Eurotuningnews.com

Through their involvement in racing the team members at GAZ Shocks have become quite the experts in designing performance suspension for various BMW models.

Now GAZ has produced a monotube design suspension kit to fit all E46 models.

GAZ gas-charged Monotube Coilovers are far lighter than other types of coilover damper and make more use of lightweight billet aluminium parts that reduces unsprung weight. This makes them ideal for serious trackday or competition use. They also react quicker and can be used in an inverted position. (note damper on the left of the picture).

GAZ Monotube Coilover kits come with silicone chrome springs and the required mounting hardwear. The spring platforms are adjustable to allow the ride height to be altered as required and the bump and rebound settings can be adjusted by means of a knurled collar at the top (or bottom if used inverted).

Like all GAZ coilovers the monotubes carry a two year warranty for non race use.

Bespoke valving and the customer’s preferred spring rates are also available.

GAZ Monotube Coilover Suspension Kits for the BMW E46 retail at £2100.00 (including front and rear top mounts).

For further details visit the GAZ website: www.gazshocks.com

Fidanza, Americaʼs leading performance flywheel specialist, has just announced direct replacement lightweight aluminium flywheels to improve the performance of the Honda Civic Type R and the Civic Si.

The Fidanza aluminium flywheel replaces the heavy standard flywheel and improves the power-to-weight ratio thus making the engine more responsive as well as improving performance and acceleration.

The Fidanza aluminium flywheel is made from high-quality machined 6061 T6 aluminium with a 1050 steel friction surface, CNC machined fastener holes and chamfers with military grade fasteners. The steel friction surface of the flywheel (shown in the image with its green protective coating) is heat treated for optimum grip and a long service life. It is also replaceable so when the surface eventually becomes worn it can be changed without having to replace the whole flywheel.

Every Fidanza flywheel application is a unique design that has taken into account overall balance, critical clearances, tensile strength, heat dissipation and optimum weight saving thereby striking a careful balance between reducing the original weight and maintaining a smooth idle for day-to-day street driving.

Fidanza flywheel 191211 for Civic Type R has a RRP of $560.67
Fidanza flywheel 191191 for Civic Si has a RRP of $565.21
UK pound prices will fluctuate with exchange rates and goods are subject to import tax and delivery charge – for details contact sales@fidanza.com. However, Fidanza has some amazing discounts on offer at the moment with the Civic Si flywheel available from Fidanza.com at just $388.99 for a limited period only!

For more information on Fidanza’s premium aluminium flywheels and other great products visit www.fidanza.com

The rear engined Beetle was never the quietest of cars, but the new Floor Insulation Kit from DEI will provide a quiet ride, reduce heat coming into the interior and dampen road noise and engine vibration.

The kit contains Boom Mat™ – vibration damping material and D-Mat advanced thermal-acoustic insulation material.

The peel and stick Boom Mat has been CNC precision cut to fit the Beetle floor pan to minimise noise transfer and drumming.

D-Mat provides a lightweight heat barrier and insulation that is used under the carpet to keep the interior at a comfortable temperature all year round. D-Mat is only 12mm thick, compressible and pliable, which makes it easy to fit in even the most difficult areas. It is made from a polymer blend with a scrim backing and will reduce transmitted heat by up to 65%. D-Mat also has exceptional acoustic absorption properties, conforms to flammability ratings and is mildew and bacteria resistant.

DEI’s Boom Mat Floor Insulation Kit will fit the Standard Beetle 1950-1972 and Super Beetle 1971-1972.

The kit retails at £139.46
Price shown is from www.designengineering.com website but will be subject to import tax and a delivery charge. You may prefer to find a DEI dealer in your area. Contact sales@designengineering.com to find your nearest dealer.

For more information about this and other DEI Heat and Sound control products visit: www.designengineering.com or e-mail sales@designengineering.com.

Burton Power can now offer straight strut braces for Ford Escort Mk1 and 2 cars that are equipped with sidedraft carburettors or DCOE style fuel injectors.

