Not all electronic exhaust cutouts are built the same.

Why Granatelli Motor Sports Makes Some of the Best Electronic Exhaust Cutouts

Not all electronic exhaust cutouts are built the same. At first glance, most exhaust cutouts appear to perform the same basic job: open the exhaust for more sound and flow, then close it when you want the exhaust routed through the normal system. The difference is in how the cutout is built, how it operates, how it installs and how well it handles life underneath a vehicle.

That is where Granatelli Motor Sports electronic exhaust cutouts separate themselves from many basic cutout designs. From CNC-machined aluminum bodies and stainless-steel components to one-touch electronic control, automatic motor shutoff and low-profile oval options, Granatelli cutouts were designed as a complete performance system.

What Is an Electronic Exhaust Cutout?

An electronic exhaust cutout creates an alternate exhaust path that the driver can open or close electronically. With the cutout closed, exhaust continues through the vehicle's normal exhaust system. With the cutout open, exhaust can exit through a shorter path before traveling through some of the downstream mufflers, resonators and exhaust tubing. That gives the driver control over both exhaust sound and potentially exhaust restriction.

1. CNC-Machined 6061 Aluminum Cutout Bodies

One of the biggest differences starts with the body of the cutout itself. Granatelli electronic exhaust cutout bodies are CNC-machined from 6061 aluminum. This provides a lightweight, durable housing while allowing the critical surfaces of the cutout to be manufactured accurately. For a component that repeatedly opens and closes while mounted underneath a performance vehicle, construction quality matters.

2. Stainless-Steel Butterfly Plate and Shaft

The butterfly valve sits directly in the exhaust-flow path. That means it is repeatedly exposed to:

• Hot exhaust gases
• Rapid temperature changes
• Moisture
• Road debris
• Vibration
• Repeated opening and closing

Granatelli uses stainless-steel components in the butterfly and shaft assembly to help handle the demanding environment inside the exhaust system.

3. One-Touch Electronic Operation

One of the biggest advantages of the Granatelli electronic cutout system is its one-touch control. Some electronic exhaust cutout systems require the driver to hold a switch while the motor opens or closes the valve. With the Granatelli one-touch system, the driver can activate the switch and allow the controller to complete the opening or closing cycle.

That makes operating the exhaust cutout simple: Push the button. Let the system do the rest.

4. Automatic-Stop Motor Control

Opening and closing the butterfly is only part of the job. The motor also needs to know when to stop. Granatelli's one-touch electronic control incorporates an automatic-stop design that helps prevent the motor from continuing to drive the butterfly once it reaches the end of its travel. This is an important difference compared with simple systems where the driver has to judge how long to hold the switch.

5. High-Torque Gear-Reduction Motor

The electronic motor has to move the butterfly reliably despite heat, vibration and repeated exhaust cycles. Granatelli uses a high-torque gear-reduction motor designed to fully open and close the butterfly valve. The goal is not simply to make the valve move. The goal is to provide controlled and repeatable operation every time the driver activates the system.

6. 360-Degree Adjustable V-Band Design

Installation space underneath a vehicle is rarely perfect. Exhaust systems have to work around:

• Frames
• Floor pans
• Driveshafts
• Crossmembers
• Suspension components
• Transmission tunnels

Granatelli cutouts use a V-band connection that allows the cutout and turndown to be rotated during installation. That gives installers greater flexibility when packaging the system underneath the vehicle.

7. 45-Degree Stainless-Steel Turndown

When the exhaust cutout opens, the exhaust gases need somewhere to go. Granatelli electronic cutout systems use a 45-degree stainless-steel turndown to help direct exhaust gases away from the underside of the vehicle. The V-band connection also allows the installer to rotate the turndown to better suit the available space.

8. Multiple Exhaust Cutout Sizes

There is no single cutout diameter that works for every vehicle. Granatelli Motor Sports offers electronic exhaust cutouts for several popular exhaust sizes, including:

• 2.25-inch exhaust cutouts
• 2.5-inch exhaust cutouts
• 3-inch exhaust cutouts
• 3.5-inch exhaust cutouts
• 4-inch exhaust cutouts

That allows the cutout to be matched to the exhaust system instead of forcing the builder to adapt an incorrectly sized valve.

9. Single and Dual Exhaust Cutout Systems

Granatelli offers both single and dual electronic exhaust cutout configurations. A single-exhaust vehicle may only need one cutout. A true dual-exhaust vehicle can use one cutout for each side of the exhaust system. This gives builders more flexibility when designing an exhaust system around the vehicle.

10. Granatelli's Low-Profile Oval Exhaust Cutout

Traditional round exhaust tubing can become a problem on lowered cars. A 3-inch round pipe needs vertical space underneath the vehicle, and that can reduce ground clearance on lowered performance cars, Pro Touring builds and custom vehicles. Granatelli developed a 3-inch oval electronic exhaust cutout specifically to help solve this problem. The oval design is approximately 2.25 inches tall, providing roughly 0.75 inch of additional ground clearance compared with a traditional 3-inch round tube configuration.

You get the flow area of a 3-inch exhaust system in a lower-profile package.

