Each week, our German correspondent slices and dices the latest rumblings, news, and quick-hit driving impressions from the other side of the pond. His byline may say Jens Meiners, but we simply call him . . . the Continental.

Now more than a month after all the glitz and, ahem, more glitz of the SEMA show, the tuner scene in Germany is focusing on its own display of power and glory. It’s called the Essen motor show, and it’s become a fixture on the automotive calendar. Over this past week, numerous carmakers and tuners have shown their loudest and most-powerful ideas.
I’ve already penned a piece on one Essen special, the Lexus TMG 650—a twin-turbocharged LS that would rival a Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG. Beyond that, Toyota has brought the Yaris R1A, which is offered to private teams for rally racing. And there is the racing version of the GT 86, sold in the U.S. market as the Scion FR-S. The GT 86 CS-V3 is designed to race in the VLN class; it features a strengthened floor assembly, a racing-exhaust system, a modified suspension and stronger brakes, and the naturally aspirated engine remains untouched.

Subaru is displaying the WRX STI S206 Nürburgring Challenge, a version of the WRX STI whose turbo 2.0-liter flat-four is tuned to produce 316 hp and 318 lb-ft of torque. It features a carbon-fiber roof and rear wing, an aluminum hood, and 19-inch BBS wheels. Beyond this limited-production car, of which just 100 units will be made, there is the pleasantly clean WRX STI “Back to the Roots.” This STI gets matte blue foil, gold-colored 18-inch BBS wheels, and a KKS Performance exhaust system. Finally, there’s the WRX STI “Rockabilly JDM,” a hatchback clad in light matte-gray foil and graced with somewhat obnoxious “stickerbombing” trim.
Ford is showing tuned variations of the Focus ST, including a station wagon; there also is the Transit Custom, an attempt at dressing up a commercial vehicle as a stylish passenger car. Renault has on display the Renault 1.6 NEC Junior and the Twingo R1 for cup racing. And Škoda is showing two concepts of the Citigo, the Volkswagen Up‘s sister model.
Mini is taking things to the maximum with a Countryman fitted with “Mini Ray” accessories, a John Cooper Works GP, and a John Cooper Works modified for on-track performance. Meanwhile, BMW has been showing a number of vehicles fitted with every imaginable M Sport option.

Europe’s Fun Compacts
Here’s another one of those luxury compacts that the U.S. is missing out on: VW’s Czech subsidiary Škoda has added a Laurin & Klement version of its compact crossover, the Yeti. Vaclav Laurin and Vaclav Klement were Škoda’s founding fathers—today, the moniker denotes the Czech manufacturer’s most-luxurious offerings. Power for the Laurin & Klement Yeti ranges from 115 hp to 170 hp. The level of craftsmanship in the Yeti surpasses that of most larger cars. I drove a Yeti through Namibia for a week this summer and was more than pleased with its on- and off-road capabilities.
Kia is releasing more details on the European-market Pro_cee’d GT, and has announced a five-door cee’d GT as well. The 1.6-liter “Gamma” engine makes 201 hp and 195 lb-ft of torque, and the 0-to-62-mph sprint takes a claimed 7.9 seconds. Don’t you wish you would get this instead of the new Forte?

Comparison Test: 2012 BMW 328i vs. 2013 Cadillac ATS
Long-Term Road Test Update: 2012 Kia Sportage SX AWD
Comparison Test: 2013 Ford Focus ST vs. 2012 Volkswagen GTI

Celebrating Cadillac
Last Tuesday was a remarkable night in New York with four automotive events all over the city. I spent the evening with Cadillac, celebrating the brand’s 110-year history. The incredible 1959 Cyclone concept lent the event a dramatic aura. At the event, I had the opportunity to meet Cadillac’s vice president of marketing, Don Butler. I asked him what’s the most significant car in Cadillac’s history. His reply was the first one built, of course, and then perhaps the famous 1959 model. Which car symbolizes Cadillac’s future? It hasn’t been built yet, he says, implying that we soon will see very significant new models surpassing the scope of the brand’s current lineup. A flagship sedan? I got a smile as an answer. And will Cadillac need to keep a V-8 engine? Yes, at least in the foreseeable future. Sources from within GM tell me that the long-term future of V-8 engines in passenger cars is by no means secure. It’s good news, then, that they will stay with us for a while.

I was pleased that a video compiled for the event showed the Allanté, a 1980s convertible that has been the target of misguided criticism and ridicule, and figured in many a lame “worst cars” list. Somewhat conservatively styled by Pininfarina, the Allanté was a conceptually and technologically interesting attempt at making a world-class contender. Something that Lincoln, for example, still isn’t close to.

Source: Car & Driver