The Volkswagen Golf GTI was unveiled in 1975 at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The UK market had to wait a further two years for vehicles to arrive - 1977 saw 34 examples, all of them left hand drive, sold in the GTI's first tentative year.

Horsepower is like a drug. It provides a nice high for while, but the cravings for more soon ensue. This is the case with the Audi A3 equipped with AWE's K04 turbo upgrade. It wasn't the lack of power that prompted the quest for greater thrills, but brief exposure to the vehicle's potential. It just so happens that AWE has recently finished development on a fuel system upgrade to accompany the K04. Time to get a fix.

Novitec Rosso F430 Spider Supersport
Quite possibly even more of a blast

Torque Of The Town
*Being German, Carlsson isn't afraid of rolling up its metaphorical sleeves and getting into tuning diesels. This was once a plain Mercedes-Benz ML 320 CDI. That was before Carlsson's C-Tronic diesel power kit upped the V6 engine's output to a claimed 269 hp and a lusty 451 lb-ft of torque at 1800 rpm, which is always useful in an off-road vehicle. We'll forgive Carlsson's engineers for not being too imaginative when it comes to names, because the C-Tronic suspension lowers the ride height by nearly two inches and imits body roll. It can sense when spring rates need to be stiffened for optimum ride comfort and control. In addition to the aero kit, four tailpipes lend a sportier sound, while the company's 1/11 BE (standing for Brilliant Edition) 22-inch wheels provide visual impact as well as being lightweight.
www.carlsson.de
www.ggituning.com

Hamann Lamborghini Murcilago LP640
*Ouch. Or even wow. German tuning house, Hamann, has taken the LP640 and added to its considerable presence. So much so that it'll seem like there are no other cars on the road. Just check that hood scoop. Aerodynamic appendages are available in fiberglass or the way more serious carbon-Kevlar. Wheels are 20-inch Edition Race items, with huge 13-inch-wide rears. And with a double-pipe exhaust made from stainless steel, it will sound as tough as it looks. As part of the package, Hamann offers a carbon-look interior, made according to a customer's specifications and there's the obligatory range of multimedia gadgets to choose from.
www.hamann-motorsport.de

Trollspeed Saab Tuner Builds 760-Horse Powerhouse
The engine revs at ear-splitting levels. Although the sound is deafening, if you listen carefully, there's a perfect rhythm within the din, which, as the rpm climbs, becomes the noise of pure performance. Then, in an instant, silence as the DynoJet comes to a halt. All eyes are directed to a chart on a computer screen. The numbers show 760 hp at 5800 rpm-impressive, to say the least. As surprising as it is impressive is that the car tested isn't a modified twin-turbo 996, Ferrari Maranello F1 or Lamborghini Murcilago. Quite the contrary. Though it outputs horsepower comparable to any of the world's top supercars, the car in question is a Saab.

Digi-Tec MINI Cooper And Cooper S
An Added Sparkle That Goes Beyond Just Being Faster
One of the most extreme and well-sorted BMW M Coupes I've ever driven came from Digi-Tec, a chip tuning specialist in Datteln, Germany. Thus, it comes as no surprise that the latest additions to Digi-Tec project lineup are the new MINI Cooper and Cooper S. The Cooper S is obviously more amenable to big power increases, but the Digi-Tec Cooper shows a worthwhile boost as well.

Cement tycoons from Liechtenstein aren't quite a dime a dozen. And such a car buyer generally wants something that, at the very least, announces to the rest of Liechtenstein: "Thank you, fellow loyal subjects of Liechtenstein, for coming to me for all your cement needs." After such niceties, the black flash that just smoked you is Wolfgang Gerster in his SPR1 T80, commissioned from Swiss tuner, Sportec.

Wouldn't it be interesting if Porsche brought this GT3 RS to the world's 'Green Car' summit? Global warming and general hilarity would almost certainly ensue.

Event: Roller Derby
A day at the dyno

Inspired by the legendary 'Speed' models that first appeared in 1923, the new Bentley Continental GT Speed is the most powerful production Bentley ever. And the first to top 200 mph. Its W12 engine develops nine percent more power (600 hp) and 15 percent more torque (553 lb-ft) than the standard Continental GT, while engine efficiency is optimized by the use of lower friction, lighter components and a new management system. The result is a top speed of 202 mph and a zero-to-60 mph time of just 4.3 seconds. Although the regular Continental GT remains pretty quick: top speed is 198 mph, and zero-to-60 mph happens in 4.6 seconds.

The Audi Q7 is hefty, but nothing that 500 hp and 440 lb-ft can't shift. JE Design claims to have achieved these numbers by fitting a watercooled supercharger system, new exhaust from the manifolds back, modified engine management and reinforced internals such as specially forged pistons. The conversion also employs an exterior styling kit that incorporates fender flares, custom door panels, a rear fin, headlamps and a tailgate skirt. And there's a choice of wheels: JE Design '361' or Azev R, both in 10x22 format.

