We loved the look and concept of Katech's Corvette Z06 ClubSport that we showed you last month, as did many of our readers. The emphasis on light weight components and track-ready components make it suitable for both street and racing duties, plus it's one of the most beautiful renditions of the Corvette we've seen to date. Our only complaint was that Katech provided just one photo to drool over. Fortunately, they remedied the situation by sending us a set of beautiful high-resolution photos, which we've added to the gallery below. You can also view more info on the car in the press release after the jump in case you missed it the first time around.
HSV's ClubSport R8 Tourer has officially arrived, giving our friends from Down Under the means to haul stuff, ass and any combination thereof as long as they part with $65K AUD. The super-duper Commodore SportWagon has got LS3 V8 power with 425 horses and 405 lb-ft of torque ready to transfer its rear tires to the ozone layer. To further underscore the undeniable awesomeness of this package, the standard gearbox is a six-speed manual. An automatic is available as an option, as are 20-inch wheels and a full-leather interior. Chances of us seeing this here? Essentially zero, since Pontiac is getting the Ute (G8 ST) instead of the wagon. That's just a shame. Sure, it's no Wagon Queen Family Truckster, but a hypothetical Pontiac G8 Safari GXP would deliver raucous fun for the whole family.
NISMO has finally released all the details on its line of upgrades for the R35 Nissan GT-R, and per usual, there's good news and bad news. On the positive side, the parts are the typical blend of OEM quality and fitment, with a focus on tighter handling and weight reduction. The Club Sport tuning package includes the Chassis pack made up of race-tuned Bilstein Damptronic adjustable dampers sheathed in 18.5kg/mm (front) and 9.6 kg/mm (rear) springs. The combination of rock-hard coils and adjustable damping at both low and high speeds should make the GT-R stickier in the corners and more stable while bombing through a fast sweeper. Rounding out the handling package is a set of Rays forged aluminum wheels, sized 20x9.5-inches in front (+45mm offset) and 20x10.5-inches (+25mm offset) in the rear, and wrapped in Bridgestone RE070R run-flats, sized 225/40 and 285/35, front and rear. These are rumored to be the same rollers we'll see on the Spec-V when it's unveiled in Paris this October. The rest of the parts focus on weight reduction, beginning with a lightweight axle-back exhaust that drops 11 pounds from the GT-R's curb weight, along with a carbon fiber undertray that reduces air turbulence and parasitic drag. Upgraded carbon-fiber backed and leather-trimmed seats are also part of the package, which retains the side airbags but nixes the electronic controls, reducing weight by another 13 pounds total. Naturally, some NISMO badging rounds out the upgrades. Now here's the bad news: the parts are only available in Japan as a package, can only be installed by 12 NISMO-authorized shops and come in at a whopping ¥5,460,000 (over $50,000). However, some U.S. importers have already worked out a distribution deal with NISMO, but for those of us in the States, we don't get the added benefit of the three-year/60,000 km warranty.
An American supercar with lightweight components, sport suspension, Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tires, aerodynamic body kit, and menacing black wheels. No, we're not talking about the Dodge Viper ACR. It's Katech's new ClubSport package for the Corvette Z06. The Detroit-based company has the credentials to build a 'Vette for the track. After all, it's responsible for building the race engines that go into the Le Mans-winning Corvette C6R race cars and the SCCA SPEED World Challenge cars. For the ClubSport, Katech adds a 14-inch, six-piston Brembo brake system, Moton ClubSport suspension, 15-spoke wheels, sticky Michelin tires, Katech appearance package, carbon fiber air intake, lightweight exhaust system and more. Also on the options list are leather race seats, A/C and radio delete, roll bar, and six-point harnesses. Add one of Katech's fully built motors, and the ClubSport will surely put down some pretty impressive numbers at the track.
Last year at the Wörthersee tour, VW and Audi threw red meat to the fans in the form of the Audi TT Clubsport quattro concept and the VW Golf GTI W12 650. Each was awesome in its own way, and now VW/Audi has set a precedent. For the Wörthersee 2008, Audi had already announced it would be bringing the A3 TDI clubsport quattro concept. Today, it drops shoe No. 2 by revealing a much more production-oriented version of the TT clubsport quattro. This is the same car that was spied out in the open last week. Officially, it's still a concept. Realistically, you know this thing's going into limited production.
The '08 edition of the TT clubsport follows in the '07 show car's footprints. Like its forebear, it packs 300 horsepower underhood (presumably from a TFSI four). That juice is directed to all four wheels via quattro AWD with Audi S tronic (i.e. Audi-ese for DSG) handling shifts. Nineteen-inch wheels shod in 35-series rubber are tucked under the clubsport's widebody kit. Up front, you'll find DRLs and a blacked-out grille, while out back you'll find a diffuser integrated in the bumper. Speedster humps sit beside the roll hoops and the chopped windscreen incorporates little baby A-pillars to help create a near-wraparound look. That's also your giveaway that this is a production car -- do you really think Audi would have bothered engineering a second version with real pillars if it didn't plan on selling it? Inside, the black interior is accented with plenty of aluminum and orange leather accents.
