Kicherer has realised the value of absolute power by putting in some outstanding work into a Mercedes-Benz CL 65 AMG. The car is Benz’s finest work as far as the coupe body type is concerned, already sporting a nice 612 hp/ 450kW V12 of two turbos and 1000Nm. Kicherer was never going to be satisfied as any power-hungry world car fan would know, and so decided to up the game a little. Later on that.

For the exterior they chose a few changes, headlined by 9 and 10 x 20″ Kicherer RS-X lightweight wheels, carbon fiber mirror shells, rear diffuser, front grille and front apron whose deflector is also of the black light stuff. The exhaust system is a mirror-finished affair with four tailpipes, and supposedly makes the most glorious of sounds.

Inside as expected the CL 65 receives velvet glove treatment, from the alcantara ceiling, carbon intarsia, to the nappa leather seats, and handmade hand-worked shag pile carpet for the back. And now for the numbers you want. Kicherer has managed to squeeze out 38 more stallions out of the engine to give it a well-rounded 650 hp/ 486kW and oak-pulling 1200Nm. A rear diff lock helps plant it firmly on tar. For that you get 0 - 100km/h in 4.2 seconds and a limited 320km/h for your top end.

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How much torque does a volcanic eruption have? Well, it does indeed take a lot of steam to melt rocks and push the lava straight up through the earth’s crust and Hamann-Motorsport does a good job of rivaling that with their own Volcano.

The Hamann Volcano is a supersized version of what is already one of the world’s most renowned supercars - the Mercedes McClaren SLR. Hamann technicians were able to boost the Mercedes Benz 5.4 liter, 626 hp, 780 Nm V8 and take its performance to 700 hp and 830 Nm of torque at 3,300 rpms; giving the Hamann a 0-100 km/h time of only 3.6 seconds.

But performance is also improved by aerodynamics, with the addition of new lift-reducing wing extensions in both the front and the rear as well as new side skirt attachments and sheathings.

Interiors also get yet another luxurious do-over. It includes aluminium pedals, foot-rests, door sills, head-rests and floomats with the Hamann logo and the use of the top-quality material Alcantara for custom center console and dashboard parts.

No details on pricing were released.

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As with the Lorinser C-Class Estate, tuner Lorinser has released its engine upgrade for the Mercedes-Benz C350 sedan. From the standard vehicle’s 200kW/ 272 hp and 350Nm, Lorinser has worked on ECU and upgraded the cam to make more power.

As a result we now get 224kW/ 305 hp from the engine bay, plus more pull from the torque upgrade worth 30Nm, to 380Nm. Kit features integrated muffler pipes that curve to match the car’s rear bumper, which houses a sporty horizontal honeycomb grille. The Lorinser C350 sedan is carried by 19-inch Lorinser RS8 wheels with a turbine design. Probably the best part, alongside the wheels, is the Winnenden honeycomb sport grille that runs across the car’s width, obstructed only by the front bumper’s downward sloping shape. It completes the car’s purposeful sporty look.

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Tuning firm Carlsson has released a new performance package based on Mercedes C63 AMG, called the Carlsson CK63 S.

Power jumps from 457 hp to 565 hp, while peak torque climbs 85 Nm (63 lb-ft) to a total of 685 Nm (505 lb-ft). This enables the CK63 S to accelerate to 100 km/h in just 3.8 seconds, compared to 4.5 seconds in the standard C63 AMG. The car also features a sports air filter, a carbon fiber Carlsson motor cover, sport rear muffler, and an electronic speed limiter which kicks in at 300 km/h (186 mph).

Helping to control all this power is a new Carlsson RS coil-over kit which features step-less height adjustment and adjustable damping. The company also suggests that owners install a limited slip differential in order to improve traction and increase driving stability. The CK63S is also available with ultra light wheels which weigh 38% less than the standard wheels and allows for improved driving comfort.

No tuner car would be complete without a styling kit and Carlsson is happy to oblige. Both ends of the car get special spoilers to improve high speed stability, and can be made of either high-quality polyurethane or carbon fiber. For the interior, customers can choose from a variety of options in order to make their car truly unique.

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Tuning firm Brabus is preparing a set of styling and performance add-ons just in time for the launch of the Mercedes GLK.

The big news comes from reworking the GLK’s engine range in order to produce more power and torque. The range topping GLK 320 CDI 4MATIC BRABUS features ECO PowerXtra tuning which produces an additional 48 hp and 590 Nm of torque. 0-62 mph takes just 6.9 seconds and allows it to reach a top speed of 142mph.

GLK 350 4MATIC owners can equip their vehicle with the BRABUS B7 power kit which produces an additional 15 hp for a total of 287 hp. Available on both the GLK 350 and 280 is the BRABUS 4.0L engine which produces 332 hp and 420 Nm of torque, allowing it to reach 62 mph in 6.1 second and a top speed of 155 mph.

