic and Nogaro blue pearl.

Other highlights that comprise interior changes refer to fully digital instrument cluster, high-end Bang & Olufsen 3D sound system or digital radio.

Mechanically, the new RS4 Avant has also been enhanced with a quattro sport rear differential as standard on all variants, along with RS sports exhaust system, or Dynamic Ride Control suspension with five-link arrangement for the front and rear axles, all contributing to the car`s increased comfort and handling capabilities.

Standing on the company`s new MLB platform, which means shedding off around 88 kg, the model is way faster than the previous variant. It now uses a 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 engine instead of the former naturally-aspirated V8, developing 331 kW and 600 Nm of torque. The improvement concerns the torque, which in this case is up to 170 Nm. With the new engine and power, the 2018 Audi RS4 Avant can sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in just 4.1 seconds, thanks to the new and quick-shifting eight-speed sports automatic transmission with all-wheel drive.

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Porsche Introduces Augmented Reality Glasses for Vehicle Servicing & Repair

Virtual reality is the biggest thing in the gaming industry. But it seems Porsche has a unique and more practical solution that utilizes augmented reality to fix your car. Porsche Cars North America (PCNA) will start rolling out Tech Live Look to all 189 Porsche dealerships in the United States. The system consists of smartglasses to provide live interaction with remote experts located hundreds of miles away.

If this sounds like the new wave of the future, then you’re right on target.

What Is Augmented Reality?

Glad you asked. Without sounding like a computer boffin with unruly hair and spectacles the size of the London Eye, augmented reality is being developed to enhance or improve the way humans interact in the real world.

We got a good taste of augmented reality with Google Glass back in 2013. It was basically an optical head-mounted display, shaped to resemble a humble pair of eyeglasses. Think of it as your smartphone being projected in your eyes. You can open, read, and respond to emails, search for directions on Google Maps, or chat with your buddies on social media using voice commands.

You still with me? Good. We covered a similar story on Tech Live Look last year. After conducting a series of successful pilots in 2017, the system went live at three Porsche dealerships recently. The goal is to have 75 more dealers go live by the end of this year with the remainder to follow by 2019.

Photo: Porsche Cars North America, Inc.

How Does Tech Live Look Work?

The system works like a carefully balanced orchestra. Dealer technicians will wear smartglasses to connect to the augmented reality software while fixing your Porsche. Remote experts from far away can see in real-time a high-definition video feed of what the technician is working on courtesy of the glasses.

But what if the technician gets puzzled by, say, an issue with the electric power steering? Instead of leaving the floor and tolling away at the computer or phone in the office, the Porsche technical support team (located in Atlanta) can simply press a couple of buttons to project step-by-step technical bulletins, repair procedures, and schematic drawings on the display in the technician’s glasses. This means faster repair times and better efficiency.

The technician can also open and view documents while working on the vehicle. This is better than browsing the pages of the service manual with dirty hands, and it sure beats making multiple phone calls, sending emails, and making on-site visits to identify and diagnose the issue for repair.

Photo: Porsche Cars North America, Inc.

Customer Focused

With the Tech Live Look system in full swing, PCNA is looking to dramatically shorten service resolution times – by up to 40 percent.

“By solving issues faster, our dealer partners can get their customers back into cars with less disruption. And our overall service quality increases as we share expertise more efficiently between our experts and dealer technicians,” said Klaus Zellmer, President and CEO of Porsche Cars North America. “Tech Live Look is the kind of digital innovation Porsche values because it raises the quality of the customer experience.”

Porsche’s Tech Live Look is the first such application at scale in U.S. auto repair, and won a best-in-class award from the annual Field Service USA conference back in April.

There is no other way to put it. Tech Live Look is one of the coolest things to ever happen in auto repair.

Alvin Reyes is the Associate Editor of Automoblog. He studied civil aviation, aeronautics, and accountancy in his younger years and is still very much smitten to his former Lancer GSR and Galant SS. He also likes fried chicken, music, and herbal medicine. 

Photos & Source: Porsche Cars North America, Inc.

