A guide to car tuning styles

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May 13, 2016 Category: Car design Author: Andrey

Hello, dear blog readers. In this article we will talk about what types of car tuning there are. Since the appearance of the first cars, the topic of changing their external and internal appearance has not lost its relevance.

Man's desire to highlight a car has roots in the ancient past. The first people used improvised objects and products to individualize themselves. This desire spread to other objects and products used by humans.

Changing the external and internal appearance of a car is a creative and expensive task. Customizing a car costs up to half its market value.

Many drivers cannot afford big expenses, and are looking for ways to tune their car on their own. At the end of the article you can see a video about the types of car tuning. It will be an excellent addition to the material.

1 The concept of tuning and the history of its appearance
2 Types of car tuning 2.1 Types of car tuning:
2.2 This is interesting

JDM Style

Toyota Soarer Z10

Translated, this abbreviation means “Japanese home market.” Tuning within this direction involves modifying the technical characteristics of the vehicle, giving it the appearance of a classic Japanese car: low seating, wide wheels, right-hand drive, etc. The most common modifications within this style include:

Engine change
Manual Transmission
Classic Japanese wheels
Negative camber
White, poisonous yellow or scarlet headlights
Wide body kit , giving the car body the most predatory look.

Color palette: non-standard poisonous colors (purple, fuchsia, light green, etc.). White and yellow cars are also held in high esteem.
Colored wheels . Only the most ardent fans of old-school Japanese style resort to this type of tuning. In this case, it is planned to paint the wheels in the corporate color of some recognizable and respected brand in Japan.
Carbon . In the design of Japanese cars, carbon is considered a kind of trademark, so within the framework of JDM Style it is planned to use this material to the maximum. First of all, the metal hood is changed to carbon fiber

Old school design. The trend originated in the Land of the Rising Sun in the 1980s of the twentieth century, so tuning old Japanese cars from the 1970s-1980s is considered especially chic. It is believed that classic JDM tuning can only be found on a car produced in the 20th century.

Stickers, sticker bombing , use of brands popular in Japan. If at the end of the 20th century it was customary to sculpt stickers on places of cracks and scratches on the body, then in the 21st century sticker bombing has turned into a whole style, which is often used in JDM tuning. The stickers usually feature Japanese flags or declare their love for this type of tuning.

What is tuning?

This concept refers to giving the car a unique, individual look. Naturally, when they buy a car, they choose a model that will suit the future owner. Therefore, in principle, he usually likes the overall look. However, then you want the vehicle to be different from many similar ones.

Thus, car owners stand out from the crowd with their cars, sadly standing, for example, in a traffic jam.

In modern tuning there are three areas:

external;
interior;
Mechanics.

Hot Rod

If JDM involves tuning an old-school Japanese car, then Hot Rod involves modifying classic American retro cars . The history of the Hot Rod style dates back to the distant 1930s. During the troubled times of the Great Depression, Californian youth began organizing illegal races in tuned two-seater cars. These machines were modified thanks to valuable finds found in various junkyards. These roadsters often had all removable body parts removed to reduce the weight of the racing car.

If the term Hot Rod originally meant a racing-tuned roadster (a two-seater retro car from the 1930s), over time the term came to be used to define an entire style, way of life and thought. In the 19540-50s, Hot Rod gained particular popularity and soon split into two movements. The classic Hot Rod style involved tuning the car by replacing original auto parts, while the Street Rod allowed for the possibility of replacing old, but original parts with new ones.

Pros and cons of tuning

As noted earlier, tuning allows you to make almost any car individual, as well as improve its characteristics and performance. These are the main advantages of car tuning.

However, despite these advantages, this process also has a number of disadvantages:

Firstly, modifications to cars will require a significant investment of money from the owner.
Secondly, there are risks that improper modification can lead to breakdown or accident.
Thirdly, traffic police officers have a negative attitude towards changes in vehicle design.

Experts emphasize that the choice of tuning must be approached thoughtfully, because any incorrect part can ruin the car. When it comes to modifications, it is better to trust the specialists, whose data is collected in our “All Service Stations” catalogue.

