Maxxd.com – Modified and Performance Car News

  • CLUTCH GUIDE: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW

    It’s rare to see a tuned car without an uprated clutch, so we spoke to Competition Clutch to find out why in our performance clutch guide.

    The main purpose of an uprated clutch is to replace the standard item which can’t handle the level of torque the car is producing. It generally depends on the car and driver, as a hard used, but less powerful engine will wear its clutch out far faster than a more powerful engine driven gently. Clutch wear can be as extreme as slipping instantly under load, or it can occur when you use full power for short periods including drag racing, drifting, or during fast road use.

    Standard clutches are designed so that even the least talented motorist can drive smoothly. But the payoff is a shorter life and inability to handle extra power. Many supercars for example struggle to launch hard more than a few times without destroying the clutch for this exact reason. But if the manufacturer had installed a clutch that could effectively handle the power under hard use, it would be too difficult for most owners to use.

    Read on through our clutch guide and you’ll become an expert in the field!

    What is a clutch and what does it do?

    In simple terms, your clutch is the component that connects the engine to the transmission to drive the wheels. It works by using a friction disc (connected to the gearbox) that is pressed by a sprung pressure plate against a flywheel (which is connected to the engine) to transfer drive between the two. Disengaging the clutch, by pressing the clutch pedal, separates the friction discs and the flywheel, stopping that transfer, allowing the engine to continue turning without the connection to the wheels, this in turn allows you to change gear or stop altogether.

    Clutch guide: Are they all the same basic design?

    Most automotive clutches use the same principle of some form of spinning friction disc clamped to a flywheel by a pressure plate to transfer power, but the types of friction materials used, the size and design of the discs themselves and the number of friction discs used in any platform or application can vary. You start with an OE replacement clutch for non-modified vehicles. However, once you begin to increase power, you will need a clutch with stronger pressure plate and more aggressive and hard-wearing friction materials. These generally come in stages, such as 2, 3 and 4, and allow good street driveability. Next is multiplate clutches, which increases the torque capacity without the need to increase spring strength or clutch diameter. This uses multiple (usually two or three) clutch discs, with friction materials on both sides of each and makes for a lighter clutch pedal than an equally-strong single plate application. The final option is what is known as a ‘paddle’ clutch, which instead of the clutch plate being a circular disc, it is made up of a number of fiction ‘paddles’ or ‘pucks’. Known for their snatchy nature, but also an ability to hold high power without slipping, they commonly come in 3, 4 and 6 puck configurations.

    clutch guide

    What are clutches made of?

    While the outer pressure plates are generally always a sprung metal design, the clutch discs themselves will use various friction materials depending on the application and power handling. Here are the most common materials and their qualities:

    Organic

    Smooth, durable (and usually quieter) and easy on the opposing mating surface, organic materials are common but suffer in high performance applications due to their intolerance to heat build-up and shorter lifespan.

    Carbon/Kevlar

    Similar clamping properties to organic materials with smooth operation, but able to withstand heat more vigourously when mated to a highly-rated pressure plate.

    Ceramic

    Offering the highest friction co-efficient, ceramic offers a lower necessity for high clamping force as the material provides more grip. The flipside is that ceramic materials wear the flywheel’s surface more quickly, sometimes causing shudder and a harsher feel. Mainly for competition use and applications where you are doubling or tripling your car’s stock output.

    Clutch guide

    How do aftermarket clutches differ to OEM ones?

    OEM clutch kits are designed to work with the factory power output of the vehicle and most will begin to fail if you substantially increase the power through tuning. Aftermarket clutches are available in different ratings to be able to work at much higher power and torque levels, meaning whatever your car’s power or driving style, there will be a clutch available to suit. Also, many aftermarket performance clutch options are lighter than stock clutches too (especially when combined with a lightweight flywheel) meaning less rotational mass for the engine to turn, equating to freer revving and lower transmission losses.

    Why, or when, would you need to upgrade your clutch?

    It is worthwhile upgrading your clutch if you are planning a considerable increase in power and torque – for example, boost increases, re-mapping and engine builds – as this will place more strain on the whole drivetrain and wear out a stock clutch more quickly. This is when you need a performance clutch.

    The options available to you will depend on your level of power upgrade and intended usage.

    How important is it to get the right clutch?

