Since 2006, Gemballa has been building custom interpretations of the Porsche Carrera GT supercar, making it perhaps the foremost Carrera GT tuner in the world. For its latest iteration, Gemballa has decided to relax the power output and focus on a decisively seductive matt black finish.

Some of Gemballa’s GTs have put out as much as 750hp (560kW), but the Matt Edition is satisfied with 670hp (500kW) on tap. That’s still about 50hp (40kW) more than the stock Carrera GT, however, and with 465lb-ft (630Nm) of torque it’s sure to be a fun ride in any gear.

Gemballa’s claimed performance stats back that up: 0-62mph (100km/h) takes 3.7 seconds, and it’ll hit 124mph (200km/h) in just 9.7. Both of those figures shave two tenths of a second from the stock times, and the power boost takes top speed up to at least 208mph (335km/h).

Beyond the power mods, the Matt Edition adds lots of exposed carbon fiber accents, a black-on-black color scheme and custom alloy wheels. A hydraulic height-adjustable coilover kit is also supplied to improve handling, as well as protect the car when any steep bumps need to be conquered.

Inside, there’s a mix of blue Alcantara and leather trim as well as carbon-fiber and aluminum accents.

Source: Gemballa adds Matt Edition to Mirage GT stable – [Porsche Carrera GT] – MotorAuthority – Car news, reviews, spy shots

The past couple of months has seen a blitz of stories about the new Porsche Panamera, such as its dramatic 94th story reveal in a Shanghai skyscraper and its official world debut. For now, the four-door Porsche will only be offered in various V8-engined guises, but more economical engines are expected to be arriving soon – including a hybrid model. Currently, Porsche has a Cayenne SUV prototype that uses a 3.0L V6 hybrid engine sourced from Audi, and it wouldn’t be surprising if this engine found its way into the Panamera for the more environmentally conscious Porsche buyers out there. Speaking with the Associated Press, Porsche executive board member Michael Macht confirmed that there will be a Cayenne hybrid next year and a “Panamera hybrid soon after."

Porsche purists may balk at the idea, but there is also expected to be a conventional V6 engine for the new Panamera – in other words, Porsche’s famed flat-six won’t likely be making an appearance in the new four-seater model. Porsche’s head of research and development, Wolfgang Durheimer, has previously explained that the flat-six engine doesn’t fit in the front of the Panamera because of the particular shape of the engine bay, as well as the fact that the suspension would get in the way.A V6-engined variant will certainly bring down the cost of the cheapest Porsche Panamera, which for now resides with the Panamera S that starts at a little under $90,000. Assuming a petrol-powered V6 becomes the entry-level model, with conventional suspension rather than Porsche’s air suspension system, we could see the Panamera drop a large amount of that $90,000 price tag.

- Porsche Panamera hybrid and V6 models coming next year – [2010 Porsche Panamera] – MotorAuthority – Car news, reviews, spy shots

Advanced multimedia and navigation systems are becoming increasingly central to daily life with modern cars. Especially at the luxury end of the segment, where BMW’s iDrive, Mercedes-Benz’s COMAND, Lexus’s new haptic system with Enform and Audi’s MMI all compete for top honors. The latest iteration of Audi’s navigation system and MMI has now been released and is scheduled to debut in the A3, TT and R8 models.

New features include improved screen resolution and faster route calculation speed. The radio-navigation system, version E (RNS-E), can also be combined with the Audi music interface and now reads up to 32GB SD memory cards.

The most obvious improvement are the 800×480 pixel, high-resolution graphics displayed on the 6.5in screen. Route calculation is quicker too thanks to a new processor clocked at 600MHz. In addition to the recommended lane, the split-screen display now also shows speed limits taken from the navigation data for freeways and highways. In topographic map view, users can scroll vertically, horizontally and now also along the route as they wish.

Read the rest @ Audi updates satellite navigation system – [Audi navigation system plus] – MotorAuthority – Car news, reviews, spy shots

MKB may not be as well known as its rival German tuners such as Brabus and MTM, but the company has a penchant for building some of the most stylish and powerful upgrades in the business – especially when it comes to modifying cars from Mercedes Benz. MKB’s latest package is based on the twin-turbocharged CL65 AMG Coupe but many of the styling and performance mods can be applied to any model in the CL lineup including the base CL500/550. Called the MKB 65/12 BT, the new package adds several subtle styling mods as well as a range of engine, wheel and tire upgrades. The most powerful kit for the CL65 sees engine power boosted from 517hp (385kW) in the stock model to 750hp (560kW). Torque levels are also increased to 922lb-ft (1,250Nm). Furthermore, the vehicle has been provided with a high-performance rear axle equipped with a differential lock and a modified transmission control module to handle the boosted power levels.

The power is put to the ground via a set of handcrafted 20in MKB Alpha III wheels, wrapped with 255mm rubber up front and 295mm tires in the rear. The car’s suspension has also been lowered by 25mm and has been beefed up with stiffer springs and dampers. The end result is a 0-100km/h time of 4.1 seconds and a top speed in excess of 350km/h. To match the performance mods, MKB adds several exterior pieces such as the new side skirts, revised bumpers, a modified grille and an integrated rear diffuser. Inside, the CL65 is fitted with optional Alcantara and carbon-fiber trim.

- MKB releases 750hp upgrade for Mercedes? CL65 AMG – [Mercedes Benz CL65 AMG] – MotorAuthority – Car news, reviews, spy shots

Whether it’s a mid-life crisis, a teenage dream or just a personal milestone, many people, especially men, mark their life changes with a car – often an expensive one. But that won’t do anything to attract women, according to a new study. Flying in the face of decades of conventional wisdom, the new study, commissioned by Top Gear Australia, shows that there’s no difference in the reaction a typical woman’s brain shows to a any given man whether he’s in a jalopy or a Rolls Royce. Men that are generally regarded as attractive are especially immune to the vagaries of how a car might reflect on their perception. "If you’re a good looking bloke, don’t even worry about it," said Peter Pynta of Neuro Insight, the company that performed the study. More average-looking guys benefit from being shown with just about any car, according to the survey. But some men, such as the typical laborer, aren’t going to meet with feminine approval regardless of the car they’re in. We’ll leave it up to you to assess the veracity of the study’s conclusions.

- Study: High-end cars don’t attract women – MotorAuthority – Car news, reviews, spy shots

…I guess all you need is a Ford Pinto and some Game!