Types of car tuning. Advantages and disadvantages

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Custom

Customization was born out of the gradually growing interest in Hot Rod. Translated from English, the word “custom” means “made to order,” but there is a deliberate mistake in the name of the term, emphasizing the general “wrong” message that Custom Culture carries. The founder of this trend was an ardent supporter of the Hot Rod , George Barris, who founded the Kustoms Car Club magazine in the 1950s.

The style itself originated in Sunny California, but gradually began to gain popularity throughout the country. As the name suggests, this style did not have any clear boundaries. It was based on an old-school American car and modified to your heart's content.

The goal of tuning was no longer to turn a cheap vehicle into a racing car, but simply to create an exclusive work of art on wheels.

The Kustom style put itself in opposition to the “dominance of factory consumer goods.” Most of all, this style was loved by residents of San Francisco, who are known for their hatred of corporations. The characteristic features of the style include the following:

Particular attention to car rims
Unusual colors, a large number of chrome parts
Low landing

Gradually Kustom split into several directions, the main of which were:

Muscle car . Cars produced in the USA between the 1960s and 1980s. In this style, the body remains unchanged, or simple airbrushing is applied (usually classic flames). All attention is focused on engine modification. Ideally: the most powerful engine visible to everyone around. It is considered especially chic to paint the visible parts of the engine in a color contrasting with the body.

Cal Look . As the name suggests, these are cars tuned in classic California style. For tuning, only Volkswagens from the 1960s are used, which are modified to resemble a racing car. Classic body color: red.
Lowriders . The main difference between these cars was the lowest possible landing of the car. Distinctive features also include gold plating, which was often used in interior styling; velor seats; hydraulic suspension .

By the way, it was the fashion for lowriders that caused the invention of hydraulic struts. Due to the constant accidents that occurred with artificially low cars, a law was passed in the United States regulating the amount of ground clearance. Thus, many extremely low cars were illegal.

And that’s when hydraulic struts were invented to adjust the ride height. Hydraulic suspension subsequently became a trademark of this direction. The Jamaicans from the GTA series of games preferred lowriders.

Tuning VAZ 2102

The VAZ 2102 in its factory configuration has many shortcomings that relate to both the engine, brakes and suspension. In those years when this model first began to be produced, the car's characteristics were quite good. If we take into account the parameters of today’s cars, then the VAZ “two” cannot boast of anything. However, some owners of these cars are in no hurry to part with them and practice tuning, improving the appearance, as well as certain characteristics.

What is tuning

Car tuning is usually understood as modifications of both individual components and assemblies, and the car as a whole, for a specific owner . Depending on the desire of the owner and his financial capabilities, the engine power can be increased, a more efficient braking system, exhaust system can be installed, the interior trim can be improved or completely modified, and much more. When you make fundamental changes to a car, you can end up with a completely different car that will only vaguely resemble the original.

Photo gallery: tuned VAZ “two”

Tuning allows you to emphasize the individual style and character of the car

With a little work on the exterior of the car, you can give it a completely different look for a very reasonable price.

Body tuning opens up wide opportunities for implementing various ideas

The installation of modern wheels in combination with the widening of the arches sets the car apart from similar ones

DUB

This style originated in the poor neighborhoods of America. At the very beginning of hip-hop, the first rappers (Ice-T, Ice Cube Eazy E, etc.) were the first to modify their cars. Such a car had to stand out against the background of the garbage and poverty of the ghetto. Often the car itself was just “garbage” for styling, but they tuned it to perfection.

The basis of the style: low suspension, huge wheels, tinted windows (and don’t care that in America tinting is prohibited in almost all states), and most importantly: a lot of shiny chrome parts . Special chic: a folding roof, flying doors and airbrushing. Everything the blacks like (there is no one else at DUB exhibitions except them).

Summarizing

The article allows you to learn about what tuning is and what types there are, its varieties that you can do on your own. No matter how many doubt their ability to perform tuning, in reality everything is not so scary. You just need to practice and every time it will turn out better and better. Tuning can significantly improve the appearance of the car, its technical characteristics and data. There is an opinion that no has betrayed perfection. Only by devoting their time to their car, many will be able to express their opinion on this matter.

Don't be afraid to try your hand at tuning, there's nothing complicated about it. As you do it, the work will get better and better each time. All you have to do is follow the instructions carefully.

