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STILLEN INFINITI Q60 REDSPORT 400 SEMA 2017

STILLEN INFINITI Q60 REDSPORT 400 SEMA 2017front_v2

STILLEN is excited to announce the launch of our complete line up of products for the 2018 INFINITI Q60 at the 2017 SEMA show.

The INFINITI Q60 redsport is a very exciting car as it brings performance back to the INFINITI marque.  Featuring a potent 400 horsepower twin turbo V6 badged the “VR30.”  This car offers the driver an exhilarating experience and inspires the driver to push the car aggressively.

STILLEN has been involved in performance parts for off-road trucks, supercars and street performance cars of a variety and makes and models, but STILLEN is perhaps best known for our experience in tuning NISSAN/INFINITI vehicles… we’ve been involved with developing performance parts for Nissan (and later Infiniti) for over 30 years now.  When the opportunity came to work with Infiniti on this platform, we jumped at the chance and let our engineers run wild.


INTAKE


To kick things off, we took a look at how we could beef up the car’s performance.  Our engineering team immediately began dissecting the air intake system to study it and determine how we could optimize airflow. While the engineering team was busy with figuring out how to get every last pony out of the intake, our fabrication team were hard at work under the car, reviewing the exhaust routing, tube diameter, configuration of the system and the construction of its muffler, all in order to see what gains could be made.

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After going through more than 20 prototype intakes trying to achieve our goals, our induction specialists produced a Q60 Intake design that yielded a huge gain of over 20 horsepower at the wheels, and that’s without the need for further tuning or any modifications to the vehicle. Not every ‘high flow’ intake on the market works with the OEM ECU map, so making sure our intakes benefit the car with the stock tune is a high priority for our design team. The end result is what you see above – the urethane airboxes offer a significant advantage over an exposed conical filter, as the airboxes ensure that the intakes are drawing in only cool, outside air, rather than sucking in hot air from inside the engine bay (which robs you of power). Designed as a complete solution, the STILLEN Cold Air Intake for 2017 Infiniti Q60 comes complete with silicone couplers, CNC machined and tig welded aluminum MAF tubes as well as poly-urethane air boxes to keep the engine fed with cooler air, helping to deliver maximum power output.


EXHAUST


STILLEN INFINITI Q60 REDSPORT 400 SEMA 2017

Turbo V6 engines are notoriously difficult to get the sound “just right.”  In the end, our team was not satisfied with any of the common mufflers we could source “off the shelf.”  The only option was to build our own.  So, we engineered our own mufflers, manufactured them in house, and pack them with a high temperature ceramic wool.  These tuned mufflers truly allow the heartbeat of the car to be experienced. The final exhaust design was selected after 15 different prototype systems were rigorously tested on our Dynojet chassis dyno.  It took quite a while to determine what the engine wanted in order to produce the most power across the entire powerband.  The end result is a tuned Y-Pipe, leading to a single Mid-Pipe which branches back into a dual outlet exit.


BODYSTYLING


STILLEN INFINITI Q60 REDSPORT 400 SEMA 2017

With the performance parts development underway, now it was time to address the exterior styling. The Q60 is a fantastic looking car straight out of the factory, but like a nice tailored suit, it can look even better with the addition of the right accessories. To bring out the car’s flowing lines, we opted to wrap the car with a red chrome wrap.  The brilliant luster of the red chrome accentuates all of the angles and curves of the body of the car and truly ‘makes it pop’. The Q60 has a very organic, free flowing design, and the hyperreflective red chrome shows off these daring curves and deep creases exceptionally well.  Like any car, we felt it could be a bit more aggressive and could do with some aero styling to really accentuate the curves the car comes with. The STILLEN design team then set to work shaping a Front Bumper Splitter featuring STILLEN Front Bumper Splitter for 2017 Infiniti Q60 – (with Winglet Extensions). With the front end spiced up to our satisfaction, we shifted our attention over to to the rear of the car, the STILLEN craftsmen then created a set of side splitters and rear spats to suit the aggressive feel we were going for.  Both of these parts were custom fabricated exclusively for the STILLEN Q60.

