Car tuning is both an industry and a hobby, in which an automobile is modified in order to improve its performance, handling and appearance. As most vehicles leave the factory set up for average driver expectations and average conditions, tuning has become a way to personalize the characteristics of the vehicle to the owner's preference. For example, cars may be altered to provide better fuel economy, produce more power, or to provide better handling.
Car tuning is related to auto racing, although most performance cars never compete. Rather, they are built for the pleasure of owning and driving such a vehicle. Exterior modifications include changing the aerodynamic characteristics of the vehicle via side skirts, front and rear bumpers, spoilers, splitters, air vents and light weight wheels.
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In the 1970s and 80s, many Japanese performance cars were never exported outside the Japanese domestic market. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, grey imports of Japanese performance cars, such as the Nissan Skyline [1][1] [2][3], began to be privately imported into Western Europe and North America. In the United States, this was in direct contrast to the domestic car production around the same time, where there was a very small performance aftermarket for domestic compact and economy cars; the focus was instead on sporty cars such as the Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Corvette, or on classic muscle cars.
Because of their light weight and the increasing availability of low-cost tuning equipment, economy and compact cars exhibit high performance at a low cost in comparison to dedicated sports cars. As professional sporting and racing with such vehicles increased, so did recreational use of these vehicles. Drivers with little or no automotive, mechanical, or racing experience would modify their vehicles to emulate the more impressive versions of racing vehicles, with mixed results.
Also a rise of this class of automobiles into racing scenes was the Rallying competitions, where highly modified tuners race against each other on twisty roads and are timed. This has led to some public styling like on the Impreza models.
During the late '90s, demand for tuning began to spike in many countries with the introduction of a video game franchise by the name of Gran Turismo for the Sony PlayStation. It showed that normal everyday cars could be transformed into high-performance vehicles for racing. Also the internet showed people what could be done to their cars and the after market parts scene became wider and more available so people could buy more parts than they had been able to before.The modding tuning side had been around for many years where we see Skylines in races down to the 60's and drifting in the 70's and BMW's tuned and racing from the 60's also just a few cars which were tuned and raced from years ago.
The essence of modification of a tuner car is an attempt to extract the greatest possible performance—or the appearance of high performance—from the base motor vehicle through the addition, alteration or outright replacement of parts. Although this largely involves modifying the engine and management systems of the vehicle to increase the power output, additional changes are often required to allow the vehicle to handle this power, including stiffened suspension, widened tires, better brakes, improved steering and transmission modifications such as the installation of a short shifter. Although largely invisible from outside the vehicle, certain modifications such as low profile tires, altered suspension, and the addition of spoilers can change the overall appearance of the car.
Audio is a term used to describe the sound or video system fitted in the vehicle. A stock audio system refers to one that was specified by the manufacturer when the vehicle was built in the factory. A custom audio installation can involve anything from the upgrade of the radio to a full-blown customization based around the audio equipment. Events are held where entrants compete for the loudest, highest quality reception or most innovative sound systems.
A misconception in mainstream society is that enhanced audio systems play a major role in tuning. Modern tuners usually do not have elaborate sound systems. The focus of tuning is performance based.
All cars competing in each class must adhere to a strict set of regulations. As in some well known racing events, like NASCAR and NHRA, sanctioned events often require a minimum vehicle weight. In such cases the interior is stripped and lead weights or similar are added to meet that requirement.
Along with weight requirements, safety requirements are present . Requirements differ for different classes. Roll cages, fire extinguishers, reinforced bucket seats, seat harnesses, and the like are some of the required safety modifications. Roll cages may be difficult to install when the original equipment interior is present.
A common misconception is that a tuner will install such equipment as flashy lights, TV screens and similar items to enhance the appearance of their car. In reality, though, improved performance is the fundamental goal of tuning. Because form often follows function, performance modifications may often improve the appearance of tuner cars.
Engine tuning is a significant element of car tuning. An experienced car tuner can take a 4-cylinder engine and increase its output to 1000+ horsepower.
Although superchargers are not uncommon, tuners often opt for turbochargers instead, because superchargers impose limits at higher RPMs. Naturally aspirated engines can also be tuned.
Some tuners will install devices which modify communications to the Engine Control Unit in order to obtain more power. Such devices provide the stock ECU with inaccurate data from sensors to modify engine output. This is often an inexpensive way to modify an OEM computer system used to tune lightly modified vehicles. However, this is generally regarded as bad practice.
Today’s car and light truck engines are fully electronically controlled. That makes it very easy to enhance the performance of the engine through “Chip-Tuning”. This refers to modifying the programming of the computer chips which control the engine management. Chip tuning can be used for both gasoline and diesel engines that are equipped with an electronic motor management.
Other standalone engine management systems are available. These systems replace the factory computer with one that is user programmable. Using such a device a tuner can decide all running aspects of an engine; reducing knock, correcting air fuel ratios, and advancing or retarding timing to obtain efficient power levels for their setup.
