Arden Goes Back to the Future with Jaguar A-Type AJ18

Now here's something we don't see very often. Back at the 1999 Frankfurt motor show, German tuner Arden presented the special edition A-Type AJ18 based on the Jaguar XK (1997-2005 model) that was produced in a limited run of 13 units. Ten years later and Arden has decided to reissue the A-Type AJ18 and build another five vehicles bringing the total to 18 pieces.

In essence, the A-Type AJ18 package tries to give the road-legal Jaguar XK a more racing look with a full body kit made out of special carbon composite material. Along with the new front and rear fenders which widen the car up to 50mm or about 2.0-in., the A-type conversion adds a 3-air gill vent in the front fenders, reworked front bumper with stainless steel mesh upper and lower grille plus a lip spoiler, race-spec mirrors, side skirts and a revised rear bumper.

The XK's looks are rounded off by a large rear wing and 20-inch Sportline alloy wheels in chunkier tires.

The mechanical upgrades of the A-Type package include a high-performance braking system with 370mm discs and 6-piston fixed caliper, and a sport suspension developed in cooperation with Bilstein that lowers the vehicle by 30mm.

Arden MINI Cooper Equipe: Production Limited to 40 Units

Best known for its Jaguar and Land Rover conversions, German tuner Arden has now turned its focus on another British model, the MINI Cooper, with the release of a special edition model called Equipe. The Arden-prepped MINI that will be produced in a strictly limited run of only 40 units features both mechanical and styling upgrades.

On the outside, handmade stainless steel and chrome grille adorn the front and rear-end of Arden's smallest model to date while the new chromed tailpipes and the 18-inch lightweight (6.9kg or 15.2 lbs) Arden Gram aluminum wheels round off the styling changes.

Arden paid more attention to the MINI Cooper's cabin as the dashboard, seats, steering wheel and doors are enclosed in a two-tone leather scheme. Other touches include custom made foot pedals and specific floor mats.

Underneath the hood, the tuner of British hardware said that it has revised the engine electronics and added a new intercooler plus a complete stainless steel exhaust system with racing catalytic converters to give the MINI a performance gain of around 40 horsepower and 36.8-lb/ft or 50Nm of torque.

Arden somehow forgot to mention in its press release which MINI version it is talking about but we gather that the tuning firm is referring to the Cooper S that leaves the factory with a 1.6-liter turbocharged four producing 172HP.

The engine upgrades are complemented by a sport suspension that lowers the vehicle's height about 30mm or 1.2-in. and high-performance 6-piston brakes at the front axle. Arden did not release pricing.

Arden's Bentley Hood Ornament: Kitsch or Cool?

Feeling a bit jealous of your Rolls Royce pals? Then how about a bonnet mascot for your Bentley? Our verdict is still out on Arden's new Bentley radiator figure but if you're interested in the details here they are: the "Flying B" costs €980 or around US$1,480 and can be mounted in about 30 minutes.

According to Arden, the hood ornament has been designed to separate from the base in the case of a strong impact in order to minimize the danger of injury of a pedestrian, without being damaged itself.

Additionally, there's a patented quick-locking mechanism that offers a theft protection as the bonnet mascot can be dismounted and mounted by the owner at any time.

source: http://carscoop.blogspot.com

Arden Releases new Front-End Conversion Set for Jaguar XF

Since the usage of daytime running lights is statutory in many countries, Jaguar and Land Rover tuning specialist Arden decided to develop a new option for the XF sports sedan. Priced at €995 (+tax), the LED daytime running light set are fitted on the original front of the XF and in particular, they are incorporated on the decorative bars of the brake air vents. The LEDs can be complemented by Arden's new stainless steel radiator and front grille set (€1,190 +tax) and a Jaguar bonnet mascot (€235 +tax).

Arden Releases New Supercharger Kit for Range Rover SC Models

For those that want to give a bit more oomph to their pre-facelift Range Rover and Range Rover Sport models with 4.2-liter supercharged V8 engines, Arden has developed a new performance kit that will give an extra 80HP for an overall output of 470HP. The German tuner's kit includes a new supercharger, special programmed ECU, Arden Air Intake Ducts and a new exhaust with sport catalytic converters. Sounds nice but there's a 'small' catch; the price of the complete kit excluding taxes and installation has been set at €19,500 or around $26,000.

If we were you, we'd do the math and see if it's actually worth it -especially if you have a relatively new model- as the facelifted versions of both the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport with 510HP supercharged V8s are just around the corner.

source: http://carscoop.blogspot.com

Arden to Tune up their first MINI Cooper S

For nearly 40 years now, Arden has been specializing on British cars having made a name for itself as a modifier for Jaguar and Range Rover vehicles. Now, the German tuning house has decided to present its first souped-up MINI that will supposedly be inspired from the Cup vehicle (pictured above), which is running in the MINI Challenge 2009. Not many details have been released but Arden said that its tuning proposal will be based on the MINI Cooper S with the 172HP 1.6-liter turbo engine.

Mechanical improvements will include a special high grade steel sport exhaust and various under-the-hood mods for increased output from the 1.6-litrer turbo engine as well as extremely light 8x18" alloy wheels and a sport suspension and brake system.

Furthermore, Arden said that it will upgrade the MINI Cooper S's interior with Connolly leathers, wood and carbon inserts.

source: http://carscoop.blogspot.com