DONK

Funny, ridiculous and surprisingly cool style, the main distinguishing feature of which is the absurdly huge wheels. The style appeared relatively recently: in the early 2000s. And naturally, the American ghetto became its birthplace. Those who managed to escape poverty did their best to emphasize their well-being. That's how Donk was born. Its characteristic features are as follows:

Giant wheels and very expensive rims
Chrome-plated, or better yet, gold-plated parts
Bright colors and airbrushing
A very expensive and visible audio system to everyone around
All visible parts of the chassis painted in contrasting colors
Bright and expensive upholstery. Expensive natural furs, gilding, etc. are often used for upholstery.

Tuning the interior of the VAZ 2102

Since the driver and passengers spend most of their time inside the car, considerable importance is given to the interior. Making changes to the interior allows not only to improve it, but also to increase comfort, which in the VAZ “two” leaves much to be desired.

Changing the front panel

The torpedo on classic Zhiguli cars can be changed or replaced with a product from other cars, for example, Mitsubishi Galant and Lancer, Nissan Almera and even Maxima. However, the most popular is the panel from BMW (E30, E39). Of course, the part in question from a foreign car will have to be changed and modified to fit the dimensions of the “two” interior.

The most popular for “classics” is the panel from BMW

As for the original panel, it can be trimmed with leather, Alcantara, vinyl, or eco-leather. For modifications, the dashboard will have to be removed from the car. In addition to reupholstery, new devices are often installed into a standard panel, for example, a voltmeter, a temperature sensor. You can also sometimes find Zhiguli cars with modern instrument scales, which give a certain sporty style and make the readings more readable.

Video: reupholstering the front panel using the example of a VAZ 2106

Changing the skin

The bulk of the cars in question have interior trim that is long outdated and in a sad state. To update the interior, you first need to choose a color scheme and decide on the finishing material.

Seats

Today there are many companies that manufacture seat covers and upholstery. Products can be made both for a specific car model and according to the individual wishes of the customer. However, it is worth considering that installing seat covers is a temporary solution, as they stretch and begin to fidget. Reupholstering chairs is an expensive option, but it is more reliable. Common materials for such a procedure include:

leather;
eco leather;
Alcantara;
textile.

The combination of materials allows you to obtain original products.

The seats on the VAZ 2102 can be replaced with new ones from a foreign car or the old ones can be restored

Door cards

It is quite logical to finish the door panels after updating the seats. Initially, these elements were upholstered in black leatherette and low-quality plastic. To improve this part of the interior, you will need to remove the door trim, remove the old material, make a pattern from the new one and attach it to the frame. The materials listed above can be used as finishing.

After updating the door cards, the interior looks more attractive

Ceiling

The ceiling in “Zhiguli” is also a “sore” topic, since it quite often sags, gets dirty and breaks. You can update the ceiling in the following ways:

replacing upholstery. This option involves dismantling the ceiling material along with the arches. Additionally, you can glue the top with a layer of sound insulation;
finishing over old material. If the old ceiling has not yet sagged, then a new finish can be applied to it.

Many owners of VAZ 2102 and other Zhiguli cars use carpet as a ceiling material.

The ceiling can be finished with different materials and equipped with additional equipment

Drift

As the name suggests, this style of tuning involves creating a car for drifting on asphalt surfaces. The trend originated in Japan, but has become popular all over the world. The main distinguishing feature is the rear-wheel drive of the car, a powerful engine tuned for driving at high speeds and the most durable and reliable tires with a hard compound.

In addition, the chassis prepared for drifting is provided with the largest possible wheel rotation angle - in order to effectively “give angles” when driving in the countersteering phase. Equally important is adjusting the stiffness of the suspension and its geometry - in particular, be sure to change the Ackermann angle from positive to negative.

Car interior recycling

Most often, this is done by owners of domestic cars. After all, the level of comfort here is initially not at a very high level, so the driver has to at least somehow change the situation on his own. Tuning a Priora in the cabin most often begins with soundproofing the car. This helps to somewhat reduce the noise level in the cabin and make the ride more comfortable. Although here a lot depends on the design features of the car. Next comes the processing of the door panel trim and the installation of seats from other car brands. The dashboard with control devices is also being modified. Additional devices are installed, say, for multimedia, etc.

