Though hugely functional, German automotive design can sometimes lean toward the antiseptic. Fortunately, Germany's close proximity to Italy has offered access to the best stylemeisters in the world. Names like Giugiaro, Bertone and Micholotti have lent their skilled hands to their northern neighbors with impressive results.inline_mediumwraptextright31043673/features/epcp_0912_rd_sport_rs46_bmw_m3epcp_0912_02_o+rs46_bmw_m3+rear_view.jpgTrue

"Get up off your knees!" comes the command from the bullhorn.

Usually they're telling me to get down on them, I think as the Long Beach patrolman proceeds to run our IDs. Our crime? Photographing this 911 Turbo on a watercraft loading dock.inline_mediumwraptextright26877814/features/epcp_0912_vorsteiner_v_rt_porsche_911epcp_0912_02_o+porsche_vorsteiner+rear_view.jpgTrue

Almost any Volvo makes a good used-car buy. Volvo wagons in particular have gained a reputation for being great family cars. But they were never seen as anything more until something strange happened to them in the 1990s: they became fun in the form of the 850T. The idea culminated in the Volvo V70 R, which began production in 1997 and went into two generations (the V70 is now in its third generation, but there is no current R model).inline_mediumwraptextright31354995/features/epcp_0912_volvo_v70_r_wagonepcp_0912_01_o+volvo_70r+front.jpgTrue

It seems lately the title of "tuner" has become confused with what we'll call an "automotive specialist." A specialist is a shop that can install a few aftermarket parts or perhaps even make a shift knob or exhaust.inline_mediumwraptextright26818414/features/epcp_0912_neuspeed_k04_tuned_audi_ttepcp_0912_14_o+audi_tt+side_view.jpgTrue

Epic journey
I'm now back at school, but my summer was far from boring. I went backpacking through Europe for five weeks, spanning over a dozen cities and seven countries, starting in Holland and ending in Paris. Needless to say, I saw plenty of car porn, from a matte black Bentley GT in Prague to Wiesmanns in Dusseldorf. Being the avid young gearhead that I am, a trip to Stuttgart was in order. Unfortunately, I was only in the city for two days, and both the Porsche and Mercedes museums were closed. I, however, would not be denied. Thanks to you guys, I was aware of a small tuning "haus" by the name of TechArt in neighboring Leonberg. We got off the train stop quite literally in the middle of nowhere. After wandering through the picturesque German countryside, we happened across a lady kind enough to show us the way. One hour and two miles later, we arrived. I entered sweaty and exhausted; a smartly clad German approached me. I spoke first: "I'm from America, and I came to see TechArt." Seeing that I was the real deal, he quickly shot back: "I'll send my manager right out for you, he'll give you a full tour." From the interior workshop to the cutting-edge tuning facility, the entire building oozed world-class tech and superior quality. We ended the tour with a quick round in the TechArt Magnum, a Cayenne with serious go-juice. With a turn of the key, the bi-turbo V8 boomed to life and shook me like an airstrike on a balmy spring morning. And so began the most impressive ride of my life, in a German panzer that could run with those snooty Italian "superleggeras" and the like. And so I thank you, ec, for sating my ravenous hunger for all things Auto, and for making my already unforgettable journey so much more satisfying.
Danny B.
Boston, MAinline_mediumwraptextright25990142/features/epcp_0912_lamborghini_gallardoepcp_0912_02_o+lamborghini_gallardo+rear_view.jpgTrue

Seat Time
Is the manual transmission as we know it going the way of dinosaurs and ice ages? I'll admit that I was one of those Luddites who, on the introduction of a manu-matic for the masses (VW Group's DSG), wrote dual-clutch transmission technology off as a fad, the answer to a question no one asked, the proverbial fixing what ain't broke.

Obsession
Egon Booms' Mercedes-Benz PontoonI have always loved Q-cars. The idea of putting a big, tricked-out engine into a small car, and seeing the look of surprise on the faces of sports car drivers as you leave them in the dust has its own brand of appeal. These days major manufacturers play this game very well indeed. BMW's M5 and the E63 AMG are just two examples of factory-built four-door hot rods that can really upset drivers of junior league supercars.

