Ever since I got the ChipBox, Bob from Driving Impressions has been trying to talk me into the PedalBooster as well. I was very skeptical about it because I have a similar device on my 500 Abarth and I don’t like it. He sent me one to evaluate… Spoiler alert, Bob was right. I do like it!
Install was quick and easy, so I set off to test it.
I begin with the PedalBooster “off”. In the video above you can see the first 50% of the slow press is relatively linear, but in the second half the electrical signal lags behind the pedal’s physical position. On the fast press the electrical signal is definitely lagging behind. It could also be the case that the press is too fast for Torque Pro to capture accurately.
With the PedalBooster in “sport” mode, you can see after about the first 25% of the pedal’s physical travel, the electrical signal rises more quickly than the factory signal, then tapers back in the last 15% or so of pedal travel.
In race mode the signal rises significantly faster than factory. It seems too fast for Torque Pro to record accurately.
It really does “increase driving pleasure” as promised on the box.
I think one of the reasons why pedal modifiers like this make such an improvement on these cars is because of how the Multiair system works. If you compare the pedal position with absolute throttle position, you’ll see at around 50% of the pedal’s press the throttle is wide open (88.2% as indicated by Torque Pro). The ECU will completely open the throttle as soon as it can, and then control how much air goes into the engine with the variable valve lift. These pedal modifiers get you to the point where the engine is being throttled by the variable valve lift quicker.
If you have a Classica or a Lusso, I would say this is a must have mod. It gives you that sport button option like on the Abarth. A PedalBooster still might be desirable on an Abarth as it lets you customize your accelerator responsiveness.
Do you guys think it’s worth it? Let me know in the comments below, and please subscribe if you aren’t already.
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Dan is a DIY zealot and autodidact. Real science, pseudoprofessional.
