BMW 335 Coupe gets Hotchkis Sport Suspension

We received the car shortly before SEMA and concentrated on making it look great for the show,” said company founder and president John Hotchkis. “Now we will run the BMW at autocross events and track days to gather the data necessary to develop a complete 335 Sport Suspension package. Every part that leaves this facility was developed and tested on the racetrack.”

The brand new BMW was grouped in the highly competitive Street Modified class that featured well developed cars running on R compound street/race tires. The Hotchkis BMW held its own and completed every run.

“The 335 has power and potential,” Ogawa explained. “We were conservative in all aspects for this first event and I can’t wait to make some serious suspension modifications and get back out there.”

The Hotchkis BMW 335 is sponsored by: The Tire Rack, Bridgestone Tires, Enkei Wheels, Stop Tech Brakes, Borla Exhaust, Red Line Oil and APR Carbon.

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2009 Toyota Corolla Matrix Road Test

Not long ago, as part of a review of Toyota 's new 2008 Sequoia full-size SUV, we reported that Toyota offered no fewer than six SUVs and car-based crossovers ranging from compact RAV4 through the mid-size Highlander, 4Runner and FJ Cruiser and full-size Sequoia and Land Cruiser.

Ooops! We completely forgot the seventh and smallest member of Toyota 's extended family, the Corolla-based Matrix, which arrived in 2003 before "crossovers" were in vogue and hordes of practical-minded Americans began rushing to them.

We could be forgiven for forgetting it, though, since the previous generation Matrix was, let's be frank, a fairly forgettable vehicle. It was mostly a somewhat aggressively styled small tall wagon offering a cooler, more youthful look and more cargo capability than its supremely boring compact Corolla siblings.

There was a sporty XRS version powered by a high-revving but torque-challenged (Yamaha-built) higher-horsepower 1.8-liter four, which most reviewers drove and wrote, then quickly forgot. That was discontinued after 2006, leaving just the standard 126-hp 1.8-liter four that (under) powered ordinary Corollas.

The Gen I Matrix was notable as the mechanical twin of Pontiac 's Vibe, which was being built (along with Corollas) at the California GM/Toyota joint-venture assembly plant known as NUMMI. While we personally preferred the Pontiac's styling, the Matrix outsold it due mostly (we believe) to Toyota 's much stronger brand image.

This new Canadian-built, Gen II Matrix benefits from a welcome restyling and numerous upgrades and improvements throughout. Most important are first time availability of a 2.4-liter four and all-wheel drive.

© Source: thecarconnection
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2008 Brabus Mercedes-Benz SLR Roadster McLaren

(from Brabus Press Release) BRABUS Refines the new Mercedes SLR Roadster

Is it possible to make a Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster even more exclusive and individual? BRABUS (www.brabus.com) proves that the topless Mercedes supercar can be made even sportier and more exciting with its sophisticated customization program.

The sporty BRABUS outfit for the SLR Roadster is dominated by BRABUS Monoblock VI 20-inch wheels that fill the wheel houses perfectly. The fully polished multi-piece wheels feature six double spokes and are mounted on the sports car in size 9.5Jx20 in front and size 11.5Jx20 on the rear axle. High-performance tires in sizes 255/30 ZR 20 and 305/25 ZR 20 are supplied by BRABUS technology partners Pirelli and YOKOMAMA. This low-profile tire/wheel combination is custom-tailored for the SLR coupe and roadster and benefits not only the car’s appearance but also its handling.

Thus equipped the topless SLR is ready for some additional power provided by BRABUS engine tuning. The power tuning for the supercharged 5.5-liter (335.5 cu. in.) engine consists of special camshafts, a fuel cooling system and a high-performance exhaust. With BRABUS tuning, power output of the V8 compressor engine increases by 24 hp (23 hp SAE net) / 18 kW to 650 hp (641 hp SAE net) / 478 kW at 6,500 rpm.

BRABUS also offers a special clutch-type limited-slip differential with a locking rate of 40 percent. It further optimizes traction and improves acceleration performance of the super sports car. The tuned roadster sprints to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 3.6 seconds and reaches a top speed of 337 km/h (209 mph).

Sporty BRABUS carbon-fiber applications for dashboard, center console and door trim transfer the racing look of the BRABUS body components into the interior. The exposed carbon-fiber trim can be color-coordinated with the leather color of the interior.

© Source: seriouswheels
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