I recently saw an ad for a 2009 Factory JCW, which the seller claims was a dealership launch car. I'm not sure what that means, but I'm assuming it was a special demo that was sent to select dealerships across the country. In the ad he claims that the car "still has its launch/press car engine software, pops and backfires like a mean little monster..."

Does anybody out there know what he's talking about? Does anybody have any details?

 

Yeah, a "launch" car typically means it was their first one into the dealer used for demoing and promote sales.
Typically, they are somewhat cared for by the dealer staff (in terms of scuffs / dings), but can be overlooked when it comes to mechanical care.

The "pop-n'-burble" the representative is referring to is the sounds the exhaust make when decelerating (letting off the throttle) when in gear.
The momentum of the car rotating the non-loaded engine to create scavenging vacuum in the exhaust system to where the system gurgles.
It does that because the OEM JCW exhaust is such free flowing design without a second catalyst installed.

There was a software change to reduce / remove that gurgle through ECU programming.

- Erik

 

I have launch car... all I know is it is fully fully loaded....