Of course, there will be no changes in technical terms; rather, this is being done for oneself and one’s own comfort. Quite rarely, such modifications concern new BMWs and Mercedes. Tuning the interior of these cars is not particularly necessary, because the build quality and sound insulation here are already at a high level.

Drag

Everything here is as simple as with drifting. Drag style involves creating a car for drag racing - racing against the clock in a straight line (short distance 402 meters). The appearance of the car practically does not matter here, but the lightest and most rigid body structure and the crazy torque of the engine, which rears up and turns the car diagonally at the start, are simply necessary.

Of course, for drag racing it is also important to select the gear ratios in the box in such a way as to provide maximum torque throughout the entire movement during this short, 30-40 second race, because this is what is important during acceleration. After such a race, the engine is sent for replacement.

Engine tuning

Modified Saab three-cylinder two-stroke engine.
Main article: Engine tuning

Engine tuning

— modification of the engine or its replacement with a more powerful one (Swap, Swap, from the English swap - change), as a rule, in order to increase its power and efficiency. To tune an engine, they replace factory-produced parts with improved ones (pistons, connecting rods, valves), modify and lighten factory engine parts to reduce losses, install a turbocharging system or a mechanical supercharger (compressor) on the engine, improve the exhaust system, and install low-resistance air filters (“ nulevik"), other modifications are used with one goal - to obtain maximum engine power.

To increase the efficiency and economy of the engine, as a rule, various “economizers” are positioned. Such devices (air ozonizers for internal combustion engines, plasma-prechamber spark plugs, vortex devices for preparing the fuel-air mixture, devices for supplying water to the engine) catalyze the ignition process and increase the completeness of combustion of the fuel mixture. Useless designs, for example “fuel activators”, which are at best only harmless, may be promoted as such devices[1]. Thanks to this, fuel consumption should supposedly be reduced and engine power increased.

The main measures for engine tuning (i.e. boosting the engine) are divided into two parts:

increased power by increasing engine speed;
increased power by increasing the torque arm;

A detailed diagram of engine tuning procedures is outlined in the attached table on the right. [ source not specified 1143 days

]

W.R.C.

Cars that are as similar as possible to those that participate in the rally. Moreover, only external similarity is often observed, such as wheel arch trims, authentic vinyl colors, headlight chandeliers, and a protective frame for the interior. But true fans of style also customize the technical characteristics of a classic rally car. Naturally, manufacturers that participate or have previously participated in the WRC are subject to this tuning: Subaru, Mitsubishi, Ford, Peugeot.

Virtual 3D car tuning online

There are quite a lot of sites on the Internet dedicated to this topic, each of them has its own advantages and features. One of the most popular resources is a service owned by () - online 3D car tuning.

The original design of the page is noteworthy - nothing superfluous on the pristine white background of the main page, only the site logo and functional buttons at the top of the screen

The service provides the user with a whole range of options for customizing their car using an extensive arsenal of tools. Versions for Android and iOS are available for mobile device owners. So, let's begin our research. When you open the page, an image of the company logo appears, appearing on a white background of interlacing lines.

At the top of the screen on a black ribbon are buttons with the following functions:

home;
gallery;
application;
take too long;
registration.

Below in the center is a picture with an image of a car, above which there are virtual keys: “Select a car”, to the right is an image of the emblem of one of the automakers, the name of the model and the red “Start” button. Clicking on the inverted triangle causes a list of automakers to drop down in alphabetical order.

In total, the list includes 85 brands that are coming off the production lines of factories or have already been discontinued. From the list we select the car manufacturer we need, images of models available for tuning appear on the display. In addition, the panel has a tab with a list under a red triangle.

Video - an example of online tuning of a VAZ 2106 car:

The choice can be made in two ways: by the model image or by the name in the list. Click on the “Start” button and you can begin the process of improving the exterior and interior of the car.

The unpainted model you choose appears against the background of a fantastic structure, however, the scenery can be changed using a special option. Virtual 3D car tuning online provides a large selection of external elements:

light alloy and forged wheels;
front or rear bumpers;
aerodynamic body kit;
spoilers on the trunk lid;
exterior mirrors;
overhead air intakes;
airbrush designs for application on the sides of the car.

