Mac and Merc Boosted

POWER INCREASES ANNOUNCED FOR MP4-12C AND SLS

McLaren and Mercedes have both announced upgrades for their junior supercars, including power increases.

The 2013-spec MP4-12C sees its output boosted by 24bhp to 616bhp, with existing cars getting the same upgrade as a sofware update. Together with some gearbox tweaks, it's enough to trim 0.1sec from the official 0-12mph time - which falls to 8.8sec. Well, every little helps. Other tweaks include more engine noise in the cabin and proper release buttons for the upward-hinging doors in place of the previous touch sensors, which often failed to work. Another useful option is a vehicle lift function to help clear speed-bumps. The basic price rises from £168,500 to £176,000.

Meanwhile, Mercedes has revealed a 'GT' pack for the SLS coupe, with power increased by 20bhp(rising to 583bhp) and with the gearbox reprogrammed to deliver faster shifts. Together they're said to cut the 0-62mph time by a tenth of a second, dropping it to 3.7sec. The GT also gets revised suspension, which offers only the firmer 'Sport' and 'Sport Plus' settings and scraps the 'Comfort' mode of the standard SLS. Prices haven't been announced yet but the GT will be certain to carry a supplement over the standard SLS coupe.

Nissan 370Z Nismo

The 370Z NISMO is not ,as Nissan would have you believe, an entirely new addition to Nismo's portfolio.It has existed in the US since the regular 370Z was introduced in 2009, in coupe and manual-only specification. As with the standard manuals, the Nismo features rev-shift, the heel-and-toe-aping system that helps to smooth the Z's downshifts; because of the rather weighty springing of the gearshift it self, it's not too difficult to look clumsy.

That has always been part of the 370Z's appeal, though: feeling rather old-school and demanding in an all-too-easy new-school world.Nismo's target customers may come from gaming , but the Z is no uninvolving, digital experience.lts small 16bhp boost over the standard 370Z comes courtesy of cheat codes in the ECU, though, the only physical change being a freer-breathing exhaust. Those two pipes get a 10mm increase in diameter but still aren't intense enough to drown out the noisy V6.

The interior gets a sizeable shot of kit, with sat-nav and a reversing camera included in the no-options Nismo.Its status as the sporting flagship is highlighted inside in red, with Nismo badges, and leather and Alcantara are liberally smattered around the tough interior.There's a numbered plaque, too.

Outside, that red highlighting theme continues.The Nismo wears a body kit that aids high-speed stability by smoothing airflow around and underneath its body.lt is difficult to miss, adding a big boot-mounted spoiler and some width to cover those wider rear wheels ( the rears are half an inch wider) , while a protruding front splitter and rear diffuser add 150mm to the Nismo's length.

It's what's underneath that matters,though, and Nismo has added five body struts to increase rigidity.Suspention changes to the US model have been developed by Nismo's Japanese engineers with input from the Nissan Technical Centre Europe. The spring rates have risen by 14 per cent at the front , and damper rates are 23 per cent stiffer at the front and 41 per cent at thew rear. Despite the greater focus,it's not overly troubled by poor surfaces, and its composure and control impress.

The drivetrain reamains diminant.The small increase in power barely makes any difference in reality.It feels slightly more eager at highter revs, but the engine's ever-present sound and vibrations are much the same as you'll find in non-Nismo versions.So, too,is the Z's ability to oversteer, which it will do on demand . The steering feels slightly quicker, but the brakes get the biggest boost, with a confidence-inspiring shorter pedal movement and brake fluid and hoses borrowed from the GT-R.

The Nismo offers a faster, more composed 370Z drive. However, £26,995 and provides much the same thrills, if a lot less equipment.Price-wise, the Nismo is getting into Cayman territory, and although the Porsche is outgunned on performance and kit, the Nissan is outpointed on the road.

