Audi S5 Coupé an RS5 Look

German aftermarket firm Senner Tuning is revisiting the freshened up Audi S5 coupe with a new assortment of goods for the exterior and interior as well as its mechanical hardware. Senner's second take on the facelifted S5 (read about the first one here) brings a brawnier styling package that gives the coupe the look of its RS5 sibling through the use of a new front bumper with a carbon fiber spoiler and grille design, carbon fiber side skirts, a discreet boot lid spoiler and a new rear diffuser with two oval, instead of four quad tailpipes.
There's also a set of carbon fiber mirror caps, LEDs for the rear license plate, and new 20-inch alloy wheels shod in Vredestein Ultra Sessanta tires size 245/30R20 and 295/25R20 at the front and rear end, respectively.
For the interior, Senner Tuning added black and red Nappa leather surfaces to the seats and door panels together with red stitching, a comprehensive carbon fiber trim kit that covers the steering wheel, dashboard, doors and lower console, plus an R8-sourced flat-bottom steering wheel with shift paddles, and a DVD player.
In regular guise, the S5 features a 3.0-liter supercharged V6 rated for 328bhp (333PS) and 440Nm (324 lb-ft). The German brand's engineers managed to squeeze 429hp and a peak torque of 501Nm (369 lb-ft) out of the engine. By comparison, the RS5's V8 delivers 444hp (450PS) and a maximum torque of 430Nm (318 lb-ft).
An adjustable KW coilover suspension system and a power converter that is said to "sharpen the characteristic of the electronic accelerator pedal", complete the upgrades.
Senner Tuning will sell you a complete vehicle (based on a brand new S5 Coupe) for the paltry sum of €99,700 (US$127,000 at today's exchange rates).
The company is also offering the press car you see in the pictures with around 4,000km (about 2,500 miles) on the odometer for €69,990 (US$89,000), excluding sales tax, which in Germany, is 19 percent.
Then again, for €58,700 (US$74,800) you can get yourself inside a brand new S5 Coupe or better yet, for €78,200 (US$99,600), into a spanking new 444bhp RS5, instead of paying €20k more to buy an S5 that pretends to be an RS5…

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Design Crafts a Styling Package for New BMW 3-Series Sedan

While not widely known in the BMW tuning world, 3D Design has made a name for itself over the past few years in its home market of Japan. This time, 3D Design has turned its attention on the new BMW 3-Series sedan (F30) with the unveiling of a styling package that will go on sale early next month.
The body kit includes a front apron, boot lid and roof spoilers, and a rear apron, with the tuner adding a gloss black finish to the BMW double kidney grilles and air vents, as well as new exhaust pipes.
The stance of the 3-Series is made even sportier with a set of black alloy wheels wrapped around in low profile sports tires.
3D Design said that it will release more details on the package, including information on the interior upgrades, closer to launch.

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New Pictures and Details on 2013 Toyota Auris Hatchback

Over the past few weeks, a fresh batch of scanned images sourced from the brochure of the Japanese Domestic Market (JDM) Toyota Auris hatchback has surfaced online showing the available trim levels and even a proposed aero package.
With the exception of the Toyota logo and exterior trim, the European model will not differ in styling from its Japanese counterpart seen in these pictures.
We have also learned that the JDM model will break cover in mid-August and will be offered with an initial choice of two gasoline engines, including a 1.5-liter unit producing 102Hp (103PS) in 4WD models and 106hp (108PS) in FWD flavor, and a 1.8-liter that generates 142hp (144PS) in FWD models and 141hp (143PS) in the AWD variants.
In Europe, aside from a range of four-cylinder gasoline engines, the Auris will be one of the first Toyota models to get a BMW-sourced diesel engine as part of a deal signed between the two automakers in 2011.
As with the current Auris, the new compact hatchback will also be available with a hybrid powertrain sourced from the Prius.
Following the debut of the five-door hatchback, Toyota will present a station wagon body style, which we recently spied undergoing tests in Europe.

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MINI Clubvan is Concept

Proving that there's no end to the BMW Group's thirst for growth in any given segment, Mini has introduced the production version of the 2012 Geneva Motor Show Clubvan Concept.
Billed as "the world’s first premium compact delivery van", the seventh addition to Mini's lineup is based on the longer Clubman but does away with the rear seat bench and boot floor to gain a continuous loading area.
If filled up to the roof, there's 860 liters of load space. Mini says that the cargo area is 1,150mm long (45.3 in.) and at its narrowest point behind the rear doors, 1,020mm (40.2 in.) wide, while the van's maximum payload capacity is 500 kilograms (1,102 lbs).
Other changes over the Clubman include the fixed partition between the passenger compartment and load area while in order to be classified as a commercial vehicle and therefore, be taxed at a lower rate in select countries, the Clubvan is equipped with blocked-out rear side windows.
Mini's first commercial vehicle is offered in three engine flavors starting with the One that gets a 1.6-liter petrol engine delivering 97hp (98PS) for a 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) acceleration in 11.1 seconds, a top speed of 185 km/h (115 mph) and an average fuel economy of 5.5lt/100km (51.4 mpg UK / 42.8 mpg US).
Next up is the Cooper Clubvan sporting a 1.6-liter petrol with 121hp (122PS) allowing for a 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) sprint time of 9.8 seconds, a top speed of 201 km/h (125 mph), and a combined fuel consumption of 5.5lt/100km (same as the One).
Finally, there's the Cooper D model equipped with a 110hp (112PS) four-cylinder diesel that accelerates the van from standstill to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 10.2 seconds, on the way to a top speed of 197 km/h (122.4 mph). Mini quotes an average fuel consumption of 3.9 liters/100 km (72.4mpg UK / 60.3mpg US), corresponding to CO2 emissions of 103g/km.
All three models get a standard 6-speed manual gearbox while the Cooper D Clubvan can optionally be fitted with a six-speed automatic transmission.
The new Clubvan will make its first public outing at next weekend's Goodwood Festival of Speed with sales to start in the autumn.

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Design Student Envisions New Honda S2000 Roadster for 2020

Back in the 1995, when Honda was still producing and developing cars that drivers liked to drive, the automaker displayed a concept model called the SSM (for Sports Study Model) at the Tokyo Motor Show. Three years later, Honda revealed the production model of that concept named the S2000 in celebration of its 40th anniversary.
The rear-wheel drive roadster with the manically revving 240hp (243PS) F20C 2.0-liter 4-cylinder DOHC-VTEC engine went on sale in 1999 and remained in production for a decade selling more than 112,000 units worldwide.
We've heard many rumors about a replacement for the S2000, but unfortunately, nothing concrete. Naturally, design students are not bound by any production plans and are free to visualize their ideas like Michael Mcgee who took part in a Honda sponsored project for the creation of an S2000 for the year 2020.
Mcgee says of his concept model:

"My design is classic and advanced simultaneously. It uses simple surfacing but an innovative frame structure and function to balance a raw, classic sports car attitude with an advanced concept that pushes into the future. The inspiration is an R/C car, shown by the structure design and the emphasis on lightness and plastics. The yellow body sides of the car can be exchanged for other styles and colors based on the customers wants. These body sides also function as large doors."

Design Credits: Michael Mcgee

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