Additional online tuning features provided by the service:

Selecting the type of paint coating (matte or glossy).
Huge selection of colors for the exterior.
Neon lights.
Changing the ground clearance by raising or lowering the suspension.
Window tinting of varying intensity.

The service provides the user with great opportunities for online 3D tuning of the selected car completely free of charge. The field for experimentation is huge; external elements can be combined in a variety of ways. The model description section provides detailed information about the machine, its features and technical specifications.

The image obtained as a result of your own virtual tuning and styling of your car can be saved in the gallery. The service provides the opportunity to print a picture on a printer and use it in the future to carry out work on pumping the car in reality. Based on the image, you can select the necessary elements and designs for airbrushing.

Virtual 3D tuning of your car, made using the capabilities of the site 3dtuning.com, allows you to visualize changes in the appearance of the car as a result of your actions. A large selection of external parts and colors opens up wide opportunities for experimentation. The resulting pictures can be used for subsequent actual work on the car.

DTM

The main goal: to make a car for DTM racing, which means homologation of the car under the existing regulations. The direction was revived in the early 2000s. German automakers take part in this touring car championship - Audi, Mercedes, BMW, Opel.

The cars technically have little in common with the road version and are similar only in appearance; in general, we can only talk about tuning here conditionally. So in a car for DTM, the units are placed on a space frame, the body elements are made anew, the center of gravity is located as low as possible and is close to the center of the axles. Front engine, rear wheel drive, mandatory rear wing.

Wing - the main element of tuning

Based on its operating principle, it can be called a type of rear spoiler, which has long been used in tuning. A proper wing is an inverted wing, like an airplane. Of course, there are many design options for the wing now on the market - you can often even find three-story buildings.

Is it possible to turn any rounded board into a wing? Hard to say. In this matter, the correct location of the wing is much more important: it should not be located too far from the car body, since then its useful effect will be unnoticeable. The correct design of the wing, developed for each specific car, allows you to achieve the best results. Not only the shape and size of the wing is important, but also the angle at which it will be installed. Installation in the right place will allow you to load the front of the car and increase downforce on the rear.

It is impossible to optimize the load on both axles using only one wing; this requires installing a spoiler on the front bumper, which also improves the aerodynamics of the car by 40%. The front spoiler is needed, first of all, to ensure that as little air as possible gets under the bottom of the car when driving. For the same purpose, you can get rid of unnecessary (from an aerodynamic point of view) parts, such as towing hooks. It is not necessary to remove them, just cover them with something.

Ratlook

Translated from English, the term translates as “the appearance of a rat.” Rust is stylish. This is how this type of tuning can be briefly described. Seeing a car like this, you might think it was just brought straight from a junkyard. In reality, such a machine can cost tens of thousands of dollars. Appearance is not the main thing here; what’s under the hood of such a retro car is much more important. The essence of this tuning is to redo everything in the car except the body, which remains unchanged, with all the “original” dents.

Body corrosion and peeling paint in places are a trademark of the style. Some fans of such tuning deliberately damage the body of the car so that the car makes an even more shocking impression.

This style was started by auto mechanic Jim Jacobs, who decided to surprise the public with an old car at the 1987 auto show. The body of his antediluvian Ford was absolutely rusty. The conditions of the competition required that the car be painted. Jacobs solved this problem simply: he began painting his creation right during the exhibition. Naturally, he became the star of that show.

Internal improvements

This type of modification refers to the decoration inside the car. Tuning the interior includes replacing the front panel, installing a sports steering wheel and seats, covering the seats and interior with leatherette or genuine leather, adding a variety of shelves and even a pull-out table, which is perfect for those who like long trips.

Interior tuning also includes installation of an audio system, monitors, sound insulation, alarm and various systems, including anti-theft. To achieve 100% uniqueness, some car owners even install neon and LED strips here. All this primarily serves for the convenience of being in the car.

However, for sports style lovers, the internal tuning will be completely different. To enhance practicality behind the wheel, in this case we are ready to part with comfort. Improvements will be aimed at achieving similarity with a sports car. And they may sometimes not even have upholstery on the passenger seats. But numerous sensors and buttons on the front panel, as well as seat belts, will demonstrate the driver’s desire to achieve maximum power of the car, as well as the ability to perfectly control his iron friend.

