Coilovers do not directly increase the horsepower of your vehicle.
However, they do have a significant impact on overall performance and power delivery. By improving traction and weight transfer, coilovers optimise the connection between your vehicle's engine power and the wheels.
This translates into more efficient power transfer and reduced energy loss through body roll. With reduced body roll, your car maintains better stability during acceleration, resulting in improved traction and quicker power deployment. Furthermore, coilovers enhance suspension dynamics, allowing for sharper cornering and enhanced responsiveness.
While the horsepower gains themselves may not be substantial, the improved handling and optimised suspension setup provided by coilovers create an environment where your car's power can be fully utilised, resulting in a heightened driving experience.
FAQs
What are coilovers?
Coilovers are a specialised type of suspension system commonly used in performance vehicles and racing applications. Unlike traditional suspension setups, which consist of separate coil springs and shock absorbers, coilovers often integrate both components into a single unit, depending on the architecture of the vehicle.
Coilovers offer several advantages over conventional suspensions, including enhanced adjustability, improved handling, and customisation options. They typically feature adjustable ride height, damping settings, and sometimes even adjustable spring rates. This adjustability allows drivers to fine-tune their suspension to suit specific driving preferences, road conditions, or performance requirements.
By combining the functions of a coil spring and shock absorber, coilovers offer a more compact and efficient design, resulting in improved suspension response and better control over the vehicle's dynamics.
What is horsepower?
Horsepower is a unit of measurement used to measure the engine's ability to generate and sustain power, indicating its performance capabilities. It serves as a universal metric to assess and compare the power outputs of different vehicles and engines, enabling consumers and enthusiasts to gauge their potential speed, acceleration, and overall performance.
How can I increase my vehicle's horsepower?
There are several ways to increase your vehicle's horsepower and unlock its performance potential. Here are some proven methods:
- Performance Air Intake: A performance air intake increases your vehicle's horsepower by improving the airflow into the engine, allowing for a larger volume of air and fuel mixture to be combusted, resulting in enhanced power output.
- High Flow Air Filter: By replacing the factory air filter with a high flow variant, it reduces air restriction and allows for increased airflow to the engine, leading to improved horsepower and throttle response.
- Cat-Back Exhaust: Upgrading to a cat-back exhaust system reduces back pressure and enhances exhaust gas flow, resulting in increased horsepower and a more aggressive sound.
- Engine Computer Tuning: Through optimised fuel delivery, ignition timing, and other parameters, engine computer tuning maximises your vehicle's performance potential, leading to significant horsepower gains.
- Lightweight Wheels: By reducing unsprung weight, lightweight wheels allow the engine to propel the vehicle more efficiently, resulting in improved acceleration and increased horsepower.
- High-Flow Throttle Body: A high-flow throttle body increases the airflow entering the engine, improving its power output and responsiveness, leading to increased horsepower.
- Performance Exhaust Manifold: Upgrading to a performance exhaust manifold enhances exhaust gas flow, reducing restrictions and increasing horsepower by improving engine breathing.
- High Performance Turbocharger: By compressing more air into the engine, a high-performance turbocharger increases the air/fuel mixture, resulting in a significant boost in horsepower and overall engine performance.
- Intercooler Upgrade: Upgrading the intercooler helps cool the compressed air from the turbocharger, increasing the density of the air entering the engine, leading to improved combustion and higher horsepower.
High Flow Fuel Injectors: Upgrading to high-flow fuel injectors allows for a higher volume of fuel to be delivered to the engine, supporting increased horsepower and improved performance under high demand.