First and foremost, you should give your car a thorough service. This is not only to make sure that the car is ready for any potential mods that may be coming, but also so that you can become familiar with the condition of the car and what needs improving. 

A simple fluid change and brake check are a good place start, which will help extend the life of the car if done regularly and properly. Now is also a good time to check under the car to see what condition things such as the bushes are in. If they are worn, consider investing in a set of Polyurethane bushes as they will instantly improve the feel and tightness of the car. 

2. Driver Mod

Once you are happy that your car is solid, drop the spanners and step away from it. All of the modifications in the world can't prevent you from being a bad driver, and if you get into your tuned 600hp car expecting to set lap records, you'd be wrong. 

A professional driving instructor on a closed course is a perfect way to avoid messing up, as they'll teach you how to drive a slow car quick before you drive a quick car into a ditch. Once you understand the dynamics of how a car acts under different conditions and on different surfaces, you'll be ready to start adding to your car. 

3. Tyre and Wheel package

Many people think that to make a car faster it needs more power, but this isn't the case. There's a reason why a 300hp Civic Type R is faster around the Nurburgring than a 700hp Challenger Hellcat, and that's simply because you need to be able to put power to the ground effectively in order to be fast. 

A good wheel and tyre package is a great way to accomplish this, as the new wheel will allow you to run wider tyres than previously, which will give you more grip to stick to the track with. 

4. Suspension

Now that you have the ability to grip the road, you need to make sure that you are able to hold your lines through the corners. A new suspension set up is a simple way to do this, and some coilover sets can be affordable enough to buy even on a strict budget.

This new set up will allow you to drop your car lower, both giving you a more aggressive look and a lower centre of gravity, which is key for cornering stability. If the suspension is set up properly, it will allow you to take corners with more speed and confidence, as the car will remain more stable during the forces experienced while cornering.

5. Brakes

With these basics covered, it's LS engine swap time, right? Well hold on just a moment, because you have to remember that acceleration is just the half of it, as you have to come back to a stop too. 

If you are still running stock brakes on your modified car, there's a chance that they just won't cut it anymore. You don't want to be travelling at 100mph down a back straight just to discover that your brakes are faded, and that the upcoming wall is soon to be your closest friend. A big brake upgrade may be expensive, but every time they do their job, you'll be thanking them. Brembo is the brand that most people know of, but there are plenty of other cheaper brands that will make kits specifically for your car.

6. Weight Reduction

here's a very easy modification that anyone can do to make their car faster, even though it costs nothing (apart from maybe a little bit of comfort, but who cares about that?). 

Stripping all the excess weight from your car will mean that you don't have to lug around so much weight and your acceleration will be quicker. Once you've finished enjoying your car's lower weight gains, return the favour by hitting the treadmill and shaving off those extra few pounds of weight for ultimate weight reduction...bro. 

7. Power

Now is the part that you've been waiting for. You've made sure that the car is ready for everything that you throw at it. You can grip, corner and stop, so now it's time to go fast. The choices involved in modifying your drivetrain are endless. Do you go for an all-motor build, or do you go down the route of forced induction? 

There really is no correct answer to this, and it completely depends on what you are doing with your car. If it's a road car that is going to be used on track, one of the best options is going to be a naturally-aspirated build, as you will benefit from very linear power delivery, and amazing throttle response. On the other hand, if you are looking to do something like drag racing, you are better off using forced induction to maximise power delivery and acceleration. It's all up to you what you do to boost power, but just remember to build the car to the level where the other components can handle it comfortably. 

8. Aero

With both acceleration and cornering addressed in their major aspects, you now need to try to squeeze out as much additional performance as you can from the car. A great way to do this is to enhance aerodynamics. You see amazing examples of this on Time Attack cars, as they use the downforce generated by air rushing over the car to push it down hard and give it more grip. 

You can just as easily do this to your own car by adding functional aero parts like a lip or spoiler that can help to get even more out of your car when you really need it. 

9. Interior Mods

Stripping the interior can detract from the comfort of a car, and if it's your daily, then you'll have to put up with it on a regular basis. The best way around this is to install a comfortable yet functional interior into your car. 

Something like a Nardi leather steering wheel and a set of Recaro seats are a great combo that offer the  perfect mix of comfort and being supportive enough when you hit the track. 

10. Graphics/Design

Finally, once you have made sure that the car is perfect both from a mechanical aspect, and from a driver's perspective, you can worry about how it looks. Whether you are going to go full race car-spec by adding a flashy livery, or just going for a subtle respray, it's your chance to be unique.  

That's the order that we would modify our cars in. What mods would you choose, and in what order would you do them?