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(from Mercedes-Benz
Press Release) Boulevard Customs: The GLK Urban Whip set heads
turning
When the word went out
that Mercedes was running a tuner competition centred on the new GLK
luxury SUV, Boulevard identified immediately with the brief for the
Urban Whip and lost no time in getting to work.
“I’ve been a Mercedes
fan since childhood,” says Boulevard President Chris Bradley, “and
when I reviewed the design brief for the Urban Whip I said to
myself, ‘we can do this better than anyone’”.
While it may be one of the smaller competitors in the field,
Boulevard is big on ideas. Taking its inspiration from a number of
Mercedes models, the company set about creating a visual
interpretation of the GLK that would put it at the very top of the
food chain in the urban jungle.
The most striking
feature of the Urban Whip is what is doesn’t have - a roof. Although
the original brief required the design to retain the structural
integrity of the GLK, the aggressive look of the custom-made
wide-body kit - which was developed in cooperation with RoBrady
Design - made the roadster temptation difficult to resist. Boulevard
submitted renderings of its roadster ideas to Mercedes-BenzUSAand
approval was received in double quick time.
Working with NBS
Performance, Boulevard removed the roof, shorted the windshield and
added the necessary structural bracing to create a roadster with
cosmetic modifications to the door tops and pillars. “It was the
finishing touch to the whole design,” comments Bradley. “The Urban
Whip has that extra wow factor to make it a true head-turner.” With
the focus on city life, the design of the wide-body kit is sleek and
futuristic.
Boulevard worked with
Superior Auto Body on integrating bumpers, side skirts and fender
flares to create a factory finish, while the factory grille was
opened up wide and finished off with chrome mesh and accents
hand-crafted by the artisans at STRUT.
The front headlamps
retain their factory look, with the standard bulbs replaced by
custom LED units for added performance, while smoked treatment
brings distinctive style to the rear light cluster.
The overall ride height
has been lowered by 64mm using a one-off set of custom lowering
springs. And, when it comes to wheels and tyres, Boulevard is in no
doubt that, for urban cruising, there is no substitute for chrome -
and that size matters. The Urban Whip is fixed firmly to the asphalt
with colossal 26” Asanti AF 150 chrome wheels with custom black
accents and wrapped in 295/25 ZR26 Pirelli Scorpion rubber for a
perfect ride. The stopping power is provided courtesy of a massive
front and rear Brembo performance brake kit, featuring 381mm 2‑piece
floating rotors and 8-pot callipers on the front and 344mm 2-piece
floating rotors with 4-piston callipers on the rear.
With flagship Mercedes
performance models providing the inspiration for the interior,
Boulevard worked alongside Mark Kraus and John Lancaster to create a
look that is highly individual, yet still distinctly Mercedes. Using
a striking black and white colour theme, the design integrates both
diamond-stitched and perforated leathers for a distinctive, upscale
look and feel. Piano black wood grain trim works together with a
custom steering wheel and shift knob to create a cockpit that is as
stylish as it is outspoken, while rear passengers are cosseted in
twin hand-crafted bucket seats.
No seriously urban
cruiser can be complete without a seriously urban stereo. And the
absence of a roof will help the GLK Urban Whip share its sound with
the rest of the world. Beneath the speedster cover lurks a mighty
piece of kit from JL Audio. The custom stereo system pumps out over
5,700 Watts of ear-popping power in a visually stunning
installation. Eight HD amps power the ZR component speakers and
subwoofers, including six new JL Audio 13TW5 flat subwoofers, two of
which are displayed in the rear of the Urban Whip in a custom-made
clear acrylic tube that adds emphasis to their compact dimensions
and slim profile.
“The GLK was the perfect
candidate for the Urban Whip idea,” concludes Bradley. “It has this
incredibly powerful persona and shoulders broad enough to carry this
kind of work. Working with it brought out the best in all of us.”
Further information on
Boulevard Customs:
http://www.blvdcustoms.com