In addition, the absence of seats or simply covering them does not at all indicate neglect of passengers. No. Such modifications are aimed at reducing the weight of the machine, thereby improving mechanical performance. And the pipes, sometimes located right in the cabin, which cause at least bewilderment for the average person, are actually a safety cage designed to strengthen the body and protect the life of the pilot if an accident occurs on the highway.

WOODY

A very dubious type of car modification, involving the maximum number of wooden parts. The goal in this case: an all-wood car. The ideal, of course, is unattainable, but getting closer to it is considered a special chic.

Almost mandatory: wooden doors and a natural wood interior; in all other respects, the car owner is given room for creativity. Undoubtedly, wood in the design of the interior and body of retro cars of the 1920s-1930s looks organic, but on modern cars such tuning looks “freaky”.

Advantages of tuning

It's no secret that all procedures related to car tuning are performed with the sole purpose of improving its technical and aesthetic characteristics. If all procedures are performed correctly, the car can receive a significant increase in power and become more dynamic and controllable. Change your appearance from standard factory to unique and inimitable.

Improve driving comfort, which will allow you to travel long distances by car without fatigue.

Fitment

This term is commonly used among auto mechanics to refer to the location of the wheels relative to the body. There are more than a dozen different standard wheel positions. The essence of this style of tuning is to modify the standard position of the wheels. negative camber is used within this style .

Bosozoku

Japanese tuning style, born among bikers of the 1950-1960s. A little later it turned into a whole subculture. Moreover, each gang brought something of its own to this style.

The most characteristic features of this tuning include: minimal ground clearance, negative camber. In the classic version, it must be an old-school Japanese retro car, but a little later a branch of the style called VIP appeared, which involved tuning new Japanese cars.

Chop top

The main distinguishing feature of this style is the cut-off, or in other words, “lowered” roof of the car. If Japan has become famous for its love of low-slung vehicles, then in America, on the contrary, they dearly love low roofs.

As part of this trend, the roof of the car is usually artificially lowered and the pillars are cut. At one time it was considered a variation of Hot Rod, but then it became an independent style.

Tuning the suspension of the VAZ 2102

If there is a desire to make changes to the design of the standard suspension of the VAZ 2102, then attention is mainly paid to lowering the body and increasing the stiffness of the suspension. Tuning involves installing the following elements:

front springs from Niva;
rear shortened standard springs plus spacers;
adjustable Panhard rod;
inverted, swapped and modified front arms to lower them;
gas-oil shock absorbers;
reinforced ball joints;
polyurethane silent blocks.

When tuning the VAZ 2102 suspension, serious work is carried out to change or replace levers, springs, and install additional anti-roll bars

In addition to the listed parts, you will need to saw off the front bumpers completely, and the rear ones in half. Such changes in the suspension will provide better handling and stability of the car, as well as increase comfort while driving.

Hello Kitty

It's not hard to guess that this crazy pink style originated in Japan. There is probably no person in the world who has never seen a Japanese cat with a red bow, which has become a kind of symbol of Japanese popular culture. In this style of tuning, special attention is paid to the facade of the car and the interior decoration.

The main distinctive feature of the style: an explosion of pink color. Ideally, absolutely everything in the car should be pink or white. Faux fur covers, fluffy steering wheel covers are very often used, and the image of the famous cat is usually painted on the body. You might think that girls gravitate towards this style, but in fact it is considered especially chic when a man of an exaggeratedly brutal appearance sits behind the wheel of such a car.

Is it worth doing tuning?

If you don’t cross acceptable boundaries, then definitely yes. True, here you need to stop in time, and sometimes you don’t even need to start. For example, there is no point in dressing up a rotten car body, putting spoilers on it, etc. The first thing you need to do here is welding and straightening, as well as painting. After that we can talk about the body kit.

Another thing is that lack of knowledge in a particular area can lead to serious consequences or even death on the road. After all, many people do not increase the amount of horsepower in order to drive along the highway at a speed of 80 kilometers per hour. And any “jamb” in the engine can lead to a serious accident. Therefore, if you don’t know, it’s better to entrust the matter to professionals. It makes no difference to them whether they are tuning a Nissan or a Mazda - the specialists know their job and will do everything right. But you will have to pay well for this. For an ordinary motorist, minimal modifications are enough, which practically do not concern the technical component.

