The Mercedes-Benz SLK facelift is only released on our roads for a few months, and yet Brabus has created a customization program for the roadster. The package includes consists of aerodynamic enhancements, custom alloy wheels, suspension and offcourse a power upgrade. The top of the range, SLK 55 AMG, is powered by Brabus’ 6.1 liter engine and produces 445 bhp (which is 85 bhp more than the standard SLK AMG), with a peak of torque at 635 Nm. the engine is hooked up to a seven-speed automatic gearbox and Brabus’ self developed limited-slip differential. The sprint from 0 - 62 mph (100 kmh) should take 4.3 seconds while the topspeed is claimed to be 190 mph (305 kmh).

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The production of SLR coupé ended quitely at the end of last year, next year also the last SLR Roadster will leave the McLaren factory. That brings us to the future models of McLaren, Autocar confirmed McLaren is getting ready to start building it’s own supercar, codenamed P11, which could be ready as early as the end of next year. McLaren has the ability to build this new supercar in their own McLaren Technology Centre in Surrey, England.

McLaren produced 275 SLR coupé’s and roadsters in 2007. A small increase compared to the number of McLaren’s produced in 2006 but it’s still about 200 cars shy of Mercedes McLaren’s original estimate of 400 to 500 a year.

[Via Autocar]

Team Darkcyd is definitely one of the most famous and acknowledged teams in the Rally scene. Team Darkcyd is lead by Robb Rill as driver and Tara Rill, Co-driver/Navigator. Robb allways provides us with the hottest updates right from the street. Last year Team Darkcyd even participate the Baja 1000, one of the thoughest off-road races on the planet.
To make the time to the Bullrun 2008 a little bit shorter, Team Darkcyd shares with us a 1 hour 39 minutes (!!!) video with footage of the Bullrun 2006. Enjoy!!!
Visit our Bullrun forum to read the latest updates!

The Bullrun 2008 dates are finally announced! This years Bullrun will start at the 20th June and finish at the 27th June 2008. Starting city will be Calgary, Canada.

Here is the offical press release:

Bullrun dates and route!

Where are we going this year? Bullrun is rallying the amazing Continental Divide!

WHEN: 20th June - 27th June 2008
WHERE: Calgary, Alberta, Canada - Phoenix, Arizona, USA

So…What’s Happening..?

Another 8 nights and 7 days of the finest driving and partying will be a fitting celebration for Bullruns’ 5th year and now 7th rally. Are you tough enough?
Bullrun 2008 will, without doubt, include the best driving roads yet witnessed, some amazing hotels and resorts and of course more of the planned and unplanned mayhem usually associated with the run.
As always, COMPLETE details of the event will remain a secret.
Highlights…don’t miss it!

Highlights of the ‘08 Rally will include, a spectacular startline event, closed course challenges by the Hollywood stunt team that brought you the Bullrun show on MTV Spike, race track events, exclusive parties and as always an unbelievable selection of roads with some of the most stunning scenery in the USA.

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Alex Roy and Dave Maher beat the transcontinental record by setting a coast-to-coast record time from New York to Los Angeles of 31 hours and 4 minutes in the Team Polizei BMW M5 in october 2006. They kept it a closely guarded secret for a bit more than a year but this morning Jalopnik suprised us with a story on the succesful attempt to break the record. Multiple coast-to-coast records exist especially from runs held in the ’70s and ’80s. The most recognized record is 32 hours and 51 minutes set during the 1979 Cannonball Run. A less recognized record of 32 hours and 7 minutes was set by David Diem and Doug Turner in a Ferrari 308 during the 1983 US Express Run. More recent Bullrunners Richard Rawlings and Dennis Collins claim to have set a record time of 31 hours and 51 minutes during the Bullrun this summer. Some of the records have never been vailidated, one of the things Alex Roy kept in mind when he masterplanned his attempt into great detail. Multiple witnesses, toll booth receipts, video footage, numerous photos and GPS tracking must provide enough information for the world for proper validation of their new record.

Alex Roy and Maher go back to 2003 when Alex selected Maher as his co-driver for the Gumball 3000 from San Francisco to Miami. A large number of road rallies and driving events later Alex Roy aimed for the real thing, the transcontinental record. Alex Roy wrote the full story of his record attempt in his memoires: The Driver. Available in the United States and on sale online from tomorrow morning!

To give you an insight in what made it possible to break the record watch this video, is that one equipped bimmer or what?!

As the story unfolds we will bring more updates and the recorded evidence from the transcontinental record of 31 hours and 4 minutes set by Alex Roy and Dave Maher in the trusted Team Polizei BMW M5. On our behalf congrats to Alex and Maher and all the others involved for breaking the record and achieving a piece of history!

