Porsche, Audi, Mercedes Benz - OEMPlus

Porsche, Audi, Mercedes Benz - OEMPlusThere are three distinct schools of car builders. The first is the 'scratch-built' crew, guys who fabricate a vehicle from the ground up. If someone can't find what he needs, he'll simply build it. He follows a blueprint hardwired to his brain. He thinks most cars have too much stuff on them, certainly more than he's going to put on his ride anyway.At the opposite end are the OEM purists. They figure if it left the factory that way, it's already perfect. Typically, they go for OEM aftermarket bits as well: wheels, bike racks, floormats... if it's from the same manufacturer, it's good enough for their car.The last group is the 'OEMPlus' contingent. These guys rely on factory bits and choice aftermarket suppliers to modify their cars. They tend to follow the factory's design, occasionally taking it a few degrees further. OEMPlus guys are well versed in parts code terminology and know a part number is more accurate than a verbal description. They know which chassis has interchangeable parts and where said parts were made and assembled. They know it's often more efficient to go straight to the OEM supplier, sometimes cheaper too.Different Cars, Same ApproachThe three cars here are examples of OEMPlus. While none is particularly outrageous, each has a little extra oomph to differentiate itself. The owners have respected the factory design while adding a few ideas of their own. We like that.2007 Porsche 911 Carrera S (997)As the former editor of sister publication Car Audio and Electronics, Howie Liwanag had seen his share of high-end Euros. So he knew exactly what he wanted from his own car. It had to be clean, understated and rock solid. Howie needed a new Porsche 911.Although he was initially slated for the Turbo model, the huge power could prove problematic (legally speaking). Perhaps he could get the same look sans the boost. He special-ordered this Porsche with factory GT3 aerodynamics and plumbed a third radiator into the ventwork.Brakes are gigantic multi-piston Brembos, the same type used on Porsche's alpha cars. To ease rear wheel clearance, GMG's 'dog bone' link kit provided additional camber for the custom-forged HRE 840Rs. The engine was upgraded with bolt-on components (the effective bits being reversible, should Howie decide to get that Turbo). And being the audiophile he is, the car was outfitted with an outrageous stereo system, a high-performance unit that manages to look totally factory.The Plus1. Engine*GIAC ECU flash, Porsche OEM third radiator kit, Evolution Motorsports Carrera S V-Flow air intake*IPD air intake plenum2. Exhaust*Fabspeed 997 performance package exhaust3. Suspension*Bilstein PSS9 Porsche suspension, GMG 997 WC toe steer kit and WC 997 link (dog bone) kit4. BrakesFront: 15-inch floating rotors w/six-piston calipersRear: 15-inch floating rotors w/four-piston calipers5. Wheels & tires*HRE 840R, 19x8.5 (f), 19x11 (r). Pirelli P-Zero Rosso, 235/35 (f), 305/30 (r)6. Exterior*Porsche OEM GT3 Cup front splitter, GT3 RS spoiler extension, GT3 upper air grille, GT3 Gurney flap (rear wing lip), clear side marker set, Porsche gold crest emblem, 997 GT3 and GT3 RS grille screens 7. Interior*B&M short shift, Valentine One radar detector*Rennline pedals and track mats8. Audio/Video*Pioneer AVIC-D3*JL Audio 500/1 v2, 300/4 v2, 8w3v3*Dynaudio Esotec System 3622008 GMG Audi S5Between a hectic race schedule, James Sofronas and Fabryce Kutyba busy themselves in GMG's expansive facility. Using both OEM and their own line of performance bits, GMG can fully race-prep cars or make them ready for high-performance street use.With 10 years of experience at a luxury dealership, Kutyba knows his way around a microfiche. This S5 serves as testament. And while its driving manners are impeccable, the sounds it produces are truly amazing. GMG's stainless steel downpipes eliminate the slight rasp of the factory exhaust, leaving this Audi with voice like rolling thunder.About 10 to 15 percent firmer than a stock S5, this car behaves like something from Audi's RS line. The Alcon brakes don't have quite the initial bite of the stock binders, but respond with brute force when asked. GMG's S5 is what we'd consider an OEMPlus, a car outfitted with OEM bits used over various applications.The Plus1. EngineGIAC software (91-octane)2. TransmissionGMG prototype short shift kit3. ExhaustGMG WC sport exhaust and sport downpipes, cat-back system incorporates GMG's crossover design center section. T304 full stainless steel with RS-style 3.5-inch oval tips.4. SuspensionGMG WC sport lowering springs made by Eibach for GMG, WC sport anti-roll bar set made by Eibach for GMG5. BrakesAP Racing 15-inch two-piece disc and AP Racing six-piston calipers (f), AP Racing 14-inch two-piece disc and AP Racing four-piston calipers (r).6. Wheels & TiresHRE P40 20x 9.5 with custom offsets. Michelin Pilot Sport II, 255/307. ExteriorGMG carbon hood, Black Optic grille, Carbon front lower splitter insert, carbon rear diffuser insert.2007 Evosport Mercedes-Benz E55 AMGI'm starting to think the crew at Evosport exist on a diet of Red Bull and CoCo Puffs. Between the race track, their jam-packed shop in Huntington Beach, California, and its R&D facility, these guys are in a perpetual state of excitement. "To be honest, I'd do this stuff for free," says Brad Otoupalik. "Nothing this fun should take dough."Otoupalik and Simon Atik, Evosport's front men, are very much the 'race on Sunday, sell on Monday' kind of guys. Much of the go-fast gear they sell has been developed under brutal race conditions before being brought to the street. These dudes drive hard. The E55 here is something of an AMG squared, a mixture of