Anyway, Jesse then began operating on the GTI. In true NYC fashion, Josh decided to go for the full APR Stage 2+ upgrade featuring an ECU upgrade, turbo-back exhaust and intake system.
The stock GTI exhaust can be unbolted and removed in two sections. As always, it's best to carefully remove the downpipe from the turbo as a broken bolt can greatly complicate the process. Should the need arise, Mk5 GTI owners can easily switch back to the stock exhaust in about the same time it takes to go aftermarket. This is an improvement over the Mk4 cars, where a torch was needed to cut the stock over-axle pipe before removal.
Installing the APR software...
Installing the APR software is simple and can be done within minutes.
As the stock exhaust came down, we were admiring the APR system. Featuring a polished 3" stainless steel downpipe, mid-pipe and rear muffler, it's a thing of beauty. Josh opted for the Stealth system with a second resonator. It has a 100-cell high-flow cat so that the system is said to flow well, but sports a deep and smooth tone, rather than raspy. It's less likely to attract unwanted attention but should still make good power.
On the intake side, NGP fitted a Carbonio intake system. It features a carbon fiber main intake and a dry (rather than oiled) air filter. The dry filter is said to reduce the chance of possible problems with the mass airflow sensor in the future. The new filter fits inside the factory airbox/engine cover to keep things simple. The factory snorkel from the grille to the airbox is then replaced with Carbonio's carbon part that looks great; like it just came off an Audi R10 racecar.
Chipping itSince we were running the full 3" exhaust, specific Stage 2+ programming was used. The 2.0T is a sensitive beast and a combination of too much exhaust flow and an aggressive chip can lead to inconsistent performance, so APR reined it in a little for the best results.
After dialing into APR's server, Jim initiated the programming sequence on the "chip-less" DirectPort process. APR's software uploads through the OBD port and is encrypted to make it virtually invisible to dealer diagnostic scans. It also can't be re-flashedaccidentally while being serviced. After the burn was completed we were ready to check the results.
The Vogtland coilovers ready...
The Vogtland coilovers ready for installation, once the stock parts have come off
Once the intake and exhaust were buttoned down, Jim pulled the car back to the dyno for programming. Josh added APR's EMCS FlipSwitch option. It has 93 octane, stock programming and security lockout programs that allow it to switch back to stock or lock the ECU to avoid any unwanted changes, and of course, to run less than 93 octane fuel if need be (a 91 octane program is available on the West Coast). Selecting each program is done via the car's cruise control stalk.
Dynoing itWith the Stage 2+ software installed, the GTI was back on the rollers with a more aggressive sound to match its aggressive look. After checking the straps, our GTI spun the rollers to the tune of 212whp and 260wtq.
Although the horsepower wasn't quite as high as we'd hoped with the full exhaust, the torque was outstanding, and the sound was incredible.
Interestingly, Jim mentioned the new 2.0T has an adaptive ECU and usually requires several miles to see the full results. Similarly equipped cars have made up to 225whp on NGP's Dynojet, so we plan to get back on the dyno during our next visit to check for additional gains.
It's interesting to again compare these results to our Project GLI. Despite starting with less power, it finished the day with 206whp and 248wtq. So it actually caught up a little bit using GIAC software, Techtonics exhaust system and Evoms intake (see et 8/06 for details).
Another unexpected bonus of the APR upgrades is that Josh has reported an additional 2-3mpg on the highway.
 Several stock parts are needed...  Several stock parts are needed for coilover assembly |  Once the coilovers have been...  Once the coilovers have been built up, you'll need a jack to push the bottom of the strut into the suspension arm |  Measuring ensures the car...  Measuring ensures the car sits level, but this should be double-checked once on the ground. |
 Jesse lightly de-burrs and...  Jesse lightly de-burrs and paints the spring to allow for smoother adjustment after install |  The rear suspension in pl...  The rear suspension in place |  The stock turbo-back exhaust...  The stock turbo-back exhaust system (bottom) with its sleek APR replacement |
 Note the APR system has just...  Note the APR system has just one cat, whereas the stock downpipe has a second cat immediately behind the turbo flange |  The stock rear muffler compared...  The stock rear muffler compared to its slimmed down APR replacement |  Slight adjustment was needed...  Slight adjustment was needed on the downpipe exhaust hangers to allow the mid-pipe to sit dead straight in the exhaust tunnel |