Behind the scenes Team Polizei’s commander Alex Roy spend a lot of time over the past couple of months finishing his book. It’s about to hit the shelf and from what we heard it’s a must read for all the rally and car fans out there!

It’s possible to pre-order the book now, that way you will be one of the first to get your copy when it hits the stores! For all the Europeans it may be faster to pre-order at Amazon.co.uk.

Alex Roy just released a big version of his book cover! We can’t wait to read it and already ordered our copy!

The Driver: My Dangerous Pursuit of Speed and Truth in the Outlaw Racing World

Annabelle Frankl just released the video of their arrest in Georgia during the Bullrun last week. A pack of around 25 ralliers were heading for Savannah when they passed through a wooded area in the Peach State at around 125 mph. The police was eating a donut at the side of the road when the pack drove past. Minutes later the cops chased down some of the lead cars and pulled all the Bullrunners they could say over, a few smart Bullrunners escaped before the police closed the net. But the ones that were not so lucky received a $1,150 fine and the American drivers also got a driving ban in Georgia for a day…

Bullrun is over. And so this is going to be the last write-up of Team Darkcyd. Many thanks to the great work of Robb, who kept us informed during the Bullrun!
Click here to watch the complete photo-album of Team Darkcyd!

So we left off after a long night ending at about 5AM for us with half the Darkcyd crew in the pool, some with too much clothing, some with too little. As I reflect , I guess they were wound up from a long night that even included Geoeff (who we now call (G-OFF) and Sean (our silly half off the SEANPAUL clan) an honorary Darkcyd member breaking up a fight by jumping a fence where some poor slob was being pummeled to the ground and getting his head stomped in on Duval street. Thanks to our guys, this drunk avoided brain injury I’m sure. Alcohol just makes people so stupid, and yet people wonder why I don’t drink-Ha!

more pics at the end

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Here’s a collection of videos of the Bullrun 2007!

Rally Guru interviews a Staunton, VA reporter as he interviews him:

Rally Guru has a great chat with Staunton, Virginia local:

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After the Bullrun finished in Key West last friday. Most Bullrunners sticked around for a party packed weekend. But now everybody got back home more and more pictures make it online. We found pictures from the start in Montreal, Bullrun in Atlantic City and a collection of photos from the finishline in Key West! And another gallery with pictures taken from pre-start to after-finish!

Finally we are able to share the write-up of the final day 7 of this year Bullrun from Team Darkcyd:

I am sorry it has taken a few days to write this. So much has transpired in the past few days alone that I feel I have been gone for a month. Some of it I am comfortable writing about and some I am not, as it affects other people and I feel discretion is in order. I will share what I can and that by itself is plenty, without affecting others negatively. The one thing that happens on these rally’s is significant bonding. It’s almost like Stockholm Syndrome where semi normal (nobody is really normal) people let loose and do things that otherwise they would never do. When the rally ends , people turn back into pumpkins and should not be judged for seemingly aberrant behavior over a week, but rather their behavior over an extended period of time. It is somewhat like having an alter ego for many where they can let go of their daily frustrations and just let loose. For example, most people who do not know me well do not have any clue I own the cars I do and I try to make an conscious effort to keep it that way. Most people could not understand the need for such excess, and I admit I have had to reexamine the excess myself periodically, when so many people had so little in comparison. I then go on the rally’s which I could not do without such vehicles, and it reinforces the fact that such events are not about cars or flaunting wealth, but rather are the common denominator for such a wide range of eclectic people. I personally can not see any other type of event putting together such a wide range of people in one place in one place. From Billionaires, Trust Fund Babies, stock promoters to eccentric Entrepreneurs, to models, actresses, con artists, porn producers, CEO’s of Nasdaq companies, poseurs who are all talk and no game, adrenaline junkies how can rattle off every statistic about every exotic car without even thinking, certified geniuses, these eccentric people in these events run the full gambit.

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We are proud to present Team Darkcyd write-up about day 5 at the Bullrun. The destination was the Versace Mansion in Miami. Today the Bullrunner heading to Key West!

Fantastic Day!

We woke up about 7 pm and had a late launch at 10, so there was little pressure. Had a great breakfast at the Hard Rock hotel where we were staying and while I was doing my morning write up, I did not realize the Bullrun staff had an issue with their luggage van. Its kinda ironic: they do because that is the whole reason I started with these chase vehicles. Had I known I might have saved 20k, but would not have been able to share the great experiences with my close friends so its all good. I also would not have been able to help the Bullrun staff by putting all the luggage in the Darkcy Semi. So once again we try to pay it forward.

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