Suspension tuning involves modifying the springs, shock absorbers, swaybars, and other related components of a vehicle. Shorter springs offer greater stiffness and a lower center of gravity at the cost of proper suspension geometry. Stiffer shock absorbers improve the dynamic weight shifting during cornering and normally have shorter internals to stop them from bottoming out when shorter springs are used. Stiffer sway bars reduce body roll during cornering, thus improving the grip that the tires have on the surface by reducing suspension geometry changes caused by roll; this also improves handling response due to faster weight shifting (similar to stiffer springs.) The danger with overly stiff swaybars is the lifing of the inner wheel, which reduces its traction. Loss of traction less likely with softer bars. Other components that are sometimes added are strut bars, which improve the body stiffness and help better maintain the proper suspension geometry during cornering. On some cars certain braces, anti-roll bars, etc., can be retrofitted to base model cars from sports models.
For offroad vehicles, the emphasis is on lengthening the suspension travel and installing larger tires to increase ground clearance.
These suspension modifications are in contrast to Lowriders with hydraulic or pneumatic suspensions. Lowriders use another type of suspension tuning in which the height of each individual wheel can be rapidly adjusted by a system of rams which, in some cases, makes it possible to "bounce" the wheels completely clear of the ground.
Body tuning involves adding or modifying spoilers and a body kit in order to improve the aerodynamic performance of a vehicle. Through the generation of downforce, cornering speeds and tire adhesion can be improved, often at the expense of increased drag. To lighten the vehicle, bodywork components such as hoods and rear view mirrors may be replaced with lighter weight components.
Often, body modifications are done mainly to improve a vehicle's appearance, as in the case of non-functioning scoops, spoilers, wide arches or other aesthetic modification. Aftermarket spoilers or body kits rarely improve a car's performance. The majority, in fact, add weight and increase the drag coefficient of the vehicle, thus reducing its overall performance.
Increasing the wheel track width through spacers and wide body kits enhance the cars cornering ability. Lowering the center of gravity via suspension modifications is another aim of body tuning. Often, suspension tuners unfamiliar with spring dynamics will cut stock springs, producing a soft, bouncy ride. It is also common to lower the car too far beyond the optimal center of gravity purely for appearance.
Competition cars may have light weight windows, or the windows may be completely removed, as auto glass adds significant weight. Plastic windows are much more vulnerable to scratches which reduces service life.
Tires have large effects on a car's behavior and are replaced periodically, therefore tire selection is a very cost effective way to personalize an automobile. Choices include tires for various weather and road conditions, different sizes and various compromises between cost, grip, service life, rolling resistance, handling and ride comfort.
Detuning refers to returning a modified car to its original factory status. The term detuning can also refer to the reduction of performance in a particular area of tuning. For example, a car may be "detuned" to allow increased traction where the track grip is not sufficient to handle the increased power of the tuned engine.
Modified cars can be significantly different from their stock counterparts. A common factor among owners/modifiers is to emulate the visual and/or performance characteristics of establshed styles and design principles. Sometimes these similarities are unintentional. Some of the many different styles and visual influences to car modification are:
"Streeted" or "Tuner Cars" are typically Japanese vehicles, such as a Honda Integra DC5, Mitsubishi GTO, Toyota Supra, Nissan Skyline, Mazda RX-7, Subaru Impreza, and the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution series. These cars are most commonly modified with more expensive components. The most popular modifications include suspension upgrades, exhaust systems, and turbos.
If a car is significantly modified from its stock condition, the vehicle may be considered a Custom car. This is a passenger vehicle that has been modified either to improve its performance by altering or replacing the engine and transmission, or to produce a personal visual or "style" statement; such as the Rat rod aesthetic.
Many countries or municipalities have legal requirements which govern vehicle modifications. For example, all vehicles in Victoria, Australia, must conform to construction standards to ensure vehicle safety.[4] There are also restrictions for P Plate drivers which can prevent young drivers from driving modified vehicles.[5]
In the United Kingdom, Australia and the Netherlands it is illegal for any car to have blue lights which are reserved for emergency vehicles.
In Scotland, Germany and Denmark, it is illegal for any car to have neon underlights on a car which may distract other drivers. In the Netherlands neon lights are allowed under the car, but only when the car is on display. The lights have to be switched off if the car is on a public road. There is some misunderstanding amongst police officers in the U.K as to the legality of under body neons.
Recently, Belgium issued a new law which requires that bodykit parts need to be approved for safety.
In the United States, many of the laws governing car modification are determined at state level. These should be reviewed before any modifications are undertaken.
Many organizations involved in competitive motorsports establish safety guidelines that far exceed legal requirements placed on street legal vehicles. The NHRA, IHRA and SOLO programs all require that vehicles pass inspection to ensure that all regulations are being complied with.
A big part of car modifications are car clubs or groups. Many are specific to particular car manufacturers. Clubs often attend national shows throughout the country. There are thought to be over 100 car clubs in the UK.
Speed tuned cars feature in various movies and in songs such as Hot Rod Lincoln.
Tuned cars and custom cars are depicted in film, such as those featured in The Fast and the Furious (film series).