The downpipe is the tube that descends from the turbocharger. This is where back pressure builds up: the turbine has to expel the exhaust gases through a narrowed 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: response. The turbo takes less time to spool up, and the power keeps building higher in the rev range. On a remapped engine, this is the part that lets the ECU deliver what the tune promises; without remapping, the ECU compensates and much of the potential gain remains unused.