Coming from off-road terrain, for which they were originally created, crossovers quickly gained leading positions in urban areas, becoming real “kings of the roads.” On the off-road they have no equal, and “somewhere down there” they are discussed respectfully, almost in a whisper... The world belongs to them, and those who are smaller will move on!
The heart of a sports car, irresistibly rushing forward, urging on the massive body of a crossover - is it possible to imagine a more successful symbiosis? It turns out that you can if your ambitions make you forget about compromises.
We present to you the tuning of crossovers , which has significantly changed them for the better - as well as the mood of their owners.
Jeep Wrangler. A remake of a classic is always interesting.
Imagine turning an ordinary Jeep Wrangler into a Super Jeep! With the ICON suspension, the car's gait has noticeably changed. To begin with, it was lifted. ICON Stage raised the car above road level by 150 mm. Long adjustable transverse rods, long levers, and coilovers not only increased the suspension travel by one and a half times, but also made it possible to more calmly perceive inevitable twisting. To protect the suspension from penetration if the driver “skids,” hydraulic bump stops were added.
Next, the Jeep was “re-shod” with harsh Nitto Mud Grappler tires (40 inches in size - almost a meter!), mounted on 22-inch XD Series wheels. And in order for such “bots” (no less than 15.5 inches wide) to fit, the wheel arches were enlarged. To avoid cutting to the quick, durable steel (7 mm) Smittybilt fenders were installed on the body. They are much wider than the “native” ones and provide more space for the massive chassis.
They clearly forgot something... For a complete feeling of superiority, the owners of the Wrangler got rid of the “native” plastic awning, replacing it with the incomparable Wildboar. For the warm season, they left the original soft awning, which can easily be hidden in the trunk.
To make the car look impressive in the dark, it was equipped with Trucklite LED headlights and Rigid optics. It turned out brilliant!
It remains to add even more severity to the appearance of the car. Fab Fours power bumpers were perfect for this purpose. The front one is equipped with a guard, integrated optics and a winch. Come Up 9.5 is capable of getting Jeep out of any trouble. Well, except perhaps for the financial difficulties of its owner! The rear bumper was equipped with a powerful gate that easily carries a huge “forty” spare wheel.
There is little left: for a comfortable boarding, the car was “gifted” with AMP-Research electric thresholds. It's like boarding a starship. To avoid scratching their creation in any way, the owners made the smart decision to treat it with a LINE-X protective coating. Well, and a small cosmetic procedure: the interior was covered with natural leather, stitched with white stitching.
As a result, it turned out to be a sort of “Jeep for the pleasure of your ego.” Or did he buy his own?
Select a car to view its details
| Isuzu D-Max | ||
| Jeep Wrangler | Land Rover Defender 110 | Land Rover Defender 90 |
| Land Rover Discovery 1 | Land Rover Discovery 2 | Mazda BT50/B2500 |
| Mercedes-Benz G-Class | Mitsubishi L-200 | Mitsubishi L-200 from 2015 |
| Mitsubishi L-200 Triton | Mitsubishi Pajero IV | Nissan Navara |
| Nissan NP-300 | Nissan Patrol | Toyota FJ Cruiser |
| Toyota Hilux | Toyota Hilux Arctic Trucks | Toyota Hilux since 2015 |
| Toyota Land Cruiser 100 | Toyota Land Cruiser 105 | Toyota Land Cruiser 200 |
| Toyota Land Cruiser 70 | Toyota Land Cruiser 80 | Toyota Land Cruiser 90 |
| Toyota TUNDRA | Volkswagen Amarok | UAZ Bukhanka |
| UAZ classic | UAZ Patriot |
Nissan Navara D40: a wonderful rogue!
The pickup truck was modified for the purpose of daily promenades around the city, and sometimes for trips to moderately difficult off-road sections of moderate complexity, and for a high-speed race against raiders, and for driving on asphalt.