STILLEN INFINITI Q60 REDSPORT 400 SEMA 2017

Finishing off the ground effects package, STILLEN designed a Rear Diffuser for the Red Sport V36 Infiniti Q60 with a set of aggressive air channels and openings for a larger-than-stock dual exhaust.  The STILLEN diffuser for Infiniti Q60 is no “one off” for a show car – this part is a production item you can purchase and install on your own Q60, along with the rest of the aero suite, including the STILLEN front splitter and winglets. While these days the majority of aftermarket manufacturing seems to be done overseas, but at STILLEN, we make all of our products right here in the USA. Every single STILLEN aero or appearance upgrade, intake and exhaust system is designed and manufactured in the USA, right here at STILLEN headquarters in Costa Mesa, California. Not everyone realizes that here at STILLEN we fabricate pretty much everything in-house,  exterior parts, intakes, exhausts, suspension bits — our CNC machines, benders, welders and a team of experienced and talented craftsman makes it possible to do everything here. Now that we had the ground effects completed, the team still felt like our Q was still missing something.  The rear end still lacked something, so next, the STILLEN artists then turned their attention to the rear spoiler.  The initial idea was a simple, clean spoiler that would added a bit of height to the deck lid.  After a few design studies, the team decided to step it up and came up with something that would compliment the dynamic lines of the Q60’s design, and created a custom hand crafted rear wing that completes the car and ties in beautifully with the overall design concept.


SUSPENSION


With the power and exterior styling completed it was time to focus on supporting all of that extra power and downforce.  To do so, the STILLEN team partnered with RSR suspension, who used the STILLEN Q60 to develop and prototype a set of coil overs that are truly incredible.  One difference that sets STILLEN builds apart from other SEMA showcars is that our cars are built to be driven. Our Q60 Redsport is no trailer queen – this car was driven to the show and then driven home.  Since this car would be seeing hundreds of miles of actual road use between STILLEN HQ in Costa Mesa and Las Vegas, it was vital that the car not only look good, but could also retain its handling performance. The team at RSR hit another home run with the RSR Coilovers for 2017+ Infiniti Q60 we had fitted to the car – we really enjoyed these dynamic coil overs.  The ride quality is fantastic when cruising on the freeways and the car carves through the canyons with ease.

STILLEN INFINITI Q60 REDSPORT 400 SEMA 2017

To make sure that the alignment was correct after the coil over installation and subsequent ride height lowering, SPC suspension provided a complete set of adjustable suspension including front upper control arms and SPC Suspension Rear Camber, Toe and Setback links for 2017 Infiniti Q60.  By installing the adjustable SPC suspension the STILLEN technicians were able to precisely dial in the alignment ensuring excellent handling characteristics

STILLEN INFINITI Q60 REDSPORT 400 SEMA 2017

No car would be complete without the right wheel and tire package.  Wheels are one of those items that can make or break a car.  For years STILLEN has chosen VOSSEN Wheels for 2015+ Infiniti Q50 / Q60 and NITTO tires for their vehicles.  On this car though they wanted something a little different.  To accomplish this the STILLEN team selected the Vossen X Work line of wheels.  Particularly, the VWS-1.  Work wheels is a leading Japanese manufacturer of high end wheels and the collaboration between Vossen and Work has resulted in a melding of Japanese technology with American style.  These two piece wheels feature a high luster polished lip with a matte  gunmetal center and polished anodized barrel.

NITTO tires have been the preferred tire for STILLEN for many years.  Offering a wide range of tire selections for everything from race cars to passenger cars and even offroad vehicles.  For the STILLEN Q60 project STILLEN selected the INVO series of tires.  INVO tires are designed specifically for the luxury sports car enthusiast.  They offer excellent performance and grip without sacrificing comfort.

STILLEN INFINITI Q60 REDSPORT 400 SEMA 2017 STILLEN_Q60_Sema_2017_rear_v2

We’re thrilled with the end result of how our 2017 SEMA project came out – the team here at STILLEN feels that the Q60 we put together strikes the perfect balance between high end street luxury, with design inspired by our race-winning heritage tempered with elegant style.