Why Oval Exhaust Matters on Lowered Cars

Ground clearance can become one of the hardest parts of building an exhaust system for a lowered vehicle. The Granatelli oval exhaust system is especially useful for:

• Lowered Camaros
• Corvettes
• Mustangs
• Pro Touring cars
• Street/strip builds
• Custom chassis vehicles
• Vehicles with limited exhaust clearance

Instead of allowing the exhaust system to become one of the lowest points underneath the vehicle, the oval design helps tuck the exhaust closer to the chassis.

11. Exhaust Sound When You Want It

One of the biggest reasons enthusiasts install electronic exhaust cutouts is simple:

• They want control over how the vehicle sounds.
• With the cutouts closed, exhaust continues through the normal mufflers and tailpipes.
• Open the cutouts and the character of the vehicle changes immediately.
• For a street/strip vehicle, that can provide the best of both worlds.

Street Mode

Cutouts closed. Run the exhaust through the vehicle's normal mufflers and exhaust system.

Performance Mode

Cutouts open. Give the exhaust an alternate path with a dramatically more aggressive sound.

12. Potential for Reduced Exhaust Restriction

An electronic exhaust cutout does not automatically create a fixed amount of horsepower. What it can do is provide a shorter exhaust path that may bypass restrictive downstream components. The potential performance difference depends on:

• Engine horsepower
• Engine displacement
• Turbo or supercharger configuration
• Muffler design
• Exhaust diameter
• Existing exhaust restriction
• Cutout size
• Cutout location

The more restrictive the existing exhaust system is relative to the amount of exhaust the engine needs to move, the greater the opportunity for an alternate exhaust path to make a difference.

Granatelli Cutouts for Turbocharged Cars

Turbocharged engines can move tremendous amounts of exhaust gas. After the exhaust has driven the turbocharger turbine, excessive restriction downstream of the turbo can still affect the system. A properly positioned electronic exhaust cutout can provide an alternate exhaust path when maximum flow and sound are desired.

Granatelli Cutouts for Supercharged Cars

Supercharged engines force additional air into the engine. More air and more fuel also means more exhaust has to leave the engine. As horsepower increases, exhaust-system flow becomes increasingly important.

Granatelli Cutouts for Naturally Aspirated Performance Cars

Electronic exhaust cutouts are not only for boosted vehicles. Large-displacement and high-output naturally aspirated combinations can also benefit from an alternate exhaust path when the normal exhaust system becomes restrictive. This can include:

• LS-powered vehicles
• LT-powered vehicles
• Coyote Mustangs
• HEMI-powered vehicles
• Big-block combinations
• High-RPM naturally aspirated engines

Why Cheap Exhaust Cutouts Can Cost More in the Long Run

Price is easy to compare. Construction is harder to see until the cutout is already underneath the vehicle. An exhaust cutout lives in one of the harshest environments on the car. It is exposed to heat, dirt, water, road debris and constant vibration. That is why we believe the important questions are not simply:

• "How much does the cutout cost?"
• The better questions are:

• What is the body made from?
• What is the butterfly made from?
• How is the valve operated?
• Does the motor automatically stop?
• Can the cutout be positioned during installation?
• Is there a proper exhaust turndown?
• Are multiple sizes available?
• Is there a solution for lowered vehicles?

Those are the areas where the complete design of the Granatelli system becomes important.

What Makes Granatelli Motor Sports Exhaust Cutouts Different?

Granatelli Motor Sports electronic cutouts combine:

• CNC-machined 6061 aluminum cutout bodies
• Stainless-steel butterfly components
• High-torque gear-reduction motors
• One-touch electronic control
• Automatic-stop motor operation
• 360-degree adjustable V-band connections
• 45-degree stainless-steel turndowns
• Multiple exhaust diameters
• Single and dual systems
• Round cutout options
• Low-profile oval cutout options

It is not one feature by itself. It is the complete system.

Who Should Consider a Granatelli Electronic Exhaust Cutout?

Granatelli cutouts can be a strong choice for:

• Muscle cars
• Turbocharged vehicles
• Supercharged vehicles
• High-horsepower street cars
• Drag racing vehicles
• Street/strip cars
• Corvettes
• Camaro builds
• Mustangs
• HEMI vehicles
• LS and LT swaps
• Pro Touring cars
• Custom exhaust builds
• Lowered vehicles requiring more ground clearance

The Bottom Line

An electronic exhaust cutout looks simple until you consider everything it has to do. It needs to survive underneath the car, handle exhaust heat, open and close consistently, fit into tight spaces and give the driver reliable control over the exhaust system. That is why Granatelli Motor Sports focused on more than simply putting an electric motor on an exhaust valve.

With CNC-machined aluminum construction, stainless components, one-touch electronic operation, automatic motor control, adjustable V-band positioning and both round and low-profile oval options, Granatelli electronic exhaust cutouts are designed as a complete performance exhaust solution.

Shop Granatelli Motor Sports Exhaust Cutouts

Whether you need a single cutout, dual cutouts, a 2.25-inch system or a low-profile 3-inch oval setup, Granatelli Motor Sports offers multiple configurations for street and performance applications. Shop Granatelli Motor Sports Electronic Exhaust Cutouts

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Written by JoJo Granatelli — third generation at Granatelli Motor Sports in Oxnard, California, and the one who drives what the company builds. He set a quarter-mile record of 7.06 seconds at 157 mph at Famoso Dragstrip in August 2026. More about JoJo.