Picking up a 2014 Vanquish next week that has the AP Velocity x-pipe and tune, but thinking about doing the full power pack with headers. Anyone here done this that can comment on the sound level and performance vs stock or other aftermarket setups?

 

I just recently had it installed on my car. Stuart and the guys at VelocityAP are great. I have no comment on other after market set ups at all, but I would say the dyno tested performance increase with this power pack is very impressive to me. The quality of the headers themselves also seemed top notch.

I would caution against the sound level at this point. We are going to try an x-pipe and possibly another solution or two later this month, but at the moment it is VERY loud. Much louder than I expected it to be, and to the point where it is effecting how and when I can enjoy my vehicle. I am confident we will get to the desired outcome, but just something to be aware of!

Best of luck.

 

Do you have the valved exhaust or is it on "loud" mode all the time? I have a Ferrari FF with an x-pipe and high flow cats that's pretty damn loud at full throttle but also quiet while cruising with valves closed. Wish I could hear one of these setups in person...

 

I have the power pack on my 2010 DBS (have had it for a few years now). Quality and fitment was excellent per the shop that put it on. The car felt faster for sure after putting it all on along with the tune and airbox deletes, but I did not do before/after dyno.

I have had many many exhaust setups, here's the best of my abilities to explain:

#1- Bought the car and it already had a Quicksilver Supersport muffler on it. Sounded great. Was a little on the louder side, especially at idle and lower RPMs. Up top sounded wonderful.

#2- Installed VAP headers and secondary cats (along with the Quicksilver Supersport Muffler)- the result was not good. The sound was incredibly loud and sounded more like a large boat.

#3- I turned right back around and went to the shop as the car was unbearable with the Quicksilver muffler and not really driveable. Talked to VAP and they recommended their Touring muffler to be added to the car to quiet things down with the headers/secondary cats and make the car sound better. A few weeks later the VAP touring muffler arrived and I installed. It sounded great at high RPM's but was too quiet at low RPM's

#4- Found a used OEM DBS muffler. Sound was much better. Volume was good, but the sound wasn't quite as clean as I would've liked. Added the CC Charger valve control for the muffler as well.

#5- Added Velocity AP X pipe- the X pipe actually quiets things down a little which is what happened. However, the overall package was excellent. Screams at high RPM's, and can still be heard but not obnoxious at low RPMS. I had this setup for the past 1-2 years and its been great.

#6- Decided to "scratch the itch" since I had the Quicksilver muffler laying around still. Took the car to the shop and removed the muffler completely (did not install the Quicksilver). Wanted to see what the car would sound like with no muffler at all (with VAP headers, secondary cats, x pipe). It sounded incredible. However, just way too loud for street use. Returned the car back to the shop.

#7- Put the Quicksilver muffler on. Quieted the car down a little from the no muffler setup but still significantly louder at all RPMs but most noticeably at low RPMs when cruising around. It does sound unbelievable, especially at high rpm's but is very loud (however nowhere near the volume I had in #2 above without the X pipe). This is where I currently am with the car (just had this put on 2 weeks ago). I will be swapping it back out for the OEM Muffler with the valve control and I think will be done with messing with the exhaust. The only other option would be to try one of the new valved mufflers from VAP, maybe someday...

I do have video clips of each of these setups.

Order of "favorites" from a sound perspective from best to worst:
#5
#1
#4
#7
#3
#6
#2

 

I can't speak to the V12, but installation of an X pipe on my V8, although is was smooth as silk, it lost the Aston sound and was very quiet. Sounds much better with secondary cat delete. With Larini valved back box.

 

I currently have the stock mufflers with valved set up. Cold start gives a very jarring crackle and roar. It isn't super loud when driving casually with the valves closed, but the problem I have is the way the OEM set up for the valves to open around 3000 RPM makes it too jarring a change - from very reasonable to suddenly massively loud. It's just super inconsistent and sudden as opposed to a nice engaging build up. And then when the valves open it really is too loud overall in my opinion. I have also experienced the fuse pulled so the valves are open all the time - but currently that just makes it too loud all the time (read situation #2 in the post above).

Hoping to make it quieter overall and am going to try the x-pipe later this month. I'm also going to attempt to have the valves programmed to open later in normal mode to prevent the jarring exhaust note change just before shifting when driving in a mildly spirited manner. And finally I am adding the CC Charger manual valve opening operation so I can hopefully have more control over quieter mode when wanted and then loud (but consistent) all the time mode when wanted.

BTW, @Liilpa09 , your post above is massively helpful and appreciated - thank you for that!

 

I installed headers, 200 cats and the VAP muffler with integrated Xpipe and valves. At first it was way way too loud and embarrassing to drive. Contacted VAP and they suggested a modified tune where the valve is opened up at higher RPM and load. Now it’s kept closed up to 5000rpm (instead of 3000), this is a huge improvement, it still get super loud at full load and higher RPM but you can drive it in town without embarrassment. Of course you got to add the CC charger remote to force the valve open all the time when you really want the full sound (and the attention that comes along).

When open it sounds a bit like an F1 car, I’m tempted to put the OEM muffler back on to see how it would sound.

 

Glad the post was helpful! The post I made #2 was with a quicksilver supersport muffler wish is insanely loud with the rest of the exhaust opened up.
id recommend adding the x pipe and cc charger and you’ll be very happy

 

add the vap x pipe and get a cc charger for factory muffler and you will be very happy. If you just put the muffler on without the x pipe I don’t think you’ll like the sound. Happy to send you videos of that setup.

 

Interesting. The car I'm buying has the VAP x-pipe with factory muffler already and I was considering doin the full upgrade, but now I'm not sure it's worth the cost to change everything around. Guess I'll drive it around for a bit and see if I'm happy with the sound level or not. Definitely sounded pretty good from my few minutes on the drive but not as epic as my FF with full aftermarket exhaust.

 

if you don’t have any other changes to the exhaust your car will be quieter than a stock car due to the x pipe

 

Doesn't the x-pipe remove a set of cats? I'm not familiar with the Vanquish exhaust setup but it definitely sounded louder than what I would think stock would sound like. I was going to ask the shop doing the PPI to provide some info on what exhaust changes were made, the current owner just said it had an x-pipe and wasn't really sure.

 

Depends on the manufacturer, vap their off the shelf x pipe doesn’t replace secondary cats (however I’m sure they do custom designs too which maybe the car you’re looking at may have)
Fabspeed does replace secondary cats with their x pipe

 

VAP has 2 versions. This is the Xpipe integrated in the muffler. The other version is into the section between the cats and the muffler.

 

Captain cove..that is sweeeeeeeeeet….