Wicked Innovation Protune vs Cobb 93 OTS

Hello party people. If you like to turn left to curve right, or turn right to curve left, then read no further. I just picked up my STi and brought it home from a good, thorough protune where it was enhanced with things like sway bars, bushings, and group N goodies as well as a protune.

I had flashed cobb OTS 93 octane not long ago, but after a drive with a protune, I must say that while Cobb are pros, Wicked Innovation are masters.

I recently wrote a review of Cobb 93 OTS. The car is more wafty and torquemonstery with this ECU state of tune. It feels like a 335, wafting its way, particularly in the upper gears, to faster speeds than are practical to maintain with urgent need to stomp on your brakes lest you rear end the bumpers of all those comatose Americans that seem intoxicated on too much valium driving waaaay to slow in front of you. Sadly, the motor sounded, and just felt less mean than stock. Even after it learned after the first 200 miles, heeling and toeing was harder, throttle responsiveness was "meh", and while the car definitely felt a lot faster, the whole visceral feel was not.... that.... urgent nor stimulating.

Then came the pro-tune. ROWR.

The biggest difference with the protune is the throttle response. It's not like a lightweight flywheel kind of immediate tach-up throttle response. No, the throttle response is more like a stab of the throttle just lurches the car forward very effectively, at any speed, and any RPM's. Yet the protune at very low RPM and in traffic or around stoplights or stop signs or residential areas is so much more tame. You have regained the ability for very fine, low speed throttle control.

One slight downside of the protune is the sub 3000rpm thrust doesn't quite feel as urgent as the Cobb stage 1. Well, under 2500 Cobb Stage 1 is just as slow as stock anyway and the protune is about as fast, though more controllable yet punchy. So kudos to the better protune for having the better response. From 2500-3000 the Cobb stage 1 had more registering on the butt meter so perhaps this intermediate low to mid end makes the Cobb more satisfying, but that's it.

Start at 3000rpm, and that is your NASA style *IGNITION*. Cobb would have a transition from 1800-3200 of increasing boost. The protune gets the boost on sooner, and despite its slight lesser thrust at the top of that range, you just launch at that point. It's a joy because you just shift gears soon, very soon.

Those comatose Americans and their speed limits that are honestly perhaps 1/2 to 1/3 of what they really should be start to get really, really, in your way. Did cobb Stage 1 93 make cars you pass warp backwards like lightspeed streaks? Protune magically teleports same said cars that are flooring it to keep you from passing them (listen to their sissy automatic transmission and motor kickdown sounds as you pass) instantly 10-15 car lengths back.

The motor, the engine, the noise. It just revs and revs and revs. Think Cobb is like buttah? Buttah is soft, nice, pleasant, gentle. Protune is like....... sweet, juicy, grass fed, free ranging, nipple massaged cow premium grade heavy cream that you're drinking while running with the bulls at Pamplona. Solid, fertile, satisfying wowness, stiff, thick, powerful horns that gorel. Pow-wah.

Add an SF filter and box with all the noise, the noise. Ah the noise, if I have some emotion, it's the noise of the SF protuned STi. Reminds me of someone I admire....

Michelle Mouton Audi Quattro Noise - YouTube