The internet is awash with performance enhancement products promising miraculous gains for your vehicle, often at incredibly low prices. Among these, OBD2 performance chips have become increasingly prevalent, marketed as simple plug-and-play devices capable of unlocking hidden horsepower and boosting fuel economy. However, the reality behind many of these “chips,” especially those flooding online marketplaces, is far from the advertised claims. Before you consider investing in a so-called performance chip, it’s critical to understand the truth behind these devices. This article delves into the Thorton Top Speed OBDII Cat Performance Chip Tuner, revealing why it’s just another iteration of a well-known scam that preys on unsuspecting car enthusiasts. We’ll dissect its claims, analyze its components, and expose the deceptive marketing tactics used to sell this product, ensuring you don’t fall victim to this Obd2 Top Speed scam. For a comprehensive understanding of the origins of these scams, we highly recommend reviewing quarkslab’s detailed reverse engineering analysis of the infamous Nitro OBD2 chip scam: https://blog.quarkslab.com/reverse-engineering-of-the-nitro-obd2.html. Numerous videos on platforms like YouTube further corroborate the deceptive nature of Nitro-OBD and its many clones, offering visual evidence and user experiences that echo our findings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgXwfBTKLGU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-l9ohTjvkw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdoIjt2mMEQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OIO1tJPEy8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1OmGDE1FLA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytwlDVaFbec.
Thorton Top Speed OBDII Cat Performance Chip: A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing?
The Thorton Top Speed OBDII Cat Performance Chip Tuner presents itself as a sophisticated vehicle tuning solution. Its sleek black casing and confident marketing suggest a high-quality product designed to enhance your car’s performance. Thorton Chip Tuning, the company behind this product, claims to be “a team of automotive enthusiasts” with years of experience in “high performance vehicles.” They even feature an “About Us” page with a photo that is meant to depict their tuning expertise.
Workers in a shop focused on axles, gearboxes, and tires, not engine tuning, on Thorton Chip Tuning's About Us page.
However, a closer look at this “shop photo” reveals a workshop focused on axles, gearboxes, and tires – hardly the environment one would expect for a company specializing in ECU tuning and performance chip development. This discrepancy raises immediate red flags about the legitimacy of Thorton Chip Tuning and their “Top Speed OBDII Cat Performance Chip.” The product itself, as advertised on their website, appears professional and enticing.
Product photo of the Thorton Top Speed OBDII Cat Performance Chip on the Thorton Chip Tuning website, showcasing its sleek design.
But as the saying goes, appearances can be deceiving. And in the world of OBD2 performance chips, this is especially true. Even a quick glance at the packaging and design reveals striking similarities to previously exposed scam devices.
Déjà Vu? Striking Resemblance to Known Scam Chips
The Thorton Top Speed OBDII Cat Performance Chip’s packaging immediately triggers suspicion. The box design, size, and even the instruction sheet bear an uncanny resemblance to those of the notorious SuperOBD scam chip.
Comparison showing near-identical packaging and instruction sheets of the SuperOBD scam chip and the Thorton Top Speed OBDII CAT.
It’s not just the box; the chip itself is virtually identical in appearance to the Super OBD2 / Nitro OBD scam modules. The shape, size, LED lights, and button placement are all the same. Only the color scheme and branding have been altered.
Side-by-side comparison highlighting the identical design of the Super OBD scam chip and the Thorton Top Speed OBDII Cat chip.
This visual similarity alone is a major warning sign. Scam products often recycle designs and packaging to minimize costs and quickly re-enter the market under different names.
Unraveling the Claims: Too Good to Be True?
Thorton Chip Tuning makes bold claims about the performance enhancements offered by their Top Speed OBDII Cat Performance Chip. They advertise “optimal performance and fuel consumption” achieved through ECU remapping after driving just 125 miles.
Website claims from Thorton Chiptuning promoting ECU remapping and performance adjustments after 125 miles of driving.
They also assert they are “U.S. sellers,” attempting to project an image of reliability and trustworthiness. However, as we will uncover, the product’s origin tells a different story.
Thorton Chiptuning website claim emphasizing their status as "U.S. sellers," a tactic to build trust with customers.
One of the most dubious claims is the assertion of “universal” compatibility combined with the requirement to select the “correct Make, Model and engine” during purchase.
Website claim from Thorton Chiptuning stating universal compatibility across engine sizes and types, yet requiring specific vehicle details at purchase.
If the chip were truly universal, why the need for specific vehicle details? Conversely, if it’s custom programmed, how can it be universally compatible? This contradiction is a classic hallmark of OBD2 performance chip scams. The most outlandish claim, however, is the promise of up to 40HP gains from a simple OBD2 plug-in device.
Thorton Chiptuning's bold claim of up to 40HP horsepower gains from their OBD2 performance chip, raising significant skepticism.
Such significant horsepower increases from a basic OBD2 module are highly improbable and should be treated with extreme skepticism. Legitimate performance gains of this magnitude typically require professional ECU tuning or physical modifications to the vehicle.
Pricing Levels: A Familiar Scam Tactic
The Thorton Top Speed OBDII Cat Performance Chip is offered in three “levels” at varying prices: Level 1 ($29.95), Level 2 ($59.95), and Level 3 ($89.95). Intriguingly, all levels of the chip look identical.
Thorton Chiptuning's tiered pricing for their Top Speed OBDII Cat Performance Chip, with different "levels" at increasing costs.