OEM hotrod parts and Evosport's own line of performance pieces. A torque monster straight from the AMG box, Evosport has essentially given it a new set of fangs-great, big, sharp ones in a brilliant shade of white.Evosport has introduced us to several new outfits, including the aerodynamic shop, Vorsteiner, and brake-builder Rotora. Products from both suppliers have proven themselves to be well built and ready for race or street. We've used the stuff on our own cars to great effect.The Plus1. EngineEvo1 power package, fully dampened overdrive crankshaft pulley, hard-anodized billet aluminum underdrive accessory pulleys, Powerchip/Evosport Evo1 ECU tune, Evo2 power package, Evo2 ECU tune, Evosport Shorty performance headers, ceramic-coated performance plug wires, Kompressor cooling package, front-mounted heat exchanger, external heat exchanger reservoir, high-capacity electric pump, phenolic spacers, 80mm throttle body upgrade, carbon fibe r high-volume airbox1. DrivetrainLimited-slip differential2. ExhaustEvosport secondary cat delete, performance x-pipe, AMG muffler modification3. SuspensionElectronic lowering module4. Wheels & TiresVorsteiner Series 1 forged two-piece in matte black,19x9 (f) 19x10.5 (r). Toyo T1-R Performance Tires, 255/35 (f), 295/30 (r)5. BrakesFront: Rotora 15-inch two-piece drilled/slotted discs w/eight-piston calipers (red)Rear: Rotora 14-inch two-piece drilled/slotted discs w/four-piston calipers (red)High-performance ceramic pads, stainless steel lines6. ExteriorVorsteiner carbon fiber front and rear lower diffusers, carbon fiber decklid spoiler, carbon fiber vented hood, Evosport painted side markers, black chrome exterior trim, black gloss grille, black smoked taillights, custom rear fenders, flat hood badge7. InteriorSport leather steering wheel, shifter paddle conversion, custom-mounted Valentine One radar detectorThe OEMPlus guys don't try to reinvent the wheel, they just want it to spin a bit faster. OEMPlus is the fastest-growing trend in European tuning. The philosophy is to take what makes a car great in the first place and expand on it. Unlike other trends, it doesn't necessarily focus on just one aspect of a car's performance. Power, handling, comfort and even efficiency are all desired goals. The idea isn't new, but it's been gaining momentum of late.The OEMPlus movement started with importing components originally meant for higher-performance European versions and putting them into North American-spec Euro-brand cars. Many old-world marques offered different and, in many cases, better, models for Europe. Porsche and Mercedes have more recently been making global cars that offer identical performance in every market, but Audi, VW and BMW have left some their best efforts for European buyers. Besides making up for market inequalities, OEMPlus also uses factory high-performance components and select aftermarket gear.Several European car manufacturers have seen the burgeoning tuner market and are looking for a piece of the action. Companies with dedicated motorsport divisions are now directing some of those resources toward street performance. Others are being helped by aftermarket contractors to develop parts and brand them as the OEM's performance division. These components are then sold as either port- or dealer-installed.Enthusiasts can be assured that such parts are tested as rigorously as any other factory item. OEM components are assessed at levels that are truly unrealistic for any aftermarket company. It's too expensive and time-consuming for most tuners to carry out wear, safety, corrosion and environmental testing to factory standards. It would mean investing hundreds of hours and millions of dollars. This explains the price disparity between aftermarket parts and those available from the dealership.For aftermarket items, OEMPlus tuners are looking for parts that are somewhat transparent both visually and functionally to the car's original equipment. Software flashes, factory decibel-level exhausts and suspension kits offering ride heights similar to factory spec are all on offer.This isn't only about stealth on the street, but also at the dealership. Factory performance parts are backed by a similar warranty as the original vehicle, but components that have an OEM stamp and part numbers aren't likely to raise suspicions. Also, local authorities are not usually expert enough to distinguish a European part from a North American part. As long as it still looks stock, it shouldn't attract unwanted attention.There are varying degrees of modifications possible, depending on personal taste, manufacturer and even specific model. The list below is by no means comprehensive, but rather an introduction to the possibilities of OEMPlus tuning.AudiAudi owners have long been importing parts from European models, such as RS4 turbo upgrades on the B5 S4 or aluminum interior trim pieces for the latest base-model A4. For the European market, the last-generation TT (based on the Mk IV Golf) ended its production run with the TT Quattro Sport.The biggest component changes were interior pieces. One-piece front seats and all the hardware for the rear-seat delete are available in the U.S. from shops like OEMpl.us (http://oempl.us) in kit form. European S3 components are perfect for the standard A3. The K04 turbo and intercooler upgrade, aerodynamic kit, and the larger brakes will bolt on directly. A more expensive factory carbon/ceramic brake package is available for most Audi vehicles.In the aftermarket, companies like Stasis Engineering (www.stasis-engineering.com) provide components under a warranty in place of the factory's. Stasis-prepared cars may also be purchased complete from select Audi dealers.BMWIn recent years, BMW