An SL550 Performance Tune in a Brand New PRESSERtech Shop

You may know that PRESSERtech, home of the Performance Tune. recently moved. Our new digs have a comfy waiting room for you to relax while your car is getting a Mercedes tune. Of course, we’re also pretty excited about our new garage. We couldn’t wait to break it in, and we could think of no better housewarming than giving a 2014 SL550 a performance tune.

We were excited to Mercedes Tune this twin-turbocharged 4.6-liter V8 engine, this white 2014 SL550, with camel interior, came into our shop with 429 horsepower and 516 LBS-FT torque. It already can go 0 to 60 in a blistering 4.5 seconds, with a top speed of 130mph. And yes, we can top that with a performance tune by the Mercedes Tuning experts at Pressertech.

History of the Sportlich-Leicht (Mercedes SL Class)

But first, some history. Because the SL-Class has been around for a long time, tracing its roots back to 1952 with the W194 racing car. This was Mercedes first post-war competition car, and while it lacked power, its lightness made it a successful racing car. As a matter of fact, the designation SL comes from the German Sportlich-Leicht, or Sport Lightweight. The 1954 300 SL is considered the world’s first supercar, which had a top speed of 154mph. The SL was even the car of choice for one famous soap opera oil baron.

Starting in 2013, the SL-Class was produced almost entirely from aluminum, with a retractable roof made of magnesium. In the true meaning of SL, it’s 240 pounds lighter than its predecessor. Fifth Gear called the modern SL-Class, “a car for cruising around, looking groovy.”

Building the Performance Tune

In our new PRESSERtech garage we performed a Stage 1 tune on this SL550. Our goal was to increase the horsepower to 550 and the torque to 627 LBS-FT. We also can perform Stage 2 tunes if that’s a better fit for you.

The key to tuning is the electronic control unit, which dictates how effectively the engine can run. Mercedes engines are often depowered in the factory to allow for consistent performance increases on new models year after year. But that also means that there’s probably some untapped potential in your Mercedes engine.

Results for Days with a Mercedes Tune

The tuning upgrade results for this turbo charged gasoline engine are simply amazing. We saw a 28% increase in horsepower and a 21% increase in torque. Our clients also typically report a reduction in fuel consumption, smoother acceleration and a much-improved throttle response.

Our tunes are also 100% customized to you. If for some reason the tune doesn’t meet your expectations, we can always go back and make tweaks. Additionally, if you want to keep your old ECU with its original stock tune, you can upgrade to an ECU+ package.

Give Pressertech a Call

While many of your questions may be answered in our Ultimate Mercedes Tuning Guide, we encourage you to give us a call at the shop. We’re happy to chat with you about what a performance tune can do for your Mercedes.

Mercedes Performance Upgrades: Mercedes Tuners A Tradition of Innovation

We love Mercedes Benz for its commitment to innovation. As Mercedes Tuners, this is a quality we share when conducting our Mercedes performance upgrades. From the first Mercedes to those of modern time, we know Mercedes performance Upgrade can always be perfected.

Carrying on a Proud Tradition

The first “Mercedes” model series generated much excitement at the Nice Race Week in 1901. Its lightweight design and power was a departure from the cars on the market at the time. At 35 horsepower it dominated the races, signaling the beginning of the era of the modern automobile. Today things are a little different. A great deal of your vehicle’s performance is dictated by engine software. The good news is Mercedes Tuners can make a big difference with Mercedes Performance Upgrades without spending too much money.

Mercedes Performance Upgrade: Where We Start

Recently we worked on adding a Mercedes Performance Upgrade to a 2013 C300 Sedan. The C-Class is Mercedes’ entry level compact luxury vehicle, which offers Mercedes quality at a lower price than other models. While the C300 is situated between the C250 and C350, it got a special upgrade between the 2012 and 2013 years. Most significantly, it moved up from a 3.0 to 3.5 liter V6 engine. Notably the C300 is actually a detuned version of the C350.

