A stage 1 remap is undoubtedly the most sensible way to start improving your car’s performance. But if you’ve already made a first round of tweaks to your ECU (engine control unit), upgrading your exhaust system is the best way to step up your car’s performance by improving the flow of exhaust gasses and removing any restrictions imposed by your stock system.
Manufactured from high-quality stainless steel, most performance exhaust systems are significantly more durable than their stock counterparts. Generally speaking, performance exhaust systems also sound better, look better, and improve the overall performance of your engine.
This is because performance exhausts normally have a larger pipe diameter than their stock cousins. In an attempt to reduce vehicle weight, lower production costs and - in the case of some Japanese cars - artificially limit performance, modern manufacturers tend to design and build restrictive exhaust systems with narrow pipes.
By swapping these stock systems for a performance system with wider and better designed pipes, you allow exhaust gases to move away from your engine more quickly – reducing combustion temperatures and improving the volumetric efficiency of your engine, resulting in improved performance and efficiency.
The best performance exhausts also use mandrel bends instead of the standard crush bends found in stock exhausts. Crush bends reduce the diameter of your exhaust pipe; creating natural choke points that reduce air flow.
Mandrel bends maintain the same pipe diameter throughout, de-restricting airflow and ensuring that your engine never struggles with backpressure from built-up exhaust gases. And yes, we do know that a small amount of backpressure can help some vehicles achieve optimum performance. The key is finding the perfect balance for your car.
High-quality Performance exhaust systems can be fitted in a matter of hours (with the help of our in-house technicians) and the tuning process required to take advantage of their enhanced efficiency is relatively straightforward for a dedicated tuning specialist like ourselves.
Enthusiasts or car lovers that opt for a top-of-the-line system will enjoy an instant -and marked - boost to engine performance, alongside the deep, rumbling purr that a good exhaust provides.
With over a decade of hands-on experience, our team of engineers are ideally placed to help you select and fit a performance exhaust system that transforms your car – irrespective of whether you’re trying to push your Audi A1 8X to the limit, or prep a Porsche 911 CT3 for the track.
Having installed your new exhaust system, our engineers will also be able to help you source other - equally-high impact - hardware upgrades and/or help you remap your ECU so that your car can take full advantage of your brand-new exhaust system.
And if you’re too far away from our Bristol-based tuning HQ, you can book in at your local Avon Tuning authorised agent. With over 200 qualified technicians in our network, you’re never more than 20 miles from a knowledgeable specialist that can install a top-of-the-line exhaust system.
Performance exhaust systems are generally grouped into one of three categories – based on the amount or proportion of your stock exhaust system they’re designed to replace.
Turbo-back exhausts replace everything from the turbo down – including the downpipe. Since the downpipe is normally the most restrictive part of a stock exhaust system, turbo-back exhausts are the first choice for people who want to see serious performance gains.
But they do tend to be more expensive than cat-back systems, which makes sense when you consider the fact that they’re replacing everything a cat-back system would replace the plus the additional section that stretches back to your turbo.
Cat-back exhausts replace the portion of your exhaust that runs from your catalytic converter to your tailpipe. Cat-back exhaust systems do offer some performance gains but they’re usually marginal and dwarfed by the gains provided by a full turbo-back system.
What cat-backs can do is significantly improve the sound your car emits. Cat-back systems also tend to be cheaper and easier to fit than a full turbo-back exhaust system which is why they’re generally the most popular type of performance exhaust.
In recent years (2017 onwards) many aftermarket exhaust manufacturers have been designing DPF-back exhaust systems for diesel vehicles. As the name suggests, these systems replace the section of your stock exhaust that runs from the DPF or diesel particulate filter back to your tailpipe.
In terms of performance gains and exhaust note, these systems are largely in-line with a cat-back system so if you’re looking for impressive increases in bhp or top speed, you’ll probably want to consider a turbo-back system instead.
Resonated systems use special mufflers and baffles to reduce the noise level of your new exhaust, while non-resonated systems generally produce a louder, more aggressive exhaust note. This is largely a matter of personal preference and there’s no right or wrong answer here, but it’s always worth considering whether your main aim is to increase the performance, aesthetics or acoustics of your vehicle.
Choosing the right performance exhaust system isn’t easy. Today’s marketplace is full of offerings from companies that claim to be the world’s best aftermarket exhaust manufacturer, internet forums are full of chatter about the best systems for every model of car, and cutting through all that noise to pick out the best possible upgrade can be incredibly challenging.
Having worked with heavily-modified vehicles for well over a decade, we’ve come to realise that there is no ‘best’ manufacturer. Instead, the supplier and system of choice generally depends upon the specific make and model variant you’re driving, your driving style, and the results you want to see.
As an example, UK-based Milltek manufacture a range of cat-back exhaust systems that’s ideally suited to improving the sound and aesthetics of your car, with carefully-tuned silencers that are designed to produce an incredibly refined sound.
But if you were looking to optimise the on-track performance of an Audi RS6 C8, you would probably see a bigger increase in available horsepower and torque by opting for one of the brand's turbo-back systems – which replaces a greater proportion of your stock piping.
It’s all about understanding the specifics of a given system, and being able to weigh up the pros and cons based on your intended use-case, which is where our expert engineers come in.
Simply put, we’re the safe pair of hands that your car deserves. We’ve been helping petrolheads and car enthusiasts upgrade their cars for over a decade and we know how to pick and install systems that’s capable of delivering the performance you want to see.
We’re also impartial, and regularly use parts from leading manufacturers like
So you can rely on us to act in your best interests, and successfully install any system with the potential to transform your drive. Operating out of a 5,000 sq ft. tuning HQ based just outside the village of Tockington, we offer a supply and fit service that lets us install some of the best performance exhaust systems money can buy.
We also have an extensive network of authorised agents that can supply and fit exhaust systems for car enthusiasts that live further afield. If you want a trusted and reliable expert, capable of significantly improving your car’s performance with a minimum of fuss and hassle, get in touch today.
