Most dramatic about the Hamann-built car is the stainless steel bumper guard and underride, which wraps around from the hood line, down around the bumper and below to the undercarriage. The two are said to "...protect the bumper against damage which can occur at parking. The underride guard...can also stand heavy-duty off road operation." I feel sorry for the recipient of said parking damage, but, oh well.
For those who have gone off roading or looked at some sorry bastard's truck who has, the sport can wreak havoc on the lower bodywork. Hamann offers solid stainless-steel stepboards, which in addition to protecting the sills provide easy ingress and egress.
Performance and handling go hand in hand with Hamann. As of yet, the firm offers only a stainless-steel exhaust system, consisting of manifolds, free-flow catalytic converters, silencers and tips for the S model. It is said to increase horsepower by 14 bhp. A full program for the Turbo will be completed soon.
Hamann offers a suspension system for both the pneumatic and coil-spring suspensions. Cars with conventional springs are lowered 35mm, while the electronic control for the pneumatic suspension lowers the car by 40mm.
According to the company, its sport suspension is designed to work with it 22-in. wheels. The accompanying photo shows the Cayenne with Hamann's Anniversary II wheel, a new multi-spoke design. For Hamann purists, the company also offers its celebrated five-spoke PG3 multi-piece wheel. Both wheels measure 10.5x22 in. and are shod with 295/30ZR22 tires.
Greatest Challenge BSR Volvo S60 T5If this BSR Volvo S60 T5 looks sedate, it's because it was meant to. A true wolf in sheep's clothing, this mild-mannered looking sedan was meant to mimic the capabilities of the production-based racing machines in Sweden's popular Challenge Cup series. In terms of performance, it does a pretty good job of aping its track brethren, except it adds another 100 hp.
"Nothing on this car is for looks," explained Stefan Olsson, the exceptionally keen director of BSR. "Every part we added has some purpose. Unlike other tuners who worry only about straight-line speed, I want a car that also handles superbly."
It seems Olsson got his wish. In a recent magazine test, the 2001 BSR T5 was 6 sec. faster per lap than a stock machine. Olsson credits much of that to BSR's "whole car" approach, and the invaluable feedback of its test drivers, which include an F3 pilot and former Formula One test driver.
At the same time, Olsson insisted, this capability must not come at the expense of functionality and drivability. "I don't want to have to constantly work on my cars, getting my hands dirty all the time," he explained. "I want to drive."
If you owned this machine, you'd probably want to drive it as well. A rolling lab for BSR's extensive collection of Volvo go-fast parts, it was a fine demonstration of what a tuned car can be, without giving up a single creature comfort. BSR's strong suit is its knowledge of engine management control. Broadly labeled "chip tuning," BSR's Stage 4 Challenge chip goes far beyond simply adding more boost.