Chrysler 300C & SRT8 Forums banner

Anyone heard of "Startech"?

5K views 16 replies 10 participants last post by  Viper 10 
#1 ·
I looked at their stuff when I had my 300m. There website is www.startech-usa.com. Anyone had any experience with them?
 
#3 ·
StarTech's tuned Crossfire with 426HP for $135k:



STARTECH CHRYSLER CROSSFIRE V8
ON SALE: Now (not in the United States)
BASE PRICE: $115,000 (pre-tax est.)
POWERTRAIN: 6.1-liter, 426-hp, 458-lb-ft V8; rwd, six-speed manual
CURB WEIGHT: 3400 pounds (est.)
0 to 60 MPH: 4.69 seconds (mfr.)

>> A COUPLE OF YEARS BACK BRABUS, Mercedes-Benz upgrade artists in Germany, created a sister firm, Startech, to handle power and styling upgrades for Chrysler Group rides. Startech takes Brabus’ engineering know-how and makes hairier versions of cars Americans would never dream of hot rodding. Think sinister-looking Voyager going cupholder-to-cupholder with Marauder.

More pertinent is this 426-hp, 458-lb-ft Crossfire with a 6.1-liter V8 (bore by stroke: 99.5 millimeters by 97 millimeters) based on the Mercedes 5.0-liter powerplant found in several models out of Stuttgart, including the S500. Outrageous stuff, you say? We’re among the first to test this production scorcher, and the pyrotechnics we put the tires through are still being talked about in Düsseldorf.

Remember, we are talking Chrysler Crossfire, with a stock price tag that already bugs us a touch at $34,550. To spend up to $165,000 on one seems unreal. We didn’t find out its price until after our thrill ride. Literally, the shock wiped the smile right off our collective face. But this car will never make it to the United States, so put your checkbook away, 50 Cent. Taking nothing from the old SLK-based, Austro-American-German V8 super coupe, it flies to 60 mph from a dead stop in just under 4.7 seconds and hits a top speed of 187 mph. But a Chrysler for more than $100,000—heck, $50k—is odd.

Apart from our pricing snits, this form of the Crossfire is a remarkable piece of work. Besides a remapped Mercedes ECU, 11.5:1 compression ratio, forged aluminum piston heads, shortened forged steel conrods and a crankshaft milled from billet that gives a longer valve stroke of 11.8 millimeters, Startech adds bespoke interiors that significantly redefine the driving experience. There are still a few pieces of the original car’s plastic trim visible, but the Star Blue custom leather—about $11,000 for the total cow blanket—and full Alcantara roof liner are tremendous stuff.

Turn the key to on and press the start button on the console just right of the shifter. Our German pals really do know how to tune an exhaust note, and the note from this amplified 6.1-liter engine with streamlined twin exhaust is great music. The tonal difference between this and the 330-hp SRT-6 version using the supercharged 3.2-liter from the old SLK32 AMG is night and day. Compared to this, the standard Crossfire’s 3.2-liter 215-hp mill is downright meek.

With this much pulling power the six-speed manual transmission can achieve every bit of its potential, and the Startech-tuned ride and handling are also as responsive as this price would seem to warrant. The 19-inch front wheels and 20-inch rears wrapped in wide, low-profile Z-rated Pirellis certainly help all the fun. This Baby Bear’s ride, in particular, is neither too harsh nor too soft, but just right.

It was these four Italian tires that we helped age with our launch shenanigans. Unfortunately, this Crossfire retains the 6000-rpm redline from the standard car and thus peak is reached quickly when searching for smoke out the back in first gear. What you get is a steadily repeated spinout as the needle bounces off the rev limiter every two or so seconds. The rubbery smoke is fragrant and plentiful.

A version of the automatically deployed rear wing with an extended lip for added stability is here as well, instead of the fixed unit on the SRT-6. Startech is working on a compressor version of the SRT-6, which should be available through Brabus in Newport Beach next year.

Startech won’t give up Crossfire V8 production estimates, but it is available now for the rest of the earth’s people with cash to burn. If they request only the 6.1 engine, tenacious braking system, wheel/tire package and chassis tuning, they can keep the price to a low, low U.S.-dollar equivalent of $135,000.
 
#4 ·
Quote:
forged aluminum piston heads, shortened forged steel conrods and a crankshaft milled from billet that gives a longer valve stroke of 11.8 millimeters

who the hell wrote this article, obviously doesnt know a damn thing about how a motor works... when did crankshafts start getting milled, and how in the hell does a crankshaft make valves move more? Oh, and are we just forging part of the piston now, or are we saying forged pistons and aluminum heads? Boy, this guys a joke, maybe it should read:

forged pistons, aluminum heads, shortened forged steel conrods and a camshaft milled from billet that opens the valve 11.8 millimeters or maybe a crankshaft that adds 11.8mm of stroke to the pistons.

