3 Car Performance Upgrades to Boost Power and Efficiency

Need a little more push and shove when on the pedal? All cars can be upgraded, and you don’t have to spend a fortune to get the results you want. Before slapping on bigger turbos or forged engine internals, consider how optimising airflow in and out the engine changes power and torque numbers. Exhausts and air intakes are recommended as the first components in any serious tuning project aimed at outright performance. And provide the necessary groundwork for all subsequent engine modifications. 

Why Have a Performance Exhaust System?

The primary task of an engine exhaust is to remove toxic gases from the engine and ensure clean and efficient combustion cycles. Regulations also state that pollutants be removed and noise levels brought to a minimum. This has affected engine designs, and the advent of parts like catalytic converters, mufflers and resonators. While good for the environment, these parts also cause airflow restrictions, meaning spent gases take their time to exit through the exhaust tips. And this negatively impacts engine performance by preventing clean air in for another combustion cycle to take place. 

Performance systems are the aftermarket’s answer to government regulations and the cost-cutting measures regularly taken up by a growing number of car makers. The inclusion of tougher materials, straighter and wider pipe layouts, advanced production methods and proprietary tech has led to performance exhaust systems that boost the power output of any engine. Piping and parts can handle more heat, are resistant to impact in everyday driving (potholes, road debris and obstacles), look the part and will outlast the vehicle they’re attached to. 

Besides power gains, durability and aesthetics, aftermarket exhausts provide a key element missing in factory systems for driving fun – a deep, throaty exhaust note. This is the engine’s soul bellowing in excitement as you work the pedal. And can transform mundane and unpowered cars into something that’s actually enjoyable to drive. Mind, with careful consideration to parts or pre-assembled systems, exhaust sound can be tailored to personal tastes and provide vehicles with some character. All while staying within current road noise and toxic emissions levels. 

If you’re sold on the idea of buying performance exhaust setups, consider the wide selection of options differing both in price and performance. Axle-back systems have new parts from the rear axle to the exhaust tips, with mufflers being the biggest difference from stock exhausts. These produce a deeper, louder sound, while also freeing up the piping for easier airflow. 

There’s more performance when choosing cat-back systems, with larger and straighter mid-pipes aiding exhaust velocity, and adding even more volume to the sound. The biggest power gains can be had with turbo- and header-back systems, supplied with revised extractor pipes to draw out spent gases from the combustion faster in what is known as scavenging. Additional parts, such as wider downpipes, collectors, high-flow catalytic converters, straight-through mufflers and tips in all shapes, diameters and finishes, add to the performance equation while also boosting durability and aesthetics. 

Pair Exhaust Upgrades with an Equally Capable Air Intake

Pushing more cooled, dense and oxygen-rich air into the engine increases combustion efficiency, meaning the engine can produce bigger bangs for higher power ratings. Like exhausts, regulations and cost-cutting measures come into play. Engines are designed to produce a defined power output while meeting strict noise emissions. And the subpar materials and plumbing that draw atmospheric air don’t cope well against the heat from hot nearby engine parts. Part of this system are also mediocre and restrictive paper filters that struggle to contain harmful particles and reduce the volume of air that reaches the combustion chamber. 

Aftermarket cold air intakes rework the entire system by relocating filters, airboxes and plumbing (rubber hoses or metal tubing) lower and to the front of the engine bay. Here, the parts scoop cleaner, cooler and air with higher oxygen content, which is then filtered through larger (often cone-shaped) oiled cotton-gauze filters, before it is rerouted into straighter, heat-shielded piping before reaching carburettors or throttle bodies. Besides the lower temperatures and higher density, air is pushed at optimal speeds and angles into the engine to maximise power delivery.  

There are several benefits to the design. The car is more responsive on the throttle, accelerates faster and has more low-down torque. Estimates are that a cold air intake adds between 5 and 25hp and up to 40Nm of torque. Overlooked benefits are the lower fuel use at everyday RPMs, the rumbling engine sound and most importantly, much better filtering of fine particles and debris that can corrode or seize engines. Filters are also reusable, so maintenance costs over the long term are lower, too. 

Perform an ECU Tune 

Modern vehicles rely on a balanced set of parameters such as timing, injection pressures, defined air-fuel ratios and engine idle speeds to perform at their best. This vital information is stored in the car’s main computer, or ECU (Electronic Control Unit), as pre-defined “maps”. Car manufacturers aim to balance performance with longevity and fuel use. Changing these parameters with aftermarket additions such as performance exhaust systems or cold air intakes means maps need to be “re-written”. 

Tuners have made this into an art to extract all the power the engine has to give. ECU tunes can change how the car reacts to throttle input, how much fuel is sprayed at a certain engine load, when the turbo kicks in and how much voltage is generated by spark plugs. Combined, these changes can substantially boost power numbers above stock figures without hampering overall engine durability or using substantially more fuel. 

Apart from more speed and a car that’s undeniably more fun to drive, an ECU tune can additionally cut fuel use (good for diesel utes and commercial vehicles)  and delete recurring engine problems from defective tuning software, such as engine knock, incorrect thermostat temperature settings, or repeatedly malfunctioning sensors. 

Choose a tuning stage based on the modifications your car has and get the job done by a professional to ensure lasting benefits.