Category Archives: Tuning

Tuning

Ferrari Goes Mud Plugging: Meet the GlasWerks DMV Elevato

You’d think the phrase “off-road Ferrari” was something you’d hear from a fever dream after one too many espressos. But no — the Americans have done it. GlasWerks DMV, a boutique automotive outfit best known for crafting luxury SUVs with more leather than a Milan fashion show, has just unveiled the Elevato: a lifted, off-road-ready Ferrari GTC4Lusso. And yes, it’s every bit as gloriously absurd as it sounds.

This isn’t some Photoshop fantasy or a one-off meme for car forums — GlasWerks actually built it, and they’ve taken it to the SEMA show just to prove the world has officially gone mad (in the best possible way).

A Ferrari That Eats Gravel for Breakfast

Underneath all the lifted bravado, the Elevato still packs Ferrari’s magnificent 6.3-litre V12, now tuned to 760 horsepower — that’s 70 more than it had when it rolled out of Maranello. Instead of whispering down Italian coastal roads, it now roars through dust trails and spits out rocks with the same enthusiasm a 488 Pista spits flames.

To get there, GlasWerks’ special operations team tore each GTC4Lusso down to its bones and replaced or modified over 30 percent of its components. The result? Nine inches of ground clearance, eight inches of wheel travel, and a stance that looks like a supercar wearing hiking boots.

Engineering Madness, Executed Beautifully

The suspension has been completely reimagined for off-road life — aluminum upper and lower control arms, beefier axles and CV joints, uprated end links, and stabilizer links that wouldn’t look out of place on a Dakar racer. Customers can even choose their own spring rates and suspension setups, tailoring the ride from “highway cruiser” to “mountain goat.”

Body panels and mudguards? Interchangeable.
Exhaust? Crafted from Inconel, naturally.
Lights? All-LED, all custom.
Roof racks, rock guards, and machined switches? Take your pick.
Every Elevato even wears a paint protection film, because if you’re going to yeet a Ferrari through a forest, you’ll want to keep those Rosso Corsa curves looking respectable.

Luxury Meets Lunacy

Co-founder Joshua Sroka says the team’s aim was to create “something different” in the luxury off-road market — and that’s putting it mildly. They developed two versions side by side: one more road-focused, the other ready to clamber over whatever nature throws at it.

It’s the sort of engineering project that makes purists gasp and dreamers cheer. Imagine pulling up to a trailhead in a Ferrari that doesn’t flinch at the sight of mud. Imagine leaving tire tracks on a mountain pass while V12 symphonies echo through the trees.

The Price of Madness

All this off-road brilliance will set you back $175,000 — and that’s before you supply your own GTC4Lusso donor car. So, in total, you’re probably staring down something north of half a million dollars. But then again, can you really put a price on the first V12 Ferrari that could, theoretically, drive up a volcano?

In a world where crossovers keep pretending to be sporty, the GlasWerks DMV Elevato flips the script: a proper supercar that’s gone full SUV. It’s ridiculous, brave, and utterly wonderful — exactly the kind of madness the car world needs right now.

Source: GlasWerks DMV

Tuning

Talos XXT: The British Madmen Who Put the Ferrari 599 on Steroids (and a Number Plate)

You’ve got to love the British. In a world obsessed with electric whirring and software updates, there’s still a small band of engineers somewhere in the misty countryside who look at a Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano — a car already more powerful than most small countries — and think, “Hmm, not enough.”

That small band is Talos Vehicles, a niche outfit whose latest creation, the Talos XXT, takes Ferrari’s front-engined V12 grand tourer and drags it screaming closer to the untamed 599 XX — the track-only monster that was never meant to see a speed bump, let alone a traffic light.

After two years of tinkering, hammering, and probably a few cups of Yorkshire tea, Talos has emerged with something extraordinary: a road-legal Frankenstein’s monster that blurs the line between Maranello’s civility and its lunacy. Only five examples will ever exist — each one as rare (and as terrifying) as an Italian opera sung by a chainsaw.

The Heart of the Beast

At its core lies Ferrari’s naturally aspirated 6.0-litre V12, now coaxed to a delicious 680 horsepower and 624 Nm of torque. That’s a healthy bump of 60 horses over the standard GTB, and dangerously close to the 730 hp found in the 599 XX. The soundtrack? Imagine Pavarotti gargling molten metal while the world ends — and you’re somewhere close.

Power is sent to the rear wheels through your choice of a 6-speed automatic or — for those brave enough — a 6-speed manual gearbox. Yes, a manual. In a car with 680 horses. Talos clearly doesn’t believe in traction control for the soul.

