To Mod or Not To Mod?

Part of owning an exotic car is being unique and standing out from the crowd. In large cities like Atlanta, though, in all likelihood there is someone else with a car just like yours. That competitive nature leads many people to modify their cars by adding larger wheels, performance bolt on modifications, and racing parts. What does that really do to the car though?

These cars come out of Europe after being built by a team of qualified craftsman for hundreds of hours. They were merely sketches on engineers’ pads for years before the first part was machined. They have endured more abusive miles on race tracks than you will ever drive in yours on surface streets and been tested to destruction in the name of safety and predictability.

You lose some of that when you begin to change the car. What you might pick up in style, stiffness, performance, or noise you will lose in another department. You run a huge risk when you change one of these cars. You will likely void your warranty and place unexpected stress on sensitive components to the car.

For instance, if you put larger wheels on an all wheel drive Lamborghini and the external tire diameter changes, the car will constantly think that the wheels are slipping. It will compensate with the clutch, differentials, and traction control. That can easily cause damage to each and they usually bill out at $3,000-6,000 per piece.

The flavor of the week mod seems to be twin turboing Gallardos and there are several firms that offer these services. It doesn’t take much intuition to predict what happens to a clutch that is expecting 400 lb-ft of torque when it meets 800 or more. As you strengthen one part of the car you find out what the next weakest link is. The cars are built to be balanced, if you shift it in one direction, you end up with a pretty cock-eyed result.

I have seen the highs and lows of TT Gallardos from Heffner & Underground Racing, the current foremost tuners in the game. Some of the cars have 1,300 or more horsepower. While engine detonation is a frequent issue, another very common issue seems to be utter destruction of the transmission. The teeth on first gear get worn off after just a few thousand miles in some cases.

You also end up devaluing the car in most cases. Exotic car owners are usually purists. They want something original that they can take to a car show and win trophies with. They want a car that they can trust to be reliable.

So if you want an even more unique exotic car, please do yourself a favor and exercise some prudence. If you change the wheels, make sure they fit inside the factory tires. If you change the engine, be sure it makes it more efficient rather than more stressed. Please keep the stock parts. The next owner will appreciate it.

Happy motoring.

Photo Credit: Underground Racing