As Mercedes Tuners, it’s always important to know what factory specs we’re starting from, because we are always careful to tune within the safe limits of a car’s capabilities. The stock specs of the C300 are 245 horsepower and 251 LBS-FT torque. This vehicle also has an EPA city/highway fuel economy of 20/28 mpg.

Mercedes Tuners and The Magic of the Electronic Control Unit

A Mercedes performance upgrade starts with an ECU tune. After deliberating with our customer, we decided to perform a Stage 2 tune on this C300. That being said, your tune level will really depend on your preference as a driver. We will have a conversation with you to determine what stage tune makes the most sense. That’s the way Mercedes Tuners should work.

In our shop, an experienced technician popped the hood of the C300 and carefully removed the ECU. This is a critical piece of technology for your car, so it must be handled with caution. Once removed, our technician ran diagnostic tests and ultimately modified the factory settings to unlock the untapped potential of this vehicle.

Results Matter

A Stage 2 tune on this C300 brings the horsepower to 262 and the torque to 273 LBS-FT. While that might not sound like the biggest change we’ve written about here on our blog, really this C300 became much more responsive, with smoother acceleration and improved throttle response. That is to say, when we optimize the torque curve, the engine produces more torque at lower RPMs, allowing the driver to change gear earlier. In sum, this C300’s engine now performs better all around, and the difference is striking.

If you’re interested in learning more, please take a look at our Ultimate Mercedes Tuning Guide for more information on the kind of work we do. You can also find us at the PRESSERtech garage — don’t hesitate to give us a call.

How to Choose a Mercedes Tuning Company

You might ask yourself, which Mercedes Tuning company should I trust, how do you pick the right one? Here are a few considerations as you review your options for a performance tuning upgrade.

Trusted Partnership

First and foremost, you should feel comfortable with the technicians who will perform the upgrade on your car. We are the premier Mercedes Tuning Company that Tune Mercedes period. When you come to our modern facility, we want you to know that we are passionate about the work we do, and we are happy to hear about your vehicle, answer your questions and geek out about all things Mercedes. We have nearly 30 years working on Mercedes Benz vehicles and you’ll see from speaking with us that working on cars is in our blood.  

We were thrilled to have a 2014 E550 in the PRESSERtech garage recently. The E-Class has been in production since 1993 (though its predecessors date back further than that) and it is described as the “hot nickel core of Mercedes.” The E550 boasts a 4.7 liter V8 engine with 402 horsepower and 443 LBS-FT torque, and it is one of the best selling Mercedes for a reason. It’s also the reason that a Mercedes Tuning Company like Pressertech just love to tune these cars. 

A Tune Customized to You

When selecting a Mercedes Tuning Company, you should feel empowered to make educated decisions. We will ask you some questions before making any recommendations. That’s because every driver, and every car for that matter, is different. We’ll want to know about your driving style, how you typically use your vehicle and your overall expectations for your tune. After that, we can decide together what stage tune is right for you. Many examples of different Mercedes models, and their potential performance upgrades, are available on our Select Tune page.

For example, this E550 owner decided on a Stage 1 tune. This made a significant difference to this E550’s performance. The expected upgraded specs were a staggering 508 horsepower and 590 LBS-FT torque.

Our technician worked to carefully remove, analyze and tune the ECU. This is delicate work that shows up in big gains all around when the tune is complete.

Results that Speak for Themselves

Finally, the proof is in the pudding (or I guess we should say in the test-drive). The E550 saw a 26% increase in horsepower and a 33% increase in torque. This client in particular chose our ECU+ package, which means he kept his old ECU at the stock tune.

You want to choose a company that is comfortable offering you a satisfaction guarantee. If for some reason you are unhappy with your tune, we will modify it, or take your vehicle right back to specs it came in with. We keep your original tune on file so adjustments can be made later if necessary.

There are many Mercedes tuning companies you might choose, but the best way to get to know us better is to give us a call. We’d love to talk to you about your specific vehicle and what a performance upgrade can do for you.