• Price:  £36,995
• 0-100km/h: 5.2sec
• Top speed: 250km/h
• Economy: 9.4km/L (combined,est)
• Co2: 248g/km (est)
• Kerb Weight: 1535kg
• Engine: V6,3696cc,petrol
• Installation: Front,longitudinal,RWD
• Power: 339bhp at 7400rpm
• Torque: 373Nm at 5200rpm
• Gearbox: 6-spd manual
• Fuel Tank: 72litres
• Boot: 235litres
• Wheels: 9.5Jx19in (f),10.5Jx19in (r)
• Types: 245/40 R19(f),285/35 R19 (r)

Renault Back On The Alpine Trail

You've got to give Renault credit for the possession of some major corporate balls. The company could have chosen to introduce the Alpine A110-50 in the normal arena of an air-conditioned motor show hall, or even via a slow trundle around a test track. Instead it brought its super-stylish motorsport concept to the Monaco Grand Prix and,after the Friday F1 practice session, Renault boss Carlos Tavares blasted it around the unforgiving street circuit with an impressive degree of commitment considering the number of leses focused on him and waiting for something  to go expensively wrong. It didn't.

Renault needs some good news. The company's been having a tough time lately, with sales slumping across Europe and the UK model line-up having been slashed back to basics. And although the A110-50 concept is, officially, just a 50th birthday celebration of the A110 Berlinetta, it's also a broad hint that -once again-Renault is giving some serious consideration to resurrecting its famous sub-brand.

The Alpine is clearly related to another Renault one-off- the DeZir concept car that was shown at the 2010 Paris show, with the company's head of concept car design,Axel Breun, confirming that an Alpine version was always part of the plan.

But while the DeZir was a pure show concept, powered by a mid-mounted electric motor, the Alpine A110-50 is definitely a driver,being built on the same mid-engined platform as the mad Megane Trophy racer of a couple of years ago and sharing all of its major components.

That means a naturally aspirated 3.5-litre V6 tucked under the rear cover (a Renault-Nissan unit closely related to the engine in the Nissan 350Z) and here tuned to deliver a claimed 394bhp (up from the racer's 355bhp). Drive is supplied to the rear wheels via a six-speed sequential gearbox.

'We wanted to put the car in today's world- not create a piece of retro design,'says Axel Breun in an exlusive interview with evo.'I think the Alpine approach is one that's very up-to-date and modern now-it was always about making intelligent cars, lightweight cars that used the latest materials.'

Visually, the 110-50 is riffing on plenty of Alpine's design themes,complete with a taut, low stance,'Alpine Blue' paintwork and - a particularly nice touch - LED headlamps that give the characteristic yellow illumination of Alpine's classic rally cars: 'a technical but nostalgic interpretation,'as the company puts it. The tubular chassis of the Megane Trophy racer has been selectively reinforced,while the concept's roll-cage is lower as it has a shorter cabin.

Of course,Alpine's models were always rear-wheel drive and had their engines mounted behind the driver -something that Breun confirms is still regarded as being a vital part of the brand's DNA:'In terms of pure performance, today's Megane RS is very fast- you could say that you don't need a mid-engined car in terms of pure speed. But l think that in terms of driving sensation it's something very special,and the Megane Trophy chassis gave us the perfect opportunity to create a modern interpretation.

lt's been 17 years since the last Alpine-badged car was produced at Renault's Dieppe factory, and although the plant is still going strong as the base for the successful Renaultsport division, previous plans to resurrect the Alpine name have never come to fruition- although one Renault insider confirms 'there's almost always one on the go'. Will it be different this time?

Well, the A110-50 itself would from the basis for a racer like the Megane Trophy it's based on.'In terms of motorsport we are in Formula 1 and we have the World Series; we have a whole range of racing cars,' says Breun. 'Will this car be produced in small numbers? l don't know at this moment-personally l think it would be great to see.'

Any plans to launch Alpine road cars are considerably further off- although Renault is clearly giving some serious consideration to dusting off the famous brand. 'l definitely think that Alpine could be relevant in the modern world,'says Breun,'l don't believe that cars have  to have 500bhp. Very often when l read a test l can tell that the power is impressive but there's something to do with the weight. We have to think about that, and in the DNA of Alpine l think you see a solution.'