STILLEN Vice President Kyle Millen had this to say of the project:
“The STILLEN Infiniti Q60 project car is one of my favorite cars out of the many projects we have created.  The team at STILLEN did an amazing job and made a car that is truly one of a kind.  From the work of the body craftsmen, the engineers and fabricators working tirelessly on the performance parts, I am extremely proud of the effort put into this car and the end result.”


If you have any questions about the Infiniti Q60 3.0t or any STILLEN products for the Infiniti Q60 on our website, give us a call at (866) 250-5542, email sales@stillen.com, or message us on our Live Chat!


 

STILLEN Event Tracking: Nitto Auto Enthusiast Day 2017

Text and Photos by Richard Fong

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The car show scene has exploded in recent years, with car events happening across the country and around the world throughout the spring, summer and fall. There is almost nary a weekend during the summer months that doesn’t have some sort of an event happening somewhere. Unfortunately, the shows become a blur when local events feature the same cars every weekend. This is where the Nitto Auto Enthusiast Day presented by Drivingline stands out from the rest.

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STILLEN, of course, represented with a NISMO 370Z, a WRX and a Rough Country Lifted Titan, courtesy of Surf City Nissan.

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Held on August 12, 2017 at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California, the Fifth Annual Auto Enthusiast Day takes the common car show to the next level. This entirely free event (to both attendees and vendors) featured acres of asphalt with over 130 vendor displays of all types, 1,000 show vehicles and seven demo vehicles, including special drift and off-road machines, smoking their tires throughout the day. Sound like overkill? Perhaps, but it was the right size to entertain and intrigue the more than 23,000 people that came through the gates.

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Evasive Motorsports brought its R35 GT-R to display in the Turn 14 Distribution booth.

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The vendor area featured everything from wheel and parts manufacturers to automotive lifestyle brands. There were even a few key media companies like DSPORT magazine, MotoIQ and SuperStreet magazine covering the event and displaying project cars.

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DSPORT magazine showcased Project Fiesta ST in its booth.

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MotoIQ brought a pair of BMWs to represent in its booth.

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The Purist Group’s founder and leader, Sean Lee, represented at the event with his Porsche GT3RS.

The Autocon main stage featured interviews throughout the day with key personalities who drove their rides up onto the stage. Hosted by John “Nads” Naderi, the interviews gave attendees insight into their vehicle builds as well as the shaping of today’s automotive lifestyle and reflection of how it has evolved throughout the years.

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The Autocon Main Stage was abuzz with activity as John “Nads” Naderi interviewed vehicle builders and talked about their builds.

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Super Street Alumni John “Nads” Naderi MC’d the Autocon Main Stage. One of his guests was a former peer from Super Street, Jonathan “JDM” Wong.

The demo area, located behind the Nitto Tires booth, gave everyone a clear view of pro drivers drifting, spinning, smoking the tires and jumping off ramps.

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Ryan Sage of Formula Drift took command of the mic, as off-road drivers, Formula Drift competitors and stunt drivers took to center stage.

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Formula Drift commentator Ryan Sage perched himself on the Nitto Tires Trailer to get a birds eye view of the action on the demo track.

Over 50 lucky VIPs went for ride alongs throughout the day as Vaughn Gittin Jr, Matt Powers and Alex Heilbrunn executed three-car tandem drifts to the spectators’ delight. Former Formula Drift champion Samuel Hubinette and his wife Christina demonstrated car control while smoking the tires of their specially modified RWD Lamborghini Huracan and a BMW coupe.

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Thousands lined the fences as the first demo session was about to begin.

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Vaughn Gittin Jr, Alex Heilbrunn and Matt Powers delivered three-car tandem drifts around the demo track.

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Sam Hubinette drifted his specially modified RWD Lambo Huracan around the track with ease. For many it was a thrill to see the Huracan, but to watch it smoking the tires was incredible.

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Sam’s wife Stina Stunts drifted an M3 during the demo with the Huracan.

As the sun began to set against the “Big A”, so ended another successfully executed Nitto Auto Enthusiast Day. A big thanks goes out to Harry Kong at Nitto Tires for putting together a great event for both enthusiasts and the aftermarket alike.

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Surf City Nissan provided STILLEN with a Titan XD equipped with a Rough Country Lift Kit.

