While it won’t add horsepower to your car, paint-protection film (PPF) is one of the best investments for preserving your car’s value, particularly if it’s your daily driver. Nothing ruins a car’s appeal like imperfect paint; PPF is the answer. We’ll tell you more about it on page 41.
Did you know other industries have tuners too? There are watch “tuners,” for instance, that take those wrist-mounted machines to new heights with exclusive customizations. We’ll introduce you to a few of them on page 72. Likewise, boats have tuners — in some cases, they’re the same ones tuning cars. That other Mercedes tuner, Brabus, recently unveiled a new line of speedboats, the Shadow 900 and Shadow 300, which we take for a spin on page 91.
Lastly, we found a company that will tune any car you want, as long as it’s 1:8-scale or smaller. Amalgam Collection makes the world’s finest automobile models with a level of personalization that borders on insanity. Amalgam will re-create your car in miniature right down to the dent, dirt, and stain level. Check out their handiwork on page 84.
Tuning and customizing is as alive and well as it was in the time of hot rods. Perhaps more. No amount of regulations for safety, efficiency, or emissions has slowed that down. With cars like the AMG One that trace its roots back to a couple of guys turning a wrench in a basement, the idea of souping something up will seemingly endure as long as they don’t outlaw tinkering.