    Aside from making sure you get a clutch that physically fits your car’s transmission, you also need to consider your car’s power and torque, plus your driving style and how you intend to use the car. While there is no point simply buying the strongest paddle clutch available if you are not going to have the power to warrant it, under specifying your clutch can lead to it wearing out prematurely and not being fit for purpose. Just bear in mind that for street driving, pedal weight and ease of modulation are also a concern if you want your car to drive well and be useable in traffic etc., whereas in racing conditions an aggressive, snatchy clutch is less of a problem as long as it can take the abuse.

    Clutch guide: What causes clutches to fail?

    Clutches are fairly durable, but heavy abuse or increases in power will mean they wear much more quickly and need replacing more often. If the clutch slips (doesn’t fully engage), the linkage could be out of adjustment, or the clutch disc could need replacing. You can tell if your clutch is slipping by flooring the pedal in a high gear at low revs and seeing if the revs rise without a corresponding increase in speed. If this is the case, your clutch is on its way out.

    What other mods should you consider when uprating your clutch?

    You should consider upgrading the flywheel, if it is available for the vehicle, and always replace the throw-out bearing and flywheel bolts when installing a new clutch. If you are upping the power considerably, you may also want to consider fitting a limited slip differential, uprated driveshafts or even an uprated gear-set.

    Are there any downsides to uprated clutches?

    With single-disc clutches, the ‘in traffic’ drivability tends to suffer if you move past organic and segmented ceramic setups and onto paddle clutch setups. This is because of the snatchy, all-or-nothing nature of high performance paddle clutches meaning useful clutch slip (to aid modulation when engaging) is all but non-existent.  The solution to the downsides of a heavier paddle-style clutch are solved by using a multi-plate organic clutch such as the MPC from Competition Clutch. They have the same power holding capabilities as a racing twin-disc clutch, but the ‘in traffic’ drivability of a Stage 2 street clutch.

    Other than ensuring you get the right clutch for your application, what are the most important things to look out for when buying uprated clutch?

    Look for a reputable brand (such as Competition Clutch) that you know or have seen in many magazine articles and that is used on race cars and enjoyed by fellow enthusiasts across the globe.  That way you know you will have great customer service and back-up should you have any problems. As far as price is concerned, you really do get what you pay for, and that unbranded Ebay-special may end up costing you a lot more in the long run if it fails to live up to expectations. We’d also recommended a professional installation because clutch installs (especially the alignment) can be more a difficult job than you may think. The right tools really make all the difference in the world.

    FAST CAR CLUTCH GUIDE

    Clutch guide: What makes up a clutch? 

    A clutch is fairly simple with three main components in a single plate example. It basically consists of two surfaces; one connected to the engine and one connected to the gearbox, and a central friction disc that transmits torque between the two.

    Flywheel

    This is the part that is bolted to the crankshaft of the engine and therefore spins at engine speed at all times. With the clutch engaged, the flywheel friction plate and the clutch plate are pressed together, sending torque from the flywheel to the gearbox. Different weights of flywheel are available, and although these are mostly used for other performance reasons, a lighter flywheel will also have an increased clamping effect. We’ll explain the effects of flywheel weight later on in this feature.

    Clutch plate

    This is the part connected to the gearbox. When the clutch is engaged the clutch plate is pushed against the flywheel to transmit power between them. There are various materials and styles of clutch plate friction pads depending on the use of the car and the torque the clutch is expected to transmit, and this will be talked about in a separate section.

    Clutch cover

    This is the part that pushes the clutch plate on to the flywheel when you engage the clutch. It has sprung metal fingers arranged in a circular fashion facing inwards that give the clamping force that helps stop the clutch plate and flywheel from slipping. An uprated clutch usually has an uprated cover which increases the clamping force of the clutch cover fingers. The downside of more clamping force is a stiffer clutch pedal, which can range from slightly stiffer to something barely useable on the road.

    FAST CAR CLUTCH GUIDE

    Paddle clutches

    The majority of uprated clutches are actually what is known as a paddle clutch. A paddle clutch, rather than having 360 degrees of friction material like a standard clutch, is segmented into sections, usually four or six, but other combinations are available. These are commonly known as a four/six paddle clutch, or sometimes four/six puck in the USA. The reason for this segmented design is to help with heat dissipation. With increased power you are more likely to overheat the clutch, potentially warping it or simply ruining the friction material. Making it less effective.

    Sprung plate or not?

    Almost all uprated clutch plates for road cars, even ones intended for enormous power levels, are ‘sprung’. This means they have springs between the centre plate and the friction pads to dampen the shock load as the clutch is engaged. This makes driving it on the road, where the clutch is constantly being engaged and disengaged, much smoother than without springs. On race cars smooth clutch operation isn’t so important so these are generally unsprung to give the most positive action possible, less weight, and less potential failure points.

