We all know that excess heat is the enemy of a performance engine, especially when it comes to the pistons. Made from one of the more thermally conductive metals on the Periodic Table of Elements (aluminum), pistons are constantly battling heat, as they are subjected to combustion temperatures approaching 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit.

While MAHLE Motorsports has long been battling heat — in the form of friction — through the use of their Grafal piston skirt coatings on their PowerPak line of pistons, now they are taking on heat in a way that was previously reserved for the custom-piston realm.

Ceramic coatings on piston crowns are proven technology, and MAHLE is now offering their proprietary ceramic thermal barrier coating on any of its PowerPak lineup of performance forged pistons, in both the gas and diesel engine lineup. MAHLE’s Ceramic-based coating acts as a physical heat barrier on the crown of the piston.

Keeping heat in the combustion chamber and out of the piston itself not only increases the engine’s efficiency, but the thermal coating also prevents hot spots from forming on the face of the piston. Hot spots can become failure points under extreme use, so in addition to increasing efficiency, MAHLE’s new coating is also a safety net for those who might be prone to abusing pistons.

Available on complete PowerPak sets of pistons, or on individual replacement piston orders, the new ceramic coating, combined with the Grafal skirt coating, brings MAHLE’s shelf stock PowerPak program one step further into territory previously only occupied by custom piston manufacturers.