Upgrading your car can be a bit fussy if you’re not a skilled mechanical engineer or Dominic Torretto from The Fast and the Furious. For some auto aficionados, the car that rolls off of the assembly line isn't quite up to their expectations and considering a modification is their best bet. Even though it’s hard to determine a car’s performance from a solitary figure on a piece of paper, people tend to use BHP as a benchmark. 

Normally, automotive manufacturers have regulated most of their vehicles to be more conservative of their potential to increase longevity and handling warranties at a non-frequent basis. While it gives the consumer an impression that their cars are more reliable, when in reality, they’ve just been hindered to perform at optimum levels. 

Aside from large-scale performance modifications, there are a handful of upgrades anyone can do to breathe new life into their old ride.  

Before making modifications to your ride, it is important to consider what you want to improve about it. Is it the ride quality, acceleration, stopping power or fuel consumption?  

When spending on performance mods, implement one at a time to see how it impacts your car. By doing so, you’ll be spending sensibly and can better understand value for money for each addition.  

So, if you’re new to modification, this post will definitely help you to pull your horses in the right direction.  

1. Performance Tyres 

Inferior stock tyres are one of the biggest downfalls of a car. A brand new pair of high-quality performance tyres will enhance your vehicle’s handling exponentially, providing improved steering and better road presence.  

For seamless drivability and tactile response from your vehicle, we recommend Continental’s MaxContact™ MC6 as it provides ultimate grip, enhanced driving pleasure, solid stability, and superior handling.  Featuring innovative features such as chevron grip elements for handling and wet braking and stabilizer bars for handling and cornering stability, it is the perfect choice for cruising safely on middle eastern roads.  

2. Air Intake  

Breathing is equally important for vehicles and it can get you decent gains in the horsepower department. While factory fitted air intakes on most cars are designed to enable free-breathing, an aftermarket air intake system will allow cooler air to pass through the engine for increased power and prolonged engine life.  

3. Exhaust System 

For an audible progression, upgrading the exhaust system will do a great deal in terms of amplifying your vehicle’s performance. Apart from the obvious resonance and sound enhancements, a new exhaust will allow your engine to run more efficiently. As per a recent automotive survey, vehicles experience a staggering 5% improvement in fuel economy with intake and exhaust upgrades thus providing a minimal performance improvement option that is relatively easy to implement. 

4. Spark Plugs  

Spark plugs can multiply your vehicle's performance to quite an extent without having you spend a fortune. Being a vital part of your car’s ecosystem, these power-laden plugs can make a drastic difference in combustion thus ensuring better output.  

5. Suspension System 

Factory suspension is commonly overlooked on most stock vehicles since it aims to cater a wide range of driving conditions. For a smooth and comfortable ride, one should consider shock absorbers that offer the right stiffness and handling capabilities based on the terrain they are aimed to operate on.  

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6. Performance Chips 

Generally, factory-installed chips ensure that emission regulations are adhered. By installing a performance chip, you can alter the ignition timing, fuel-to-air ratio, and turbo boost etc.   

7. Braking Pads  

With all this power in hand, control is equally important. One of the best performance upgrades you can do is get a quality brake pad setup. It is recommended to go for a performance-oriented four-figure brake setup.  

Verdict  

The recommendations we’ve shared cover a lot about improving your car’s performance from augmenting the driving experience, ensuring reliability and more. Our take on it is you start by replacing old tyres as it serves as the foundation of your modification journey. Choose from Continental’s wide assortment of online performance tyres to find the pair that suits you best.