From the Top Gear website.

http://www.topgear.com/content/news/stories/2501/

I think this is new to the forum.

 

So the difference between the FQ330 and the FQ360 is an upgraded fuel pump and tweaked ECU producing 30 extra crank hp for a mere 5k pounds >> $10k

 

The price increase within the FQ range of options may be high, but the main point that we should get is that the incoming vehicle looks to be priced less than the outgoing Evo. They are getting the same deal on the STI over there. The new STI is less expensive than the old one. We should be so lucky to pay less for the X than for the same model IX. If complaining to someone would do some good, I would want to find out who to complain to and get it done. Fortunately for me, I'm not in the market for a X.

 

While humorous, this is great news for us. It means the X ECU has already been cracked!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So...it's just a matter of time before anyone can download ECUFlash and tune the X at will.

 

Close. The manual gearbox ECU has been cracked. The SST is a different story.

Something to bear in mind if you're intending to buy a X to mod.

 

No such thing as a manual gearbox ECU lol. What would it control? Maybe it would manipulate your brain waves such that it moves your right hand and left foot for you...

I know what you mean though, but it doesn't really matter...The main point is the new ECUs are flashable, and since the FQ upgrades are available in GB at the same time as their initial offering, it looks like people can crack them in short order.

EDIT: To the point of flashing the TC-SST transmission ECU (wherever it may be, be it controlled the main ECU or a dedicated unit), wouldn't it be neat if increasing the max torque (before it releases its grip on the clutches and limps home, or whatever else it feels like doing) in the transmission were only a ROM map change away? If the transmission is indeed a GETRAG 6DCT470 TRANSMISSION as someone else on this board suggested, it is rated by GETRAG to handle up to 470 Nm (~348 lb/ft) of torque. If you assume this is only about 90% of its true potential (to mitigate warranty claims), that puts its real potential around 522 Nm (386 lb/ft) of torque before the risk of stuff breaking becomes a significantly increased concern. An equal amount of horsepower would be way enough for me, because that would be about 328 whp (15% driveline loss method) to 336 whp (50 horsepower loss method). If you did that and replaced the steel crash bars with JDM aluminum units, you could strip some weight off the piggy and have a quick little ride with one HELL of a lot of cornering performance. Since the engine can obviously be tuned up to 360 bhp with minor bolt-ons and still be warrantied by (Colt Car Company?) in GB, We sure as hell should be able to get a lot more for not much effort, the key being new ECU mapping as was the case with the Evo IX (which unleashes the true capabilities of MIVEC and the turbo). Looks like my dreams of a low 13-second (as a measurement, not its main form of use) X MR with TC-SST and carefree paddle shifting without much trouble may not be out of the question quite yet. If they end up developing an Evo X FQ360 with TC-SST, I'll know this Evo can be the best Evo (not dragster) the streets have EVER seen!

 

I know you're just being a dick.

Poorly worded on my behalf.

The info I have is this. The SST cars have a single ECU that controls both the engine and the gearbox. This is different to the manual Xs

No idea how tuners are going to get around the SST with aftermarket ECUs like Motec/Autronic etc. It's no longer just a case of controlling fuel/ignition. They have to maintain control of the electronics for the gearbox as well.

 

I don't know if that can be gauged from the article. To wit:


If one is to read the text as it sits, the FQ-330 gets a new ECU, altogether. If that's the case, then the FQ-360 gets a tweaked version of the replacement ECU.

 

Yeah if you are going the stand-alone ECU route, the SST would be a dumb platform to start with, or at least initially. However, for most people, tuning of the stock ECU is sufficient.

 

To get another 30 bhp from the platform requires a new ECU? That would be ridiculous, but if that's true, no wonder the FQ cars are so overpriced. Guess we'll just have to wait and see...