M Stands For All-Wheel Drive
First Drive
We appear to be in a serious situation here. Scientists tell us carbon emissions have hijacked the atmosphere and that global temperatures are going up. Raging storms assault unprepared coastal locales with alarming ferocity. The American Midwest remains frozen solid even as the polar ice caps melt and the seas rise.inline_mediumwraptextright26570566/features/epcp_0911_bmw_x6_m_fast_forwardepcp_0911_01_z+2010_bmw_x6_m+side_view.jpeg.jpgTrue

Seat Time
Is the manual transmission as we know it going the way of dinosaurs and ice ages? I'll admit that I was one of those Luddites who, on the introduction of a manu-matic for the masses (VW Group's DSG), wrote dual-clutch transmission technology off as a fad, the answer to a question no one asked, the proverbial fixing what ain't broke.inline_mediumwraptextright30760785/features/epcp_0911_m3_bmw_dct_fast_forwardepcp_0911_01_z+2009_bmw_m3+side_view.jpgTrue

The Ferrari 599 is almost the perfect all-around GT car. Fast, elegant and prodigious fun, it's just about the perfect all-around package. Except for the hateful looks of envious strangers, the paint stripper thrown on the car at night and half the population flipping you off at lights. Now the last bastion of Ferrari tuning, Novitec, has the answer with its supercharged version of the Maserati GranTurismo S.inline_mediumwraptextright26572618/features/epcp_0911_novitec_tridente_maserati_gran_turismo_sepcp_0911_02_z+maserati_gran_turismo_s+front_view.jpeg.jpgTrue

2007 Volkswagen GTI
Performance Software
It's a well known fact that when VW released the Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG), it changed the world's perception of what an automatic transmission was capable of. Suddenly it wasn't a paradox using the words "sporty" and "automatic" in the same sentence. But while impressive, DSG is a major control freak that spends every millisecond contemplating ways to keep the engine's power and torque in check, but not in a good way. We were originally informed by the manufacturer that this extremely advanced piece of technology could only handle about 258 lb-ft of torque. So they installed a torque limiter in the transmission's computer that would cause the transmission to disconnect if the torque limit was exceeded. The power struggle goes on virtually unnoticed because chip tuners found ways around this, manipulating torque numbers that the ECU lets the transmission see. While effective in preventing disconnect, it still doesn't address the fundamental problem with the overprotective DSG computer. Symptoms could include excessive timing retard, loss of power, and listlessness. While these symptoms can be attributed to other factors, the most likely condition is an agitated DSG computer.inline_mediumwraptextright25755260/features/epcp_0911_2007_volkswagen_gtiepcp_0911_01_o+2007_volkswagen_gti+tranny_shot.jpgTrue

Finally I pluck up the courage, that inner steel, and bury the throttle in almost $3 million of automobile. There's a moment's pause as four turbochargers find their feet, like the burning of the fuse on a firework, and then the world explodes.inline_mediumwraptextright26788234/features/epcp_0911_mansory_linea_vincero_bugatti_veyronepcp_0911_01_z+veyron+rear-view.jpgTrue

Almost any Volvo makes a good used-car buy. Volvo wagons in particular have gained a reputation for being great family cars. But they were never seen as anything more until something strange happened to them in the 1990s: they became fun in the form of the 850T. The idea culminated in the Volvo V70 R, which began production in 1997 and went into two generations (the V70 is now in its third generation, but there is no current R model).inline_mediumwraptextright25664717/features/epcp_0912_volvo_v70_repcp_0912_01_o+volvo_v70_r+front_view.jpgTrue

Seat Time
When VW rolled into the SUV game in 2003, the Touareg, though critically lauded, was publicly received with an attitude that could be described as lukewarm at best. Here was VW, known at the time for their quirky, hip, Gen-X-appealing models, suddenly throwing the Touareg against the Rovers, the Bimmers, the Benzes. And they expected the luxury SUV set to swallow this. Riiiiight.inline_mediumwraptextright26785966/features/epcp_0912_2009_volkswagen_touareg_tdiepcp_0912_01_o+2009_volkswagen_touareg_tdi+photo.jpgTrue

