Did you know that there’s a simple device to give your car an extra boost – virtually eliminating lag that’s present in all modern cars?
Actually, it’s been available in the market for quite some time now. And you just need five minutes to install it to realize quicker acceleration. Well, that and P12,500.
The device, marketed by Rizal-based auto shop Drift Xaust, is appropriately called Speed Booster. It is designed to adjust your vehicle’s throttle response. Older cars employ a cable-type connection that hooks up the gas pedal to the throttle body, providing swifter response. But most manufacturers now use drive-by-wire technology, which features sensors in the gas pedal that send signals to the ECU. The ECU decodes that signal before sending it to the throttle body – resulting in noticeable delays.
This is where the Speed Booster comes in – rectifying the problem by amplifying the signal, making the throttle body respond three times faster.
According to GM Bugayong, owner of Drift Exhaust, this device can improve your vehicle’s performance – specifically in terms of reaction and even fuel economy.
To be accurate, Speed Booster does not add horsepower to your vehicle but simply improve throttle reaction. You get from Point A to Point B much quicker compared to a stock setup. An actual test was done on a sedan which had recorded a zero-to-100kph time of 10 seconds before the Speed Booster was installed. With the Speed Booster plugged in, the car reached the speed in 9.5 seconds. That’s a lofty improvement from its previous time – representing some four to five car lengths.
The Speed Booster has five modes to choose from depending on the driving style you wish to employ. Normal Mode does not change your vehicle’s response time, Power Mode ups it by 25 percent, Sports Mode improves it by 50 percent, Eco Mode improves fuel economy by three to eight percent, and Intelligent Mode (available for selected cars) automatically chooses the best setting depending on your driving and how much pressure you apply to the gas pedal.
Speed Booster also has a safety feature that prevents your car from unintended acceleration. Anti-theft Mode allows the plug-and-play device to detect anomalies in the throttle signal causing the device to stop sending any form of signal back to the ECU. This is to ensure that your car is safe when parked outdoors. Again, it only takes five minutes to install, and it will not void your car’s warranty.
