Category Archives: Tuning

Tuning

Larte Design’s Two-Tone Mercedes-AMG G63 Is a €90,000 Paint Job That Somehow Makes Sense

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If there is one thing the Mercedes-AMG G63 has never lacked, it’s presence. With its towering stance, thunderous V-8 soundtrack, and enough visual drama to make a supercar feel self-conscious, the G-Wagen already occupies a unique place in the luxury SUV universe. Apparently, though, there are buyers who look at a six-figure AMG and think: It needs more attention.

That’s where German tuner Larte Design comes in.

Following the introduction of its “Winner” carbon-fiber body kit for the current-generation G63, the Erkrath-based company has unveiled a new personalization program that adds something Mercedes itself doesn’t offer: a fully bespoke two-tone exterior finish.

The premise is simple. According to Larte, many customers eager to get behind the wheel of a G63 don’t want to endure lengthy factory waiting lists and often end up purchasing vehicles finished in colors they never would have chosen. The solution? Buy the G63 now, then let Larte transform it later.

Owners can select virtually any two-color combination imaginable and decide whether the weave of the carbon-fiber body components should remain visible or be painted over. Once specifications are finalized, the SUV is shipped to one of Germany’s specialist paint facilities—the same kind of workshops trusted by several luxury-car manufacturers for their own high-end finishing work.

The result is a G63 that somehow manages to stand out even in a parking lot full of G-Wagens.

Of course, exclusivity isn’t cheap. Larte’s Winner carbon-fiber package, which includes components designed to fit without requiring modifications to the original bodywork, carries a price tag of €44,276 and comes paired with 23-inch wheels. Add the new two-tone paint treatment and buyers will need to find another €45,000.

Yes, that’s nearly €90,000 in upgrades before you’ve even touched the powertrain.

Not that the engine needs much help. Beneath the squared-off hood remains AMG’s familiar 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V-8, producing 585 horsepower and 627 pound-feet (850 Nm) of torque. That’s enough to launch the luxury brick from 0 to 62 mph in 4.4 seconds before it runs into an electronically governed top speed of 137 mph.

So what does almost ninety grand buy you? Not more power. Not more speed. Not even more capability off-road. What it buys is individuality—a commodity that, for many G63 owners, may be worth more than an extra hundred horsepower.

In a world where exclusivity is often measured by how difficult it is to get noticed, Larte Design has found a way to make the Mercedes-AMG G63 even harder to ignore. Whether that’s a brilliant business idea or a symptom of luxury-car excess depends entirely on which side of the €90,000 paint bill you’re standing.

Source: Larte Design

Tuning

Liberty Walk Turns a Lamborghini Murciélago LP640 Into a $344K Statement

In the collector-car universe, rarity usually means restraint. But every once in a while, a machine shows up that proves excess can be just as bankable. Case in point: a heavily modified 2007 Lamborghini Murciélago LP640 that recently traded hands for a staggering $344,000—despite wearing one of the wildest aftermarket makeovers this side of a Tokyo Auto Salon fever dream.

Values for Murciélagos have been climbing steadily, especially for cars fitted with the coveted gated six-speed manual. This one? Not quite. It’s equipped with the less-loved e-gear automated manual, and yet it still commanded serious money. Originality, it turns out, isn’t the only path to collector relevance—sometimes spectacle works just fine.

Originally delivered new in the United States, the LP640 made its way to Japan in 2012, where it fell into the hands of Liberty Walk, a tuner known for treating subtlety like an optional extra. The result is a Silhouette Works GT Evo body kit that transforms the already outrageous Murciélago into something that looks ready to chase hypercars down the Mulsanne Straight—or audition for a superhero reboot.

The front end alone is enough to stop traffic. A redesigned bumper, additional running lights, custom headlights, and a reshaped hood give the car a vaguely Reventón-inspired face, though with more visual drama. The signature bolt-on wide arches stretch the Murciélago’s stance to comic-book proportions, while sculpted side skirts exaggerate the low-slung silhouette. There’s even a large sunroof—its functionality uncertain, but its visual impact undeniable.