Carbon, Anger, and Aerodynamics

The XXT wears a carbon-fibre suit that’s lighter, meaner, and angrier than the original Fiorano’s gentle curves. It squats low over reinforced 20-inch wheels, available with central locking nuts if you want to feel like a pit crew every Sunday morning.

And it’s not all show — the performance figures speak fluent nonsense: 0–100 km/h in 3.5 seconds, and a top speed of 330 km/h. That’s not “fast for a Ferrari.” That’s “fast enough to bend space-time and make your face regret existing.”

Luxury? Depends on How You Define It

Inside, buyers can go wild with bespoke colour palettes and exotic materials, from Alcantara to carbon weave so sharp it could slice cheese. For left-hand-drive markets, Talos will even flip the steering wheel to the proper side — a rare courtesy in the world of British eccentricity.

All this, however, comes at a price. A very specific one: €1.1 million. Before you faint, consider this: you’re getting the closest thing to a 599 XX that won’t have you arrested on the way to Tesco.

A Love Letter to Madness

The Talos XXT isn’t just a car — it’s a love letter to excess. It’s a middle finger to restraint, a mechanical ode to what happens when passion outweighs reason. In an age when cars drive for you, the XXT reminds us there’s still joy in driving against everything else.

So here’s to Talos: the tiny British firm that looked at a Ferrari and thought, “Let’s make it a bit more mental.” And then did.

Source: Talos Vehicles

Tuning

Suzuki Jimny Gets a Toyota Makeover—Sort Of

Suzuki’s pint-sized adventurer, the Jimny, has always marched to the beat of its own drum. Despite Suzuki’s long-standing partnership with Toyota—which has spawned a handful of rebadged models—the little off-roader has remained proudly independent. Until now.

Enter ill Garage, a Japanese tuner with a mischievous sense of humor and an eye for design mashups. Their latest project, dubbed the CH:AMP conversion, takes the Jimny and gives it a front-end transplant inspired by Toyota’s utilitarian Hilux Champ pickup—also known as the Rangga, Stout, or Tamaraw, depending on the market. And if you squint just right, you might even catch a hint of Toyota’s new baby Land Cruiser FJ in the mix.

What’s in a Face?

Up front, the CH:AMP swaps out the Jimny’s familiar round-eyed stare for rectangular headlights, a chunky two-piece bumper, and a simple, boxy grille. The result looks equal parts rugged and retro—more budget Toyota than boutique Suzuki. Every element is finished in black to play nice with the contrasting roof and widened fenders of the demo car, which also sits slightly lower thanks to a set of 1.5-inch (38 mm) lowering springs.

Adding to the show-truck flair are dummy towing hooks, chunky all-terrain tires, and aftermarket wheels. It’s the kind of visual trickery that might make you look twice in a Tokyo parking lot—only to realize that, legally speaking, it’s not quite a Toyota. To make that crystal clear, the tuner stamped “CH:AMP” in big red letters across the grille. A tongue-in-cheek move, perhaps, but also a smart one to keep Toyota’s legal team at bay.

Retro Inside, Too

Inside, ill Garage offers a pair of retro seat cover options in Cognac Brown or Charcoal Black, mixing leather and braided inserts for an old-school vibe. Rear seatback pockets add a touch of practical charm—something any small SUV owner can appreciate.

Two (and a Half) Jimnys Walk into a Garage…

The CH:AMP treatment fits both the three-door Jimny Sierra and the stretched five-door Jimny Nomad, but the narrower kei-spec Jimny sold in Japan doesn’t make the cut. Customers can order individual parts à la carte or go all-in with a factory-style pre-converted Jimny, new or used, delivered straight from ill Garage.

How Much for the Fun?

Pricing starts at ¥360,800 ($2,300) for the base setup with halogen lights, or ¥386,100 ($2,500) if you want LEDs. Paint and installation are extra. From there, the options list reads like a candy shop for modders:

  • Lowering springs: ¥55,000 ($350)
  • Dummy towing hooks: ¥49,000 ($320)
  • Real towing hooks: ¥98,000 ($640)
  • Baja-style fog lights: ¥165,000 ($1,100)
  • Rugged rear bumper: ¥132,000 ($860)
  • Sport muffler: ¥66,000 ($430)
  • Seat covers: ¥85,800 ($560)

Add it all up and you’re still looking at less than the cost of a mild Wrangler option package—but with ten times the personality.

Not a Toyota Fan? No Problem.

If Toyota styling isn’t your flavor, ill Garage also offers a Ford Bronco–inspired Jimny conversion. Either way, it’s proof that the aftermarket hasn’t lost its sense of humor—or creativity.

The CH:AMP might not make your Jimny faster, but it definitely makes it harder to ignore. And in a world where individuality is often crushed by badge engineering, a face-swap like this feels refreshingly cheeky.

Source: ill Garage