The tiered pricing structure, based on supposed “power” levels, is another tactic reminiscent of previous chip scams. The dial logos used to differentiate these levels bear a striking resemblance to those used by the Chipyourcar Thunderbolt scam chip.
Comparison of dial designs for chip levels between the Chipyourcar scam chip and Thorton Chip levels, revealing almost identical horsepower and MPG values.
The near-identical horsepower and MPG values associated with each level across these different “brands” further solidify suspicions of a common, fraudulent origin.
Inside the Chip: Exposing the Empty Promise
To definitively determine the true nature of the Thorton Top Speed OBDII Cat Performance Chip, a physical examination was conducted. Disassembling the chip revealed an internal circuit board that was immediately recognizable as a clone of the NitroOBD scam module.
External view of the Thorton Performance Chip Top Speed OBDII Cat, before disassembly, showing its generic OBD2 connector and casing.
Internal components of the disassembled Thorton Top Speed OBDII Cat Performance Chip, exposing the simple circuit board and LEDs.
A detailed comparison of the circuit boards confirmed that the Thorton chip is indeed another NitroOBD clone, with components rearranged and LED colors altered for superficial differentiation.
Detailed circuit board comparison between the SUPERobd NitroOBS scam chip and the Thorton Top Speed OBDII CAT Performance Chip, highlighting identical components.
Both modules utilize the same PIC16F59 microprocessor, a low-capacity chip incapable of storing genuine vehicle maps required for ECU remapping. This confirms that the Thorton Top Speed OBDII Cat Performance Chip lacks the processing power and memory necessary to deliver on its performance promises.
The Chinese Connection: Source of the Scam
The origin of these scam chips can be traced back to Chinese manufacturers, readily available on platforms like Aliexpress at incredibly low prices. A listing on Aliexpress directly exposes the Thorton Top Speed OBDII Cat chip, offered for around $4.32 per unit.
Aliexpress listing showcasing the OBDIICAT Scam Chip, the same module as the Thorton Top Speed OBDII Cat, available for bulk purchase.
Disturbingly, the product photo used on the Thorton Chip Tuning website is the exact same image featured in this Aliexpress listing! This blatant reuse of supplier images further underscores the deceptive nature of Thorton Chip Tuning and their lack of genuine product development. The Aliexpress listing even explicitly compares the “Top Speed OBDII Chip” to the original NitroOBD yellow scam chip, openly admitting their shared origin and functionality.
Aliexpress product comparison explicitly stating the Thorton Top Speed OBDII Chip is equivalent to the NitroOBD and ECO OBD modules.
This Chinese supplier even claims the chip is universally compatible with both gasoline and diesel vehicles, reinforcing the conclusion that it’s a generic, one-size-fits-all scam device, not a vehicle-specific performance tuner.
Road Test and Blink Test: No Performance, Just Lights
Real-world testing of the Thorton Top Speed OBDII Cat Performance Chip in a vehicle confirmed the absence of any performance gains. After driving the recommended 125 miles, no improvements in fuel economy, horsepower, or vehicle behavior were observed. Even without sophisticated dyno testing, the lack of any noticeable difference is telling.
To further validate the identical programming to the NitroOBD scam, a blink test was conducted. Both the Thorton chip and a known NitroOBD scam module were connected to a 12V power supply, and their LED blinking patterns were observed.
Bench test comparing the blinking LED patterns of the SuperOBD scam chip and the Thorton Performance Chip, revealing identical blink rates.
The blink test video is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9atyTLr5KU. Both chips exhibited identical blinking patterns, confirming they share the same basic programming and deceptive functionality. The blinking lights are simply designed to create a false impression of activity and communication with the vehicle’s computer, fooling consumers into believing the chip is actually working.
Conclusion: Thorton Top Speed OBDII Cat – Another Scam to Avoid
Our comprehensive analysis and testing definitively conclude that the Thorton Top Speed OBDII Cat Performance Chip is nothing more than a rebranded version of the NitroOBD scam. It’s a light-blinking box that offers no real performance enhancements and relies on deceptive marketing tactics to lure in unsuspecting customers. Do not waste your money on this product. You’d be better off spending it on a bag of potato chips!
Update: Thorton Superchargers – The Scam Expands
It appears the individuals behind the Thorton Performance Chip scam are continuing their deceptive practices with a new website: thortonsuperchargers.com. This site promotes a similar range of dubious performance products, including a “Nitro Performance Chip” and an air supercharger turbine.
Thorton Superchargers website promoting the "Nitro Performance Chip," openly using the name of the original scam product.
The “Nitro Performance Chip” is explicitly named, revealing the direct connection to the original scam. The website even describes it as an “inexpensive, universal solution,” contradicting any claims of custom programming or vehicle-specific tuning. Thorton Superchargers has already received a “D” rating from the Better Business Bureau, with customer complaints regarding refunds and product quality.
Thorton Superchargers BBB complaints, showing a "D" rating and customer issues with refunds and product defects.
A comparison of the “About Us” pages of both Thorton websites reveals nearly identical content and design, further confirming they are run by the same fraudulent operation.
Comparison of "About Us" pages between Thorton Performance Chip and Thorton Superchargers websites, highlighting identical layouts and content.
Be warned: both Thorton Chip Tuning and Thorton Superchargers websites are part of the same scam network and should be avoided at all costs. If, after reading all of this evidence, you’re still considering purchasing this product, we can only express our bewilderment.
