In 2010, AWE deployed its first 180 Technology resonators on a passenger car, specifically the Audi B8 S4 3.0T, followed by full scale deployment of the “drone-canceling” solution by 2011. The first use of this technology started the company down the road toward its current position in the market as “The Best Sounding Exhausts on the Planet.”
“As exhaust gases exit the engine and flow into an AWE 180 Technology-equipped resonator, they pass through strategically located ports, and into reflection chambers. Sound waves, carried by these exhaust gasses, bounce off the walls of the reflection chambers. Depending on the sound requirements of each vehicle, AWE acoustic engineers adjust the size and location of the ports and the chambers. By controlling the size and location of these key elements, we also control when the sound waves exit the chambers. The specific timing of when the reflected sound waves rejoin the main exhaust flow creates a one-hundred-and-eighty-degree out-of-phase sound wave that cancels out problematic frequencies,” states AWE Senior Engineer, Dane Pellicone.
“AWE 180 Technology is not a “one size fits all” concept. Rather, AWE engineers design sound canceling resonators based upon the acoustics generated by specific vehicle applications, thereby ensuring perfect sound, every time. It’s one of the reasons AWE exhausts have earned a reputation for the perfect tone, regardless of application.”
AWE has gone on to utilize 180 Technology resonators on nearly every one of its Touring Edition Exhausts (as it pertains to passenger cars), 0FG Exhausts (as it pertains to trucks) and Tread Edition Exhausts (as it pertains to AWE’s new Jeep line).
“I remember the design challenge we had in 2010 with the new chassis Audi S4. It was the first enthusiast vehicle for us where the majority of the market was equipped with an automatic transmission, putting highway operation squarely in the dreaded Drone Zone. I remember waking up in the middle of the night due to anxiety over our attempts to get the sound right. This brought a new challenge to AWE, as we had banked our future on building best-in-class exhausts that would not only perform power-wise but also sound the part. The solution had to offer the flow of a straight pipe with hallmark AWE sophisticated sound. I am, needless to say, quite proud of our team that developed this immensely effective and scalable technology. Truly a game-changer for us,” said AWE President and CEO, Todd Sager.