In addition, tuning SUVs should emphasize the characteristics of the owner’s character and express his emotions. And they do not always require heaviness and brutality, taking into account the fact that behind the external simplicity there is often hidden a capacious filling, and behind the clean lines of forms there is detailed elaboration. After tuning, the car did not attract the attention of onlookers with unnecessary frills - but it stood out for its obvious self-sufficiency!
First of all, the suspension in the Nissan Navara was replaced: the owner chose Old Man Emu, which improves the car's handling in combination with a lift sufficient for serious off-road “shoes”.
Nitrocharger Sport shock absorbers and Old Man Emu springs performed simply wonderful on the track, confidently “swallowing” bumps and beyond. The suspension even allowed the car to jump from low jumps. An indescribable feeling: a heavy car, taking off hard from the ground, lands softly like a cat! On the asphalt, the car also showed its best side, resembling not a brutal pickup truck, but an assembled sports car.
The car was equipped with an all-season ATZ 285/75 R16 chassis from Mickey Thompson. This is a little more than the suspension lift allowed. She was lifted a couple of inches, the missing height was compensated by a two-inch body lift. This way, the owner avoided cutting the chassis arches and avoided disturbing the operating angles of the drives.
Anticipating confident racing on harsh off-road, the owner installed an AirLocker from ARB with pneumatic drive on the front axle. The rear lock of the car was already assembled at the factory. As a result, in addition to blocking, Nissan now has a compressor with a capacity of 75 l/min. Considering the aforementioned chassis – just right.
Finally, for the same off-road, the owner brought the snorkel (a device with which the engine can operate underwater) upstairs - to overcome fords and to protect the engine from dust. Due to the fact that all decisions were weighed very carefully, and the installation of devices was thoughtful, the “output” was a perfectly balanced crossover with no visible flaws.
What you need to consider when tuning this class of car
Initially, it is important to pay tribute to the issue of the chassis and carry out a number of operations that can increase its capabilities. It is worth considering that the chassis must provide excellent control so that the driver can respond in a timely manner to even the most minor changes in the situation when crossing various irregularities, or in rally conditions. The installation of stiff springs in the suspension deserves special attention, which greatly simplifies driving the car.
A fairly modern and practical option would be to install two-section units into a structure. The peculiarity of the unit is the presence of two types of springs, the first of which is the lower one, made soft. The upper spring is securely installed, which is designed in the exact opposite way - increased rigidity.
What will it be possible to use such a node? Such a solution will significantly improve the contact of the car’s wheels with the road surface on which it moves, which will also eliminate the process of the wheels hanging above the surface itself.
In this case, exposed to the action of the lower spring, the car will be sharply pressed against the surface.
We can make some recommendations, namely: select a set of springs taken from older models in the family, which, therefore, will reduce the cost of performing such operations and will optimally allow tuning to be carried out at a fundamentally new level.
Cadillac Escalade: if you change, do it from the inside!
The tuned Escalade, at first glance, is no different from the usual one: the same powerful headlights, LED illumination of the door handles, a shiny aluminum hood and active curtains. But first looks are often deceiving!
After tuning, the 2014 Cadillac Escalade became much more powerful and more comfortable. Instead of the usual 420 hp engine. With. a 6-liter with a power of 560 hp was installed. With. At the same time, the torque was developed, which amounted to 740 Nm “at the output”. A new generation defect-proof driveshaft was installed on the car, transmitting torque without any losses.
Additional improvements in the Cadillac Escalade affected the control unit, which acquired new settings. A powerful intercooler and a special mechanical supercharger also took a worthy place in the tuned crossover.
The aerodynamic characteristics of the original were also improved: the car now cuts through the air like a sharpened ax. The tuned car goes from 0 to 100 km/h in just 6.5 seconds. The top speed of the modified Escalade is 210 km/h.
As a result, tuning the Cadillac Escalade crossover gave fans of powerful, large American-style cars another toy.
