Time to Awaken – BMW ECU Tuning, Evolved

Nothing compares to experiencing something satisfying for the first time.

Your first hard-earned paycheck, first kiss, or finally buying your first car and putting it through its paces on a winding road… And getting the first-ever ticket for spee… Uh, that is, for testing the top speed. Nowadays, it all probably seems just like a distant dream.

But what if you could experience some of these firsts again…?

What if you could relieve the joyful moments of getting to know your ride for the first time? Learning how well it reacts when you step on the accelerator or how fast you can overtake the slowpokes. What if you could wake up from that dream? 

Because this is something we can help you with – wake up to the all-new, exciting reality. 

A reality full of improved figures that will sweep you off your feet: up to 25% more power and torque with 10% lower fuel consumption. And, even more importantly, a reality full of numbers that you can actually feel in your day-to-day commute. Instead of torturing your engine for extra power, we give you the freedom of swift acceleration on demand – for merging onto the highway or getting through intersections quickly and safely. 

Hard to believe? Read on and let us convince you!

Perfecting Your BMW with Awaken Performance Engine Tuning 

A brand-new addition to our product line, Awaken Performance by BimmerTech will take your vehicle to the next level. Tested on true gas-fueled animals*, our remote tuning service was designed as a time machine for first-time experiences. At least those related to enjoying a newly bought car – sorry, we can’t let you relive your first kiss!

*No puppies were harmed during testing! The research was conducted only on willing subjects of the BMW freak subspecies of Homo sapiens.

However, true gearheads like yourself want to know the specifics. When thinking about engine tuning, multiple questions probably come to your mind. Questions like: 

• “How much horsepower and torque can I gain?”
• “Is it safe? Won’t it blow up my engine?” 
• “Why is Awaken Performance better than the competition?”
• “How to explain this purchase to my wife?”
• …and many others.

Don’t worry, we will address these questions to clear out any doubts you might have. And yes, we actually do have a very reasonable answer that will help you sell the idea of tuning your daily driver to your significant other…!

What You Will Gain

Obviously, the key improvement when it comes to ECU tuning is performance – more power, torque, as well as better responsiveness of the car. Although with Awaken Performance we provide you with plenty of that, we also decided to focus on two other areas, equally important from the practical standpoint: gas mileage and engine longevity. 

What exactly does all of that mean? And, most importantly, what will you get out of it?

1. Performance
   
   

   After our tuning session, you can expect an increase in horsepower, torque, and smoother throttle response. 

   As per our internal testing, we’ve managed to squeeze out up to around 25% more power and torque with the Awaken Performance remap. Just to give you an example, when our tuners were done with our N20-equipped BMW 328i (F30), it pumped out 286 hp and 325 lb-ft of torque (or 440 Nm, for our metric friends). Stock, this beast produces 241 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque. 

   Additionally, our tune vastly improves torque curves in the lower RPM range and overall engine responsiveness. So when you come up behind some Sunday driver and decide you’ve had enough of them and their sluggish nonsense, you’ll be able to easily overtake. 

   Enjoy the beautiful rear end of this bimmer, bye bye! 

2. Fuel consumption
   
   

   Disappointed by how quickly your car burns through fuel? Awaken Performance tune can help you with that. We adjust the injectors to spray just the right amount of gas, resulting in fuel savings during normal driving conditions. But you don’t have to believe our claims – just take a look at the data!

   To test our tune, we went on a drive in our B46-powered 2020 BMW X3 (G01). A little 25-mile long highway trip at an average speed of 70 mph (with cruise control enabled). The outside temperature was 92°F and the air humidity was 55%. On a stock map, we were able to achieve 36 MPG, which is better than the manufacturer's claim of 29 MPG highway. 

   After reaching our destination, we took a short break to install our tune and embarked on our way back. The road conditions were the same, just like the weather. Of course, the same driver was behind the wheel. 

   During our return trip, we achieved a fuel economy of 40 MPG. That’s right, an improvement of more than 10%! Although it might not sound like much, assuming the average premium gas price of $4.27 per gallon (as of May 2023) and the average yearly mileage of around 15,200 miles, you are looking at the potential savings of around $180 a year. 