built a few cars that weren't available for the North American market, such as the E46 M3 CSL, which has some performance parts that can be swapped over to the North American M3. Brakes, airbox and suspension are all higher-performance pieces than those available on U.S. cars. Lightweight body panels are also available for swaps, but these are components where certain aftermarket companies like Vorsteiner (www.vorsteiner.com) have more or less matched those factory pieces for quality.For older cars, M Technik brake upgrades can be transferred to other models, either as complete bolt-on upgrades or sometimes requiring a spindle swap (which provides the added benefit of more negative camber). Complete engine swaps are also fairly common in the BMW world, replacing four-potters with sixes and even replacing six-cylinders with V8s.The BMW aftermarket is filled with high-end tuners (like Dinan and Hartge) offering components that provide stealth upgrades with factory-like functionality. Dinan cars are even sold at certain BMW dealerships and carry an additional warranty on top of what the factory offers.LotusLotus isn't an obvious name when it comes to tuning, as the company already builds probably the most dedicated sports cars on the market. In reality, the type of enthusiast who buys a Lotus is extremely interested in maximizing performance. Lotus Sport offers everything from chassis stiffeners to upgraded exhaust systems.Owners wanting to personalize their Lotus can also choose from interior upgrades, including leather-covered center consoles and door panels. Custom seats and interior trim pieces can also round out the look and provide a small touch of luxury in an otherwise performance-focused vehicle.Suspension upgrades available as options on new cars can be retrofitted to older cars. Tuners can fit superchargers to naturally aspirated vehicles and other higher-performance add-ons are also available.Mercedes-BenzM-B's AMG division started life as a tuning and racing shop for Mercedes-Benz vehicles but is now part of the parent company. For Benz buyers who like to take things further, many AMG components are available as bolt-on upgrades. Braking upgrades, suspension, aerodynamics and interior trim pieces can swapped into standard models. Independent tuners such as Carlsson and Brabus also offer upgrade packages that offer factory levels of refinement and live up to Mercedes' standards of quality.PorschePorsche-philes were living by the OEMPlus philosophy long before the term was coined. Porsche even released documents in the 1960s detailing the use of different factory components for performance hikes. In the '80s, U.S.-spec Porsches had less power than European versions. Lower compression coupled with different intake and exhaust systems meant under-optimized output. Owners would swap pistons to make up for the compression and European or aftermarket exhausts would be used to find the lost power.In the '90s, lightweight and turbocharged versions of cars built for the European market were never seen here. Porsche enthusiasts quickly found ways to bring parts over to retrofit to their cars. It wasn't long before 964 RSs more closely resembled Euro-spec cars than RS Americas, while 968 Club Sport and Turbo S clones could be seen tearing up the asphalt at Porsche Club events.Today, Porsche has Tequipment, a motorsport and accessories division that supplies parts for performance and individualization. Sticking to Porsche's roots, an owner can still buy roll bars and sport seats that can have a car track-ready in a matter of hours. The dealership parts counter can provide suspension, brake and entire engine upgrade packages for several models and generations of Porsches.Aside from Tequipment offerings, many components from the GT3 and GT2 can be used to upgrade lower-spec models. Even late-model engines can be transplanted into older cars or across platforms. One of the most common modifications right now in air-cooled 911s is fitting a later-model, higher-displacement engine in an older platform. It's easier, usually cheaper and achieves better reliability than just rebuilding the factory engine.VolkswagenVolkswagen enthusiasts may be the most well-served by OEMPlus right now. The range of factory parts available from Europe is absolutely staggering. Golf- and Jetta-platform vehicles are built in a huge variety of trim levels and all the parts are either direct bolt-ons or require minimal modification. Aesthetic modifications for the current Rabbit/Jetta generation include different bumpers, from Euro-specs that eliminate side marker lights, all the way to an entire bumper from the Golf GT. Lighting also comes in many guises, from projector headlights to LED taillights. On the inside, owners can find wood, aluminum and textured trim pieces. Extra storage compartments can be placed below the dash and pull-out storage boxes may be fitted under the seats.Owners of Eurovans and Phaetons have a huge selection to choose from. Both cars had longer lives in Europe than here and were produced in several versions. Owners can transform a basic Eurovan into a limousine, a camper or something more enjoyable to use on a daily basis. Phaeton owners can update to the latest fascias or keyless ignition and can choose a number of parts that were only available as special-order.For those wanting OEM-approved mods, VW offers a selection of products from the Driver's Gear Collection. Factory hop-ups include sport suspension kits, cat-back exhausts and a large array of wheels sized from 16 to 19 inches. VW also offers aerodynamic kits that are aggressive yet understated. Photo Gallery: Car Builders - OEMPlus - European Car MagazineRead More | Digg It | Add to del.icio.us