MaxxECU GEN2 RACE: A Leap Forward for Modern Engine Control

When MaxxECU first introduced the RACE ECU years ago, it quickly became a favourite, it had an amazing featureset at a competitive price point. Its combination of flexible engine compatibility, powerful processing, solid datalogging, and an intuitive tuning ecosystem made it a standout in its class. But technology moves fast, motorsport even faster and MaxxECU has been busy behind the scenes building something that pushes the boundaries further.

A New “Target Engine” Ceiling

The first-gen RACE supported sequential control on up to eight cylinders. That was more than enough for most builds of its time, four and six-cylinder turbo projects, V8 street/strip setups, and a variety of custom engines. And if they were to make the first generation support more than 8 cylinders sequentially, we would’ve lost out on functionality such as outputs. However, this all changes with this new generation.

The GEN2 RACE stretches that ceiling dramatically:

Up to 12 cylinders fully sequentially
12 cylinders in wasted spark
Still compatible with any 1–12 cylinder engine, 2-stroke or 4-stroke

For the first time, the RACE Gen 2 comfortably supports V10 and V12 platforms with true full sequential operation, something tuners previously needed to step up to much more expensive motorsport ECUs to achieve.
At this point, you may be thinking, well, I’ve only got a 4 cylinder engine, does that mean I have 8 unused ignition outputs and 12 unused injector outputs? Not at all. Ignition outputs now have the capability to deliver +12v, as well as switch to GND, making them dual purpose in the event you don’t need the other ignition outputs. Injectors can be switched to gnd, to control solenoids, relays and anything else you can think of!

Massively Expanded Input Capability

The GEN1 RACE offered a solid selection of inputs, enough to handle typical sensor packages with some room for expansion. But modern motorsport builds rely heavily on data, and MaxxECU clearly designed GEN2 around this reality.

Here’s how the new GEN2 RACE transforms sensor input capacity:

GEN1 RACE Inputs

6 analog 0–5V inputs
4 digital inputs
8 EGT inputs
2 trigger inputs
2 knock inputs
2 auxiliary temperature inputs
Single wideband controller

GEN2 RACE Inputs

24 analog inputs with selectable pullups (meaning they can be used for both 0-5v sensors, and temperature sensors)
8 pulse/trigger inputs (VR/Hall), including two with 5/12V supply (instead of splicing and running additional wires to supply a sensor with 5v or 12v, the flying lead looms come with a wire inside the sheathing that is connected directly to an ECU supply, which can be changed between 5v and 12v on the fly)
8 built-in EGT inputs (Type-K) with quadruple the sampling rate
Built-in dual wideband controllers supporting LSU 4.2 / 4.9 / 5.2
Built-in 550 kPa (80 PSI) MAP sensor (serviceable)
Dual knock inputs
Internal 8G accelerometer

That’s not an incremental upgrade, it’s an absolute explosion in I/O capability.

Output Flexibility for Modern Builds

GEN1 RACE outputs were generous for its time: eight injector outputs, eight ignition outputs, plus a handful of general-purpose outputs, including four motor outputs for e-throttle.

16 injector outputs (peak/hold, high or low impedance)
12 ignition outputs with selectable +5V / 12V / GND
8 low-side GP outputs
4 +12V GP outputs
4 H-bridge outputs for e-throttle or motors

Not only are there more outputs, but the flexibility has dramatically increased. Being able to choose output voltage levels for ignition/GP channels means easier integration with diverse coils, modules, and actuators.

A Monumental Jump in Processing Power

The GEN1 RACE used an ARM Cortex-M3 at 120 MHz with separate processors dedicated to triggers, knock, and injectors. It was fast and stable, but compared to today’s needs, it was ready for an upgrade.

The GEN2 RACE moves to a dual-core ARM architecture, delivering:

3,000 fuel/ignition calculations per second (GEN1 did 2,000)
2000 Hz sampling on analog/digital inputs (GEN1 maxed around 1000 Hz)
200 Hz EGT sampling (GEN1: 50 Hz)
16 GB of internal datalogging (GEN1: 8 MB)

This type of speed matters. Faster calculations mean more accurate corrections, smoother drivability, and safer operation when pushing engines to the limit.

Connectivity: Designed for Modern Workflows

GEN1 gave us USB tuning and Bluetooth for MDash. At the time, that was excellent.

GEN2 modernizes the entire workflow:

USB-C high-speed 480 Mbit/s communication
USB-C charging port
WiFi capability for MTune and MDash planned.
Dual CAN buses (GEN1: single CAN)

Built for Real Motorsports Abuse

GEN2 doesn’t just improve electronically, it improves physically.

Compared to GEN1:

Weight drops from 880 g to 700 g
The case shrinks (in two dimensions) while adding more capability
All I/O ports include built-in protection against short circuits, over-voltage, and reverse polarity

In Summary:

The MaxxECU GEN1 RACE was exceptional for its time, and it still holds up today for many builds, by no means is it outdated or no longer supported. It is still one hell of an ECU and comes at a really good price point.

But the GEN2 RACE has been designed around modern engines, with more I/O, more sensors, more canbus integration. The new GEN2 Race is much more comparable with the original Pro ecu.

You get:

Triple the analog inputs
Quadruple the EGT sampling rate
More processing speed and higher sampling rates
Vastly more datalogging capacity
True 12-cylinder sequential capability
Far more output channels with greater flexibility
Integrated dual wideband
Two CAN buses
550kPa Map Sensor
Upgraded protection and durability

Find the latest MaxxECU Race GEN2 here:
https://asdtuninguk.com/product/maxxecu-gen2-race/

Need help?
Email us at in**@*********uk.com
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