    Multi-plate clutches

    Multi-plate clutches are commonplace these days on uned cars. They have more than one clutch plate with metal plates sandwiched between them. Using multiple plates spreads the load and increases heat dissipation, giving increased grip for the overall diameter of the clutch. This means a twin plate using friction materials that are more road-friendly can handle similar levels of torque to a single plate race-only sintered clutch for example. In race cars they use multi-plate clutches to save weight and rotating mass by using the smallest diameter clutch possible with a huge number of plates. Conversely, cars with very large diameter clutches as standard, V8s for example, tend to not need multi-plate clutches until a much higher power level than most four cylinder engines with smaller clutch diameters.

    FAST CAR CLUTCH GUIDE

    Flywheel weight

    There’s a lot of talk about the effects of a lightweight flywheel, but to put it simply, on a high performance car there are many benefits. The first thing to remember is as it’s a rotating mass you are not simply removing 5kg. The effect is magnified by the speed of rotation and the gear ratios, meaning it can be the equivalent of a 150kg weight saving in a low gear, though in high gears it can be less than 10%. From a performance point of view it is why cars tend to rev faster and more freely with a lighter flywheel, especially in lower gears and of course out of gear. From a clutch point of view this lighter rotating mass makes it easier for the clutch plate to grip it, further increasing the clutches’ performance.

    As ever with tuning, there is a downside, and that is a slight drop in drivability due to this decreased clutch mass as the revs drop more easily, making it harder to drive smoothly and easier to stall. Sometimes a slightly higher idle speed is used to stop a car with a very light flywheel from stalling when the clutch is disengaged.

    Hydraulic or cable operated clutch?

    The vast majority of cars these days come with a hydraulically operated clutch. But there are still many popular cars with a cable clutch, Cosworths and Mk2 Golf GTIs for example, and this can cause problems when going for a high performance clutch. In a similar way to brakes without servo assistance need to be pushed harder to operate, a clutch with cable operation is much harder to use than the equivalent clutch with hydraulic assistance. With organic clutches and standard covers it isn’t an issue, but once the cover is stiffer you need a strong leg to operate the clutch. And once the plate material is uprated you need extra care to pull off smoothly. Single plate clutches can just about be driven on a cable clutch, but anything more will need a hydraulic clutch conversion to maintain any hope of road drivability.

    FAST CAR CLUTCH GUIDE

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  • MODIFIED MK1 SCIROCCO: THE GREATEST SHOWMAN

    Evoking the spirit of show cars of the turn of the century, Sebastian Berndt’s modified Mk1 Scirocco takes that retro vibe and reworks it for a modern audience…

    Feature from Performance VW. Words: Dan Bevis. Photos: Tony Matthews

    The car you’re looking at here is, in essence, doubly retro. You see, while there’s been a massive and unmissable resurgence in enthusiasm for cars which exist in the hinterland between classic and modern-classic, there is (and always has been) a hardcore of enthusiasts for whom these retro heroes have always been where it’s at. So as time creaks inexorably onward, we’re treated to a whole extra dimension of modifying; whereas once there was a polarised choice between ‘modify in the classic style’ or ‘modify according to current trends’, there’s a fresh possibility that’s elbowed its way between the two, and this fabulous blue modified Mk1 Scirocco is a clear representative of that. This low, smooth, clean and aggressive Dub has been built in the style of the German show cars of yore, something that you would have expected to see scooping trophies back in the late-nineties and early-noughties. If you’re a regular reader with a collection of PVW back issues, dig out some mags from a couple of decades ago and you’ll find the show reports crammed with builds like this… although this is no period throwback, but is in fact a fresh new build.

    Modified Mk1 Scirocco

    All of this has been a long time coming for Sebastian Berndt, who got his first car – a Polo – twenty years ago when he was seventeen. It’s particularly telling that his formative modding years were around the time when the scene was full of this sort of retro fare (although it wasn’t so retro then, of course!) and it was clear from the off that a Scirocco would be the endgame. “It all began when my friends started to get into cars and, naturally, I was right with them,” he recalls. “With everyone modifying their cars, it rubbed off on me. And this car is really special to me since it belonged to a good friend of mine who bought it when I was around fifteen years old. I remember going to visit him on my bike, and since day one I was so in love with this car that I said to him, if he ever wants to sell it then please think of me! Six years ago I had a phone call from said friend, who offered the Scirocco to me before anyone else.” And so, after many years of yearning, Sebastian had his dream car – everything he’d ever been planning for his ultimate build could be laid out on this blank canvas. It was just as well the Scirocco came along when it did, too… because he was on the verge of applying this dream formula to a Golf instead!

