VW Golf GTi Mk6 Race Exhaust System – Video / Movie
Recommended Reading: VW Golf GTi Mk6 Race Exhaust System – Video / Movie
There’s no doubt that small cars are gaining in popularity in North America. While the explanations for this phenomenon are interesting – some say it’s because younger car buyers aren’t nearly into “cars” as much as previous generations, others say it’s due to the fact that fuel economy rules force consumers to buy smaller vehicles.
Of course, it could be that Americans are falling in love all over again with the turbocharger.
Back in the day, turbochargers were notoriously unreliable. Turbos spin very fast (150k RPM in some models), and this fast fan blade speed (and subsequent bearing wear) is what caused so many problems. Partially, these problems on older turbo-charged vehicles were due to cheap and/or inadequate design (see Chrysler turbos from any year). However, it’s fair to say that there were some technological challenges with building a turbo bearing housing that was durable.
Recently, turbo manufacturers have switched from housings using journal bearings (which need a lot of oil for lubrication and cooling) to more reliable housings that use cartridge ball bearings. These require less oil, less cooling, and because they have less friction they reduce turbo lag (read a great write-up on turbocharger design from Garret). Long story short – turbochargers are as reliable as any other engine component (provided you don’t boost them up, but that’s another discussion).
Which brings us to this VW Golf GTI 2.0T Mk6:
Problem retrieving videos from provider: Not FoundThe exhaust system sounds OK – I’d like something a little more raspy – but you can’t argue with the results. Tossing a 3″ single-to-dual cat-back Milltek Race Exhaust onto this thing and doing some computer programming has created a Golf that does burn outs.
One 3" diameter tube split into a faux dual looks good but keeps the backpressure where it should be (you need a little to facilitate scavenging)
Not bad.
From The Milltek Sport Blog
This video shows the 210bhp VW Golf GTi fitted with the Milltek Race exhaust system and an ECU remap – taking the power to a staggering 282bhp and 427nm of torque!
Akrapovic Titanium Exhaust Systems for Porsche Owners
There will always be a market for ultra-high end automotive performance parts, and on the exhaust side of that equation is Akrapovic, a European company which has been manufacturing top shelf components since 1990. Founder Igor Akrapovic parlayed his success as a motorcycle racer into a performance exhaust empire that builds both parts and complete systems for bikes and cars.
Slip-On Exhaust System for the Porsche 911 Turbo
There are a number of things that set Akrapovic apart from other performance exhaust companies. Read more
Holiday Gift Ideas For Car Nuts
Are you a car nut? Probably. If you weren’t, you wouldn’t be reading a blog about exhaust systems…you’d be reading about world news, politics, what so-and-so did last weekend on Facebook, etc.
Me? I’m too busy pouring over posts and comments on automotive blogs like PickupTrucks.com, Gas 2.0, Green Car Reports, and the Car and Driver Blog (to name a few) to care about all that other stuff.
Therefore, as a self-described car nut, my ideal holiday gift is car related. Here are some cool gift ideas for me or anyone else who enjoys cars and trucks like I do: Read more
New Glass Pack Mufflers from Magnaflow
New Product: MagnaFlow Announces New Glass Pack Mufflers
There are a few phrases in the world of exhaust systems that automatically conjure up the “I want to go fast and I don’t care how loud” image. They are:
- “straight pipe”
- “cut-outs” and
- “glass packs”
I’ve never thought of a glass pack as a particularly good thing. First of all, they’re notoriously cheap. They don’t do much in the way of “muffling” and the popular perception is that the fiberglass packed stuffing inside them (hence the name “glass pack”) is only going to burn-up and/or blow out.
New glass pack mufflers from Magnaflow
However, when Magnaflow starts offering glass packs, you sort of have to pay attention. Read more
Rally-Prep Fiesta Wears Upgraded Ford Racing Exhaust
Recommended Reading: Ford Announces Rally-Prep Kit, Race Series for Fiesta
Euro-style Rally Racing is one of the most exciting motorsports in the world. A combination of race driving skill, technology, planning, strategy, and good luck, a rally race is a lot like piloting an attack helicopter at tree-top level.
Part of the reason that rally racing is incredibly popular worldwide is that the cars seem more like regular old passenger cars than most race vehicles. Trophy trucks are really custom-built racers wearing a fiberglass body that’s sort of disguised to look like a production truck. The same can be said for NASCAR vehicles, but the resemblance between a Nascar racer and a real car are even smaller. Of course, open-wheel racing (off which I am a fan), bears no resemblance to production cars.
Rally Racing, on the other hand, features production-based Subaru’s, Fords, Fiats, Renault’s, and more. While these vehicles are heavily modified (suspension, powertrain, and frame), they’re more like a “real” car than most.
