How can I make my vehicle go faster?

The quickest and safest way to go faster is to improve grip and efficiency rather than simply increasing horsepower: reduce weight, upgrade tires, and maintain the engine while staying within legal limits.

Power and propulsion: practical, legal ways to increase speed

To understand how your car can accelerate more quickly and reach higher speeds, focus on how power is delivered, how efficiently it runs, and how well the car can put that power to the road. The following strategies offer practical options that balance performance with safety and legality.

• Keep your engine healthy with regular maintenance. Replacing worn spark plugs, cleaning or replacing air and fuel filters, and addressing misfires helps the engine produce its available power reliably.


• Consider a professional engine tune or ECU calibration within legal emissions limits. A calibrated tune can optimize timing and fueling for better throttle response, but it may affect warranty and require compliance with local regulations.


• Intake and exhaust refinements can improve breathability and flow. A quality air intake and a well-designed exhaust system can enhance responsiveness, but such upgrades may require ECU reflashing, could affect noise levels, and must comply with laws and warranty terms.


• Understand the limits of forced induction. Turbocharger or supercharger upgrades can yield substantial power gains, but they are complex, expensive, and demand careful engineering, professional installation, and ongoing maintenance plus consideration of emissions and reliability).


• Optimize gearing and drivetrain reliability where applicable. For some models, performance gearing, differential work, or a capable clutch can improve acceleration, but these are intricate modifications best handled by specialists.


• Use fuel as intended by the manufacturer. Running the recommended octane rating and avoiding excessive fuel additives helps maintain power delivery and engine longevity.

In summary, meaningful speed gains in normal street use come from unlocking efficient power delivery and maintaining traction, rather than chasing large horsepower without regard to safety or legality.

Weight reduction and aerodynamic improvements

Reducing mass and reducing air resistance can make the car feel noticeably quicker without forcing the engine to work harder. The following approaches emphasize practicality and road-legal use.

• Lighten safely and legally where possible. Removing nonessential items or opting for lighter components (such as a lighter battery) can reduce weight, but avoid removing safety equipment or essential systems that could compromise roadworthiness.


• Upgrade to lightweight wheels and body parts. Replacing with forged or forged-style wheels and lighter panels can cut unsprung mass and overall weight, contributing to sharper acceleration and handling.


• Enhance aerodynamics within regulations. Add or tune aero elements such as a properly designed front splitter or a rear spoiler and ensure underbody panels are smooth to reduce drag, while staying within local noise and modification rules.


• Match tires to the change. When weight or aero is altered, select tires that provide appropriate grip and durability, and maintain correct tire pressures for the new setup.

Weight and aero adjustments can yield tangible benefits with typically fewer reliability risks than aggressive engine work, especially on street cars.

Safety, legality, and practical considerations

Before pursuing any modification, consider how laws, warranties, and insurance may be affected. The following points help frame responsible decisions.

• Check local laws and regulations. Some modifications, fuels, or exhaust changes may be illegal for street use or require inspections and approvals.


• Understand warranty and insurance implications. Many performance upgrades can void manufacturer warranties and influence premiums; verify with your dealer and insurer before proceeding.


• Work with qualified professionals. Complex powertrain or drivetrain upgrades require experienced technicians to ensure safety, reliability, and proper integration with the vehicle’s systems.


• Different gains for different cars. The impact of any modification varies by model, age, drivetrain layout, and existing tuning; set realistic expectations and plan within a budget.


• Consider safety and track-appropriate testing. If you want to push speed beyond street-legal limits, seek professionally supervised environments such as a driving school or track day to learn safe handling and reduce risk.

Regardless of the path chosen, the overarching goal is to improve speed while preserving safety, reliability, and compliance with the law.

Summary

To make a vehicle go faster in a responsible way, prioritize improving grip and efficiency: keep the engine in peak health, optimize power delivery with professional, legal tuning options, and consider weight and aerodynamic refinements that suit street use. Always balance potential gains against warranty, insurance, and safety, and when in doubt, consult qualified technicians and stick to track-appropriate testing to learn and apply faster driving with greater confidence.

How can I add 20 horsepower to my car?

3. Larger throttle body and injectors. A larger high-performance throttle body will deliver more horsepower. Depending on what type of engine you have, you can gain as much as 10-20 more horsepower and comparable torque.

How can I modify my car to go faster?

Modifications that make a car faster include improving engine performance with ECU tuning, cold air intakes, or turbochargers/superchargers; increasing efficiency with exhaust upgrades and a fuel system upgrade; and enhancing performance through weight reduction and suspension/tire improvements. These changes increase horsepower, improve acceleration, and better the power-to-weight ratio.
 
This video explains how to upgrade your car's engine: 1mIdealYouTube · May 3, 2022
Engine and powertrain modifications

• ECU tuning: Remapping the engine control unit (ECU) optimizes fuel delivery and ignition timing, often increasing horsepower and improving throttle response without physical changes. 
• Turbochargers and superchargers: These force more air into the engine, significantly increasing horsepower. A supercharger provides instant boost, while a turbocharger uses exhaust gases. 
• Cold air intake: Replaces the stock air intake system with a less restrictive one that pulls in cooler, denser air to the engine, increasing horsepower. 
• Exhaust system upgrades: A less restrictive exhaust, such as a cat-back system, allows spent gases to exit the engine more quickly, improving efficiency and power. 
• Fuel system upgrades: Upgrading the fuel pump and injectors ensures the engine receives enough fuel to support power modifications. 

Chassis and handling modifications

• Weight reduction: Removing unnecessary items, like extra seats, sound deadening, or the spare tire, improves the power-to-weight ratio for quicker acceleration. 
• Suspension upgrades: Coilovers and stiffer bushings reduce body roll, which allows more power to be sent to the wheels during acceleration. 
• Tire upgrades: Installing stickier, performance-oriented tires provides more grip for better acceleration, braking, and cornering. 

You can watch this video to learn how to upgrade your car's tires: 27sMighty Car ModsYouTube · Feb 11, 2025
Other modifications

• Drivetrain modifications: Upgrading the transmission or differential can improve how power is delivered to the wheels, increasing acceleration. 
• Brake upgrades: While not directly increasing speed, better brakes allow you to brake later and harder, which can lead to faster lap times on a track. 

This video explains why upgrading your car's brakes is important for performance: 1mIdealYouTube · Sep 29, 2025

How can I increase the speed of my car?

Keep reading to explore five effective and budget-friendly ways to make your car go faster.

1. Reduce Weight.
2. Upgrade Brakes.
3. Change Spark Plugs.
4. Improve Air Intake.
5. Remove Over-sized Rims.
6. Upgrade Tires and Suspension.
7. Contact Our Auto Repair Specialists.

How to make your car faster for free?

14 ways to go faster without spending a dime

1. Torque the Head and Adjust the Valves. Photography Credit: Tim Suddard.
2. Cleanliness Counts, Especially With the Ignition.
3. Open the Throttle.
4. Get the Ignition Timing Right.
5. Keep the Air Cool.
6. Keep the Oil Warm.
7. Properly Set the Mixture.
8. Dial In the Tires and Suspension.