STILLEN, we’re everywhere you’d want to be! Check us out online at www.stillen.com!

 

Tony Jackson's BMW M3

The BMW E46 M3 is probably one of the most iconic vehicles to come out of Bavaria. Not too long ago, Tony Jackson (Eibach Springs account manager) was in the process of selecting a new track vehicle to replace his Honda Civic which he had been racing, and winning championships with for almost 10 years. Tony wanted something rear wheel drive and figured he’d start with one of the best platforms available.

 

On the Track

In stock form, Tony was very impressed with the M3’s performance. Tony didn’t feel the car needed a lot to make it more competitive so he set out to add only the necessary modifications. Working for one of the largest suspension companies in the world, you can imagine what was worked on first. Tony worked with the Engineers at Eibach to develop custom rear shocks that he paired with Eibach Springs and Sway Bars. The improvements to the suspension helped push the M3 further along on the track, but there was still a major weakness in the car.

 

 

Slow down to go faster

Tony noticed after only a couple of track days that the stock brakes weren’t up to par saying, “I noticed that the pistons were seizing up from too much heat.” He elected to go with the AP Racing by STILLEN Radi-CAL Big Brake Kit. The forged Calipers, Bigger Pads, and J-Hook Rotors really allowed him to manage the heat in the brakes a lot better. This translated to being able to dive into corners much harder and not worry about brake fade well anymore.

 

The advantages of the AP Radi-CAL Brakes are quite extensive. The pressure forged calipers design is derived from the highly successful race Radi-CAL caliper. Utilizing an asymmetrical design the piston are positioned in a way to reduce torsional stress on the rotor as the pistons apply pressure under braking. This forging technique also allows for less material to be used than in traditional casting making the caliper lighter and stronger at the same time. The unique gives us the ability to have a larger brake pad annulus (radial contact patch) than normally found on similar big brake kits. This allows us to utilize more of the rotor surface increasing heat transfer and management (read more about it here).

 

The AP Racing Big Brake Kit comes with rotor options. For Tony’s racing focused uses STILLEN recommended the J-Hook Slotted Rotors. The patented design increases durability and performance. The J-Hook design gives you all the benefits of a drilled and slotted rotor without any of the downsides. Drilled rotors can potentially crack from rapid expansion and contraction while racing, and traditional slots create a less even heat distribution throughout the rotor. Because the J-Hook machining does not penetrate through the rotors and does not completely transverse them radially, they are phenomenal at withstanding harder driving and higher temperatures (read more about J-Hook Rotors here).

 

Tony gave us some lap time improvements of tracks that he frequents.

  • Buttonwillow Raceway – 0.7 second improvement
  • Chuckwalla Valley Raceway – 1.1 second improvement
  • Willow Springs – 1.5 second improvement
  • Laguna Seca – 2.4 second improvement
  • Streets of Willow – 2.7 second improvement

Everyone puts an emphasis on power, but a lot of people forget the slowing down (efficiently) can make you faster than some extra horsepower. Also consider the added confidence the driver has in their car knowing they can continually push to the limit and the brakes will be there to support them.

More power is still nice…

We don’t want anyone to think we are against adding power, and neither is Tony. That is why he went to our friends over at Magnaflow and commissioned them to build a high flow and light weight single exit exhaust to help the powerful 3.2 straight six breathe a little better. The whole system saved about 50 lbs and really helped open up the top end of the power band.

 

Wrapping it all up

All these modifications are great, but let’s not forget what makes all these upgrades useable. Connecting the all this horsepower, suspension, and braking performance to the ground are Nitto NT01’s wrapped around a set of Volk Racing forged ZE40’s.

 

STILLEN Partners with the best companies in the industry for all of our projects, so it is no surprise to see that Tony did the same with his M3. Tony is currently leading both Super Lap Battle and Global Time Attack series in points (for his class). This is one of our favorite examples of someone who understands that racing is about balance and synergy.

If you have questions about our BMW E46 M3 Big Brake Kit or any of our Big Brake Kits for other makes and models please visit our website (www.stillen.com) or give one of our performance specialists a call at 800-576-2131.