Two versions are available: Large hole bore size approx 85mm. Part No. MP1139L £98.95
Large hole bore size approx 110mm. Part No. MP1138L £98.95

The steel strut braces are built to a very high quality and feature TIG welding, competition spherical joints and stainless fixings.

Part MP1138L is suitable for the following models when equipped with twin carbs or DCOE style EFi:
Ford Escort Mk1: 1.1/1.3 1968-1974, Twin Cam 1968-1971, Mexico 1970-1974, RS1600 1970-1974, RS2000 1973-1974 and…
Ford Escort Mk2: 1.1/1.3/1.6 OHV 1975-02/1977 , RS Mexico 1975-02/1977 , RS1800 1975-1977 , RS2000 1976-02/1977

Part MP1139L is suitable for the following models when equipped with twin carbs or DCOE style EFi:
Ford Escort Mk2: 1.1/1.3/1.6 OHV 02/1977-1980, RS Mexico 02/1977-1980, RS2000 02/1977-1980

A Straight Strut Brace to fit the small hole Ford Escort Mk2 2/77 is also available as part No. MP239S
priced at £98.95 and oval strut bars are available for cars with downdraft carburettors.

Available from Burton’s Performance Centre in Essex or by ordering from the Burton Power website – www.burtonpower.com. For further details contact Burton Power on 0208 554 2281

Burton Power, in association with Quaife, is now offering ATB units that are a direct replacement for the standard, factory ‘open’ differential. Quaife’s ATB unit can transform the performance of an FWD car. Unlike a conventional plate-style limited slip unit these units rely on gears, rather than clutch plates for their operation. This makes them much smoother in operation, because, unlike a conventional plate-style LSD, they never locks harshly. Rather, they automatically biases the torque away from the spinning wheel across the axle, to a constantly varying degree and never locks.

The results are significant performance improvements; traction is superior and controllable without the harsh steering wheel snatch or torque steer that have long been associated with performance differentials.

The Quaife ATB differential has been designed to use standard transmission oils and is covered by a limited lifetime warranty for both road and competition use. This makes the Quaife ATB differential a true ‘fit and forget’ upgrade that offers compromise-free performance and reliability. It transforms the turn-in ability and cornering speeds of the car and is the most important upgrade to a track day car. A Quaife ATB differential is highly recommended for spirited road drivers and a must for track day drivers.

Available for:
Ford Focus Mk3 RS 2.3 EcoBoost 2016-2018 Part No. QUALSD12 £726.00
Ford Focus Mk3 ST 2.0 EcoBoost 2012-2018. Part No. QUALSD11 £774.00
Ford Fiesta Mk7 ST180 1.6 EcoBoost 2013-2017 Part No. QUALSD13 £726.00
Ford Fiesta Mk7 ST200 1.6 EcoBoost 2016-2017 Part No. QUALSD13 £726.00
Ford Focus Mk3 with IB6 gearbox Part No. QUALSD13 £726.00

Available from Burton’s Performance Centre in Essex or by ordering from the Burton Power website – www.burtonpower.com. For further details contact Burton Power on 0208 554 2281

Setting sights on a new decade: ABT Sportsline will be on the DTM grid in the 2021 season, so continuing the successful tradition of the Kempten-based German company that had begun in early 2000. The squad will be entering two Audi R8 LMS GT3 cars.

“The DTM has been part of ABT Sportsline for 20 years and we want this to continue to be the case,” says Managing Partner Hans-Jürgen Abt. “At the weekends, not only our fans but all 200 of our employees in Kempten shared our excitement, celebrations and suffering. This is where we’ve scored our greatest victories and have grown as a team. With our commitment, we want to send a message and join Gerhard Berger in writing the next chapter of this fascinating racing series.”