Anyway, I hate when they send a freakin news reporter to cover an auto layout!
 
#5 ·
About Startech

Hello folks,

I'm from Belgium and can explain why the text is f*cked up. It's a translation of a german text. A badly one..

I'm waiting to buy a 300 until the diesel version arrives here next year. It will have the 3.2 CRD from Mercedes. Reasons enough: low on fuel (prices here are 3 times as expensive), high torque and hopefully much cheaper then the Hemi, wat cost 50.000 Euro's over here.

Looking forward to come over to the SEMA show, to see what you guys will do with the 300.

Sportiv greetings.
 
#10 ·
As a Viper owner, I have talked to Startech several times at SEMA. They make the heaviest wheels on earth and do not test or dyno their performance products. Their brakes for Vipers are untested. Their exhaust for Vipers is untested. Need I go on?

Unless you are all about Bling, stay away from these jokers who are drinking their own Kool-Aid. Brabus and Startech are for posers.

JMO.

Brad
 
#11 · (Edited)
Wrong! Brabus Is A Serious Tuner!

Viper 10 said:
As a Viper owner, I have talked to Startech several times at SEMA. They make the heaviest wheels on earth and do not test or dyno their performance products. Their brakes for Vipers are untested. Their exhaust for Vipers is untested. Need I go on?

Unless you are all about Bling, stay away from these jokers who are drinking their own Kool-Aid. Brabus and Startech are for posers.

JMO.

Brad
Brabus wheels are heavy just like all OEM quality rims especially for Mercedes. They probably have to be to meet TUV certification because Brabus is considered a manufactor. How, can the world's top and best known performance tuner for Mercedes be for "posers". They build high performance engines and tuning parts. Just because their wheels are heavy does not put them in a poser category.

Any company that can take the Mercedes 5.0 with 302Hp and do this to them are not posers:

"BRABUS B11 performance kit, 336 hp / 247 kW
BRABUS 5.8 increased capacity engine, 400 hp / 294 kW, 579 Nm, 295 km/h. Export only!
BRABUS 6.1 increased capacity engine, 426 hp / 313 kW, 621 Nm, 303 km/h
BRABUS 6.1 S increased capacity engine, 445 hp / 327 kW, 635 Nm, 303 km/h"

They also do this to the supercharged 5.5:

"BRABUS K8 performance tuning stage. Instead of standard 476 hp / 350 kW the engine now develops 550 hp / 405 kW at 6,200 rpm. Even more gigantic is the maximum torque of 780 Nm at just 3,000 rpm.

Also, what posers can squeeze a 6.1L V8 in a Crossfire? Sounds like a serious company to me.

Why critisize all of Brabus just because Startech does not have a good Viper tuning program, yet.
 
#12 ·
E55:

You tell me what you get from Brabus other than a dyno queen? All the crap that you are spewing tells me nothing about actual performance. Any "manufacturer" that puts a 55 pound 20" wheel on a car that replaces a 25 lb 18" wheel is just stupid. Any idiot knows that adding unsprung weight to the corners of your car will have a dramatically detrimental affect on a car's handling.

All that I hear from you is that you are drinking their Kool-Aid. Show me something that means more than dyno jockey poser food. What has Brabus done of substance that improves performance in anything other than straight line acceleration.

I will apologize for my comments when you come up with something with substance. Until then, Barbus sounds just like Hennessey... poser candy.
 
#13 · (Edited)
In Europe Brabus and Startech parts and programs are sold through and installed by Mercedes and resp. Chrysler dealers.

Oversize rims are basically only for the show off. Most of the time one or two inches over stock and +20/30 mm width is way enough to reach limits of a beefed up suspension.

Honestly most drivers are not able to use full potential of stock SRT ou AMG cars. Yeah, maybe for a straight quarter mile on a dry track :silly:
 
#14 · (Edited)
Viper 10 said:
E55:

You tell me what you get from Brabus other than a dyno queen? All the crap that you are spewing tells me nothing about actual performance. Any "manufacturer" that puts a 55 pound 20" wheel on a car that replaces a 25 lb 18" wheel is just stupid. Any idiot knows that adding unsprung weight to the corners of your car will have a dramatically detrimental affect on a car's handling.

All that I hear from you is that you are drinking their Kool-Aid. Show me something that means more than dyno jockey poser food. What has Brabus done of substance that improves performance in anything other than straight line acceleration.

I will apologize for my comments when you come up with something with substance. Until then, Barbus sounds just like Hennessey... poser candy.
Whoa, Brabus compared to Hennessey???? How can you compare Hennessey to Brabus? Please explain. How can you call Brabus posers??? Your the first person that has ever called "Brabus" posers. I'm sorry but E55 knows what he's talking about. Other then AMG (which is Mercedes in house tuning division), Brabus is the main company that works with Mercedes products. If you think a 6.1 litre engine with 425 hp is impressive then you haven't seen what European tuning companies can do with it. I'm not going type out and explain why Brabus is such a highly respected company for Mercedes products but i've added some spec's for the Brabus tuned SLR below. If you still disagree with the article below and think Brabus are posers after working with the SLR then i'll apologize.

