Downpipe / diesel particulate replacement pipe for BMW 3 Series E90-E92, 5 Series E60/E61, 6 Series E63/E64, X3 E83, X5/6 Series E70/E71 — TA Technix

The downpipe is the pipe that runs down from the turbocharger. This is where back pressure builds up: the turbine has to push exhaust gases through a restricted section and often a catalytic converter. Enlarging it frees up the turbine, allowing it to build boost earlier and more decisively - it is the exhaust modification you feel most on a turbocharged engine.

What changes behind the wheel: the response. The turbo takes less time to spool up, and the power delivery holds higher in the rev range. On a remapped engine, this is the part that allows the ECU tune to deliver what it promises; without remapping, the ECU compensates and much of the potential gain remains untapped.