West Coast Customs
It's hard to find a custom shop that receives as many celebrity orders as West Coast Customs, founded by Ryan Friedlinghaus in 1994 in California. Ryan himself likes to repeat that he was able to open his own business by borrowing $5,000 from his grandfather, but some of his friends claim that he accumulated the start-up capital by working part-time in his father’s liquor store. Be that as it may, the tenacity and creativity with which the tuner approached all projects soon brought him success and popularity and even allowed him to gain the patronage of stars - Shaquille O'Neal and Sean Combs, known under the pseudonym Puff Daddy. In addition, West Coast Customs' client list includes such global brands as Microsoft, Nintendo and Virgin Media, and some of the company's projects have even made it to the big screen, such as the 1955 Ford F-100 pickup truck that played a starring role in "The Expendables" by Sylvester Stallone. Especially for participation in the film, the classic pickup truck was equipped with a reinforced body, a new engine with a capacity of 428 horsepower, a B&M automatic transmission, Willwood brakes, a Gibson exhaust system, a Mustang front suspension, an Aurora radiator grille, a Heidt four-link on the rear axle, Cerillo sports seats, and a Flaming sports steering wheel. River and Continental sports tires. After filming, this masterpiece of tuning craftsmanship went under the hammer for $132,000 at the Barrett-Jackson auction.
Unlike many tuning shops that prefer to deal with a limited list of brands or even just one brand, and also focus primarily on modifying cars of a certain class, for West Coast Customs the source does not matter. Moreover, the company has more than once taken on very non-standard projects, for example, tuning a car-house or modifying a bus for an anime exhibition.
Another distinctive feature of West Coast Customs is that you can watch its craftsmen at work simply by turning on the TV. For several years now, the Discovery Channel has been airing the Inside Look: West Coast Customs program, which introduces viewers to the creative process that simmers behind the doors of the workshop. Fans of SUVs, crossovers and pickups also have something to look at - in different editions of the program, the Hummer H1, GMC Yukon Denali, Toyota Tundra, Jeep Wrangler, Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Silverado, Ford Explorer, Chevrolet Suburban, Jeep Compass were subject to modification, and in the new This season, the studio mechanics will try to give a rebirth to the Ford Raptor pickup truck, so beloved by tuners. You can find out what will come of it, as well as get acquainted with other projects of the famous tuning studio in the program “A Look from the Inside: West Coast Customs” from the Discovery Channel
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Mazda BT-50: a tractor driver's dream
Tuning begins with a dream, and a dream begins with an aspiration. The owner’s desire to customize the car “to suit himself.” Mazda BT-50 is a car for everyone. In addition, its 2.4-liter engine is frankly weak for dedicated racing, and the suspension design leaves much to be desired. The owner of the car in question was not at all eager to turn the ugly duckling into a beautiful swan - he simply improved the characteristics of his favorite car “to suit himself.”
First of all, the pickup was lifted, but the suspension was not lifted. Raising the body above the frame by 50 mm was quite enough for the 31-inch diameter chassis to fit into the arches. The dimensions of the chassis contained the special nuances of tuning.
The diameter of the chassis in an all-wheel drive car is a constant value, and the size of the front and rear chassis must be the same. And then the owner decided on a bold experiment: they installed a 31x10 R15 chassis in front (15x8 wheels, offset - 25 mm), and 31x12.5 R15 in the rear (15x10 wheels, offset - minus 40 mm). The rear chassis turned out to be wider than the front ones by almost 2.5 inches, protruding out to the sides by 100 mm.
Taking into account the fact that Mazda is not a long-wheelbase car, the owner, through the above-mentioned machinations, improved the handling of his car, increasing its stability. The result is a special configuration, more reminiscent of the design of circuit racing cars than crossovers.
As a result, the owner got what he wanted: a car for constant long-distance road trips and trips on good dirt roads.
