Given the number of times recently that I've noticed a typical standard family car accelerating faster than you'd expect it to, I'd be interested to find out the approximate proportion of vehicles on the road in the UK that are performance enhanced, I suspect a significant minority, especially since the rise of ever increasing use of forced induction, and the ease and relative low cost of remapping. Given that most of us do it for two reasons, one I guess is simply the thrill of faster acceleration and safer / more predictable cornering (since that what allows you to get closer to the limits of grip which for some reason is a huge thrill to human beings); while the second is to give an advantage in acceleration so that you can more easily pass slower traffic and make better progress. 

 

There's little point in doing to increase max speeds, as most cars are capable of highly illegal speeds, and let's face it, it's likely that every new car is easily capable of taking the various UK motorway curves that have a 50mph warning sign attached to them at the legal max, if not more without getting remotely close to safe limits of grip, in dry anyway. So, a bit like doping in endurance sports, if everyone is one the juice, then the playing field is leveled, and this advantage lost. 

 

I'd also wager that most of the current fad for fitting big wheels and tinting VW Transporter vans and their ilk are mapped as well, even if the cornering and stopping parts have been left as standard.

Some very mundane commuter vehicles are actually pretty fast as they come bog standard,

some small city cars are more capable in a Traffic Light Grand Prix than some Sporty vehicles which

just cut power & Bog, & even with TC switched off if not bogging they fail to accelerate due to the loss of traction.

Too much torque and not enough friction.

Many MPVs & School run vehicles around that match or beat Hot Hatches of old for pace.

 

0-62 is a pointless figure often,

& 5- 50 mph, 5-80mph or even 40-80 might be more relevant.

45-75 up a steep incline is often a good show of what can actually shift,

or results in just being held up in an Elephant Race behind that prestige car.

 

Lots of fast hippo vehicles out on the roads these days that are better suited to long relaxed journeys and not sprinting.

 

Then with VAG & performance figures, they are often pure fiction.

The Cheaper car is unlikely to show it as faster & more economic than the model costing more.

They like in their brochures their 0.5-1 second 0-60 faster & mile or 2 higher top speed as the price rises.

 

george

I've noticed this with a lot of diesel family motors, & reckon the use of tuning boxes quite prevalent.

It is these cars which probably don't have the handling / brake mods to match.

Ironically I have just remapped the S4 earlier this week, rough figures (not RR'd) 410bhp / 375lb. The car has become a monster!!

Quite strangely the car seems more balanced in the corners when pushing it, it feels much lighter and easier to find the limit. Brakes are OK and probably the weak point so more than likely my next mod..........oh dear, here we go

I've remapped every turbo car i've had :(

I've noticed this with a lot of diesel family motors, & reckon the use of tuning boxes quite prevalent.

It is these cars which probably don't have the handling / brake mods to match.

Ironically I have just remapped the S4 earlier this week, rough figures (not RR'd) 410bhp / 375lb. The car has become a monster!!

Quite strangely the car seems more balanced in the corners when pushing it, it feels much lighter and easier to find the limit. Brakes are OK and probably the weak point so more than likely my next mod..........oh dear, here we go

 

Excellent!

 

I'm really trying hard just to fit an uprated RARB next week, the heart says Bilstein B12 (with minimal if any lowering - don't want to give the game away), Miltek cat back (quiet version), Adjustable LBJs, uprated bushes, and bigger brakes...deep breath, and relax...So that's what best part of £2k all in, making the total car new cost around £18k. What else for that money would outperform it is the key question.

Excellent!

I'm really trying hard just to fit an uprated RARB next week, the heart says Bilstein B12 (with minimal if any lowering - don't want to give the game away), Miltek cat back (quiet version), Adjustable LBJs, uprated bushes, and bigger brakes...deep breath, and relax...So that's what best part of £2k all in, making the total car new cost around £18k. What else for that money would outperform it is the key question.

The Octy vRS with the mods you have / propose is probably the best value £ / performance there is.

Certainly in a straight line a vRs with 250ish bhp and 1385kg has a great power to weight ratio, add in a few handling mods and bobs your uncle.

I just craved 4wd to put all that power down. Unfortunately that all adds weight (along with a whopping great lump under the bonnet). So 333bhp doesn't go that far with over 1850kg to lug about.

I must say though the mapped car is now all I had hoped for. Very (very) quick and handles sublimely. It just cost way more proportionately than the improvement from where I came from.

I feel I may need to keep this one for a few years

The Octy vRS with the mods you have / propose is probably the best value £ / performance there is.

Certainly in a straight line a vRs with 250ish bhp and 1385kg has a great power to weight ratio, add in a few handling mods and bobs your uncle.

I just craved 4wd to put all that power down. Unfortunately that all adds weight (along with a whopping great lump under the bonnet). So 333bhp doesn't go that far with over 1850kg to lug about.

I must say though the mapped car is now all I had hoped for. Very (very) quick and handles sublimely. It just cost way more proportionately than the improvement from where I came from.

I feel I may need to keep this one for a few years

Oi, where's my write up on the other forum?

I loved it in my old BMW, it had a 2.8 fitted but the badge on the back said 316 i... I miss that old thing.

 

More relevant, I had a bit of a shock from a bloody Passat taxi... From the badges on it we were evenly matched but no, i couldn't keep up