At the end of its press release, Audi tells us "Small-series production of this model cannot be ruled out." Well, duh, guys. You've just come out with a refined concept of a concept. You couldn't telegraph this any more if you wanted to. We look forward to seeing this Audified speedster redux in showrooms and the Autoblog Garage at some time in the not-very-distant future.
Car dropped a dime on Audi HQ to get the scoop on the automaker's production plans for the recently spied TT Clubsport Quattro, and as suspected, the roof-less coupe will be making a limited production run. Audi plans to produce between 50 and 100 examples on the open-top TT, but there are no plans on offering it in the UK, the U.S. or other markets outside of the Middle East. The rationale behind the decision centers on the warm climes and lack of rain in the Middle East, along with Audi's commitment to becoming a purveyor of the finest automotive wares. It's a smart move on Audi's part, but we can't help but feel slighted by the decision. Tonneau technology has certainly evolved since its original implementation in post-WWII roadsters, so we would've hoped that such a solution would be offered to enthusiasts around the world.
Audi has released the first official images of its newest concept before the wraps are taken off at the Lake Wörther Tour in Austria later this month. Think of the Audi A3 TDI Clubsport Quattro concept as a smaller, racier, more attainable version of the Audi R8 V12 TDI concept shown in Detroit, with power provided by the highest specific output diesel in the world.
Look past the DTM-inspired bodywork and you'll get an aluminum-enhanced glimpse of the oilburning jewel that lies beneath. The 1,968cc turbodiesel produces 221 hp and 332 lb.-ft. of torque available at an oh-so-low 1,750 rpm. Power is sent through a six-speed manual transmission before it reaches the ground through Audi's quattro all-wheel-drive system. Audi claims that the A3 TDI Clubsport Quattro can reach 62 mph in 6.6 seconds and on to a top speed of 149 mph. We believe it.
While the body work might be a bit over the top, the tuned A3 sits 26mm lower than stock and rides on 20-inch wheels that fit cleanly into blistered wheel arches, widening the A3's track by 33 mm in front and 46 mm in the rear. Stopping power in the front is provided by six piston calipers clamping 356mm carbon ceramic discs, while standard steel brakes are fitted out back. Inside, it's all business with a bit of show car flare, including a flat-bottom steering wheel, bolstered buckets, aluminum trim, toggle switches and a red starter button to get the party underway. Audi has also fitted the concept with a its Drive Select system, which can change throttle response, exhaust sound, power steering assist, ESP settings and magnetic ride damping on the fly.
Audi isn't saying that the A3 TDI Clubsport Quattro is destined for production, but it would make an excellent runabout for the times when rolling the R8 V12 TDI to the store would be overkill.
When Audi debuted the TT Clubsport Quattro Concept at the Wörthersee 2007 enthusiast meet last May, it was officially a design study. Apparently some folks at Audi determined that the concept was worth studying further, as spy photographers have captured what appears to be a production version based on the current TT. While most of the styling cues have been toned down to fit the current-gen TT, the speedster treatment remains the same with a short, pillarless, wrap-around windshield, high roll bars behind the seats and serious fender flares at all four corners. Other changes include larger side mirrors, an additional brake light out back and the use of actual door handles where the concept only showed bare sheetmetal. That concept was powered by a 300-horsepower TFSI four-cylinder, though we don't know what powerplant resides under this TT's hood. Judging by the racing-style seats and large, many-spoked wheels, however, we suspect that it's pretty potent.
Like the sedan and ute before it, the Holden Commodore Sportwagon will also soon have a corresponding HSV performance variant. The HSV Tourer is essentially an HSV Clubsport R8 Wagon, as it features the muscle sedan's front clip and 425-horsepower (317kW) LS3 V8 powertrain. Look for it to arrive arrive in Australia this October and in the U.S. as a Pontiac, well, never. (Pontiac has no plans to bring over the Commodore Sportwagon, remember.)
HSV admits that the Tourer could take some sales away from the Clubsport R8 upon which it's based, but that the presence of the wagon in the now-complete HSV lineup should still help HSV's sales numbers overall. Drive.com.au notes that the Commodore Sportwagon was supposed to launch back in March, but has been delayed while Holden continues to work out kinks with the wagon bodystyle. We expect to get plenty more info on the HSV Tourer closer to its launch, but today, we're more bummed than ever that Pontiac isn't importing the Commodore Sportwagon. Imagine what the possibilities could have been... Pontiac G8 Safari GXP? Not bad. And unfortunately, not gonna happen.