    As bought, the old-school coupe was largely rust-free, which was something of an achievement in itself; indeed, Sebastian reckons it’s the only one he’s seen that’s never needed the structural attention of the welder. However, there was no interior to speak of – simply a rollcage in two parts, the front being relatively normal but the rear all welded into one piece with no nuts or bolts – although it did come with a decent pile of spares. So it was part project, part jigsaw puzzle. A solid shell is obviously the most important starting point, and with this duly secured Sebastian was able to get to work and make that dream come true: “I always had the build in my head,” he grins, “and now I was able to make it a reality.”

    Modified Mk1 Scirocco

    The project followed an interesting trajectory, as when the car appeared at its first show – Sourkrauts’ Inneres Blumenpflücken in Berlin – in 2016, it had a tidy exterior/interior combo but wasn’t actually running, it just had a show motor dropped in the bay. There was no gearbox, no exhaust, no wiring, nothing to actually make the car drivable… but this was all just part of the evolution, Sebastian testing the water on the scene, then ensconcing the Scirocco in his garage for a while so he could refine and finesse all that was to come. After a while, he and a friend tore the car down in order to add such important elements as, er, an engine and some suspension, with the aim of debuting it the following year at Tuning World Bodensee.

    “I like to impress,” says Sebastian, matter-of-factly. “When I’m at shows, most people approaching me ask me in disbelief if the car actually drives; when I say that it does and passed all TUV regulations, it is impressive to them. I like that it has simplicity and style, but gives off the impression that it won’t drive! Outside of that, I have no particular style in my head, I follow my gut and do my own thing.”

    Modified Mk1 Scirocco

    The engine that was fitted with the help of a buddy, Migl (real name Pascal, a mechanical engineer by trade) is a Corrado G60-sourced 2.0-litre 16v, running twin Webers and hot cams. Getting the motor in there was a mission in itself; everything that could go wrong did, and Sebastian and Migl found themselves fabricating all sorts of bespoke bits. Impressively, the gearbox was scratch-built too: “This was more due to the fact that I think cable-controlled shift systems are ugly, so I rebuilt it to be mechanical,” Sebastian explains. “It was totally crazy, and trust me, that thought came often: we are totally crazy. Some nights we ended up at 7am with nothing done, and only the thought that we had to leave it since our heads were nowhere near where they should have been at that time of the morning. That being said, we were too far into the process to throw in the towel or to let it go. I made the commitment so I really wanted to see it through. We suffered a bit of a set-back as well since the first ’box we built was too short and couldn’t be switched; to avoid being down, we just took this one as a design sample and started again using our self-created pattern to replicate and know where to add and elongate our rods and bars.”

    This level of attention to detail, spirit of endeavour and unwillingness to compromise can be found throughout the build. Off-the-shelf Air Lift suspension kits are available for this generation of VW Scirocco, but that wasn’t enough for this guy. No, he swapped out the shocks for different ones, shortening front and rear by a further 7cm to get the car sitting crazy-low. When it came to the innards, the idea was to evolve the original interior rather than radically rework it, so the stock seats have had their headrests binned before being retrimmed in leather along with the dash. The rollcage has been perfected, and the towering gear shifter acts as a keen statement of intent. Oh yes, and of course there’s a knitted loo-roll holder in there. Why wouldn’t there be? “That was knitted by a friend of mine who did that as a sort of distraction during sick days,” Sebastian explains. “He’s fine now! And to be fair, when I was little everyone had that in their cars. I don’t know why you aren’t seeing them in more old German cars today, but during my childhood that was something you just had to have! To me it’s a trip down memory lane every time I see it, plus it’s holding my friend in honour with giving it a space where it really belongs.”

    Lavatorial accoutrements aside, this really is a fabulous fusion of show and go, all with a keen and wry eye on the show scene of the turn of the century. The way it sits ultra-low over those custom splits is eye-wateringly badass, and it’s an inspired wheel choice: “Ronal Racing was my original idea, although there was already a modified Mk1 Scirocco with Ronal wheels at the time so that was that,” he says. “I personally always like 0” wheels, and through nepotism I made a new friend, Dirk – owner of Zero–RS Racing – whose company is based on 0” wheels. He suggested OZ Fittipaldi wheels; I like the look of them, but I redesigned to 0” and created a smaller star. The star was originally bronze, and now it’s silver which is more my style.”