First Look The onboard temperature gauge is reading 51 degrees. That's Celsius (123.8 degrees F). For some unfathomable reason, I decide that this incendiary heat is something I want to appreciate first-hand, so I open the car door and leave its air-conditioned, leather-lined cocoon to face the fierceness of this featureless desert.inline_mediumwraptextright26774764/features/epcp_0912_aston_martin_rapideepcp_0912_01_o+aston_martin_rapide+right_side_shot.jpgTrue

The R53 MINI Cooper S emits a lovely supercharged whine as it accelerates through the gears. In the Playmini Cooper S Extreme, that whine is even more vocal and underpinned by the baritone roar of its bespoke sports exhaust. Charging up the road, it also becomes obvious that the two-pronged attack of pumping engine power and reducing weight has resulted in a MINI on steroids that punches well beyond its class.inline_mediumwraptextright25502456/features/epcp_0912_playmini_cooper_s_extremeepcp_0912_01_z+playmini_cooper_s_extreme+front_view.jpgTrue

Technical Data

Frame
High strength tubular steel structure with carbon fiber components.
Bodywork
In carbon fiber except door external panels (steel)

With the race gas in the tank, there are only two program settings available. The first gives smooth and linear power which pushes you back into the seat ever so subtly. Then Elliot suggested, with mischief in his eyes and a concurrent warning to wait until I reached a straight section of road, to flip a toggle switch under the dash. After finding such a stretch, I brought the M3 to a near stop, then floored it. First gear disappeared instantly, then in second, at about 4000 rpm, it was like I hit patch of black ice. While I'm used to doing burnouts from a dead stop, I'm not used to them occurring at 65 mph. The surge of power was immense and unexpected. Each increasing gear unleashed gobs of raw power that gave me a feeling that I can only describe as sublime terror.

It's a bleak economic climate, but like they say about every dark cloud, even this one has a silver lining-if you're a car guy, that is. There's never been a better time to capitalize on great cars turning up for hilariously little money only a few years into their lives.

I drove the original SPR1 in the South of Spain where you can take liberties with speeding within reason. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Sportec's Swiss homeland, where the police are as lacking in humor as Toblerone chocolate is too sweet for my palette. Because of this, I could only use the SPR1M's full power in short bursts when I was sure no one in uniform was looking. However, the rate at which the car rocketed to double the speed limit was clearly indicative of its potential.

Exterior
Gemballa carbon-fiber hood, spoiler, door skins, splitter, wings, sideskirts, tailgate

Speed: the elusive feeling, that utterly satisfying sensation of fastness. It's the number one reason so many of us are drawn to this automotive pastime.

Ed Cave's 1988 Porsche 911 Carrera
At dawn in the horse country of Cherokee County north of Atlanta, as we position Ed Cave's spectacular 1988 Carrera, a voice from behind a fence asks, "Who are you shooting for?" Before I can answer, he starts asking more questions. Informed questions. Turns out he's got a 930 in the barn.inline_mediumwraptextright25335950/features/epcp_0910_1988_porsche_911_carrera_ed_caveepcp_0910_01_z+1988_porsche_911_carrera+front_view.jpeg.jpgTrue

Seat Time
When North American Aviation sent the prototype P-51 fighter to England, the first thing the Brits did was shove a more powerful supercharged Merlin engine beneath its nose. Thus was born the most famous military aircraft of all time.

Again, all test cars came fully optioned, including the Sport button of the Sport Upgrade Pack and the sports ratio gearbox. In this trim, the Evora's 276 hp peaking at 6400 rpm and 258 pound-feet of torque at 4700 rpm get to 60 mph in an estimated 4.9 seconds, and it definitely feels about that quick. After all, with a quoted curb weight of 2,976 pounds (fore/aft weight distribution percentages are 39/61, by the by) each horse is carrying around just 10.8 pounds. It's definitely better for performance to keep revs around at least 3500 and felt best when downshifting to third for overtaking.