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Mixology: A Honda cafe with two engines blended into one

‘Perfectly insane about motorcycles’ is how friends and colleagues describe Nazar ‘Gazzz’ Poznyakovsky of Gazzz Garage in Kiev, Ukraine.

“I combine engineering and artistry,” says Nazar. “I work out everything from general plans to the smallest details from both engineering and artistic points of view.”

With that much control over every step of the process, Nazar has a reputation as a detail-obsessed майстер на всі руки (Jack-of-all-trades). And he’ll stop at nothing to execute his vision for a project.

Case in point is his latest achievement, a beautifully remixed CB750 with class, artistry, detail, and power.

“I wanted to make a cafe racer with a soul-stirring sound and head-turning looks,” Nazar says of his ‘CB815.’ That’s a tall order for a rather common platform, but Gazzz was up to the challenge. “In the tradition of Gazzz Garage, not much remained of the original bike.”

The front forks, the lower triple tree, the front of the frame and some engine parts are all that stayed from the donor.

The engine is a masterful hybrid of the classic CB750 mill and its more powerful but problematic ancestor, the CBX750. “The CBX creates an additional 20hp and 9Nm at the crankshaft, but the oil system frequently caused rods to be thrown through the case,” says Nazar.

“This and other issues were completely solved in the CB750 engine, so I decided to take best of both engines”.

By combining the two, Nazar wrought a new heart with a six-speed gearbox, a hydraulic drive clutch, a better crankshaft, case, and oil system, and a cylinder head with larger valves and performance cams.

But he didn’t stop there.

“Big bore piston kits for the CBX750 do not exist, so I worked out my own solution,” he says. After some fettling, the cylinder barrels were bored 3mm over original and Nazar replaced the piston rods to hold compression as high as original. “I suppose I was first who performed it, and in this way I got an 815ccm engine with the best features of the CB and CBX engines!”

To finish off the performance mods, Nazar ported and polished the heads, and made a stainless steel intake system. Re-jetted carbs breathe through Kijima pod filters, and a 4-into-4 exhaust provides the “soul-catching” growl and bark.

With the power plant settled, Nazar developed artfully engineered details that set this CB750 apart from its counterparts. “More power, less weight, perfectly working suspension and brakes, eye catching appearance: those were my goals.”

At the top, Nazar replaced the CB750 tank with one from its odd-duck cousin, the CX500. After treating the tank to custom paint, Nazar fitted a new cap with a modified lock and a Moto Guzzi fuel petcock.

Moving forward, Nazar sourced an upper triple clamp from a 750 Nighthawk that was more suitable for clip-ons—while retaining the original 41mm fork tubes with preload adjusters.

“The Nighthawk has a two-holed mount for the handlebars, so I decided that I should use them. I machined them a bit and used the right hole to install a T&T analog clock and the left hole for a side stand indicator.”

Completing the cockpit is a T&T ‘all-in-one’ dashboard and a T&T oil temperature gauge, sitting behind an 8-inch British style headlamp flanked by custom made LED turn signals.

Attached to the front forks is a custom front hub. It’s mated to a Warp9 17 x 2.5 rim with custom made spokes, with a Dunlop K375 tire sweetly hugged by a custom made steel mudguard.

Front braking is provided by twin 300mm discs with Nissin dual piston calipers attached to a Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 master cylinder, by way of Hel braided brake lines.

The rider now sits on a custom seat (and aluminum pan) fabricated by Nazar. Underneath is an aluminum swingarm from a Kawasaki Zephyr 750, and between the rails is a Honda Translap 650 rear hub.

This time, the Warp9 wheel is 17 x 4.25 and shod with a chunky 160/70-17 Bridgestone G528 tire. Keeping everything in place are Kayaba fully adjustable rear shocks with custom made adjusters.

This CB750 is a good 20 kilos lighter than the source bike, and details are plentiful—right down to the custom footpegs and chain guard.

As a one-man shop, Nazar is undaunted by the unknown. And he’s brought to life a beautiful vision, despite living in a part of the world where parts availability is, at best, challenging.

Astounding work from the madman in Kiev.

Gazzz Garage | Images by Nazar Poznyakovsky

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