"In this Special Series, I document the development, unboxing, installation, performance gains and sound clips of the E60 M5 & E63 M6 sealed carbon intakes. 

In this entry, I cover the stage 1 of the MSS65 MAF engine tune. I've always regarding stage 1 tunes on catted cars as a Sprintbooster type, placebo tune for throttle response.

Would I get proven wrong?"
- Matt 

Could a tune really do anything?

The S65 was visibly higher strung from the factory with an extremely well designed air intake system. The S85 was the foundation to it - and BMW M clearly left power on the table. 

No power is cheap on an Naturally Aspirated engine, ever more so when it comes to a BMW M engine - and we'd expect it to be most expensive with a V10 M5. 

The intakes already did something.

Sal insisted I do the Stage 1 MAF tune he had developed for V10s with catalytic converters.

He was adamant that BMW S85 engine responds incredibly well to tuning with changes made to ignition, VANOS and torque maps. Power gains would be felt and measured throughout the RPM range accompanied by sharper throttle response and a smoother overall power delivery

He further insisted he wouldn't make any changes to the throttle sensitivity. What I would feel would be all tuning - no placebo.

He sent me this dyno chart with the Sealed Intakes, stating this was with intakes only on an otherwise stock car.

14whp up top? Not bad - but I dislike dynos. They're not the truth. 

The process.

I got the cable & tuner module, plugged into the OBD2, downloaded my OE file in a minute, sent it over to Sal - and within 24 hours, I had my Stage 1 file back.

1. 8,500 RPM limit
2. Vmax limiter delete
3. Cold start delete
4. VANOS tuning
5. Fuel & timing tuning
6. No throttle mapping changes

I received this tuning device. 

The results.

Improved Fuel Consumption (seriously).

Our thirsty beasts will never be Priuses, yet 20 liters +  to 100km has always been a completely ridiculous number. 

The stage 1 tune on my S85 noticeably reduced consumption - no jokes! I am never frequently able to hit 400km on a 60 liter tank. 

I can live with 15 liters to a 100km! 

More power [...] where it counts. 

As previously stated: I dislike dynos. They're an unhealthy obsession for most use cases. I believe power needs to be felt and measured on the tarmac. Most precisely, the 100-200 kph test.

I got opportunities to drive the car with the intakes fitted, and without stage 1. Power increase were felt similar as on on the dyno graph: all above 6,000 RPM. 

I got the draggy out and hit the road. I clocked a best 8.83 seconds with a slight decline. 

A stock M5 V10 SMG3 will clock 100-200 in the 9.3 to 9.5 zone. At 200 kph, 1 sec is 55 meters. Half that is 28 meters. Our cars are roughly 5 meters long. 

At 8.8x seconds: its 6 car lengths over a stock car.

The stage 1 tune and sealed intake is like caffeine for your V10. It doesn't make you Einstein, but it keeps you in the game.

I can help you spec and source your tune here.

Up next: we get the video gear out, forget the gimble at home, and shoot raw sound clips of the new intakes.

Will the sealed design rob of the induction noise?

Let's find out.