It’s no surprise that Ford is going to leverage the popularity of Rally Racing to promote the new Fiesta, especially considering that the Fiesta is a Euro-spec car. They’ve announced plans to start selling an R2 Kit that will include, among many other things, a T304 stainless steel exhaust designed to increase power and make the Fiesta sound a heck of a lot meaner…kind of like this:
Problem retrieving videos from provider: Not FoundFrom Car and Driver Blog
Rallying and hatchback cars have never been as popular in the U.S. as in Europe, but Ford hopes to change that with the Fiesta R2 rally package unveiled at the SEMA show in Las Vegas. The R2 kit lets owners convert their factory Fiesta five-door into a rally-ready machine. It was developed by U.K.-based M-Sport, Ford’s official rallying partner since 1997, and debuted in Europe in March 2009.
The R2 treatment includes new pistons, connecting rods, valve springs, camshafts, fuel injectors, a louder exhaust, and a new air intake to bump the 1.6-liter engine’s output to 168 hp and 134 lb-ft of torque, versus 120 hp and 112 lb-ft in stock trim. Other components include larger brakes with AP four-piston calipers, Eibach and Reiger suspension components, a roll cage, race seats and harnesses, a limited-slip differential, a five-speed sequential transmission that permits full-throttle upshifts, and sundry other components needed for off-road racing. Read the full article…
Dynomax VT Offers Drone Free Performance Muffler Design
Aftermarket mufflers are often meant to be loud, but while everyone enjoys the deep throaty sound of a well-tuned exhaust system, almost nobody wants to have to deal with drone. Many exhaust installations sound great at idle or under full throttle, but while cruising, they fill the passenger compartment with a dull, booming sound that is louder at certain rpm’s than others. It can make conversation difficult and give you a headache over long trips – in short, drone is the enemy of good exhaust system design.
Cutaway view of the Dynomax VT.
For a long time, car and truck owners have had to accept at least a small amount of drone when pursuing maximum power with an after market exhaust system. Dynomax, however, has come out with what it claims to be a drone-free alternative to high performance mufflers that doesn’t sacrifice engine output in the name of sound deadening. Read more
HKS Selling Tesla Roadster Spark Plugs?
I follow a lot of performance exhaust companies – including HKS – because I like to try to know about new products ASAP…figure that’s part of my job as the dude behind ExhaustVideos.com. As a result, I noticed that the HKS website now lists “Tesla” as an auto manufacturer that they support…which brings me to two points:
- HKS is selling spark plugs for Tesla Roadsters…obviously a mistake (see below)
- What performance parts will be available for electric cars?
First, Here’s the Dirt on the HKS Mistake
If you go to the HKS website and look for 2008 Tesla Roadster parts, you’ll find there’s only one part listed – M-Series Super Fire Racing Spark Plugs. The irony here is pretty hilarious – spark plugs for an electric car? Kind of like offering a glass of water to someone who is drowning. Read more
What Smaller Engines Mean For Exhaust Systems – Clio 200 with Milltek Sport Exhaust
Recommended Reading: Renault Clio 200 with Milltek Sport Exhaust
There’s no denying that engine displacements are getting smaller. Ford’s new V6 EcoBoost F150 is proof-positive that automakers are going to focus on getting the same amounts of power they’ve always gotten out of smaller and smaller engines.
Depending on your viewpoint, that can be a good thing.
Regardless, smaller engines and more fuel efficient cars are the future. When it comes to exhaust systems, this means there will be a few changes: Read more
2011 Ford F-150 EcoBoost V6 Exhaust Review
Recommended Reading: 2011 Ford F-150 EcoBoost V6 – First Drive Review
I smell trouble for the EcoBoost V6:
“If you overlook its rather flat exhaust note, it would be easy to mistake the EcoBoost V-6 for a burly V-8”
FLAT EXHAUST NOTE?! Come on, Ford! This is a twin-turbo V6 with direct injection…it should sound like a jet engine. While it’s definitely not going to sound like a big V8, it definitely shouldn’t sound “flat.” Fortunately, “there’s an app for that.” Read more
TRD Brings Back Their Tundra Exhaust System
Recommended Reading: Tundra TRD Dual Exhaust Is Back
TRD – short for Toyota Racing Development – is Toyota’s in-house performance division. It’s sort of the same thing as Ford Racing, AMG, MOPAR, and the other performance divisions of major automakers, although to be fair, TRD is more off-road focused than most of the others listed.
In any case, when Toyota brought out the 2nd gen Tundra in 2007, they offered a TRD exhaust system with a throatier exhaust note and a slight bump in performance over the stock Toyota Tundra exhaust system for about $1000. That’s a lot of money for an after market exhaust system considering Flowmaster and Magnaflow offer systems for about $600 for the same truck. Read more
