If tuners/re-mappers can achieve such amazing gains...

[brucemillar]

You must first define "optimum"

For the manufacturer "optimum" on a standard production model is defined as "minimum emissions and maximum fuel economy" that is required to meet the average standards of the country that the car will be sold.
This standard doesn't always afford the best performance.

If a manufacturer also has a performance model such as Merc with AMG, then they are tuned with a performance bias at the expense of "optimum" emissions and economy.

Exactly my (badly made) point. So with the Toyota GT4 Toyota found that to meet the (then) improved UK emission controls the car would have to lose out on power etc. Thus making it non viable as a desirable car.

 

[Sp!ke]

They do. Here's just one example.

Mercedes-Benz UK - Model information - Technical data

£4,100 for a remap - kerching!

Lots of examples like this from different manufacturers with different power outputs for same engine varient with what on the face of it seems to be a just a different mapping between varients.

iirc there are many such examples in the VAG offerings.

 

[markjay]

Just Google 'detuned engine' - almost every manufacturer has a 'detuned' version of some of their engines, for a variety of reasons as mentioned by others.

I seem to remember that Vauxhall had a detuned diesel engine so that it can be mated with a standard automatic gearbox (traditionally diesel and autoboxes didn't mix well because the high torque was wrecking the box).

 

[DSB SL AMG]

I agree Spike, they all do model engine variants...but again output is within safe OEM design limits / tolerance.

£4,100 for a remap - kerching!

Lots of examples like this from different manufacturers with different power outputs for same engine varient with what on the face of it seems to be a just a different mapping between varients.

iirc there are many such examples in the VAG offerings.

 

[Oli]

Are the car manufacturers missing a trick though?

Lets take an E350 CDI with 265 bhp for example; instead of offering a three year warranty on it standard, they could offer a two year warranty instead but the car will come with 320 bhp or something?

One of my friends had a mapped 535d and he mashed two gearboxes in two years, but he was bizarrely quite happy to pay that price for the gains.

The 535d is fast as it is!!, wouldn't he have actually saved himself money buying an M5 and suffering the poor fuel consumption?.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

The 535d is fast as it is!!, wouldn't he have actually saved himself money buying an M5 and suffering the poor fuel consumption?.

I made the same point to him but it fell on deaf ears...

 

[markjay]

Interesting thread here:


http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w204-c63-amg/1435202-how-do-they-detune-6-3-a.html

 

[tonyc280]

looking at the "AUTO'S" they produce much less power than the manual version.

 

[effbee584]

A remap will improve acceleration and increase top speed, give a massive boost in fuel economy. All for a mere £350.

Exactly what happened to my 100,00 mile W211 E320 dci (6 in line) after it was re-mapped. Best £360 I ever spent on car.
No idea about top speed but mpg improved by 5ish. Much better acceleration (never measured), really smoked way at the lights and in gear 40/70 was seriously good
I was assured that the changes were undetectable (I doubt it) but was declared to Ins Company and next buyer - he was delighted.

 

[Oli]

looking at the "AUTO'S" they produce much less power than the manual version.

The thing is though, they've been able to make auto boxes that take a lot of otrque for ages so I don't get why they would be less.

 

[RBYCC]

As in optimum for that model.

For example I've seen reported Eurocharged gains on a C63 N/A of circa 70+bhp, if that is genuinely possible then why didn't Mercedes do it from the start? Or at least offer that variance of power outputs?

A tune improves performance, but even on an AMG model the factory tune has to still fall within the parameters that Mercedes has determined to meet various government standards.

For instance in the USA manufacturers must meet CAFE ( Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards). It's a blended average of all the cars that the manufacturer sells in the market.

If Merc decided to do the best performance tunes at the sacrifice of emissions and economy to match aftermarket tuners, they then would have to produce/sell more economical and lower emission vehicles to offset the performance vehicles sold.
If they do not then fines must be paid...
A link to how much Merc has paid in fines to the US even with conservative performance tuning:
Mercedes Says Its Annual CAFE Fines Are a Thing of the Past - AutoObserver