Factory Tuners

This year the 2010 Geneva Auto Show was like a buffet in which I hand-picked all the types of food. The manufacturers were the staples; steak, potatoes, a dessert platter, etc. I expected them to be there and taste good, as usual. But the real treats this year came from the tuners. They are the crazy geniuses that take a mass-produced car into their kitchens and create something extraordinary and (for better or worse) original. There were lots of tuners and coach-builders showing their wares at Geneva this year, and here are my 5 favorites in no specific order:

Finally, Audi's prince of AWD luxury has arrived. When the A5 coupe debuted people fell head over heels for its long nose, muscular metal and supple interior. Of course any good coupe worth it's weight in salt needs a performance variant, so naturally there was an S-model, propelled by a 354hp V8. But what people really wanted was to see the A5 get the RS treatment. With a stance and design that looks formidable yet sleek, it was only fair to give it a proper engine and some real performance. The S5 was quick, but could easily fall victim to numerous sport sedans, coupes and imports.

Nothing ruins taking your fellow law buddies for a ride like having a 19 year old kid in a WRX hand you your briefcase. Well at long last, we have the official specs of the upcoming, beautiful, powerful 2010 Audi RS5.  It won't make it's public debut until the Geneva Motor Show next week, but because the brochure was leaked onto the internet last weekend, we can provide all the only data you need to know.

It's almost springtime. For some people that means flowers, rain, new life and all that sappy stuff. I would probably drive past the new foliage and bird-watchers though, because your local BMW dealership will probably have a new M3 on the lot, featuring the 2011 BMW M3 "Competition Package."  Available in Spring of 2010, this add on will be available for all models (Coupe, Sedan, Convertible) and will cost $2,500.

It includes lightweight alloy wheels, lowered suspension (10mm), trick looking carbon fiber front and rear spoilers, and a new EDC setting simply called, "sport mode." Along with that wildly creative EDC setting comes several new stability control programs, all aimed at improving the handling and driving experience. The aero bits look great. The raw carbon fiber accents the body color (unless it's black) and will help the car stand out among the seemingly thousands of new M3s seen daily. The rear spoiler is a nice touch, elongating the shape of the trunk and balancing the profile.

Toyota took a 20% hit in sales last year and lost a whopping $4.8 billion. The downturn in the economy was a big factor but the company's new chief, Mr. Toyoda, recognizes that the brand needs a shot of adrenaline. Scion has long had a strong heartbeat, speaking directly to a younger demographic with unbridled success. And Lexus has been getting serious about performance by delivering the 416 hp IS-F along with F-Sport tuning components, and more recently, blowing everyone away with the new 2011 LFA.

Toyota's current lineup is seriously lacking in the performance department but that is all about to change with the introduction of their FT-86 rear-wheel drive sports coupe. And to take things one step further, at the 2010 Tokyo Auto Salon, the Toyota G Sports Series was debuted as the company's new aftermarket bolt-on tuning offering.

The HGTE upgrade package for the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano was first announced in March at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show and, in June, full details and pricing information for this kit was released. Now, the company is announcing that existing 599 GTBs can get the Handling GTE package as a dealer-installed option.

Back in March, at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show, Ferrari first unveiled the Handling Gran Turismo Evoluzione (HGTE) package for the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano. However, since then there hasn't been much follow-up. Now, we finally have tons of pictures of the GTB Fiorano in its full HTGE gear.

You always have to take notice when there is package available to make an already exceptional car outstanding. So how do you improve on Ferrari's most powerful road car, a vehicle outfitted with a 6.0-liter V12 engine capable of a top speeds of 205 mph and a 0-60 mph sprint in 3.7 seconds? Well, you take all that unbridled power and make it handle "better" by tightening things up to allow for more agility, sharper cornering, increased responsiveness and incisive steering. And maybe, just maybe, adding sporty and dynamic driving to the Ferrari GTB Fiorano is enough to silence all critics.

The long wait is over. The Nissan NISMO 370Z has officially gone on sale with an MSRP of $39,130. The NISMO version adds 18 additional horsepower, a sport-tuned suspension system and an aerodynamic body kit. The 3.7-liter V6 engine is good for 350 hp and 276 lb-ft of torque. The extra juice comes from a free flow dual exhaust system, muffler tuning and a remapped ECM. The gearbox is a close-ratio 6-speed manual tranny with the company's SynchroRev Match. This is great for those who haven't mastered heel-toe downshifting. Following the trend set by Acura, only a handful of accessories will be available. These include NISMO Carpeted Floor Mats ($115), Illuminated Kick Plates ($200) and a Carpeted Trunk Mat ($95).

The suspension system of the Nissan 370Z has been tweaked by NISMO with a reinforced strut tower brace, body dampers, specially tuned springs, shock absorbers and stabilization bars. The car sits on wide 19 inch RAYS forged aluminum-alloy wheels. A limited-slip diff and sports brakes come standard. The aero kit integrates an extended nose with canard design for better downforce along with a chin spoiler. Airflow is managed by special side sills, a new rear fascia and large rear spoiler.

The special edition Mini Cooper John Cooper Works World Championship 50 first dropped on the scene at the 2009 Mini United Festival at Silverstone in May, but at that time there were no official press images or full details available. Fast forward a month and we now have the whole nine. This car is a direct tribute to the 50th anniversary of MINI's motorsports conquests, which kicked off in 1959 when sports car constructor John Cooper won his first Formula One Constructor's Championship title with Jack Brabham at the wheel (who also took home the F1 Driver's Championship.) A full complement of exterior and interior touches that symbolize the racing pedigree of this car are offered.