I started this site because I'm passionate about cars and disappointed at the results that I got from the many mods and tuning upgrades that I purchased!
We only talk cars at TorqueCars! We're serious about car performance tuning & are real car enthusiasts.
We don't subscribe to the "MORE NOISE" = "MORE POWER" philosophy but we do believe you can never have too much power.
A stock 335i offers so much to the driver, but what swayed us in our decision was the sheer tunability of this engine. Read our buyers guide on the 335i to read more.
The standard block handles around 800hp and with simple mods the power can be raised by an impressive 100hp.
If you apply more mods and upgrades you really can push the power envelope much higher, and there is an abundance of parts around for tuning the 335i
Both engines the N54 and more recent N55 with it's many revisions provide so much potential for a car tuning projects.
This site is always independent & unbiased both, in our articles, and the advice we give.
We are also the ultimate modified car tuning guide when it comes to performance upgrades and we give a common sense "how to customize my car guide".
Find articles dedicated to cutting edge car styling and hot performance tuning with the latest modified car news & features with galleries and car specific projects along with updates on the very latest car tuning trends.
TorqueCars are home to the friendliest international car owners forum for all makes and models especially high performance cars. Join our car forums to get involved in the friendly and helpful community of people who have customized their cars.
Our helpful car forums contain a wealth of tips and advice (without the chatter and off topic posts), our media gallery is also very popular.
Please register an account to get full access, and tell us about your project & plans for it.
If you are just starting out with car tuning we suggest you get an overview of the various options. To make this accessible to all we have broken it down into 3 stages of tune.
Then when you understand the basics you'll be ready to look into each of the specific mods and tuning upgrades for your car.
The articles on TorqueCars are frequently updated and amended as new modifications become available so check back frequently. Recent additions include stroker kits, cryogenic treatments, twin scroll turbos, and twincharging.
With the drive for more efficiency we see engines built more strongly and are more tolerant of power gains and tuning mods, and thanks to the advances in machine shop technology we can use tolerances and precision that was previously reserved for motorsport teams.
We take an in-depth look at the simplest tuning techniques with most people wanting higher torque cars but we also look at essential handling and popular styling mods, pour yourself a great coffee, and enjoy the site.
At the bottom of the site you'll find a car makers listing, where we go into specifics for each and every model of car. Interestingly our most popular makes are BMW, VW and Audi at the moment.
We value your feedback, and with the suggestions tips and pointers you pass on we can continue to provide the best cutting edge car tuning guide out there.
We expose the common pitfalls and feature the latest cars, car styling trends and news about tuning cars (engine tuning tips) and the automotive industry.
There are many pitfalls to car modification and customizing your car, and we get to see and hear about many modified cars which turned out to be positively dangerous.
Custom cars are built to reflect the personality, driving style, and preferences of the owner and this is achieved through the addition of modified car parts to create a custom car set up that meets a driver's individual requirements.
Find out what Torque is in a car and how it compares to BHP and how to customize your car to make more power. Below are some links to our latest updates and articles in our most popular categories.
Read more on modifying cars and tuning them.
The basic approach to car tuning is to allow the car to burn more fuel. This requires an increase in air supply, and in some cases, the fuel systems will also need to be upgraded.
The cut away engine diagram below shows the engine intake charge in blue, and the exhaust charge (red) flowing through a turbocharger to maximize the power produced.
A secondary approach is to reduce the weight of the car, which allows it to accelerate faster and corner and braking are also improved.
We strongly suggest you look at car tuning as a complete package and focus on improving the handling, braking, and power output of your car.
First here is a tuning table for a typical car weighing 1400kgs, showing the quarter mile times after tuning.
We are assuming a 1400kgs kerb weight, & Manual transmission, note that dropping 200kg of weight is equivalent to adding 90hp of power on quarter mile run stats.
| Base power | Quarter Mile |
Tuned to |
Kerb Weight |
Quarter Mile |
| 115hp | 18.27 | 120hp | 1400kg | 18.02 |
| 150hp | 16.77 | 170hp | 1400kg | 16.1 |
| 185hp | 15.67 | 225hp | 1400kg | 14.71 |
| 640hp | 1400kg | 10.98 | ||
| 550hp | 1200kg | 10.97 |
Anything over 230hp needs AWD all wheel drive or RWD rear wheel drive, due to traction issues, and even with a clever setup and differential you'll be hard pressed to get that power on the road in a FWD front wheel drive car. RWD conversions are possible but quite a challenge to pull off.
For those into serious car tuning, we have a guide to building a 10 second car, and performance tuning tables below to compare power and weight on the quarter mile to time, to achieve a sub 11 second time.
| Weight KG | Power HP | Quarter Mile Time |
| 800 | 320 | 10.99 |
| 900 | 360 | 10.99 |
| 1000 | 400 | 10.99 |
| 1100 | 501 | 10.99 |
| 1200 | 547 | 10.99 |
| 1300 | 593 | 10.99 |
| 1400 | 638 | 10.99 |
| 1500 | 683 | 10.99 |
| 1600 | 730 | 10.99 |
| 1700 | 775 | 10.99 |
| 1800 | 820 | 10.99 |
| 1900 | 865 | 10.99 |
The above is a good rule of thumb for car tuning projects aiming for a 10 second time, and, adding more power and saving weight are the two methods used to achieve a 10 second car.
It is possible to blow huge amounts of money on car modifications, ruining your car and ending up with a fuel drinking stodgy bone shaker that looks like a tacky Christmas tree from last year.
This site is intended to assist you in deciding which mods to do and gives a realistic opinion of what the car will end up like with various levels of modification and gives a common sense guide on the pitfalls to avoid and common mistakes.
Track cars are rebuilt regularly after they are raced and they are set up for optimum conditions on the flat surface of the track. When it comes to modifying a daily runaround car or hot hatch - we have to tune and apply modifications to our cars to work for a year without a service, run over pot holes and speed humps and cope with a variety of weather conditions and loads.
We needed to establish a sensible how to guide for car tuning modifications (car mods) that will cope well with everyday driving but help you to get the maximum enjoyment from it. Styling modifications and car styling trends frequently change, we keep you up to date with the latest styling parts, modifications and tips with practical advice. We also have a new UK version of Torque Cars biased toward our UK users.
Many thanks to entrypoint for our web hosting and SEO who are based in Deal, Kent.
My motivation for creating this site was the misleading claims made by the manufacturers of performance parts. They often quote power gains of 30bhp and in reality this was achieved on a v8 engine in ideal lab conditions. In the real world some of these mods can rob you of low down power and Torque.
The first car mods our members do are usually alloy wheels, intake and exhaust and suspension upgrades so you might want to start with these pages.
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We accept no responsibility for damage caused due to following a recommendation made on this site or in the forum. It is your responsibility to check and verify any car tuning tip, car styling tip or other articles content with a qualified mechanic before undertaking work or following instructions. Something suitable for one model of car may be completely unsuitable for another - so we can only give generic theory.
Please drive sensibly we do not endorse speeding or racing on the public highway or driving recklessly or in a manner than could endanger life or property. Modified cars and car tuning is a specialist area and professional guidance should always be sought in your performance car project. Save racing for the track and keep the roads safe.
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