Väth V63RS latest tuning option for AMG fans

There's no shortage of Mercedes-Benz tuners, and we're used to having news tips in our email box regarding BRABUS, Kleemann, Lorinser, Carlsson, etc. That's why we were curious when we received a tip about a company taht we'd never heard of called Vath. The German aftermarket company has products for the entire Mercedes-Benz lineup, the latest of which is the V63RS Clubsport based on the C63 AMG that you see here. Vath essentially leaves the exterior untouched and focuses on the performance including an upgrade of the V8 to 585 bhp and 509 lb-ft torque that will power the car to a top speed of 202 mph. Other upgrades available include a sport suspension, high performance brakes, 19-inch wheels, and sport seats. Complete cars are available at a hefty 125,000 Euros, although components can be purchased individually, as well. Just like the BRABUS Bullit Black Arrow we showed yesterday, black seems to be the color of choice.

[Via: eMercedesBenz.com ] [Tag: AMG,C63,C63 AMG,C63Amg,Mercedes-Benz,Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG,Mercedes-benzC63Amg,Vath,Vath V63RS,VathV63rs ]

SEMA Preview: 600 hp, twin-turbo Fox Marketing/Artisan Lexus IS-F

The 2009 Lexus IS-F is slated to get some serious attention at SEMA, and Fox Marketing and Artisan are out to prove that show and go aren't mutually exclusive.
The plan is to create an IS-F that has the power to match its presence, and to that end, Artisan developed a twin-turbo setup that huffs compressed oxygen into a 5.0-liter V8 equipped with JE pistons and Crower rods. With a Mishimoto radiator, an Artisan exhaust, a healthy amount of boost and a thorough tune, Artisan is estimating over 600 hp at the rear wheels.
Aesthetically, the team sought to compliment the stock IS-F's styling, so they've fitted a bespoke body kit consisting of custom front and rear bumpers, and a set of side-skirts that cleanly integrate into the blistered rear fenders. iForged rollers fill the wheel wells, sized 20x9.5-inches in front and 20x11.5-inches in the rear, and wrapped in Toyo T1R tires (255/35R20 front and 305/30R20 rear). The Glasurit Sunset Orange hue is courtesy of BASF, and according to Brian Fox, they'll be blacking out the headlamps, grille and emblems to tie everything together.
Artisan plans to have its IS-F exhaust on sale next month, and when we check out the Lexus booth this November, we'll be able to see Fox/Artisan's efforts in person, along with a handful of other tuned and tweaked IS-Fs. [Via: Autoblog (Aftermarket) ] [Tag: 2009,artisan,fox marketing,fox marketing artisan lexus is-f,fox marketing artisanlexus is-f,FoxMarketing,FoxMarketingArtisanlexusIs-f,is f,is-f,isf,lexus,sema ]

One down, six to go for the VW Jetta TDI Cup

The first race of the first all-diesel, road racing series in America took place this past weekend at VIRginia International Raceway, and we were there, or rather AutoblogGreen was there, to watch it go down. The gorgeous VIR long course proved to be a great setting for the opening round of Volkswagen's new Jetta TDI Cup series. The new series is both a continuation of VW's history of grassroots racing, as well as promotion for the new Jetta TDI that launches this summer. Volkswagen had an open casting call earlier this year for young amateur racing drivers and picked the 30 best to run in the promotional series. Prior to arriving at VIR for Friday's first practice, the drivers had one day of actual running in the Jettas during the driver selection process at the beginning of April. Though the Jetta TDI race cars were slightly modified from their production counterpart for safety reasons, they still managed to return 25 mpg... while racing.

[Via: Autoblog (Volkswagen) ]
[Tag: jetta,jetta tdi,jetta tdi cup,jetta tdi race,JettaTdi,jettatdicup,JettaTdiRace ]

Cool cat: Arden releases official details on Jaguar XF AJ 21

Last month, we got a sneak peak at Arden's interpretation of the Jaguar XF, with its aggressive front fascia, LED running lights and rear brake cooling ducts integrated into the side skirts. Now, we've got the official details on the AJ 21 and as is almost always the case, the mods are hardly skin-deep.

The top of the line, supercharged V8 engine has been stroked out from 4.2- to 4.5-liters, with output cresting the 500 hp mark. To make better use of those additional ponies, Arden developed a sports suspension to keeps things planted at speed, while 21-inch "Sportline" wheels are up to the task of combining a bit of style with a dose of functionality. Arden is developing packages for the entire range of XFs, but if we had to choose one, this is it.
[Via: WCF ]
[Tag: arden jaguar xf,arden jaguar xf aj 21,ArdenJaguarXf,ArdenJaguarXfAj21,jaguar,xf ]