Let me start off by giving a huge thanks to @Fabspeed Motorsport. Very professional shop (which was great to tour and see all the cool cars they are currently working on), very safe conditions during covid times, great quality work, friendly people, easy to work with, and I will definitely be going back to them in the future. I had their HFCs installed today, and I got to experience and enjoy their glorious sound on the 100 mile drive home (including some heavenly tunnel blasting); all I can say is WOW!
I now have the Fabspeed HFC coupled with the Centerline x-pipe, Sprint filter, and Forza controller. The car sounds absolutely insane! I know it'll never match the sound of a naturally aspirated, high revving engine, but this setup certainly doesn't disappoint. A catless downpipe would sound a little louder and a little higher pitched, but Fabspeed say their HFC make more power (with a tune), won't cause a CEL or inspection problems, and won't smell.
I know I need a tune to fully take advantage of the performance benefits of the HFC, and I plan to get one as soon as my extended warranty is up in 2025. Until then, I'll be very content with the amazing sound the HFC have to offer; and I swear the car feels a little faster, although I'm sure that's the sound adding 5-10 hp on the butt dyno 🤣
EDIT: Fabspeed confirmed the HFC do indeed make a little more power without a tune; about 5-10% more. Plus I'm sure the x-pipe and filter add a few extra horses as well; so probably about a 30-40hp increase overall with my setup over stock, and I'm sure some extra torque too.
My ultimate sound goal was to get as close to a high pitched race car like sound as possible, and with my current exhaust setup, I think I'm as close as I'm going to get. Catless downpipes would get closer, but I don't want to deal with their trade-offs. I also looked at full catback systems, but the stock system, with the valves open and resonator removed is almost a straight pipe; there is a small resonator in two of the chambers in the muffler, and the bypass is internal (QV muffler diagram). Most of the aftermarket systems are all larger diameter, and while that would make it a little louder than just the x-pipe, it would also make it deeper, which isn't the sound I'm looking for. Plus all of the aftermarket systems have some form of a trade off based on my goals: either larger diameter, h-pipe, resonator, x-pipe in the muffler, and/or internal muffler bypass. The best design in my opinion is the Stradale with an x pipe and external bypass; if only the piping diameter was stock size, or in other words, an axel back offering for their existing x-pipe (@JoeCab) 😈
Overall, I'm extremely happy with my setup now. Below are two audio clips Fabspeed took for their marketing; and I will take a comparison cold start dB reading next chance I get. Also this link has clips of my stock exhaust and x-pipe for comparison: QV X-Pipe Exhuast Comparison Video. The rev video below doesn't do the sound nearly as much justice as the drive by video.
If you're planning on getting a tune and HFC but are waiting until your warranty expires because of the tune, then getting the HFC first is a great way to hold you over; I highly recommend them. 😌
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I now have the Fabspeed HFC coupled with the Centerline x-pipe, Sprint filter, and Forza controller. The car sounds absolutely insane! I know it'll never match the sound of a naturally aspirated, high revving engine, but this setup certainly doesn't disappoint. A catless downpipe would sound a little louder and a little higher pitched, but Fabspeed say their HFC make more power (with a tune), won't cause a CEL or inspection problems, and won't smell.
I know I need a tune to fully take advantage of the performance benefits of the HFC, and I plan to get one as soon as my extended warranty is up in 2025. Until then, I'll be very content with the amazing sound the HFC have to offer; and I swear the car feels a little faster, although I'm sure that's the sound adding 5-10 hp on the butt dyno 🤣
EDIT: Fabspeed confirmed the HFC do indeed make a little more power without a tune; about 5-10% more. Plus I'm sure the x-pipe and filter add a few extra horses as well; so probably about a 30-40hp increase overall with my setup over stock, and I'm sure some extra torque too.
My ultimate sound goal was to get as close to a high pitched race car like sound as possible, and with my current exhaust setup, I think I'm as close as I'm going to get. Catless downpipes would get closer, but I don't want to deal with their trade-offs. I also looked at full catback systems, but the stock system, with the valves open and resonator removed is almost a straight pipe; there is a small resonator in two of the chambers in the muffler, and the bypass is internal (QV muffler diagram). Most of the aftermarket systems are all larger diameter, and while that would make it a little louder than just the x-pipe, it would also make it deeper, which isn't the sound I'm looking for. Plus all of the aftermarket systems have some form of a trade off based on my goals: either larger diameter, h-pipe, resonator, x-pipe in the muffler, and/or internal muffler bypass. The best design in my opinion is the Stradale with an x pipe and external bypass; if only the piping diameter was stock size, or in other words, an axel back offering for their existing x-pipe (@JoeCab) 😈
Overall, I'm extremely happy with my setup now. Below are two audio clips Fabspeed took for their marketing; and I will take a comparison cold start dB reading next chance I get. Also this link has clips of my stock exhaust and x-pipe for comparison: QV X-Pipe Exhuast Comparison Video. The rev video below doesn't do the sound nearly as much justice as the drive by video.
If you're planning on getting a tune and HFC but are waiting until your warranty expires because of the tune, then getting the HFC first is a great way to hold you over; I highly recommend them. 😌