This determined further decisions on tuning the Mazda BT-50. The pickup truck now has a 140-liter fuel tank, which significantly increases its autonomous driving range. The luggage platform on the roof made of aluminum and the power sills also came in handy - purely for practical purposes. But the front power bumper with a guard (and additional light) appeared for exterior harmony.
The factory rear bumper was also replaced - since the "original" ones on pickups are not considered bumpers at all. An off-road test of the tuned car showed that the special wheel configuration at least did not worsen the cross-country ability. On asphalt and wet roads, the crossover has become much more obedient.
Improving the body
Provides for tuning jeeps and operations performed on the body. Today, the market offers a huge range of additional equipment and accessories, specifically aimed specifically at inclusion in off-road vehicles. Initially, we should highlight the possibility of installing new types of bumpers, among which the classic “bumper” takes pride of place.
Among the most relevant solutions are the following:
- Installation of a trunk in which you can easily store various materials, units, and equipment. With them you can practically go on an exciting trip and get the highest level of convenience and comfort. You can choose a Tule roof rack model that will not cause damage to the roof structure.
- Installation of a new radiator grille, more modern and practical, capable of simplifying the operation of the vehicle as much as possible, is the most relevant solution in difficult climatic conditions. There are a huge variety of grille options available, each with a distinctive style while being durable and reliable enough to last for a long time without the need to quickly replace the equipment.
- Installation of door sill covers, which will easily provide an incredible level of comfort while the vehicle is moving, creating the best possible conditions for a high-quality ride. It is worth noting that the installation of overlays can be done even with your own efforts; it will take only a small part of time and material costs, which, therefore, will allow you to perform all operations as profitably as possible for yourself.
- Pasting with anti-gravel film, which is carried out specifically to provide unique additional protection from the effects of various environmental manifestations, such as stones, gravel, which during movement can harm the surface of the body, causing the need to repaint it, cover it with a new layer of primer.
Lexus LX L60S: a wonderful transformation
Transforming the luxury Japanese Lexus LX 570 into a sports crossover, at first glance, seems crazy. And some people think that the overly representative Lexus looks ridiculous next to fast cars! It turned out that this was easily fixable.
To achieve this, the LX 570 was equipped with a compressor, a modified exhaust tract and the latest electronic controller. As a result, engine power jumped to 600 hp. With. (instead of “stock” 383 hp!), and the 2.7-ton car accelerates to hundreds in 6 seconds .
But weighty arguments are sometimes not enough to be convincing - appropriate appearance is important. The LX L60S owes its massive chin to a tuned Invader Technologies bumper with bright LED illumination. At the rear, the owner decided to tweak the prominent dual chrome exhaust by cutting it off.
But what deserves special applause are the wheels of the R22 chassis, through which multi-piston brake calipers can be seen.
The changes also affected the interior, which was made up of carbon fiber and genuine leather.
Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT-8 WK2 TYRANNOS: predator in the concrete jungle
Since its introduction, the Grand Cherokee SRT-8, a sort of symbiosis between Naomi Campbell and a high-speed locomotive, has acquired the nickname “scary.” No, I don’t mean ugly, on the contrary – handsome: heavy, black, growling! To describe the behavior of this car, it is worth remembering that you need to answer rudely in German. This is exactly the “accent” of the SRT-8.
As time passed, the Grand Cherokee SRT-8 slowly but surely “turned over to the dark side of the force.” I started with a modest stock 420 horses – and away we go: 530, 650, 750, 988! And all in order to become what it is today - a full-fledged Turbo SRT8!
It turned out that it was possible to “aggravate the situation” even more. At least externally. The Tyrannos body kit is one of the most frequently ordered types of tuning among Jeep SRT8 owners. It’s just some kind of trend... The body kit provides for a tuned bumper, body extension and other bells and whistles.
The strict, interesting, aggressive Tyrannos body kit, especially in combination with forged Renen R22 wheels, gives the car sophistication, while simultaneously turning it into a real predator, confidently crushing the asphalt road of a big city. The new image significantly distinguishes the SRT8 from the general stream of cars.