Demon Camber

This style has another name: “Onii-kyan”. Translated from Japanese, the term means “devilish collapse.” It’s not hard to guess that the main (and only) feature of the style: the maximum and absurdly negative camber of the wheels. The same feature is typical for most tuning styles in Japan, so “Onii-kyan” is not always distinguished as a separate style.

Tuning styles

Do you want to start tuning your car? Then first you need to understand what tuning styles there are, which cars are suitable for a certain style. After reading our article, you will quickly understand in what style you want to transform your car. In fact, car customization is very extensive, and the list of types of tuning given below is not complete. Because this area is constantly developing, something new is being invented, and the old is being improved. But enough of the introductions, we present to your attention the most popular tuning styles from around the world.

JDM

JDM came from Japan. It stands for Japan Domestic Market - the domestic Japanese market. The main feature of this style is that the cars practically do not change externally, but inside they are the most powerful cars, most often hatchbacks, which can easily compete with various kinds of sports cars on the track.

HOT ROD

HOT ROD comes from the USA in the 50s of the last century. This style of tuning combines several areas:

Street Rod

Somewhat similar to Japanese JDM. Also, minimum appearance and maximum performance.

Lead Style

These lowered cars are usually painted with chrome and dressed up with multi-colored wheels.

Chop-Top

These are the oldest Hot Rod cars, most often with square roofs and incredibly powerful engines.

Rat Look

In the Rat Look style, or as it is also called Rat Style, cars are not tuned externally at all. These are also old hot rods with a rusty body and other appearance troubles. And all this is worth hundreds of open mouths and surprised eyes when these cars drive out onto the track. Because all the tuning is inside them. Everything that is not visible from the outside has been replaced with newer, powerful parts.

Hot Ride

Similar to the previous style, this tuning also implies cars that are rusty on the outside but powerful on the inside. Even if the car is relatively new, the paint on it artificially ages or is completely erased to the factory metal.

Woody

These cars are stylized as wood in appearance. Usually these are also hot rods, but they can be any, even new cars.

MUSCLE Car

Probably only those who have never been interested in cars and tuning have never heard of muscle cars. These are classic American cars that are almost unchanged in appearance, with lowered suspension and powerful components. The most important distinguishing feature of oil cars is the supercharger that rises above the hood.

LOWRIDER

Many of us only learned about Lowriders in the 2000s after the release of the cult GTA:SA. These machines are located as close to the ground as possible and are most often equipped with hydraulic suspension.

DUB

Most tuning styles originate in America, and DUB is no exception. Such cars are usually equipped with rather large wheels, the suspension is lowered, the whole thing is generously coated with chrome and shines like a Christmas tree.

DONK

If you have already read about large disks in the previous paragraph, then forget about them. Because DONK style tuning involves installing wheels larger than 26 inches in diameter. Moreover, there are no restrictions on body type. Do you want a sedan, do you want an SUV, or even an ATV? There is no limit to perfection.

VIP

This style welcomes a full body kit and deep rims. Most often these are large American cars.

FITMENT

The same VIP, only Japanese. The only difference is negative camber. It's simply impossible to be negative. Few people in the world understand why, but these are the Japanese. They're fine.

HELLO KITTY

Another oddity from Japan. Who else would repaint a car pink, upholster the interior in the same pink or white fur, and style all the details as Hello Kitty? That's right, no one.

DRIFT

Rear drive. That's all you need to know about drift tuning. These are cars with excellent handling, a locking differential and the most striking appearance with vinyls, spoilers and other amenities.

DRAG

Drag racing enthusiasts will ride even a lame mare if she can cover a quarter mile in record time. They don't care about appearance, the main thing is the fastest possible acceleration.

W.R.C.

Cars stylized as rally cars. Sponsor vinyls are not glued to them, but they are made very similar in appearance. Most often these are Impreza and Evolution. I see a Subaru and can’t imagine it except mirror-deep in the mud at the Paris-Dakar rally.

DTM

In DTM style, the body kit is the most important thing. Here all attention is paid to the body, spoilers and other external components. If the WRC is styled like a rally, then these are, accordingly, like a DTM championship.

