The 10 Hottest Tuner Cars

Talk about driving a hard bargain: The Porsche Panamera Turbo rocks the cash box to the tune of $132,600; and that's before TechArt gets its hands on it. The burly Panamera Concept One is powered by a TechArt-enhanced 4.8-liter twin-turbo V8 engine pumping out 650 horsepower. Body tuning mods from PU-RIM widen the car by 21 millimeters at the nose and 42 millimeters in back using custom front and rear fascias, wide body fenders and side skirts. TechArt also focused on the interior, rewrapping the Porsche with a 2-tone cocoa and white scheme with green stitching. A ceiling-mounted 10.2-inch TV/DVD player and fold-down rear tray tables add to the opulence. The only thing missing is a jar of Grey Poupon.

Read a Review of the 2010 Porsche Panamera

If a Ferrari California is not tuned enough for you, Novitec has the answer: Supercharge it. Novitec Rosso pressurizes the California's 4.3-liter V8 engine with 6 pounds per square inch of boost, enough to pile on an additional 166 horses for a total output of 606 horsepower. A water-to-air intercooler, bigger fuel injectors, a trick intake manifold and a stainless-steel exhaust system join the blower. Zero to 60 mph flashes by in 3.8 seconds, and top speed is 202 mph. The Cali's Italian coachwork has been enhanced with an assortment of goods, all in carbon fiber of course. Handling has been sharpened via a Novitec hydraulic suspension that drops the drop-top 35 millimeters yet allows it to be raised to clear obstacles.

View Pictures:  2009 Ferrari California

It may be hard to imagine a body kit on the seductive Audi R8, but ABT Sportline has done more than dream it. ABT unleashed the carbon fiber in the form of a trick custom grille, a new front bumper with a lip spoiler, new side skirts, a new rear bumper that houses a different diffuser and four tail pipes, and a fixed rear wing. Distinctive 19- or 20-inch wheels fill out the fender wells. In the engine bay, the V10 has been tweaked to develop an additional 75 horsepower for a total of 600 ponies. That equates to 3.8-second zero-to-60-mph run.

View Pictures:  2010 Audi R8 V10

Carry a big stick, namely the brutish Lingenfelter L28 Camaro, and own the road with 800 horsepower. Lingenfelter Performance Engineering has five engine packages for L99-, LS3-powered Camaros and a special version featuring a turbocharged LS7 swapped from a Z06 Corvette. The packages range from 550 to 800 horsepower and feature forced induction via an Eaton supercharger or a twin turbo system. The L28 also features custom body tuning fore and aft. Lingenfelter-designed 20-inch, 10-spoke wheels, custom interior touches and a Hotchkis-enhanced suspension with Brembo brakes round out the L28 treatment.

Compare: Chevrolet Camaro vs. Ford Mustang vs. Dodge Challenger

Roush puts the 2010 Mustang at the head of the herd with a number of hard-hitting mods that focus on power production, traction and aerodynamics. The Blue Oval's 4.6-liter V8 engine gets a boost from a RoushCharger supercharger that pumps up the volume to the tune of 435 horsepower. The factory-installed Roush suspension system provides a balance of ride and handling and includes a Roush wheel-hop-reduction kit so drivers can unleash those 435 horses without hesitation. The 427R is dressed to the nines with a custom front fascia and lip spoiler, rear fascia, side splitters and a 3-piece rear wing. Rolling stock consists of 18-inch alloys with 20s on the optional menu. Time to saddle up and go for a ride.

View Pictures:  Custom Mustangs at SEMA

Hennessey Performance, known for its superfast Vipers, keeps it in the Mopar family with the Challenger HPE600 Turbo. A stock 425-horsepower SRT8 is the starting point. Hennessey adds a Precision 67HPSH turbo, a 44-millimeter waste gate, ported and polished cylinder heads, an intercooler, fuel system upgrades, a Corsa exhaust system and tuning. The result is 6 pounds per square inch of boost and an additional 195 horses under your right foot. The 620-horse HPE600 belted out an 11.9-second quarter-mile on a granny launch, yet it has KW shocks and suspension as well as StopTech brakes for quicker reflexes in the twisties. The HSE600 also includes exterior badging and interior dress-up items.

Bing: Hennessey Challenger HPE600 Turbo

Brabus went critical-mass on its Mercedes-Benz E V12 coupe and the result is 800 stampeding German thoroughbreds. The Brabus SV12 R Biturbo 800 engine is a 5.5-liter V12 that's been bored and stroked to 6.3 liters of displacement, stuffed with fortified internals and pressurized via twin turbochargers and a 4-pack of intercoolers. Its 230 mph top speed potential has been reined in to a "reasonable" 217 mph. Talk about a big brake upgrade: The Brabus E sports 12-piston calipers up front — that's right, 12 — and mere 6-piston units in the rear. Let the autobahn bashing begin.

Read:  2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet — First Drive

This is a Z06 'Vette-on-steroids proposition that delivers power, a slippery silhouette and an agile suspension. The power equation reveals 600 squared on the bottom line; i.e., 600 horsepower and 600 lb.-ft. of torque. A Katech-built 8.2-liter 500-inch V8 engine propels the C6RS to dizzying speeds. Using its on-track aerodynamic expertise, Pratt & Miller endows this Chevrolet with an aggressively styled and lightweight carbon-fiber body that's 1.6 inches wider than a production Corvette Z06. A computer-controlled adjustable suspension system, center-nut forged aluminum BBS wheels and massive Brembo monobloc disc brakes further signal the C6RS's evolution from the track to a garage near you.

Watch Video: 2010 Chevrolet Corvette

What the Dinan S3-R BMW M3 lacks in flash it makes up for in substance. Steve Dinan and company have taken the M3's 4.0-liter V8 engine and stroked it to displace 4.6 liters. A carbon-fiber intake, performance throttle bodies, crankshaft power pulley, exhaust mods and tuning net an impressive 527 naturally aspirated horsepower. The S3-R runs a Dinan Stage 3 suspension, which includes lowering coils, sway bars, camber plates and an upper shock mount kit. A Dinan/Brembo brake upgrade package and 19-inch lightweight forged wheels are also part of the handling equation.

Read: BMW M3 Is One of the 10Best Cars of 2010

Relive the original Ford GT40's glory from its 1-2-3 domination at the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans with a 21st century twist. Heffner Performance takes Ford's modern interpretation of the GT-40, the Ford GT, and adds twin turbos to the proceedings. A pair of dual-ball-bearing Garrett 61-millimeter turbos and all the necessary equipment are swapped in place of the 5.4-liter V8 engine's original supercharger setup. Heffner reports output jumps from 550 to 1,000 horses with its intensive modification program. A Heffner GT1000 attained a terminal velocity of 249.7 mph from a standing start at the recent Texas Mile competition, so get your groove on American-style in this reborn, genetically re-engineered icon.

Have you ever considered modifying your car to achieve better performance?

Evan Griffey served as an editor of Turbo & High Tech Performance, a pioneering publication about sport-compact tuning. Today Griffey freelances for Import Tuner, Sport Compact Car, Car Audio and Siphon.

Become a fan of MSN Autos on Facebook.

Visit MSN Autos' "Exhaust Notes" blog to keep up on all things automotive.

In the market for a new car? MSN Autos is pleased to provide you with information and services designed to save you time, money and hassle. Click to research prices and specifications on any new car on the market or get a free price quote through MSN Autos' New-Car Buying Service.