Brabus has also developed an extensive range of body components meant to put the sport back into sport utility. Up front is a Brabus apron which features daytime running lights and optional auxiliary high beams and fog lamps. A two piece roof attachment that features integrated LED position lights is also available. The rocker panels feature integrated LED lights which illuminate the ground to ease exit and entry at night. The rear apron features a centrally located reflector and cut outs for the stock exhaust or the optional BRABUS quad sport exhaust system.

In terms of handling, the new Brabus GLK will be offered with wheel sizes from 17-21” in a variety of different designs. To lower the ride 35 millimeters a set of sport springs should do the trick, but if you want to ratchet things up a bit Brabus offers a complete suspension for a firmer ride.

For the interior, Brabus offers a wide range of accessories including stainless-steel scuff plates with an illuminated BRABUS logo, an ergonomically shaped sport steering wheel, and interior trim sets in either wood or carbon fiber. Owners with kids might want to select the company’s front seatback mounted consoles which hold a 7-inch LCD screen and an integrated DVD player.

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Following the recent additions of the Fiat and Aston Martin brands to its catalog, Hamann Motorsports is also adding the Mercedes SLR McLaren to its repertoire which already includes BMW, MINI, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche and Land Rover.

Seen in these spy photos taken last week, the SLR project has yet to be announced by Hamann, but clearly we can see it will be called Volcano. Stand out features which catch our eye are the two-tone paint scheme, tripple-pipe exhaust, roof air scoop, rear bumper diffuser, deep-dish 3-piece Hamann wheels, rear wheel arch flares, smoked tail light lens and large rear wing

With the Volcano, Hamann joins a handful of SLR tuners such as RENNtech, Mansory and Brabus who offer a full tuning suite of products. We suspect official details will be released in the coming weeks.
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Some might call Lake Constance-based Kicherer’s obsession with making Mercedes-Benz products go faster an unhealthy one. Of course, those people clearly fail to appreciate the pleasure that 900Nm of torque at one’s command can bring. Kicherer’s latest is the CL 60 Coupe, based on the Mercedes CL600 luxury coupe.

The twin-turbo V12 CL600 sits pretty at the top of the Mercedes two-door lineup, and Kicherer’s wizards have left the basic package alone. Under the skin, however, things are a bit more exciting. The V12’s power has been boosted from 517 to 570, with a corresponding increase in torque to 900Nm. A modified transmission control module and locking rear differential ensure that the additional power gets to the road in a relatively dignified fashion, and the chassis has been lowered by 25mm. The CL 60 Coupe also features unique 20-inch Kicherer RS-1 wheels. A body kit and carbon trim set the CL 60 apart from stock CL600s nicely.

More information can be found at Kicherer’s website, at www.kicherer.net.

Following the teaser image from earlier this month, well known German tuner, Lorinser, have finally pulled the sheet off their new facelifted SL-Class. Designed in characteristic Lorinser form, the SL-Class program includes front bumper fascia, wide flare fenders with grille vents, side skirts also with grille vents and diffuser look rear bumper fascia which accommodates four pipe exhaust system. Also available for the package are the Lorinser RS9 wheels and lowered suspension. Lorinser states in their press release below performance engine upgrades are currently in development.
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Belgian Mercedes tuner Expression Motorsports have put together a DTM inspired wide body package for the new W204 C-Class. Larger air vents in the bumper and hood enhance engine cooling while the widebody kit allows for the larger wheels up to 22-inch to be fitted. The kit consists of front bumper fascia with fog lamps and LED indicators, front carbon fiber lower lip spoiler, hood from C 63 AMG, hood vents, 10 piece fender flair set, side skirts, rear bumper fascia with carbon fiber diffuser and integrated LED F1 brake light and deck lid wing plus additional carbon deflector. Finally, a double twin-tip exhaust system along with an assortment of wheel packages round out the kit which Expression Motorsports refers to as their EX C Motorsport kit.
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In a great marketing tactic, Mercedes-Benz is pitting four top tuners against one another in an online and mobile public vote. The luxury auto maker will enter SEMA 2008 in Las Vegas using a four-way attack plan with one piece of machinery at the center; its new GLK mid-sized SUV. These four tuned cars have been prepared by masters in their game, namely RennTech, Brabus, Boulevard Customs and Legendary Motor Cars.

Legendary Motor Cars offers the Four Corners Rock Crawler which comes with a winching system for those who like their sports extreme. The Urban Whip, which really has nothing to do with girls in tight leather shorts, is a Boulevard Customs design, with its wide-body styling kit, massive 26-inch wheels and a redesigned interior with its own customized stereo system.

RennTech went clean on this one, featuring a hybrid engine in its Rally Racer GLK. The concept was inspired by unlimited-class rally cars at Pikes Peak Hillclimb. Lastly we have Brabus, a name synonymous with what seems to be unlimited power offerings. Their car, the Widestar, is based in a GLK300 Bluetec and features wide wheel arches and a unique interior. The winner of the public vote will be announced on December 2, 2008.

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