There’s a generally accepted rule among tuners and car rebuilders that performance upgrades start with bringing more air in for combustion. The more clean, oxygen-rich air mixed with just the right fuel ratio, the better. That’s assuming the engine block and internals can handle the extra heat. 

Three simple upgrades set the scene for serious mods down the road. Tuners start with modified air intakes, pair these with performance exhausts, and add subtle but consistent improvements by throwing in a throttle controller. Combined, these additions will transform any car and help increase power and torque numbers. Tuners then turn to balancing all metrics with an ECU tune and extras like harmonic balancers, or upgrading the fuelling, ignition and cooling system for a rounded power upgrade. 

Performance Exhaust System

It’s all in  the name. A performance exhaust not only helps the engine with improved airflow and power gains, but is also better built, and will outlast any stock exhaust. The combo of wider and straighter tubing, improved materials, seamless joints and more attention to detail also brings in a host of other benefits: 

• Improved airflow – stock exhaust piping averages 2″ in most vehicles, regardless of displacement or power output. This snakes its way from the manifold and the undercarriage in multiple points, creating a restrictive path that slows spent gases on their way out. By going with wider diameters, and straighter layouts with few or no restrictions, a performance exhaust relieves the engine from built-up backpressure (spent gases lingering in the piping) and improves exhaust velocity. This increases engine efficiency with more frequent and cleaner combustion cycles.  
• Power and torque gains – faster gas removal means engines can take their next breath. Performance systems add anywhere between 5 to 10 percent more power and torque across a wider rev range. The vehicle not only feels livelier, with improved throttle response kicking in earlier, but can also help with higher redlines. A major contribution here are the revised header pipes designs for improved exhaust scavenging, or the vacuum and pulsating effect created in wider piping to push spent combustion gases out faster. 
• Better sound – stock systems are regulated by noise and emissions regulations. These are largely to blame for the non-existent or tamed sound coming out of the tips, even in cars carrying a “performance” label. Faster airflow and fewer restrictive parts like straight tubes or cat-deletes, and unique resonator and muffler pairings add more substance and volume, with a deeper, throatier exhaust note. 
• Better build for improved longevity – aftermarket exhausts swap the crush-bent mild steel for mandrel-formed stainless steel. This better handles higher temperatures and increased pressure, while also being more resistant to impact and rusting. There’s also a lower chance of deformities or ruptures, further improving airflow. A nice touch are the seamless welds, and eye-catching tips. 
• Modular designs and customisation options – car owners can change specific parts along the tubing, mix and match different parts, or go with pre-assembled “complete” systems with varied performance gains and prices.  The modular, bolt-on designs also means quicker and easier installation. 

Choose axle-back, cat-back or header/turbo completes, ensure engine and vehicle compatibility with the right diameters and inlet/outlet locations, and look for established manufacturers that also offer defined warranties and installation in the end price. 

Air Intakes 

This is the collection of piping and filters that deliver outside air into the engine. Stock intakes are where car makers have cut corners, with narrow-diameter (plastic) piping and low-quality paper filters. These don’t help air volumes or get rid of atmospheric pollutant like dirt or water the way aftermarket intakes do. 

Choose between more complex and costlier cold air intakes, with piping pushed further out near the bumper or the hood vents and away from hot engine parts. Or short-ram systems that include straighter and wider intake pipes set closer to the throttle bodies or carbs. Both benefit from larger high-flow cone or dome cotton gauze filters that remove dirt, dust, moisture and debris. Compared to the stock intake, both aftermarket types push more air in for combustion for bigger bangs, and cold-air types also provide denser, oxygen-rich air for cleaner and more efficient burns. 

Performance benefits are the snappier throttle response, improved engine efficiency with lower temperatures for the rated power output, improved airflow at defined volumes and angle for cleaner combustion and higher fuel efficiency. Like performance exhausts, the wider tubing and fewer restrictions boost engine sound, with more body and burble. The bespoke filters also remove more outside contaminants, reducing engine wear while also aiding airflow. 

Throttle Controllers 

This is the cheapest performance mod on the list. And the easiest to install. Throttle controllers are small electronic devices that manipulate the voltage sent from sensors lining the acceleration pedal and throttle body, essentially changing how the car reacts when you put the foot down. Stock vehicle electronics have an inbuilt delay in reaction times (measured in milliseconds) to prevent jolting. However, that disconnect can be frustrating with the pedal floored and nothing happening, especially when accelerating or overtaking. 

Controllers can be set to different modes to get the most out of different driving conditions, with performance and off-roading settings that help get traction down, improve turbo spooling with less delay and bring a more enjoying ride. The choice to change settings in incremental steps also means more versatility across a range of different vehicles. Cars are faster to accelerate, use less fuel than usual doing so, and remove default throttle delay for instant engine response. 

Summing Up

Aftermarket air intakes, a well-built performance exhaust system and a throttle controller are among the cheapest yet most effective performance modifications in any vehicle. Intakes and exhausts will need more work to get right, but deliver on every count. More air in and out of the engine and at faster speeds improves combustion efficiency, raises power numbers, reduces engine stress and belts out a deep sound for a more thrilling ride. Pair parts depending on your engine, budget and expectations and throw in a throttle controller for added kicks.