If the front is theatrical, the rear is full-on avant-garde. A custom bumper, aggressive diffuser, towering wing, and bespoke taillights combine into a look that’s equal parts GT racer and rolling art installation. It’s the kind of design that splits opinions instantly—and that’s precisely the point.

Underneath the visual fireworks, the upgrades continue. The car rides on 18- and 19-inch wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S tires, paired with an Ideal Air Max air suspension setup that allows adjustable ride height and front-axle lift. That means the Murciélago can go from slammed show car to speed-bump survivor at the push of a button—practicality, Liberty Walk style.

Inside, things calm down slightly. The cabin remains largely stock, aside from a digital rearview mirror and a Pioneer head unit. It’s a reminder that beneath the Batmobile aesthetics lies a recognizable LP640, complete with its naturally aspirated V-12 theatrics.

Perhaps the most surprising part of the story isn’t the styling—it’s the price. A modified Murciélago with an automated manual transmission might have been expected to polarize buyers. Instead, someone stepped up and paid supercar money, likely helped by the car’s relatively modest 32,000 kilometers.

The takeaway? In today’s collector market, originality may be king—but bold individuality can still write its own check.

Source: Liberty Walk

Tuning

America Meets the 1000-HP Shooting Brake No One Asked For

Eighteen months after it first stunned the tuning world, the Rocket GTS has finally landed in the U.S.—and it didn’t arrive quietly. Based on the Mercedes-Benz AMG SL 63, this reimagined Shooting Brake now wears a full green carbon-fiber suit and carries a price tag of $1,387,081. Yes, that’s hypercar territory. No, it doesn’t apologize.

The SL has always been the boulevard bruiser in the portfolio of Mercedes-Benz, and in modern AMG form it’s already less silk scarf, more switchblade. But what happens when you hand it to Mercedes-AMG’s wildest aftermarket interpreter and say, “Do your worst”? You get this.

The original show car flaunted exposed carbon like a flexed bicep. This U.S.-bound example goes deeper: an all-carbon body bathed in a translucent emerald hue. In direct sunlight, the weave shimmers beneath the lacquer like reptile skin. Subtle? Not remotely. Spectacular? Absolutely.

The reshaped rear and extended roofline will split dinner conversations straight down the middle. Purists may clutch their roadster credentials, but there’s a strange coherence to it. The SL’s long hood and cab-rearward proportions actually welcome the added roof stretch. The Shooting Brake treatment feels less like a graft and more like an evolution—one drawn by someone who owns several carbon-fiber briefcases.

A Cabin That Refuses to Whisper

If you were hoping the interior might dial things back, abandon that thought immediately.

Nearly every surface—seats, door panels, gearshift tunnel, headliner, even the floor mats—is drenched in matching green leather and Alcantara. The few components spared the hide treatment are finished in green-tinted carbon fiber. It’s less “accent color” and more “monochromatic takeover.”

The craftsmanship, predictably, is impeccable. The audacity, unmistakable. It feels like the inside of a concept car that somehow escaped the auto-show turntable and started asking for premium fuel.

Four Digits, Two Turbos, One Thousand Reasons

Of course, a seven-figure tuner special needs more than dramatic tailoring. Under the hood sits an upgraded 4.5-liter twin-turbo V8 paired with the same plug-in hybrid system used in the SL 63 E Performance. The combined output? A clean, round 1,000 horsepower and 1,620 Nm of torque.

Performance claims read like a physics glitch:

  • 0–100 km/h (62 mph): 2.6 seconds
  • 0–200 km/h (124 mph): 9.5 seconds
  • 0–300 km/h (186 mph): 23.6 seconds
  • Top speed: 317 km/h (197 mph), electronically limited

For context, those numbers place it squarely in modern hypercar company—while offering a cargo area large enough for a weekend’s worth of designer luggage.

The Million-Dollar Question

Spending nearly $1.4 million on a modified SL sounds extravagant, even in today’s inflated performance market. But exclusivity is the point. This isn’t just an SL turned up to eleven; it’s a redefinition of what that platform can be. It’s equal parts grand tourer, muscle car, and rolling design experiment.

The Rocket GTS doesn’t try to blend in. It doesn’t even try to convince you. It simply arrives—green, loud, and unapologetically expensive—and dares you to look away.

You won’t.

Source: Brabus