Dyno days are all about what your car can do. Anyone can dump money into a car, but making horsepower takes a little more planning and skill in execution. There are plenty of show cars with thousands of dollars in bolt-on parts that, on paper, should be putting out 400 wheel-hp. Then the owner finally gets up the nerve to put the car on the rollers, only to find out all his engine bling is good for a mere 250.

*Celebrating 40 years of tuning, Nothelle has turned to the new Audi TT with upgrades for both the 2.0T and V6, offering a sport suspension, new aerodynamics and new Novedra IX lightweight alloy wheels. The 2.0-liter turbo engine can benefit from four different performance programs, from a simple chip tune (adding 40 hp) to a complete rebuild (adding 130 hp). Nothelle also offers a fire-breathing twin-turbo set-up for the 3.2-liter V6, raising output to 520 hp and claiming a top speed of 191 mph.

Truth be told, a good portion of the automotive aftermarket scares the hell out of me. I drive a bone-stock SVT Contour (that's Mondeo to you) when I'm not moonlighting as an automotive journalist, and there's a good reason it remains bone stock. To wit, the automotive aftermarket scares the hell out of me.

The modifications in this series will be specifically compatible to both the new Z4 M Coupe and M Roadster models. Some upgrades may also work for the non-M Z4 models. There are specific performance objectives and the whole process will be governed by the following guidelines:

Imagine cruising down the strip in your new R8, checking out the chicks and looking pretty damned slick in surely the finest car ever to wear an Audi badge. Then, just for a second, think about the derisory glance you'd give this kitted-out TT pulling alongside at the lights. And then envisage your world falling apart as this pocket rocket rammed that sense of smug self-satisfaction down your throat and blew your baby off the road.

The Heckler
Racing Dynamics tunes a 3 Series to annoy M3s
Few cars are more ripe for tuning than the BMW 3 Series-near 50-50 weight distribution, rear drive, strong brakes, linear steering and torquey, creamy-smooth engines. To improve upon said attributes isn't easy, but Racing Dynamics has been re-mastering BMWs since way back, and the company's latest project is based on the current E46. RD ended up creating a slick piece that slots in easily above a stock 330i and just (barely) below the M3.

TVA New Beetle
When the New Beetle Cabriolet hit dealer showrooms in 2003, TVA, a firm specializing in New Beetle and MINI Cooper accessories, was among the first to take delivery of the beguiling new ragtop. Having had honed its skills on several nicely modified NB project cars, TVA dressed up the Harvest Moon Beige Cabriolet with a catalog's worth of aesthetic and performance parts.

Hamann HM3 EVO Edition M3 Convertible
You've got to question the logic of a 180-mph convertible. Why not simply remove the roof of a Cessna Turbo Skylane, a sleek, commuter aircraft that's almost as fast. Hamann GmbH doesn't tune planes, however. It tunes automobiles, primarily ones built by BMW. Although this convertible 2004 M3 has more than enough power to fly, Hamann's aerodynamic program ensures it stays well grounded. Hamann's carbon-fiber body kit is comprised of a Competition front spoiler, side skirts and adjustable rear wing. The aluminum hood was fabricated by Radenergie and features dual vents for additional cooling. Radenergie carbon-fiber side gills and Hamann brake cooling ducts ensure properly directed ventilation. The lighting system was modified with Hamann's new illuminated rings and utilizes "cold cathode" technology like that found in computer scanners.

Show, Then Go Bsr Saab 9-5
We all remember the schoolyard boasts: "My Dad's car is so fast." It seems that's a universal phenomenon, and Mikael Edstrand's son is full of such info. He's constantly telling his school chums that his father's car is faster than any other Saab 9-5 in Sweden (think about Germany's fastest BMW, and you'll sense the import there). And likely under threat of body and reputation, he's also constantly trying to explain that compared to the wildly popular World Rally Cars, his dad's car is way more powerful. Yeah, sure it is kid, and we all thought our pop's Vega was cool, too.

No matter how much power a manufacturer delivers in a new car, it is never enough for some. This is most certainly the case with Porsche's brilliant new Cayenne Turbo, the performance tour de force of the SUV set.

JE Design Audi A8
Founded in 1990 by Jochen Eckelt, JE Design concentrates its business on the VAG-built cars, starting with Volkswagen and followed by Audi and SEAT in 1996.

If you attended the North American International Auto Show in Detroit this January, you couldn't miss Volvo's bold XC60 Concept. The thrust of this project was two-fold: first, to offer a preview of the next XC-series model, and second, to show off the evolution of Volvo's design language.

For many, the M5's subtle appearance is just fine, allowing the occasional exploration of the 500-bhp V10 motor's talents without attracting unwanted attention. But for those who think BMW's fastest saloon is too stealthy, they could always send theirs to Hamann Motorsport for the equivalent of a big dose of steroids. Hamann calls this conversion its Edition Race.