    Every decision throughout this build has been carefully considered, and it’s not just in terms of choosing the right parts and making things fit in unique and unusual ways, but also in working with the right contacts to see it’s done properly. K-Tech, for example, who served up all manner of carbon fibre parts here, have made and supplied parts for some truly iconic VW builds over the years; in fact K-Tech’s owner, Michael, has one of the earliest full-on Mk1 show cars ever built – it’s orange, and sits proudly in his showroom as respectful testament to the old-school. It’s this cherished notion of doing things the old way and combining it with new-wave ideas which keeps the project ploughing onward: “They’re never finished, are they?” Sebastian laughs. “I have no particular favourite part as everything on the car is something I’ve always wanted to do, but it’s a project and I’m still working on it. Most recently, with the help of a friend, I’ve created my own custom wheels for the modified Mk1 Scirocco – yes, made from scratch, self-moulded and all…”

    Modified Mk1 Scirocco

    It seems that there really is no barrier to creativity here. With one eye on the retro scene, approached from the perspective of someone who watched it unfurl when it wasn’t that retro, Sebastian’s looped the vibe around and reimagined it for a new generation. The fun part about building your dream car is that you’re always able to have new dreams, and with every spark of inspiration comes a fresh new take: this modified Mk1 Scirocco truly represents the ethos of ‘old-school, new rules’.

    Modified Mk1 Scirocco

    Tech Spec: Modified Mk1 Scirocco

    Engine:

    2.0-litre 16v (from Corrado G60), twin Weber carbs with 45mm throttle bodies, ported head, DBilas cams, 4-2-1 Supersprint exhaust system, shaved bay, carbon engine mounts, carbon oil cap, Corrado G60 gearbox, Sachs clutch

    Chassis:

    6.5×17” OZ Fittipaldi wheels (stepped up from 16” with polished lips), 165/35 Nankang tyres, 30mm spacers, Air Lift Performance suspension with V2 management, Corrado G60 brakes

    Exterior:

    Full body resto, Baby Blue paint, Aenso graphics, all-red taillights with carbon top covers, chrome bumpers with carbon inserts, roof aerial and rear wiper deleted, carbon-coated wiper arm and door mirrors, chrome door handles, Autoplas rear louvres

    Interior:

    Full polished rollcage, custom gear-shifter, original seats retrimmed and headrests removed, TRS window nets, retrimmed steering wheel and dash, carbon binnacle insert

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  • Preview: 2023 Kia Sportage takes on dramatic look

    Kia late on Monday provided a preview look at the next generation of its Sportage crossover.

    The full reveal will take place in July, with sales in the United States likely to follow in early 2022. The small crossover will arrive in our market as a 2023 model.

    2023 Kia Sportage (European spec)

    2023 Kia Sportage (European spec)

    The redesigned Sportage has taken on a dramatic new look, with elements like a clamshell hood up front and the pinched leading edge of the tailgate looking similar to what we see on Kia’s new EV6 electric crossover introduced for 2022. And like most new Kias, there’s a grille spanning the width of the vehicle’s face. Another interesting element are the headlights, whose main clusters are set low in the face and bounded by boomerang-shaped daytime lights.

    Kia, which refers to its new design language as Opposites United, says the inspiration comes from elements of “nature and modernity.”

    2023 Kia Sportage (European spec)

    2023 Kia Sportage (European spec)

    Inside is a premium design that wouldn’t look out of place in an Audi. Present is a driver-orientated dash layout dominated by a curved display integrating the instrument cluster and infotainment screen. There is also multiple controls on the steering wheel together with a rotary dial for the gear selector, below which is a second dial for the drive mode selector.

    That’s all the information Kia has released for now, but we have some clues as to what to expect for the mechanicals. The vehicle is the corporate twin to the new Hyundai Tucson introduced for 2022. This means we can expect a similar powertrain offering, at least here in the U.S. The Hyundai offers a 2.5-liter inline-4 with 187 hp as standard. It’s mated to an 8-speed automatic.

    2022 Hyundai Tucson Plug-In Hybrid

    2022 Hyundai Tucson Plug-In Hybrid

    Above this is a pair of hybrids, one a plug-in hybrid. In both cases there’s a 1.6-liter turbocharged inline-4 mated to a single electric motor integrated with a 6-speed automatic. The regular hybrid setup is good for 226 hp while the plug-in hybrid setup is good for 261 hp. The plug-in hybrid also has a 13.8-kilowatt-hour battery that will deliver an estimated 32 miles of electric range.

    Stay tuned for more details following the July reveal event.

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