Not sure if I agree with this statement, although they spend large amounts of money, they are still governed by price/reliability/economy/emissions/performance etc; Therefore, the standard solution may not be the best for performance, but the best compromise for the above mentioned factors.
.. but there's no emissions / economy benefit in strangling the intake of an engine or feeding it warm air.
On the other hand, car buyers do compare BHP figures between models so a manufacturer won't lose significant amounts of power from their "pub figure" for the sake of a bit of plastic ducting.
It may have been the case with older cars that you could change parts like this and gain significant power, but manufacturers these days are much more on the ball IME.
Kevin
I still disagree, I can see your point. But I don't agree. The performance figures on every car are a compromise between economy/comfort and reliable (amongst other factors). Saying it has a million BHP may impress some, but they may well reduce the BHP to get the economy or into a different road tax band.
For example....
I can take a standard car brand new off the forecourt, rolling road it and get lets say 100bhp.
If I then take it for a remap and RR it again, I would expect the bhp would has risen (or why would you bother?).
If I then lost the remap, but stuck a performance exhaust on and RR'd it again, I'd expect a performance increase.
Under your reasoning, the manufacturer would already have the best parts on as they spend loads on development so neither of these would change anything. But they do.
Thus the modified car scene would just turn into air-fix kits and blue LED's etc;
(Sorry for the hi-jack)