In my lifetime, I have performed several engine swaps. Most of which were from me or my friends being stupid and grenading a stock engine, so they were mostly just stock swaps. Only one time did I swap a different engine into a car and that was pulling a four-banger from a Mustang and dropping in a V-8. That is a straightforward swap and it still took many weeks.

So where am I going with this? Well, the Toyota GT-86 hasn?t even hit the market and someone has already gotten their greasy hands on it. Seemingly in hyper speed, out came its stock four-banger engine and in came a big V-8. Yup, Manabu ?Max? Orido?s team pulled out the four cylinder and dropped a 5.0-liter V-8 farmed from a Lexus IS F. There are numerous other mods, obviously, but the only other ones that are clear is a widebody kit and wide rubbers on the backside.

Let?s put this in perspective. The GT-86?s stock 2.0-liter pumps out a respectable 200, but has received mixed reviews in terms of actual performance. The Lexus IS F?s 5.0-liter engine, on the other hand, pumps out 416 horsepower and launches its 3,780-pound body to 60 mph in just 4.9 seconds. The GT-86?s official weight hasn?t been released, but rest assured that it will barely tip the scales at 3,000 pounds, if that much. Add in the fact that Orido?s GT-86 is gutted and that the 5.0-liter engine is definitely modified, and you have one lightning fast car.[...]

The Ferrari F430 already comes with an extremely menacing sound when it leaves the factory, but certain owners will always feel the need for more. The adjacent video shows what happens when a V8 made by the Prancing Horse meets an aftermarket exhaust, so please prepare your ears.

The clip, which was uploaded by Youtube user Jorrie2. shows us an example of the 430 that had been fitted with a Capristo exhaust, with the vehicle being filmed during an even called Autobahn Run 2012.

The footage... [...]

Wheelandmore is on a Mercedes tuning spree. After managing to be the first to spruce up the R231 SL-Class, they've now unveiled a package for another very desirable two-door Merc'. Yes, the C 63 AMG has been bestowed with a new set of custom wheels and a snazzy makeover, not to mention a significant power boost.

But we're most impressed by the new 20-inch forged wheels, finished in black with a polished lip and wrapped in Dunlop GT Sportmaxx tires sized 235/30 front and the rear size 275/25. ... [...]

Many people have been complaining that the Toyota GT 86 hasn't got enough bang for the buck. Of course the Big T might take care of this situation by offering a tweaked version in the future, but what are the fans to do in the meantime.

Well, there's always the Purista version that you can buy in Japan. This comes as a bear-bones car that you can customize, and Japanese drifter Max Orido has done just that. For the D1 Grand Prix, he will be using a heavily modified car, which does away with t... [...]

Anderson Germany has a way of turning less glamorous vehicles into pieces of tuning art. Their latest project involving the Lincoln Navigator is proof that they’re tuning talents cover just about any vehicle they can get their hands on.

Similar to most of their programs, Anderson Germany decided to give the Navigator the all-black treatment, or in this case, a hyper gloss black finish. The German tuner also went bananas with carbon fiber, fitting the Navigator with the high-end material on the door mirrors, the bonnet insert, the wheels, and even some parts of the interior.

Speaking of the interior, Anderson Germany matched the carbon fiber on the steering wheel, dashboard, door covers, with a comprehensive leather dress-up on just about every corner of the Navigator’s cabin. Heck, it even has a Playstation 3 console at the back![...]

Chrysler’s in-house aftermarket specialist, Mopar, specializes in developing accessories for a lot of the vehicles under the Chrysler umbrella. At the 2012 Easter Safari in Moab, Utah, Mopar is showcasing what they can do to a 2012 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon with their fancy accessories.

The Wrangler, which has been unoriginally tagged as the "Wrangler Mopar Accessorized," is exactly what its name suggests. Based on the Wrangler Rubicon, Mopar added a slew of their aftermarket enhancements to turn this off-road raider into one that comes chalk-full of new goodies.

Among the modifications done include a Mopar rock rails, front and rear off-road bumpers, new windshield-mounted LED lamps, a new hard-top headliner, a Warn 9.5ti XP winch, a two-inch performance lift kit, and a new set of massive 35" Goodyear Wrangler tires wrapped in Classic five-hole wheels. Inside, Mopar added Kicker dash 6.5-inch two-way speakers, all-weather mats, a locking center console box, a rear cargo cubby cover, and an ?Add-A-Trunk? partition in the cargo area.[...]

In a sort of two for one deal, we present to you one of the first videos of the Japanese domestic market (JDM) Toyota 86 fitted with a selection of parts from the brand's in-house tuning division TRD, and a second clip of its North American twin, the Scion FR-S in both stock and racing forms.

The Toyota 86 TRD model features a different exhaust system plus a sports suspension package and a more powerful braking system. You can read more about TRD's offerings in our previous post here.[...]

In the British tuner Project Kahn's own words, "toning down the look of the Porsche Cayenne in favour of a sleeker vehicle" equals a wide bodykit and an assortment of spoilers wrenched together with over-the-top 22-inch wheels, but who are we to disagree?

In detail, Kahn's exterior package include wheel arch extensions on all four corners to make space for the 22-inch RS600 rims, integrated LED daylight running lights on the front wheel arch vents, a lower boot lid spoiler, red brake calipers, full color coded bumpers with matt pearl grey inserts, carbon fiber detailing up front, and undercar white LED illumination.[...]

Italian tuning firm, Romeo Ferraris, is back for another installment of "tuning car awesomeness" and for their next program, they have reached for the mightiest of the mighty in the Ferrari 599 GTO.

It certainly goes without saying that the 599 GTO is considered one of the finest vehicles to ever come out of Maranello and the boys over at Romeo Ferraris are quick to give the mighty Italian supercar even more juice than it already has.

We all know that the 599 GTO comes with a V12 engine that churns out a staggering 670 horsepower at 8,250 rpm with a maximum torque of 457 lb/ft of torque at 6,500 rpm. Knowing all that, Romeo Ferraris still saw fit to give the 599 GTO a number of performance upgrades. For the stage 1 program, the Italian tuner added a new sports air filter and a new exhaust on the car, giving the 599 GTO an extra 15 ponies and 9 lb/ft of torque. On top of that, Romeo Ferraris also has a stage 2 program that includes a remapped ECU and a new exhaust system, further adding 40 more horsepower and 35 lb/ft of torque.

All told, Romeo Ferraris’ program for the 599 GTO results in the supercar now possessing 710 horsepower and 492 lb/ft of torque. Mighty meaty, indeed![...]

Kahn Design has pulled off yet another one of those projects that change aspects of a car without braking the design. The widebody conversion is there, but transition from the factory model is subtle enough that you'd its a better Cayenne, not a stupider one.

In typical Kahn fashion, the extended arches come with vents and integrated LEDs. You also get a lower boot lid spoiler, liquid red brake calipers, full-color coordinated bumpers with matt pearl grey inserts, and carbon-fiber detailing o... [...]