   That still doesn’t seem appealing to you…? Well, then considering that the average length of used car ownership in the United States is 5.5 years, you’ll be in for almost $1000 in savings ($990 to be more precise). Bought your car brand-new? It could still apply to you! According to the findings of a survey by iSeeCars, BMWs purchased at the dealership are usually owned for approximately 9.5 years, meaning 4.5 years over the warranty period. And this would translate into roughly $810. 

   Now, there are obviously some caveats, since we don’t live in a perfect world. 

   While the fuel economy improvements will definitely be noticeable in your case, we can’t promise that they will be exactly the same as on our test vehicle. Every car is different, their engines have varying tolerances, as well as fit and finish. Add to it the fact that even minor differences in fuel quality, air humidity, or ambient temperature will affect the performance of a car, and it’s basically impossible to recreate the same test results each and every time. 

   That being said – you will feel the difference. And so will your wallet!

3. Engine longevity
   
   

   Our tunes not only optimize performance but also lower the operating temperature of your BMW engine, extending its lifespan in the process. Because we know. We know how much you love it, so we want to let you enjoy it for as long as possible. 

   Preferably until you are all wrinkly and lack the strength to fully step on the accelerator pedal. 

   Anyway, some carmakers intentionally program the ECU to run hotter to increase the frequency of car service visits and maintenance costs. In addition, the OEM tune is meant to be universally suitable to all the varying engine units, with all their differences in fit and finish. This leaves room for improvement with a more personalized approach allowed by a custom ECU map. 

   Adjusting the way injectors work has a positive effect not only on fuel consumption but also on the temperature of exhaust gasses. As a result, the engine runs cooler overall. In some cases, our tuners will also set a lower opening temperature for the thermostat, to even further aid the cooling. Additionally, our map is designed to reduce engine knocking, preventing potential damage to internal components. 

   But the importance of temps isn’t something we have to explain in detail to enthusiasts like yourself. Overheating is not cool (quite literally!) and we all know that. Farewell, engine knocking!

How You Will Gain It

It’s simple: by letting us take care of all the difficult stuff! 

Our experienced tuners will guide you through the entire process. All you need to do is book a remote coding session, install the necessary software, and connect your laptop to your car's OBD port.

For the tuning, you will need:

• An ENET coding cable, which you can order from us. 
• A Windows laptop, which we’ll gladly rent you if you're in the US. 
• All software required to connect with our technician and tune your car.

When you’re all done and connected with our technician, they will:

1. Perform an error check to identify and address any error codes before the tuning.
2. Read data from your car's engine ECU.
3. Make appropriate changes to the ECU software and save them.

We prioritize safety and want to ensure that your car's longevity is maximized, so an additional tuning session will be required for a final touch-up of the ECU map. We also ensure that the tune we introduce is within the factory reliability standards of your engine.

BMW Engine Tuning – How to Prepare

Before you jump head-first into the world of performance tuning, there are some things you should consider. 

First things first, your car should be well-maintained prior to any power increase attempts. The only way for engine tuning to work reliably and efficiently is to perform it on a car that runs well, not as a remedy for some problems with its operation. 

The other thing is that while you won't need to provide any special care to your newly tuned BMW, regular maintenance and service checkups are essential. Use high-quality motor oils and fill your car with the best quality fuels (meaning at least 91 octane in the US and 98 octane or higher in Europe).

If you would like to learn everything you need to about how to prepare for engine tuning, check out our BMW ECU tuning blog about safety. There, we address any concerns you may have and explain not only what we do to make it safe, but also what you can do. 

Awaken Performance by BimmerTech – Your Way to Awaken

More powerful, less thirsty, and more durable. Simply better: that’s what your car will become with Awaken Performance engine tuning when compared to the stock map. 

The numbers say it all – you can get up to 25% more power and torque, as well as 10% better fuel economy. And that’s just something you can achieve while keeping it all safe and reliable. Not convinced by these figures? Think that you’d rather go with a tuning box? Check out our comparison of the available tuning options – read our BMW ECU tuning vs piggyback tunes article.

…Although since you are here, we have a feeling that you already know what your decision is going to be. We’ve just made making it a bit easier. After all, it’s time to unleash the full potential of your car and regain the thrill of the first ride. 

It’s time to awaken.