68 BMWcar
SPECIALIST PROFILE
said, “unless we know somebody who’s
prepared to lend us their brand new vehicle
for a few months. We also try to do deals
with local dealers, based on us owning a
car for six months, putting 1,000 miles on
it, then having them buy it back. Sometimes
this is possible, sometimes it’s not.
“One of our current development cars
is an M3 Competition Pack, which we
purchased in 2018. M cars are very
important to the brand and, having sold
1000s of exhausts for the previous
generation M3s, the F80 will be just as
important.
“The development process always begins
with us getting a set of baseline figures
for power and torque outputs. We have
our own dyno here so that’s easily done
and, interestingly, the figure we achieved
for the F80 matched BMW’s claims,
perfectly. Next we carry out noise testing of
the standard exhaust set-up (both static and
moving) using our own, calibrated meter.
Alternatively, we take the car to nearby MIRA
or Millbrook, and use the ISO-approved road
surfaces they have at those facilities.
“Then the real design work starts with a
careful examination of the standard exhaust
system, and how it’s been fitted to the car.
Most of our road-going systems are ‘cat-back’
only, meaning that the OEM’s rear pipes and
silencer box arrangements are replaced with
something that works and sounds better.
As such, the car’s emissions monitoring and
control systems are left untouched.”
While we aimed for power increases, the extra noise
that our exhausts made was also a really big part of it
BMW remains an
important brand for
Scorpion; it’s designed
great-sounding sports
exhausts for many cars
in the range.SPACE LIMITATIONS
“We’re obviously limited by the space that’s
available under most cars, so work carefully
to make sure that our improved, sports
systems will fit perfectly with all the existing
mounting points. All Scorpion systems are
bespoke to the vehicle in question; we
never simply take components off the shelf
and make those fit. Care and thought go
into every design, so that air flow and sound
output can be optimised.
“It normally takes about three weeks to
reach the stage where the new system
is fitted and ready for testing, at whichpoint the car goes back on the dyno and
is then noise-tested as before, to produce
a comparative set of data. Then, if all’s
good and we’re happy with the power and
sound, then we make the jig and use that
to fabricate a new system from scratch, so
that it can be test-fitted to the vehicle.”
Scorpion uses state-of-the-art measuring
equipment to record precise pipe diameters
and bend angles, and this data is then
downloaded straight to a computer-
controlled bending machine. So, once
the new system is finished, it can be
scanned into the system, guaranteeing
manufacturing consistency thereafter.
Of course, with all the time and
development costs associated with
developing a new exhaust system, it’s
essential that specialists like Scorpion
are sure about the market before they
embark on a new project. “We spend a
lot of time analysing the market, looking
at worldwide vehicle model sales and
assessing what’s worth doing and what
isn’t,” Shaun explained.SENSIBLE EXPANSION
“The upfront costs are quite significant, so
we don’t want to be making mistakes. It
costs about £3,000 to complete an official
noise homologation test and about £8,000
to do the same for emissions. So, it’s
important that we get the exhaust right.
“Along with the general development
costs, there’s a constant need withinDespite the computerisation that controls some parts
of the exhaust manufacturing process, there’s still a
need for a hands-on, craftsman’s touch.