The Megane RS Goes Faster

It's difficult to fathom how Renault Sport can ever improve on the Megane RS 250 Cup but apparently they have , and TC Euro Cars couldn't wait to bring them soon enough.The new Megane RS 265 Cup replaces the 250bhp car with an upgraded engine output of, as expected,265bhp. It looks pretty much the same and similarly sports the same Cup package, but key differences include smoked headlights with improved LED cluster as well as refreshed wheel design.

Changes to the cabin meanwhile extend to small details that include a leather cover for the  bucket seat (that is quite prone to   wearing out from contact with driver entry/exit) while the finishing looks darker with black trimmings on the dashboard. This includes the central-located rev meter which is now in dark grey.

The important thing is of course its usable performance gains.TC Euro Cars was quick to bring the new Megane RS to Sepang and see whether it can set a faster time to the previous 2 minutes 43sec accomplished using the 250 Cup. With the same driver (Denis Lian) in control, the new car proved to be as good as claimed, improving it by two seconds - 2 min 41 sec, cementing its reputation as the fastest FWD car around.

But that was not the only car launched,as a matter of fact.The limited edition Megane RS Red Bull Racing RB7 was also unveiled,a bespoke produced car to commemorate the F1 team's success in the racing series. Renault, of course is have made its way to Malaysia and the plaque that comes with the car that designates the car's run is also autographed by triple F1 driver's champion Sebastien Vettel.

The limited edition car is mechanically based on the 265 Cup but only comes in Etoile Black body colour and the use of Renault's Sirius Yellow for the F1-inspired front blade, door mirror housing and diffuser.

Price for the Megane RS 265 Cup is RM240,888 (OTR with insurance) while the Megane RS Red Bull Racing RB7 is RM249,888.

On a side note, the event also marked the official launch of the Renault Sport Collectif, the official club for Renault Sport owners.Renault Sport owners are all enthusiasts at heart and truly passionate about their cars, and the RS Collectif provides an avenue for RS owners to channel their passion for the brand.

One of the many benefits of being part of the RS Collectif community is the opportunity to test their vehicles where it was designed to- the race track.As part of the Renault Sport Ownership Experience, 6 track days were organised last year exclusively for Renault Sport drivers at the Sepang International Circuit. Renault Sport Drives frequently use these track days to hone their track driving skills in preparation for other motorsports events such as Time to Attack and Megalaps.

For 2013,another six track days have been planned, with one already done and dusted in February.Other RS Collectif track days will be on March 30, April 27, June 8,October 19 and December 22.

GranTurismo Sport Launched

Here's another one for sports car fans - Naza Italia have just launched the Maserati GranTurismo Sport recently with a price that starts from RM1,180,000.While it is known as being the more 'subdued' ltalian car band , the 4.7 litre V8 engine that produces 453bhp and 520Nm is also probably the most inspiring sounding one. Top speed is 298kmh and 0-100kmh is achieved in just 4.8 seconds.

Datuk Wira SM Faisal Tan Sri Nasimuddin, Joint Group Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Naza Group of Companies, played host to distinguished guests, including Mr.Gaetano Marino, Regional Director Maserati Asia Pasific,Ms.Carey Ng,newly crowned Miss Universe Malaysia 2013,Ms Natalie Ng,1st runner up,Ms Symren Kaur,3rd runner up,among others during the launch.

"Naza Italia is very excited to introduce the Maserati GranTurismo Sport into Malaysian shores." said Datuk Maruan, the Senior Vice President 4 wheels of Naza Motor Group, adding that the Maserati is a very distinctive brand, catered to the niche clientele.

The car comes with two gearbox options: a normal automatic and an automated manual system they call electroactuated, both with six forward rations. The figure quoted earlier on is based on the auto while the other goes a tad faster at 300kmh after taking 4.7seconds too record the century sprint.The GranTurismo Sport comes equipped with a newer version of the Sport Skyhook active damping system.

This which will bring the car to a complete stop from 100kmh in just 35metres.Bear in mind, the Maserati is at least 1780kg in weight so that's not bad.