Nowadays that every modern engine is controlled by an electronic management system, it has become a major industryfor tuners, and an oppertunity for software enginers
to specialize in this area of car tuning.
In the seventies the first cars on the market appear with motor management system, at that time mainly focused to optimize the fuel consumption and performance . This was actually caused by the second "oil crisis", which forced manufactors to react. As electronic microprocessors parts were expensive and needed special know how in those days, it could mainly be found on premium cars like BMW and Mercedes, sportcars or topmodels of other manufactors (remember the Ford Granada 2.8i, Renault 30, etc.) The "chips" for the engine mangement, at that time where called "Electronic (Fuel) Injection", that is how all Mercedes models got the extension "E" and all BMW models an "i".
In the eighties, where electronic parts world wide became cheaper, it also became more and more commen that middle class cars became a fuel injection. In the mid '80s the EU made the decision the stop the sale of leaded fuel, and as of 1992 all new cars had to be sold with a katalysator. It is this Katalysator, that required to build in every car an electronic fuel mangement system to optimize the exhaust, and theirwith also the engine behaviour and fuel consumption.
In the meantime many turbo charged cars where exchanged by multivalve (16V or 24V) engines and the economical recession begin '90s brought the focus back on lower fuel consumption. Chip tuned Opel Calibra Turbo's or Ford Sierra Cosworth, was not something for everybodys money pocket. This made Diesel Engines in this period attractive. Fiat just launched their Croma TD.i.d. and Audi their first 100 TDI in 1989. As these engines had not really more horsepower (nobody talk about Torque at that time) it took several years till in 1993, when VW placed the TDI in the Golf III. Because the first TDI's where high priced, it took till 1995, that the TDI (better priced), became more populair that then 75hp GTD, and really set off. It was than that most realized that the 200Nm Torque made this car so easy to drive with only 90hp. Shortly later VW introduced the 110hp version based on the same engine. It was clear that this was done with a small software change of the turbo boost in the engine management. In this period the turbo charged cars returned (Volvo T5, Impreza Turbo, Jaguar XJR, Golf /A4/A6 1.8T) and BMW, FIAT, PSA and Mercedes shortly later introtuced their Commen rail diesels. The so called "chip tuning" business was born. Chip tuning is mainly interesting at turbo charged engines, because a simple change of the turbo boost generates up to 30% more torque and horse power. Because of the high "horse power / money", chip tuning is today the most populair way to tune your car. |
