SUV

G-Power may not be a name that readily comes to mind when you think of BMW tuners, but the company is really hoping to change all that in short order. Last time we heard from this German mod shop they unleashed the world's fastest BMW coupe - the G-Power M6 Hurricane. This time around they are taking a crack at the BMW X5 with the same storm weather naming convention and ridiculous power conversions.

The G-Power Typhoon "Black Pearl" is about as extreme a sport 'ute as you'll find (this week). The Bimmer's 4.8-liter V8 engine gets reengineered with new pistons, rods, crankshaft, fuel injectors and benefits from revised ECU mapping and additional cooling systems. If that wasn't enough, it's also bootstrapped with an SK III RS supercharger and outfitted with a new intake and exhaust. With 625 horsepower on tap (an increase of 270 hp), the Typhoon blasts from 0 to 62 mph in just 4.5 seconds with a top end of 186 mph.

A couple weeks ago we wrote about the new Scion xB Release Series 7.0 that debuted at the 2009 LA Auto Show. As a follow-up, Scion released a great online game called Murasaki Street Racer where you can hurl the xB through a downtown metropolis at night. Jump in right away and play a practice game or sign-in via Facebook and challenge your buddies. Those capturing high scores will have access to special badges and bragging rights on top of the leader boards.

This is a fun game that is pretty basic but becomes addicting after just a few rounds. Rolling solo gets old fast, so we encourage you to connect on the Scion Release Series FB page and get in on the action with your friends. We have quite a lively competition going here at Sub5zero! If our productivity has seemed lax today this is specifically why...

Along with the Desert Gold Edition SLS AMG, the Mercedes-Benz G 55 AMG Kompressor "Edition 79" was also introduced at the Dubai Motor Show. Since the Gulf region represents its biggest market for the top-end SUV, it only made sense for Mercedes to do something special for this event.

This limited edition model will be finished in "designo mango alanite grey", a paint color seen exclusively on SLS AMG. It features a front-mounted crash bar, carbon side strips and chrome protective grills all around. Inside, two-tone leather seats in black/sand and lots of carbon-fiber trim adorn the cabin. As the name indicates, only 79 examples of this special G-Wagen will be available, each with its own number designation emblazoned on the front of the selector lever.

Ruf Automobile is a name that many car fans, and every Porsche fan, should know. In 1987 their “Yellowbird” 911 (see at bottom) went 211mph, and was the fastest sports car on the planet, and they have been building cars like that ever since. Their cars are so good, Porsche ships them bare chassis and lets Ruf put their own name on them, VIN# and all. But where will companies like this be when Al Gore is king? Plug-ins and hybrids get more attention than a 200mph Porsche.

Well Ruf is no one-trick pony. Their newest e-car is the Porsche Cayenne-based eRuf Stormster. This is carbon off-setting at its coolest (Lowering your “carbon footprint” means doing things for the environment to off-set the things that harm the environment. For example if you use electricity, you might run your car on bio-diesel). It's the first luxury plug-in electric SUV, and it's impressive.

Each year it seems that the LA Auto Show serves as the launch platform for the unveiling of a new special edition model from Scion. This year the company dropped the xB Release Series 7.0, a revitalized and jazzed up variant of their popular sport-ute. Only 2,000 limited editions will be built with each uniquely numbered. The show car, designated number 007, features a special purple hue known as "Murasaki" that has elicited visceral reactions, both good and bad.  

The Scion xB Release Series 7.0 comes with lowered TRD springs that drop the vehicle's height by a full inch. A four-piece DAMD body kit adds a lower front and rear lip, side skirts with a rear spoiler optional. A new sport exhaust system also is included with double-walled tailpipes.

ENCO Exklusive may not be as well known as some of their fellow German tuners but they certainly can't be dismissed for lack of creativity or ambition. Their latest offering, the ENCO Gladiator 700 GT Biturbo, based on the Porsche Cayenne Turbo, is about as radical as we've seen for across-the-board SUV modifications with substantial engine tuning, bodywork, interior customization and styling revisions.

The heart of the new ENCO Gladiator 700 GT Biturbo is a supercharged V8 engine capable of 700 hp with 627 lb-ft of torque. Larger turbos, sport catalytic converters, an ENCO-designed sport exhaust system with manifolds and a variety of other tweaks account for the power gains. Amazingly, this allows this 5,000 pound SUV to rip from 0 to 62 mph in just 4.5 seconds.

Porsche tuner TechArt is fresh off their win of Sport Auto's Tuner Grand Prix 2009. But this doesn't have Stuttgart's finest mod shop resting on its laurels as they have just announced a new package for the Porsche Cayenne Diesel. Compared to some of TechArt's previous builds, like the 680 hp TechArt Magnum (based on the Cayenne Turbo S), this design is much tamer and will have broader appeal.

German tuning specialist HAMANN is back at it again with their latest creation based on the Mercedes-Benz G55 AMG. Dubbed the HAMANN Typhoon, this super hopped-up SUV will compete against the Brabus G V12 S Biturbo, a 700 hp dynamo that's top of class. Hamann uses their own HM600 power kit to push the factory engine output 100 horses up to 600 hp. This package also includes a larger belt pulley, revamped transmission with oil cooler and new electronics. With this setup this truck is capable of sprinting 0 to 60 mph in 5.1 seconds with a top speed of 162 mph. That ain't half bad for a vehicle with a starting curb weight of 5,635 pounds.

Exterior mods to the Mercedes G-Class SUV include carbon fiber mirror housings, door handles, fender vents and front grill. Other tweaks include a new front spoiler with built-in LED running lights, rear bumper with diffuser and roof spoiler. The Hamann Typhoon also gets high-performance brakes, 24-inch alloy wheels and a six-tailpipe (yes that's 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6) side-vented exhaust system. It's definitely far from the original Geländewagen vision but in line with the current taste in the market for excess and flamboyance.