2023 Author: Eric Donovan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-05-21 15:44
Climate and environmental protection are also finding their way into the tuning area. More and more customers are turning to LPG. But the tuning companies favor a different drive technology.
By Felix Rehwald
The tuning community is in a dilemma. She would like to continue indulging in the motto “stronger and faster”. Too bad that this cannot easily be reconciled with climate and environmental protection. Fuel spinners that blow huge amounts of harmful greenhouse gases into the air are increasingly frowned upon. This is probably one of the reasons why more and more tuners are adding packages that, in addition to increasing performance, also include conversion to liquefied gas.
Low CO2 emissions
Hans-Jörg Köninger from the Association of German Automobile Tuners (VDAT) in Langenzenn (Bavaria) registers an increasing proportion of companies dealing with the topic. Some do this under the label “Eco-Tuning” or “Eco-Tuning”.
According to Roman Fenners from the tuner AC Schnitzer in Aachen, the advantages of "Liquefied Petrol Gas" (LPG) - also known as liquefied petroleum gas - lie in the lower CO2 emissions: around 15 percent less CO2 comes out of the exhaust pipe than with gasoline. According to Andreas Zeilbeck from the tuner Abt in Kempten, the nitrogen oxide (NOx) values are up to 80 percent lower. In addition, there is a reduced tax rate for liquid gas, which is why it is cheaper than petrol, super or diesel. According to ADAC in Munich, a liter of LPG costs only 60 cents on average.
Wait for customer reactions
“People want to be more efficient. But when your car consumes 16 liters, think twice about whether you can drive such a car every day,”says a spokeswoman for the tuner SKN in Benstorf (Lower Saxony). Many customers have recently switched to LPG, says Managing Director Michael Schiffer. "When we sell an LPG conversion, it is usually combined with an increase in performance." Customers can choose between conventional chip tuning, eco-tuning, a compressor conversion and a combination of components.
At the IAA, AC Schnitzer showed the heights to which tuning can be carried out in combination with LPG with the GP3.10 study: the tuners added a modified V10 engine from the M5 to the coupé based on the BMW 3 Series. The power increased to 406 kW / 552 PS - according to Fenners, the CO2 emissions fell by around 18 percent. So far there are no plans to offer the technology in series. To do this, the company wants to wait for the reactions of potential customers first - including at the Essen Motor Show (December 1st to 9th).
Ethanol with better prospects
Abt is similarly hesitant. With the TT-R based on the Audi TT, the company has developed a 272 kW / 370 hp sports car with a LPG system. There will be no series production for the time being, said spokesman Florian Büngener. The company cannot foresee how fuel taxation will develop. In addition, a certain reluctance among customers can be observed.
Köninger from VDAT is generally skeptical about the future prospects of LPG in tuning. Many companies only offer this for image reasons. The retrofitting does not provide any advantages in tuning, since gas cannot be used to achieve greater power output. Ethanol has better prospects in the long term: the fuel from renewable raw materials can be reproduced as required, is CO2-neutral and offers greater power output. (dpa)