BRABUS equips the SLR with a special self-locking differential. Its 40 percent locking rate further optimizes the super sports car's traction and thus further improves acceleration.

In BRABUS Racing version with performance-improving fuel cooling, custom camshafts and an open racing exhausts system maximum power output of the supercharged V8 engine increases to 660 hp / 486 kW at 6,500 rpm. The exhaust system is not certified for use on public roads. Thus equipped the SLR storms to 100 km/h from rest in just 3.6 seconds and reaches a top speed of up to 340 km/h.

BRABUS further offers professional modifications to body, suspension and interior that further amplify the sports talents of the SLR.

For further improved directional stability at high speeds the BRABUS designers developed a new spoiler for the front air dam. The exposed-carbon aerodynamic-enhancement part reduces lift on the front axle and adds another shot of racing looks. The rear diffuser is also made from exposed carbon.

The multi-piece BRABUS Monoblock VI 20-inch light-alloy wheels with six double spokes command immediate attention. The fully polished wheels in size 9.5Jx20 in front and in size 11.5Jx20 on the rear axle fill out the available space below the wheel arches perfectly.

BRABUS chose high-performance tires in sizes 255/30 ZR 20 and 305/25 ZR 20 as the optimal solution. The conversion to the BRABUS 20-inch tire/wheel combination gives the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren even more dynamic handling prowess.

BRABUS also adds new sporty and exclusive highlights in the interior. The company-own upholstery shop created a BRABUS interior from an exclusive black and red combination of leather and Alcantara, perfectly crafted down to the last detail. The waffle-design stitching of the SLR leather floor is especially elaborate and it alone uses 7,800 meters of the finest thread.

For easier entering and exiting BRABUS manufactured a custom BRABUS sport steering wheel with an ergonomically shaped rim that is flat on the bottom. For manual shifting of the SLR's automatic transmission the BRABUS steering wheel features buttons integrated into the spokes.

The BRABUS interior designers developed precise-fit applications for dashboard, center console and door panels, all made from exposed carbon. They extend the BRABUS exterior carbon look into the interior.
 

Attachments

#15 · (Edited)
Viper 10 said:
E55:

You tell me what you get from Brabus other than a dyno queen? All the crap that you are spewing tells me nothing about actual performance. Any "manufacturer" that puts a 55 pound 20" wheel on a car that replaces a 25 lb 18" wheel is just stupid. Any idiot knows that adding unsprung weight to the corners of your car will have a dramatically detrimental affect on a car's handling.

All that I hear from you is that you are drinking their Kool-Aid. Show me something that means more than dyno jockey poser food. What has Brabus done of substance that improves performance in anything other than straight line acceleration.

I will apologize for my comments when you come up with something with substance. Until then, Barbus sounds just like Hennessey... poser candy.
It is obvious that your disdain is mainly for Startech and there lack of or minimal Viper program and I can understand that. Yes, there products for the Viper seems very limited and they have nothing for the Viper to increase it's performance, but to put the Brabus Tuning prowess in the poser category is a very uninformed or biased opinion. Brabus does make full suspension kits to improve handling and as I stated the wheels are heavy just like Mercedes OEM, AMG, Carlsson, Lorinser and just about every other Benz tuner because I believe they have to be to meet the very strict TUV certification in Europe. TUV will not even allow chrome plating from OEM manufactors and will not allow Chrysler to put the cheap chrome clad 300C rim found on the US models on the European models. Hence the reason the exported Euro model has the rim off the US Magnums.

You arguement about replacing a 18" rim with a heavier 20" rim is moot. 20" rims is what many customers want, so you make them. 10 years ago you would have been overheard stating:

"Any "manufacturer" that puts a 30 pound 18" wheel on a car that replaces a 20 lb 16" wheel is just stupid." :biggrin:
 
#16 ·
Dyno Queen or Poser labels aside, BRABUS (and Startech) is a very old, respected and quality aftermarket tunning house that combines all aspects of aftermarket tunning i.e, interior; exterior; suspension; engine; bodykit/accessories and even branded clothing.

They have to meet tough European standards that are set much higher then US DOT regs, so its often that they have to add more weight to their wheels or make bodykits out of polyurethane, rather then fiberglass.

That doesn't make them poser per say. Regarding brakes though, from my understanding, BRABUS uses a 6 pot Alcon brakes that are far superior to even race prepped Brembos. But, of course, thats for Mercedes, I am not sure about the Startech division.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top