How do you get the owners of head-turning cars to turn their heads?
How do you make a Porsche 997 Turbo or GT2 better — not just different but faster, better appointed, more fun than it was when you excitedly took delivery of one of the world’s premier sports cars?
Call CEC in Los Angeles: Claus Ettensberger Corporation, 10349 Santa Monica Boulevard, one of the great automotive tuners in North America and the exclusive importer and distributor for TECHART in North America. The 997T is the platform for the company’s GTstreet R and the GT2 for the GTstreet RS — platforms that have won consecutive annual Tuner Grand Prix awards.
Both are potent Porsches incorporating TECHART engineering, components and workmanship — a world standard since 1987. The Leonberg, Germany-based company — “TECH” meets “ART” — unites the finest materials and manufacturing processes with extraordinary quality control and testing to ensure that its products are worthy, and then some, of the fabulous Porsche cars they enhance.
Founded in 1990, CEC employs 40 people dedicated to the challenging task of exceeding excellence. The company’s two showrooms and work studios — Los Angeles and Miami — represent TECHART for Porsche upgrades as well as Brabus for Mercedes-Benz, AC Schnitzer for BMW and NOVITEC ROSSO for Ferrari. The company also produces its proprietary Claus Ettensberger’s Signature Edition wheels and is the exclusive importer of Antera light alloy wheels for North America.
“CEC is the ultimate automotive boutique — a place where best becomes even better and you, the client, establish your own uncompromising standards for your unique vehicle,” says Sherif Yassa, CEC vice president, a Pepperdine University MBA and native Californian who’s been with the company for eight years. “Even before I had my first Ford Taurus, which I upgraded with wheels and the like, I was a car lover,” he adds. “When the opportunity to work with Claus came along, I grabbed it.”
“We are the one-stop shop for automotive enthusiasts,” he explains. “We offer the very best in the world of automotive tuning. We offer everything from aesthetics to function — including aerodynamics, suspensions, exhausts, wheels/tires, engine performance upgrades and audio/video. And, we make this happen without compromising the integrity of your vehicle.”
TECHART offers programs for most Porsche models, current and older, Sherif says. You either purchase one of the vehicles new and enhanced from CEC — about $250,000 — or, with an expenditure of from approximately $100,000 to $125,000, upgrade your vehicle at the Los Angeles or Miami stores.
CEC offers door-to-door enclosed-vehicle transport services, Sherif explains: “You don’t have to worry about a thing.” In about a month, your personalized Porsche will be ready to cruise Beverly Hills, Newport Beach or wherever you choose to make a difference.
To the factory 997T or GT2 platforms, CEC fully upgrades exterior and interior. Mechanical changes include handmade low-profile headers; large carbon fiber inlet manifolds; a modified pressure sensor and high-flow air filter; repositioned, larger-diameter, electronically-valved 70mm exhaust; high-flow catalytic converters; larger variable-vane turbochargers; larger intercoolers; a new Y-pipe; and an ECU reprogrammed for ultimate street performance.
For handling, your Porsche receives an electronically-adjustable coil-over suspension with a 60mm hydraulic lift on the front end— operable from inside the car —for driveways and other obstacles. TECHART’s lightweight one-piece forged Formula III wheels and wider-than-stock Michelin Pilot Sport tires provide additional stability.
Widebody bodywork features the highest quality three-pound carbon fiber fenders. In addition, the CEC team adds steel quarter-panel intercooler intakes; a polyurethane and carbon rear bumper with larger intercooler exhaust vents and carbon diffuser; GT-style adjustable rear wing, including winglets and a carbon gurney flap; and carbon fiber roof spoiler.
The placement of the carbon air ducts ensures that cool air escapes behind the radiator over the air outlet — significantly reducing buoyant force on the front axle. Side carbon flaps support this by increasing downforce.
With the aerodynamic hood, headlight and mirror trims, sill panels and carbon roof spoiler, the Porsche becomes even more precise than factory — in fact, a high-tech calibrated tool. “All of the components are wind-tunnel tested for performance,” Sherif notes.
The front bumper offers TECHART’s new auto-adjusting LED daytime running lights — designed to improve safety day and night. The LED system unit combines day driving lighting, side lighting, parking lighting and indicator lights. The lights adjust depending on the setting selected. In addition, the day driving light is also dimmed when the vehicle is turning so that the indicator lights stand out.
Inside, CEC installs custom leather steering wheel, custom GTstreet logo floormats, anodized aluminum pedals, carbon fiber trim, custom color gauges and custom leather stitching. Options include a three-spoke sports wheel and lit door entry guards featuring an individual logo. “It’s an interior that you — and all of your new friends — will want to sit in even if the car isn’t moving and one that others will strain to admire through the windows,” Sherif says.
Performance? For the 997 Turbo, output increases to 660 horsepower and 700 horsepower for the GT2 — as much as 4/10ths of a second faster for those 0–60 mph sprints. Recently, too, a TECHART GTstreet RS program, based on the Porsche 911 GT2, achieved an impressive best time of 1.06.811 minutes on the demanding Hockenheimring course in Germany.
“When all your friends and neighbors have a Porsche 997 Turbo, this sets you apart,” Sherif says. It’s a form of expression that says you want better than best: better appearance, better performance, better experience. The TECHART GTstreet series from CEC— when good just isn’t quite good enough.”
CEC — 310.203.3900, www.cecwheels.com
