Fastest From The Forecourt (or Factory Hot Rods)

[HoTWire]

I was looking around at Mercedes W140 idly thinking about what a great VIP car they would make, when I found they did a 600 model on the W140 platform with the M120 engine that ended up powering the Pagani Zonda, which got me thinking about 'factory hot rods' those cars you could buy direct from the forecourt that were just the fastest version of that car. I guess some are obvious homologation cars for motorsport Cosworth RS500 etc. I'm guessing some less successful cars were homologated for racing, which would be interesting to see.

Basically what I'm saying is, what were the quickest from the forecourt (including tuner options) of as many types of cars as we can find. Stats would also be useful.

In the mean time (whilst I go and hunt some out), a Brabham's Triumph Herald Coupe





Powered by a Coventry Climax engine and rare as poor quality wobbly children's play pony teeth now.

[luckyseven]

ZL-1 COPO Camaro. Only 60-odd built in 1969, at the behest of Yenko. 16 hours handbuilt in every engine, 430bhp off the showroom floor and aimed directly at drag racers. Bloody awesome things

[longdog]

Lotus Sunbeam, the car that started my love of vehicles. My dads mate had One, it left a lasting impression on me.

[newlad]

.

[composimmonite]

Mate told me when he worked as salesman for a Vauxhall dealer in early 60's he had a Viva HA Brabham as company car instead of the Victor sized vehicle he was entitled.
Towards the end of this site -
vauxpedianet.uk2sitebuilder.com/vauxhall-ha---viva

[adam73bgt]

BMW 750i



326bhp 361lbft 0-60 in 6.6s and limited top speed of 155mph

Technically the 740i Sport was just about as fast but I reckon with the limiters taken off, the extra torque of the V12 would make it faster

[composimmonite]

What about Sunbeam Tiger - Alpine with 4.3 then 4.7 V8 replacing the original 4 pot.
Then we have the Rover 75 V8

[DarrenW]

Lotus Carlton has to be in this thread


1991 Vauxhall Lotus Carlton H746VVF - photo by Retro-Motoring


Google says 377bhp, 0-60 in 4.9 and a 13.5 quarter mile. Stout.

[adam73bgt]

Or a bit more retro..

The MGB GT Costello V8, the precursor to the official MGB V8 but had more power and was distinguishable by the bonnet bulge and different front grille



155bhp (some say 180bhp) gave a 0-60 time of 7.8s and a top speed of 130mph

[DarrenW]

...and one of my all time favourite cars of all time, ever, of all time:

BMW E28 M5 by Retro-Motoring and WoertherseePics.com, on Flickr

286 silky smooth handbuilt horsepower, 0-60 in 6.2, standing quarter in 14.1. Not bad. I want one soooooooo much.

[stevecrx]

I give you the Alfa Romeo 155 Q4:




Lancia Delta Turbo Engine and four wheel drive for less than half the price of an Intergrale.

Just look at those factory split rims. And stickers. Lots of stickers...

[Seth]

Hillman Hunter GLS. A Rapier H120 dressed up in a saloon shell, with the same 120ish bhp Holbay tuned engine.

[Killbill]

Saab 900 Carlsson
204 bhp
Very nice

[longdog]

Fiat Uno Turbo. 1.3 105 bhp.

[mjphotography2016]

1995 Mercedes fitted a 7.3ltr v12 to the R129 platform 525bhp

There was also some pretty hot W124's but the E60 was the top model 6.0 V8

[Del]

Lancia Thema 8.32:

Lancia, sensing that it was missing out on a lucrative opportunity, obviously spent too long in a bar one evening. It decided that what it should really do was make a V8-engined version of its front-wheel-drive Thema saloon.

Drawing on some local support the Italian manufacturer settled on using a 2.9-litre V8 with 32 valves, hence the car's '8.32' moniker. The engine was based on the Ferrari unit found in the Mondial and 308 and shared many components with its Prancing Horse equivalents.

With the new engine crammed into the Lancia's nose, and 212bhp being transmitted to the front wheels through a five-speed manual gearbox, the Thema could sprint from 0-60mph in around 6.8 seconds.

www.autocar.co.uk/blogs/motoring/one-got-away-lancia-thema-832

[Killbill]

On the subject of The loverly Thema
Based on the same platform the more powerful Saab 9000 Aero
222bhp 330 Nmf

[HoTWire]

Sept 2, 2015 14:33:08 GMT Killbill said:

Based on the same platform the more powerful Saab 9000 Aero

Isn't there a Carlsson edition for this as well? Or was it just cosmetic?

[mikeymk]

Mercedes S-Class of the 1970's, the W116, came in 2.8/3.0/3.5/4.5 engines.

Oh, and also a 6.9

[mjphotography2016]

Sept 2, 2015 15:43:16 GMT mikeymk said:

Mercedes S-Class of the 1970's, the W116, came in 2.8/3.0/3.5/4.5 engines.

Oh, and also a 6.9

Mercedes have offered hot versions for some years, 
w108/9 6.3 v8
w111 280se 3.5 
w116 450sel 6.9
w124 3.4 amg 3.6 amg 500e and E60
w126 560 se,sel & sec pretty sure there was a 7.0litre amg version aswell
w202 c36, c43 and the option to upgrade your 4.3 to c55
R107 450slc 5.0 and also a 560sl
R129 sl73 Amg
W140 600 v12 S70 & S73 Amg
W210 E55 4matic & E60 Amg