ABT Sportsline will be racing as a privateer team in 2021 and so return to its roots. The squad previously competed from 2000 to 2003 with an in-house development of the Abt-Audi TT-R against Mercedes-Benz and Opel – and in 2002, with Laurent Aiello, celebrated a sensational title win. ABT Sportsline has been the most successful Audi factory team between 2004 and 2020. In its DTM history so far, ABT has clinched 67 victories, 226 podium finishes, 76 pole positions and five drivers’ and teams’ championships, respectively.

“ABT’s name is simply part of DTM because the team has been helping to shape the series for two decades,” says DTM boss Gerhard Berger. “We are pleased that they continue to be committed to the DTM.”

In 2021, ABT will be fielding two Audi R8 LMS cars according to GT3 regulations. After the Audi TT (2000 to 2003), the Audi A4 (2004 to 2011) and the RS 5 (2012 to 2020), this will be the fourth base model of the Audi brand ABT will compete with in the DTM. The season opener is planned to take place at the end of May, to be followed by eight other race weekends in Germany and neighboring countries by early October.

More than 20 years ago, Audi began its quest for the “sporty compact” with the S3: In 1999 – three years after the A3 went into production – the then smallest model of the brand with the four rings was given a significant performance boost as the S version. At that time, the engine power rose from 101 hp (74 kW) to a provisionally remarkable 210 hp (154 kW). The following generation S3 8P, which was built until 2010, by then already put down 265 hp (195 kW) onto the tarmac. A maximum of 310 hp was then achieved in the 8V series from 2013. And what about the very latest S3 with the identifier 8Y? This echoes the performance data of its predecessor, and this is where ABT Sportsline comes into play. The company from Bavaria is carrying out a befitting power upgrade on the new S3 2.0 TFSI. In addition, the world’s largest automotive aftermarket and performance parts specialist for Audi and VW offers three rim designs and further options for both the interior and exterior.

The performance upgrade ABT Power*, which can be ordered from January 2021, improves the standard performance data of the current Audi S3 from 310 hp (228 kW) and 400 Nm to an impressive 370 hp (272 kW) and 450 Nm – a plus of 60 hp and 50 Nm. This is made possible by the high-tech ABT Engine Control unit. “We deliver the portion of extra power that the Audi S3 fans have been asking for,” confirms Managing Director Hans-Jürgen Abt.

But the German tuners not only offer increased performance, but also something for the eye. Three rim designs are available for the fast compact sports car. On the one hand, there are the 20-inch rims of the type SPORT GR in glossy black as installed on the illustrated vehicle. Also available in 20-inch is the classic 5-spoke design SPORT FR in mystic black. The 5-arm ER-C sports rim also perfectly emphasises the dynamic appearance of the S3. It is available in 19-inch and in the colours gun metal diamond polished and matt black.

The now more powerful S3 motor starts in style with the start-stop-switch-cap with the integrated and illuminated ABT logo. A stainless steel ABT exhaust system will be available for the rear from spring 2021: 4 endpipes in matt black with a diameter of 102 mm underline the vehicle’s athletic character. Then not only the power and look, but also the sound of the compact are perfect.

The ABT CUPRA XE team for the Extreme E adventure has been formed: Claudia Hürtgen will be racing in the new series alongside Mattias Ekström. The German has already completed the first days of testing together with her Swedish teammate and familiarised herself with the 400-kW all-electric SUV. Next week (17th to 19th December) the squad will participate in joint pre-season tests together with all other teams in Aragon (Spain) before the material and car will be loaded for shipping at the beginning of January.

“Even after 25 years in motorsport Extreme E is an all-new and exciting challenge for me that I’m very much looking forward to,” says Claudia Hürtgen. With successes in various touring car and sports car championships, several endurance races and other events under her belt, she numbers among Europe’s most successful female racing drivers. “What makes this competition special among other things is the fact that this is an all-new adventure for all entrants that we’re jointly embarking on.” The 49-year-old German gathered initial experiences in the electric cockpit during several test days. “I learn something new on every kilometre and try to handle each corner with greater perfection. Needless to say, it’s great to have such an experienced and open-minded teammate in Mattias who superbly supports me in this effort.”

