This is how a Lexus IS 200 improves with sport suspension and a good exhaust system

As many of you already know, most mechanical components of a standard car (suspension, brakes, tyres, clutch, exhaust system…) tend to be inexpensive parts designed to last many years (at least in theory); very rarely do vehicles leave the factory with the most expensive and sporty components, except in the case of high-performance cars.

But what happens if we replace those parts with more exclusive ones? More specifically, how much would our car improve with sport suspension and an ultralight exhaust system? Car Throttle, the social network for motoring enthusiasts, gives us the answer in the following video.

The vehicle Car Throttle uses as a project car (a standard car that is progressively customised in full) for this occasion is a first-generation Lexus IS 200 built in 2002. This Japanese model with an inline six-cylinder engine receives two major upgrades in this video: a sport suspension BC Racing BR (costing 823 euros) and a complete exhaust system, including the exhaust manifold, made of stainless steel (costing 883 euros). With these changes, the presenter heads to the circuit to see the real difference once the new parts (suspension and exhaust system) are fitted.

The result of the test shows that the upgraded car completes the lap of the circuit with a two-second advantage over the standard model; a very notable difference considering the track is short (around 40 seconds per lap). We are talking about a 5% improvement in lap time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufFLcXRMKpA

So, is it worth making these changes? That depends on each person, but paying 1,706 euros so that your car gains 2 seconds per lap on a 40-second circuit does not seem like a bad deal.