We actually knew it since our first test drives in a standard MCS. This car has the potential to be a triple-A hot hatch, but needed more grunt; the car was just a bit too heavy for the 163 bhp super charged engine.

So what was it gonna be? SKN, Kelleners, Digi-Tec, Hamann, Hartge, MST Wiesman, Maxi-tuner? Or should we opt for the BMW-supported but highly over-priced JCG Works kit? Decision time… From a practical point of view, a rough first selection had to be made without prior test drives. The two winners after reading several car- and tuning magazines’ test reports were Digi-Tec and Hartge. JCG was not available at the moment and in any case too ridiculously over-priced in our opinion anyway. Appointments were made, Digi-Tec was first at Saturday February 9th, with Hartge soon to follow a week later.

Saturday February 9th

Digi-Tec’s head office is based in Datteln, a good two hour drive from where we live in the Netherlands. Digi-Tec has over 12 years experience in engine tuning. At 10.00 am QQQ arrived at Jos’ place, from where they continued their trip to pick up OS4Me. From OS4Me’s place we travelled to Datteln (3 big Dutchmen in a MINI and no problem!) where we arrived at 12.30 pm. We were awaited with coffee by Mr. Michael Pollmueller, the general manager. Although all three of us were a bit sceptical towards Digi-Tec (for unclear reasons) and in advance favoured Hartge a bit, mainly because of their over 30 year reputation in BMW tuning, this sceptisism was gone at the moment we entered the Digi-Tec showroom. This looked so neat and professional (containing amongst others a (tuned!) Ferrari 360 Modena, Ferrari Testarossa, two Porsche’s 996, a 450 BHP Audi RS4 and a 320 BHP New Beetle), that just couldn’t be the showroom of some unreliable, second class car tuner.

Outside we already saw the extremely lowered (7 cm/2.75 inches!) Chili Red MCS which succeeded in so many test reports. The car was wearing absolutely stunning 17 x 7.5 BBS RKII rims. After 20 minutes of conversation with mr. Michael Pollmueler, he finally spoke the magic two words: “Shall we?”

QQQ was the lucky first one to join mr. Michael Pollmueller in the red Digi-Tec MCS. Thereafter it was Jos and OS4Me’s turn. A first quick look at the Chili Red MCS showed how sturdy this car stood on his wheels, negatively cambered and much, much lower than the standard MCS, giving it a such a better and more aggressive look, with the two 85 mm centre placed stainless steel tail pipes from the Digi-Tec exhaust system to finish it off.

In each of the three test drives it was Mr. Michael Pollmueller to first get behind the wheel, taking us to a nice bendy road just outside Datteln. A clear but bearable roll when he started the engine (nice!), then taking us slowly through the busy Datteln streets, leaving us unknown with the power he was retaining from this little red beast. Until we arrived at the bendy road (which looked as if it was just put there for the MCS), with big old poplars on both sides. 2nd gear, about 40 km/h and he floored it……..Whooooow, bloody hell, it just took of like a rocket and kept going until 7300 rpm, shift to 3rd, head slapped backwards and floor it again, 170 km/h, big brembo braking and back to 2nd for a sharp right. No understeer and amazingly balanced, up to 3rd again, 160 km/h in a fast right hander, superb, like a warm knive cutting butter. Adrenaline pumping through our veins…. Then brembo emergency stop, and although the brakes were damaged by a journalist, which made the car shiver under heavy braking, it’s still anchors out, good thing we were wearing seat belts. Again very impressive! Until 5000, 5500 rpm the engines super charger is more noticeable than in the standard MCS but the car doesn’t sound loud at all. In the higher revs the Digi-Tec MCS adds a nice roll to it, very, very nice. From the outside the car has rather a kind of metallic sound, than a deep dark drone. Again, all three of us liked it, the car definitely sounds tuned albeit in a refined way. We can however imagine that some expect and want more noise out of an aftermarket exhaust. A matter of personal taste.

After mr. Pollmuelers heavy break it was our turn to get behind the wheel, all three of us drove the car through the same bendy road and busy Datteln traffic back to Digi-Tec’s head office. From the off, the car has so much more power than the standard MCS and it just keeps on going, every change of gear (although we didn’t come further than 4th) comes with your head being slapped backwards. This car has all that the standard MCS was missing. And that (KW manufactured) suspension kit, it’s just so perfectly balanced, turn in even better, we didn’t manage to get it into understeer, and God (as well as mr. Pollmueller for that matter) knows that we tried. And still, hard to believe admittedly, more comfortable than standard set up (tested by OS4Me on a speed ramp with the Digi-Tec MCS and QQQ’s (still) standard MCS). Maybe partially due to the Conti Sport Plus’s on the Digi-Tec, but still.

Back at base camp again, smiles all over and impressed, very impressed. Even OS4Me, though used to quite some power delivery from his Civic Type-R was overwhelmed by the performance he’d just experienced.
Afterwards we had another two hour conversation with mr. Michael Pollmueller, who really took all the time we needed. We had a fantastic day in Datteln and the Chili Red MCS exceeded all our expectations. We already read some very positive reviews in car- and tuning magazines and we can assure anyone, what you might have read is no word of a lie. And then to think, that this was only our first test drive, what more too expect? Next week it’s Hartge’s turn, Digi-Tec sure has set a high standard though. But first we had to go back to Holland, three big Dutchmen in a standard MCS, wishing they had more power…

Review by: QQQ and OnlyS4me

For more information on the Digi-tec Conversion, visit: www.digi-tec.de