For ABT CUPRA XE, as the team of the two partners is named for the racing series, Claudia Hürtgen is the perfect contender. “We met Claudia for the first time at a small shoot-out with several female candidates this summer and were soon convinced that she’d be the right choice – not only because of her strong performance in the cockpit, but also due to her professional cooperation, her precise feedback to our engineers and her overall demeanour. Claudia is simply a good fit for us,” says ABT CEO Thomas Biermaier.

Mattias Ekström is delighted about his partner with whom he’ll be taking turns with in the 
e-CUPRA ABT XE1 cockpit in the inaugural season of Extreme E. The spectacular racing car bears this name in its first season. “Claudia and I’ve occasionally crossed paths with each other in recent years, we know each other and get along well,” says the two-time DTM Champion, World Rallycross Champion and CUPRA ambassador. “It didn’t take long for her to impress the entire team and me as well. Claudia is an extremely quick learner and immediately adjusts to all requirements. Given that she’s joining us with just little experience in off-road racing, that’s even more impressive.”

Following the joint pre-season tests in Spain, at which ABT CUPRA XE will be meeting with its international competitors for the first time – including Lewis Hamilton’s and Nico Rosberg’s teams – the car and material will be prepared in Kempten. On 11th January the cargo will be loaded onto the floating paddock “St. Helena” heading for the Arabian Peninsula: on 20th and 21st March the first in five of the season’s races will be held in Al-Ula (Saudi Arabia).

The Mercedes S-Class has always set standards. With each generation, it raises the bar for the luxury segment a little higher. The latest W223 series would have seemed like pure magic to car testers in the 1970s. One thing has not changed since the W116 back then, though: The German vehicle tuner Sportservice Lorinser provides a little extra sportiness for the wheelhouse. While 16-inch wheels were literally the big thing around 50 years ago, the Lorinser LM2R alloy wheels today measure in at a gigantic 21 inches.

The design of the Lorinser LM2R with its large surfaces borrows from the 1990s style and yet looks highly modern. The organic, soft shapes are a feature element. The large center area has a clever arch which makes it appear as if suspended from the short mock double spokes – like a tent roof. With the recessed rim flange and the spoke ends, which appear as if split, the design pays homage to the present. Overall, the designers have created a very dynamic, powerful and lively one-piece wheel. The large surfaces contribute to the mighty appearance and give a luxurious and self-confident look to the wheel, which is available in “chrome”, “hyper silver” or “black”.

But the LM2R alloy wheel is only the prelude for more tuning elements planned by Sportservice Lorinser for the S-Class. Power boosts as well as different aerodynamics components are scheduled to follow soon.

Lorinser LM2R alloy wheel for S-Class W223

Design: one-piece, cast
Dimensions: FA 9J x 21 H2 ET32; RA 10.5J H2 ET37
Tire size: FA 255/35 R21; RA 285/30 R21
Paint finish: Chrome, hyper silver or black
Price: € 960/€ 990, incl. VAT

Fitting a twin choke downdraft Weber carburettor has been a popular entry-level tuning upgrade for Ford engines for decades and one used by Fords themselves on their performance models.

The Weber 32/34DMTL Manifold for Ford CVH engines has been out of production for many years; however, now Webcon is delighted to announce it is to be available again and should be ready for delivery by the time you read this.

The Webcon manifold features threaded ports to accept the original Ford connectors and switches, a hotspot with increased surface area for better carb heating and mounting posts for the linkage mechanism. This makes the Weber 32/34DMTL manifold an ideal fitment for Ford XR2 and XR3 models, as well and numerous other cars that used the CVH engine, such as Morgan 4/4 and Caterham.

Webcon’s Weber 32/34DMTL Manifold for Ford CVH engines can be ordered as part number MW9425 and retails at £284.66 plus VAT.

For further details contact Webcon UK on +44 (0)1932 787100 or visit www.webcon.co.uk