GO! asks Is tuning dying out?

Tuning is about making a car faster and more individual. But since the successful 00s, tuning has become rarer, but why?

They were ubiquitous in the 00s: tuned cars. With their special rims, add-on parts and paintwork, they shaped pop culture. They were immortalized in films and video games.

Today, however, such vehicles are a rarity on the roads. Why is that?

Christoph Dähler, a major Swiss tuner, does not attribute the decline to a loss of enthusiasm for customization. He sees stricter police controls as the reason.

Used to be illegal, but it doesn't matter

"For a very, very long time, nobody cared. And as long as nobody checked, customers had no inhibitions. They could buy things that were illegal and nothing happened. But today, when cars are rigorously taken out of circulation, customers think much more carefully: am I really going to spend all that money?" explains Dähler.

Christoph Schwägli, President of the Swiss Auto Technology & Design Association, points out another hurdle: the strict regulations.

"In the past, you had more opportunities to do things, you didn't have the regulations that you have today. Today, we have to have an expert opinion for all parts that we screw onto a car," says Schwägli.

These certificates are necessary to prove compliance with safety regulations, which drives up the costs for tuners.

The technical challenges are not just limited to appearance.

Engine tuning

Engine tuning is also affected. "On the one hand, cars today already have much more power as standard. And on the other hand, it has also become more difficult to test performance upgrades," Schwägli continues.

Joel Wooden, mobility expert at TCS, adds: "In a 90s car, it was relatively easy to replace the engine control unit with another one. Nowadays, the controller is integrated into driver assistance systems, adaptive cruise control, etc. And the networking of these control units naturally makes it more difficult to make massive changes."

Despite the challenges, there are still areas in which tuning can be worthwhile.

Example BMW M2

The BMW M2 from Dähler is a good example of the current situation in the tuning industry.

Thanks to its popularity in Switzerland, it remains profitable despite its high costs and technical complexity.

The Dähler version offers considerable performance enhancements and extensive modifications that clearly set it apart from the standard version.

The M2 also illustrates the growing competition between tuners and car manufacturers. They are increasingly offering their own customization options, forcing independent tuners to remain innovative in the face of the manufacturers.

"Of course, they see the sales we achieve with our components and have very, very extensive offers themselves. That extends to engine performance, sports exhausts, aerodynamic parts - the manufacturers all do that themselves," says Dähler.

Electromobility as an opportunity

However, electromobility could represent a new field.

"Electric vehicles are all lead-heavy and we have huge scope there, especially in terms of chassis technology," says Dähler.

Wooden also sees potential: "The personalization market is booming again for such vehicles."

It remains to be seen whether the tuning industry can successfully adapt and perhaps experience a renaissance thanks to electromobility.

But one thing is clear: the days when tuning was simple and ubiquitous are over.