BOSOZOKU

Think weird Japanese tuning styles are over? Then here's another one. These cars are equipped with the longest possible mufflers and body kits. For what? Don't ask.

LUXURI

The style is what is called “expensive-rich”. The most expensive cars are equipped with the most expensive styling. Gold, genuine leather and various precious stones are often used.

LIMO

Like the previous style, only in reverse. The main thing here is the interior. Everything inside shines with wealth. In this way, you can tune not only executive cars, but also ordinary ones.

KOLHOZ

This is the case when the name speaks for itself. They simply put whatever they can get their hands on the car, regardless of whether it improves it or, conversely, only makes it worse.

Raggare

The birthplace of this trend is not America, or even Japan, but Sweden. Back in the 1970s, another energy crisis broke out in the States, thanks to which a frantic stream of old American cars, absurdly large for European streets, poured into distant Scandinavian countries.

Most of them were in pretty bad condition, but they were worth mere pennies. Young people who consider themselves part of the punk rock culture or call themselves Raggare began to buy them. Since then, this frankly “trash” direction of car tuning has gradually begun to develop, which is still very popular in Europe.

Online tuning programs

Advantages of using a computer tuning program:

The menu has a lot of tools that will allow you to completely change the appearance of the vehicle or its interior.
The 3D model completely preserves all the proportions of the car and corresponds to the real prototype, so when contacting a car repair shop you will not need to carry out additional calculations.
You can look at the results immediately after adding a new touch or detail to the car’s design.
All lights, spoilers and other parts with which the program offers you to modify your car have real prototypes. Thus, if the owner liked the selected part, you can immediately purchase the selected spoiler in the online store and will not need to go to a car repair shop to have it cut out according to the sketch.
The program menu has a gallery of already created drawings. If you don’t want to work on tuning the vehicle, you can use the proposed option and bring this idea to life.

Popular programs

The simplest editor that will help facilitate the process of selecting airbrushing is Tuning Car Studio. In addition, it will allow you to change the appearance of wheels and glass (by adding color or tinting). The program works with a high-quality photograph of your car, so the result will be as close to reality as possible.

Dimlights Embed is more aimed at beginners who need to change the color of their car or choose an airbrush pattern. Professional users will not be able to learn anything new from it. Dimlights Embed - allows you to completely change the existing geometry of the car body, and it is very convenient to work with it due to the ability of the graphic model to rotate in space.

However, it has a small drawback in the form of not very high-quality graphics. With its help, you can update your car, add new rims, completely change the boring interior, and even change the steering wheel and gearbox.

Graphic editors provide a lot of ideas for creativity, and in addition, thanks to them you can save time and money.

Sleeper cars

The most modest tuning in the world. Inconspicuous economy class cars, in which they install a powerful engine and improve their technical characteristics in every possible way. At the same time, the owners of these cars do not touch either the exterior or the interior. After all, the most important thing in a car is not how it looks, but how it drives. And these cars drive great. Of course, the whole idea is to make a surprise out of quiet family cars with a notoriously lackluster racing reputation, like Volvos.

Chip tuning

This item can be skipped by owners of cars with carburetor injection. This is due to the fact that the so-called “brains”, or control unit for the injection and ignition system, are absent there. Let's take the electronic tuning of the BMW X6 as an example. This is a rather expensive German SUV. But many drivers expected more from him. If the car is no longer under warranty, then you can do whatever you want with it, even chip tuning.

This is flashing or adjusting the electronic control unit. Essentially, this is a change in parameters such as the amount of fuel supplied, air, etc. Software settings are performed on special equipment with the presence of certain software. If you lack knowledge on this issue, it is better not to try to do it yourself, but to entrust it to specialists. Ultimately, such tuning of the BMW X6 can bring an additional 10-30 horsepower.

Dekotora

Bright, colorful, awkward and absolutely incredible styling of Japanese trucks. It is important to understand here that this is exactly the decoration of the transport. Dekotora does not require any major modifications. The most basic example: all kinds of key fobs that truckers attach to the windshield. Adherents of this style go much further: they use all kinds of household items, hang neon signs, New Year's lights, make a fur trim on the windshield, etc. There is only one principle here: the more fun and brighter, the better.

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