This is how and where the tuning companies and enthusiasts come into play and they begin to open yet more ideas of enchantment.

Velos Designwerks have a special treat for us in the form of a special tuning package that really brings the 650i Gran Coupe closer to the streets.

Let’s face it, even though it’s an expensive BMW sedan, it’s had more to do with the Fast and Furious franchise than it has with the Wall Street movies.

Now that a tuning company finally got round to modifying it, the street presence is much more up to spec. It’s not like the young go getting guy was fired.

It’s like he quit his job and he found his college hoodie to jog around in as he figures things out. There’s a lot of expectation and some pressure, but he’s just the kind of guy who can wing it.

Oh yeah, we were talking about a BMW. It got a new bonnet design, a set of lowering springs, lightweight SOLO X forged wheels and Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires.

Add a very cool looking silver paint and some extra performance courtesy of an ECU remap and you’ve got yourself quite the treat.

All these changes have given our “boy” a bit of a rakish look and perhaps a more threatening presence than any PR people would encourage. Which makes it even more interesting.

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They’ve probably ruined our favorite performance sedan by fitting a disgusting body kit or modifying its performance to a point where it’s a drag.

It may develop a couple thousand horsepower but it has no warranty, cannot be used for more than 5 minutes and only runs on vodka and squirrel tears.

I would expect the same thing, but us judgmental fools have been set straight by the small German tuner who’ve turned up with an easily digestible makeover.

They’ve fitted the F10 M5 with their own new exhaust system, a borrowed muffler, borrowed carbon fiber air intakes and remapped the ECU.

And the exterior? Well PP Performance didn’t bother with it, they don’t plan to mess about with perfection. That’s just as well since M Division discrete appearance is still there.

Also, the M Division Performance is still there, with quite the bonus. All those aditions have bumped the 4.4 liter V8 Twin-Turbo to 640 horsepower and 608 lb-ft of torque.

Love this one. It’s not the sort of tuner car that is created to bring joy, controversy or discussion points to those around.

This one was created to bring joy to the driver. Isn’t that what BMW, particularly M Division products, are supposed to be all about?

Source

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Being Germans, they probably couldn’t let themselves screw it up so they looked into every aspect of the BMW X1 and tried to improve or add some individuality to it.

That’s why they offer a new look for the exterior, updated interior accessories, a tweaked suspension setup and even some power upgrades for all the engines in the range.

The exterior look is a mere refinement moment rather than a flamboyant wide body kit and, as a result, is pretty self explanatory.

We might as well focus on the technical stuff while we’re at it. The suspension was revised with new springs and features a 30 mm drop. Unfortunately, this is only available for the xDrive models.

Thankfully, the new look is well complemented by new sets of alloy wheels, all of which measure in at 20 inches and come with Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 or Continental Sport Contact 5P tires.

And now we can get to the engine, the BMW X1’s sDrive18d and xDrive18d versions get their engine upgraded from 143 to 177 horsepower.

One class higher, the sDrive20d / xDrive20d can go from the 177 standard ponies to 210 whereas the xDrive23d goes from 203 to 249 horsepower.

Finally, the most exciting choice in the range, the BMW X1 xDrive28i goes from the standard 258 horsepower to 275.

All of these changes are achieved via the optimizing of the ECU curves and also come with some modest improvements in the torque figure.

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Having tuned up some of the diesel powerplants found in the 1 Series, they’ve now turned attention to the petrol powered engines.

To begin with, the smallest, most frugal and cheapest model that BMW offers. The BMW 116i gets its grunt from a gasoline sipping four cylinder.

It may be helped along by the infamous TwinPower Turbo system as long as direct injection but the 1.6 liter engine still only offers 136 horsepower and 162 lb-ft of torque.

Hartge have quickly messed about with the brain of that engine and managed to make it produce 171 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque.

http://youtu.be/m6skR1sV23Y

The new figures aren’t going to shock anybody but they do make a difference, particularly when it comes to acceleration at overtaking speeds.

That’s why the German tuner even posted a video of the differences it makes on a quick acceleration between 50 and 112 mph.

Over the difference is considerably easier to spot since there’s a 7 second gap in what’s usually a 27 second spot. Overtaking is certainly more fun in the Hartge tuned 116i.

If you’re interested in pricing for this remap or any of the other bits Hartge is offering for the BMW 1 Series you’ll have to contact them directly.

Despite the secrecy, we don’t expect any major price hike if you’re going to order this modification and nothing else extra. Well, maybe the wheels.

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Not more kits or more bits to the original kit, just more power underneath its sinuous looking body.

Each of the powerplants currently available under the bonnet of the 6 Series convertible can get a new exhaust and an ECU remap from Hartge.

The exhaust system is basically the same though its adapted between to fit either the V8 or I6 exhaust manifolds. It consists of a stainless steel ensemble with new cats, silencers and mufflers.

With the ECU remap things are a little different. Starting off with the BMW 640d Cabrio, the 3.0 liter twin turbocharged inline six gets the first call.

Power goes up from 313 horsepower to 362. The torque figure also grows up to 538 lb-ft of torque with most of it available as low as 1800 rpm.

The 3.0 liter inline six in the 640i Cabrio gets tuned up from 320 horsepower to 384 horsepower and 398 lb-ft of torque.

With the top of the line 650i Hartge pumps the 4.4 liter turbocharged V8 by the biggest amount.

Starting with 407 horsepower it now produces 490 hp and 530 lb-ft of torque. This version is available with either rear wheel drive or the xDrive option as well.

The original body kit and wheel options are still available. What isn’t available however is the pricing for any of these changes.

If you’re interested your only option is to contact Hartge themselves who’ll give you the final details on costs and availability.

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Reportedly only some 5703 units of the BMW Z8 were built and sold over the four year period it was on sale. That’s just the tip of the problem.

Of these units, some have certainly been crashed so far (handling may have something to do) and others have already been tuned up by other companies.

With all of this information available and with tuning being a principle of exclusivity, why on earth did somebody at Senner Tuning say, you know what… we should make a kit for the Z8.

It makes absolutely no sense but it doesn’t really matter because it’s happening. Not that I don’t think they won’t make any money on it but Senner Tuning have thankfully kept things simple.

The BMW Z8 gets a new sports air filter, a new exhaust that’s less restrictive and the proverbial ECU remapping. That translates into an output of 450 horsepower and 394 pound-feet of torque from the 5.0 liter V8 engine.

With these new figures the BMW Z8 can get up to a top speed of 186 mph.

Oh and just in case you weren’t known as being insecure that you needed a very rare car tuned up, Senner Tuning will fit new 19 inch Work Schwert SC1 wheels and a coilover suspension and Racing Gold varnished brake calipers.

If you’re interested, the Senner Tuning kit for the BMW Z8 costs some $25.000. Not cheap, but you shouldn’t expect that attribute to really come anywhere near the Z8.

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