Adam Brackney and David Lehmann have the dream job of 10-year-old boys. The two, friends for several decades, worked hard to start their own business, Eurocharged Performance, a luxury car repair and performance shop in Round Rock.
Brackney and Lehmann spend time examining specialty automobiles, troubleshooting ways to make cars faster and dreaming up “tunes,” or performance enhancers, for unique vehicles.
Brackney previously worked in the telecommunications industry, and Lehmann is a factory-trained Mercedes-Benz technician, having obtained specialty qualifications to work on specific cars that many auto repair shops are not equipped to service.
One such car, a Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, is sitting in Eurocharged’s garage. The car, which has a top speed above 200 miles per hour, allows drivers to accelerate from a standstill to 60 miles per hour in just 4 seconds.
Brackney said less than 1,300 of these cars have ever been produced.
“Most people have never seen one in person,” Brackney said.
This is just another day for Brackney and Lehmann at work. Not only do they enhance their performance, but they make the cars more unique. Brackney and Lehmann use proprietary software for many of their tasks.
At times the duo must also design and manufacture new parts to solve the problems set before them.
Brackney said it allows them to exercise their creative muscles and problem-solving abilities.
“That’s the nature of performance,” he said. “There’s a lot of cavities to fill.”
Brackney and Lehmann often sound more like doctors than technicians, using complicated terminology and spouting out numbers for further testing. Although the car problems they diagnose can be complex and require focused thinking, it all comes back to the two’s simple childhood passion: cars.
Performance-ready
Terminology used in performance shops might seem hard to understand and out of reach. Here’s a glossary of key terms to know about the industry:
- ECU tune: a change to the car’s computer that allows the car to run on more power
- Aftermarket parts: parts that are made by anyone other than the car manufacturer
- Dynamometer: a tool that tests the power output of an engine and allows a customer to see results of tuneups
Eurocharged Performance
7 Applegate Circle,
Ste. 400, Round Rock
512-777-2799
www.eurochargedatx.com
Hours: Mon.-Fri. 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.,
Sat. by appointment, closed Sun.
