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Performance Mods?!

17K views 92 replies 14 participants last post by  lcdave 
#1 ·
I've been absolutely seduced by this exotic since I first saw one in '08 and then bought my '13 GTS coupe. Since then, I bought a then new '17 MC Cabrio. She is is timeless and stunning in and out and w/ and exhaust note that's second to none. However! I drive an '18 M5 as my daily, that blasts from 0-60 in 2.8 and does 10 sec 1/4 mile! What are the most effective performance upgrades for the Masi, to at least drop a second off the time?...
 

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#77 ·
Keep in mind that the aftermarket "drive by wire" systems are designed to mimic the response time you get when using a cable or "wired" throttle, as opposed to electronically controlled. FD certainly didn't trademark that name or idea. There are DBW modules available for pretty much every European car, made by various manufacturers. The technology FD uses, however, is definitely different than typical pedal boosters, as it is designed around the inherent characteristics of the F1 and ZF transmissions Maserati uses.

I believe the benefits are a reduction in slip during low rpm gear changes on the F1; and for the Auto, it's to remedy the delays in acceleration that Cybabar described above. FD is far too responsible to make claims of increased power or overall speed.
 
#78 ·
There is more to our products function and the benefits than what is being represented by *some* of the statements and comparisons that have been made in this thread. We do take advantage of specific Maserati behaviors in the programming to achieve our results that are unique to our product and we produce different enhancement modules for each Maserati model / transmission / software to get you the best results. There are certainly gains to be had from using the product that also make it a better performing product than you would find elsewhere. Thank you to those of you that have spoken to the merits and results of this.

We do not often market or tout a specific gain such as an improved 0-60 time or 1/2 second per lap improvement at the track, this goes for pretty much all of our products, even those where we have measured an improvement during testing. This is because we aren't selling to the Corvette C7 market (or equivalent) that may have bought the car to do drag strip runs or cut hot laps. Instead, we market the product as an upgrade that helps to wake up the car and provide an overall improved driving experience which is our main goal and isn't always measured strictly by drag slip times. Results can vary from car to car and will vary with different driving styles as well but as was previously said, owners feel the difference, they are happy with the results and we work hard to be sure that they enjoy the car with the upgrades we offer.

We don't suggest that the DBW increases peak engine power or increases your top speed potential but it's a really nice improvement for the Maserati that makes it a lot more fun to drive and helps the car behave much more like a proper sports car than a luxury car. As always if you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us directly and we'll be happy to help.

Best Regards,
 
#79 ·
OP here that started this firestorm! >:)
To catch all up, cause who the hell has time to read 6 pages of responses, here's my intentions and reasons. I've owned a lot of fast cars, but now use an '18 M5 as my daily driver. It's an absolute monster and has jaded me to the nth degree. The Masi is a different animal, it's an exotic beauty, but which I especially now sorely needs more power. My initial request of 1 sec off the times was unfounded and I feel that the DWR upgrade will make me happier w/ the sport cats. I'm just looking for a minimal seat of pants enhancement, w/ the knowledge that it's normally aspirated and a GT by nature....
FD please PM me, so I can place my order.:wink2:
 
#81 ·
I thought I would be fine without this because I’m just into touring but now I’m thinking a Maserati needs to be totally responsive or why did I buy it. My wife will want to kill me but I’ll be giving FD a call.
 
#89 ·
The Fat Lady Has Not Sung Yet.

Question; Does the DBW just vary throttle response or does it also choose shift points?

If it’s just throttle control, (as put forward earlier) then I can see the argument that it may not improve 0-60 1/4 mile times but if it also changes the shift point it can certainly have an effect on acceleration times.

Given that weight, hp and all other things are constant and the only variable, at WOT, is the shift point along the engines torque curve, you can get different results. One old school strategy was to shift at a rpm that corresponded with 20% past peek torque, for example.

What are the optimum shift points for a WOT GT 4.7L coupled to ZF 6 speed? If FD has that algorithm in a can, it would be a can of “kick ass” in my book.
 
#91 ·
Question; Does the DBW just vary throttle response or does it also choose shift points?

If it’s just throttle control, (as put forward earlier) then I can see the argument that it may not improve 0-60 1/4 mile times but if it also changes the shift point it can certainly have an effect on acceleration times.

Given that weight, hp and all other things are constant and the only variable, at WOT, is the shift point along the engines torque curve, you can get different results. One old school strategy was to shift at a rpm that corresponded with 20% past peek torque, for example.

What are the optimum shift points for a WOT GT 4.7L coupled to ZF 6 speed? If FD has that algorithm in a can, it would be a can of “kick ass” in my book.

I'm out of this one. Stop the madness...J
 
#92 ·
If you're able to get the clutch engaged more easily and you're getting quicker throttle response and you're getting into the fast shift algorithms sooner and you're getting more aggressive gear selection in auto modes, the car is performing better and you're going to notice the difference as many owners have stated. The car really does start to wake up and be more responsive with the module installed.

Now, there are going to be people that will argue that they can be aggressive and learn to drive around all the cars quirks to minimize these behaviors that are inherent with the Maserati and so they don't feel the need. So that's fine but for a lot of owners, the product solves these problems and just makes the car more enjoyable to drive on a day to day basis and they find that it's pretty effective at doing this. The seat of the pants improvement for most is a big benefit and many have said that the car likely should have come this way from the factory at least for a Sport oriented owner.

We honestly don't understand why the conversation is so held up on 0-60 times. Our tests have shown improved performance in many driving situations, regardless we don't market our products based on this, it's about making the car more rewarding to drive and to just feel right. Most of us don't spend the majority of our time in the Maserati going flat out from stoplight to stoplight and so this is not our main goal anyway.

I think what some people here are saying is that when I'm driving down the road and I run into someone that I decide to make a run with and I bury the pedal to the floor, the car is still going to put out the same peak power, it's not going to -move- any faster than this and they are correct. Will the reduced lag and other benefits help you substantially in a race like this, perhaps not. So we agree that the difference in this situation isn't going to be a game changer and we understand where they are coming from.

At the same time, people here who have the product are telling you that they love the way the product works and that to them it made a big difference in every day driving... and honestly, they're right as well. This is what the product is intended to do, put a bigger smile on your face while you're driving the car, be more responsive, behave more like a sports car.

Some will just agree to disagree on all of this and people will decide if it's something that they want to add to their car or not. Honestly, we really hope that everyone can get off the back and forth of these arguments and just understand that it's going to be a fun upgrade for the car and some will appreciate it more than others.

Best Regards,
 
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