Exhausts

If one critiscism could be levelled at the F355 it is that the standard exhaust sounds pretty weedy. That famous V8 wail just doesn't make itself known quite as you expect it to. Unless you're the shy retiring type, you're going to want to change that.

There are a number of choices available but none of them are cheap. Reckon on around £2,000 for a brand new one from a well known manufacturer. The ITO is the most expensive at over £3,000 and requires shipping from Japan.

 

TUBI

 

The two pictures below show a Tubi exhaust, firstly pictured next to a standard F355 exhaust and secondly from a library picture of the Tubi by itself. As you can see there is absolutely no competition between standard and Tubi, even without hearing the sound.

All aftermarket exhausts are polished in this way, regardless of who manufactures them. The looks are almost as important as their sound in some vehicles, where the exhaust box is highly visible. It is a shame that on a 355 this beauty is hidden behind the heat shield inside the engine bay and the rear bumper.

TUBI's and some other exhausts are known to suffer from 'booming' at around 3000-4000 RPM. Ths is in the range at which the bypass valve opens. This does bother some people but not others, and it seems that maybe not all TUBI's do it, although the one on my own car does. I've gotten used to it however, and it was never really intrusive in the first place.

 

 

Capristo

Capristo exhausts are manufactured in Germany and make a very high pitched scream at high RPM. They come in three sound levels, the loudest of which can probably make your ears bleed. They sound great but may not be to everyone's taste (as is true for each and every exhaust of course).


ANSA

ANSA exhausts are manufactured in the USA.




ITO

The ITO exhaust is manufactured in Japan and is therefore quite expensive once shipped over to the UK. The sound is quite similar to the Capristo at high RPM (perhaps even more of a screamer due to the design). Pictured below is a closeup of the tailpipes on an ITO exhaust, plus a full rear view image. The pipes are not cut at an angle like a TUBI, and they have a flared rolled edge.

 


 
Mille-Miglia
 

Quicksilver

Quicksilver are based in the UK and manufacture three different exhausts for the F355.  They are as follows:

Standard - this is basically the same as the original exhaust, and gives a similar sound.

Sports - gives increased flow and crisper response at higher RPM, but at lower RPM is closer to the original. Intended to give good sound when you're working the car harder, but should be more relaxed when you're cruising.

Supersports - designed to give best performance and sound. This box has a smaller silencer, gives better flow, and will no doubt be the loudest of the group.

Superspors at the top left; bottom right is the standard system.

Subjectiveness

 
These exhausts all have different sounds, and although there are plenty of sound files available on the internet, it is really difficult to get a good impression without hearing them in person. Also, two people can be stood listening to the same exhaust; one might hate it and the other love it. It really is very subjective.
 

 

Other Manufacturers

 

Stainless Steel Exhausts
MS Racing

Test Pipes

What are test pipes? Well, these are a replacement for catalytic converters. They consist of a piece of straight tubing with positions for the lambda sensors just as in the catalytic converters. They are referred to as test pipes because they are not road legal and therefore would normally only be used for testing purposes. They are also often referred to as 'cat bypass pipes'. A car with these installed is often referred to as a de-cat'ed car.

TUBI make a set of bypass pipes, pictured below. For a couple of pipes they are a bit on the expensive side at around £200. However, they have the effect of transforming the car, especially when combined with an aftermarket exhaust. The standard catalytic converters are a bit restrictive and so once removed the engine feels more responsive, even though there really isn't any extra power. It just has better 'pick-up' if that makes any sense.


Quicksilver also produce cat bypass pipes.
 
An alternative to removing the cats is to replace them with high performance cats. These are a lot more expensive than test pipes but they have the advantage of being able to keep the car within emmissions regulations.