Paul Piola Looks At Tuning Options To Get The Most Out Of Your 2.0t Motor.
If the release of the 1.8T engine made some noise in the aftermarket, the arrival of the 2.0T FSI (Fuel Stratified Injection) motor in '05 was a seismic shockwave. Starting life with a hefty 200hp, the turbocharged two liter four cylinder can be found in the Audi A3, A4 and Volkswagen's Passat, Eos, Jetta and GTI. This month we're focusing on the GTI and GLI applications, but most parts listed here are also available for the other models.
Since numerous companies already have their hands dirty on these cars, we can expect to see new parts arriving on a regular basis. And although the 2.0T has only been around for a relatively short time, some tuners have already doubled the horsepower, so the future looks very bright.
We've compiled a list of what's currently available, as well as what's soon to be released.
To level the playing field, we've assumed a 185hp baseline to the front wheels (whp), which is what an average car shows on a chassis dyno. As with all our recent engine tuning guides, bear in mind that dynos and cars can vary.
We don't use flywheel guesstimates because they're usually quoted with different assumed transmission losses and are rarely backed by engine dyno figures. Prices listed here don't include installation costs.
ITG filter element
$0-1000The cheapest mod is a drop-in K&N filter element. Available through K&N dealers, you can find them for about $50 online. ITG also sells a drop-in filter for about $60.
Abt Sportsline, the respected German tuner distributed through Doral in Miami, FL, offers an ECU upgrade with a flat torque curve. It retails for $699 and you could see over 215whp.
UPsolute (formerly Chiptronics) has some of the lowest priced software available at $300, and you can expect 210-215whp from this.
Revo Technik sells a stage 1 software upgrade for stock cars or those with a cat-back and intake system for $499. For cars with a turbo-back exhaust, Revo's stage 2 software costs $549.
AEM sells a cold-air intake (CAI) for $453. It's powdercoated silver and uses their Dryflow filter. Up to 195whp is said to be possible on a stock car.
Carbonio Intake
APR sells the Carbonio intake system that uses a carbon airbox to resist heat. Expect decreased turbo lag and a few extra hp for $279. APR also has software for $599 that's claimed to give 215-220whp and 265 lb/ft of torque for its 93-octane software (210-215whp, 245 lb/ft for 91-octane). APR software uses a patented cruise control toggle switch to select programs.
Autobahn Designs (ABD Racing) sells a stage 1 intake for $200, which draws air through a 3" mandrel-bent pipe. It includes a K&N filter and retains the OE engine cover. Expect up to 4whp. For an additional $200, the stage 2 intake uses a ceramic-coated pipe to reduce intake temps and includes a new MAF housing. An 8whp is possible but the engine cover must be trimmed.
EIP Tuning's CAI starts at $250, but for an extra $70 you can have the pipe color-matched in GTI paint.
For $400 you can strap on Autotech's cat-back exhaust system. It should take a stock car to 193whp. The system also shaves 11 lb over stock.
Dahlback Racing has an ECU upgrade that's good for over 210whp on 91-octane and retails for $499.
Euro Sport Cool Flo Race
For $230 you can purchase Euro Sport Accessories' Cool Flo Race intake, in either in polished ceramic or black wrinkle finish. Euro Sport will soon release a 2.5" exhaust for $500-700; expect its 3" downpipes to retail between $400-500.
If you've already got software, ATP Turbo's 3" intake and cat-delete downpipe retail at $295 and $369, respectively. The intake includes a CNC-machined MAF housing and is made from stainless 304 tubing. The downpipe is mandrel bent with CNC flanges and V-band clamps. ATP saw over 230whp on a car with GIAC software and a factory cat-back.
Evolution Motorsports (evoms) sells the $299 V-Flo intake, utilizing patented venturi molding and CNC machining.
ABD intake | | |