Since the common rail turbo diesel rose to prominence on the early 2000s, there’s been only one universal complaint. Lag. Enter Ultimate9 with the original iDrive. Now you’ve got petrol-like throttle response from just about any modern diesel.
So what does a throttle controller actually do?
They modify the points of reference for your vehicle’s throttle mapping, which results in either more or less torque earlier in the pedal depression, depending on which setting you have selected. In simple English, essentially it means the throttle controller multiplies your pedal input, either higher or lower to suit the settings you have selected.
Four driving modes
With the Ultimate9 EVC, you can choose between four driving modes and 20 tuning settings to adjust your throttle response to suit your specific needs. The four modes are Factory Mode, Ultimate Mode, Eco Mode, and Auto. Factory Mode is fairly self-explanatory, but the others are where the EVC shines.
Ultimate mode
Ultimate Mode is typically the reason you invest your hard-earned with Ultimate9. This mode gives you 9 levels of improved throttle response to reduce or eliminate any throttle lag. On the highest setting, U9, you could be forgiven for thinking you were driving a completely different vehicle, such is the impact on throttle response.
Eco mode
Eco Mode is probably less fancied among enthusiasts, but it certainly has a place in 4×4 land. This mode offers 9 settings that progressively subdue throttle response. This gives you excellent control in low-speed situations such as heavy traffic, or low-range wheeling. We’ve also found the Eco Mode settings particularly helpful in mellowing out harsh throttle response in petrol vehicles. An added bonus is slightly improved fuel economy.
Automatic control mode
Automatic Control Mode is also quite self-explanatory. It will automatically choose the ideal throttle response based on the pedal pressure you apply. This is the setting that suits most people, most of the time. However, we’re car people. We want to be in charge of what our 4×4 is doing, so we set it to U9, and leave it there. Not so fast.
While that may be the ideal setting for many 4x4s, particularly common rail turbo diesels, it’s not going to be right for a Y62 Patrol for instance. This is a vehicle that already has no throttle lag, so sharpening that response can make it a little bit of a handful. Eco Mode is your friend. You’ll still have all that horsepower on tap when you mash the loud pedal, but for the other 99% of your drive, it’ll be much smoother off the mark. And let’s not forget that fuel economy improvement. That stuff is expensive!
How do you know what’s right for you?
That’s easy. Spend ten minutes fitting your shiny new Ultimate9 throttle controller, and have a play. Modes can be change at the press of a button, so spend some time in each mode and figure out what improves your driving experience. But remember, what works on road is likely to be the opposite of what you need off road. There’s no substitute for time in the driver’s seat, so get in and point your 4×4 at your local tracks. Start out on E3 and go from there.
