APR ECU Upgrade - 2.0T IS20 - MQB

FREE installation on virtually all new ECU & TCU upgrade purchases!

APR’s ECU Upgrades are the best dollar-per-horsepower modification one can make to the 2.0T engine. The upgrades dramatically increase horsepower and torque, making for an exceptionally quicker and more exciting vehicle. This is made possible through APR’s optimization of the factory engine management system to take full advantage of the engine’s capabilities, without needing any end user adjustment. The software loads to the factory ECU through the OBD-II port, resulting in a clean and headache-free install. Furthermore, for those looking for tuning with a limited powertrain warranty, APR Plus has you covered!

APR ECU Upgrade Stages

APR’s ECU Upgrades are available in multiple stages supporting various octanes both with or without any hardware or transmission modifications. Specific software is available for use with a FWD Race DP or AWD Race DP, factory GTI IS20 turbo upgrade, and factory Golf R IS38 turbo upgrade. Each stage is fully compatible compatible with an upgraded intake, intercooler, catback exhaust, or other minor bolt on modifications.

APR Plus ECU Upgrade with a Limited Powertrain Warranty

The APR Plus ECU Upgrade is the first step towards making more power, and it includes our limited powertrain warranty. This simple upgrade requies no engine hardware modifications, and produces 292 HP with 334 FT-LBS of torque. Gains as high as 78 HP and 105 FT-LBS of torque are available throughout the power band, making the vehicle exceptionally quicker in all scenarios. 

The APR Plus ECU Upgrade matches the performance of our Stage 1 ECU Upgrade (91 octane low torque version). To get even more power, you can add any of our other Stage 1 compatible products and still be covered under the APR Plus warranty! This only excludes our Race DP and turbo/fueling upgrades. To learn more about APR Plus, please visit the APR Plus website. 

If you're not interested in the APR Plus limited powertrain warranty, and want even more power, check out our other Stages.

APR Stage I ECU Upgrade

The APR Stage I ECU Upgrade is the first step towards making more power! This simple upgrade requires no engine hardware modifications, and produces 305-328 HP with 371-382 FT-LBS of torque. Gains as high as 78-97 HP and 95-110 FT-LBS of torque are available throughout the power band. Optionally a low torque version of Stage I is available that puts less stress on the factory clutch.

To get more power, the vehicle can be outfitted with an upgraded intake, intercooler, catback exhaust and other small modifications without requiring any new modification to the ECU.

APR IS38 Turbo Upgrade

This ECU Upgrade requires the factory IS38 turbocharger, found on the MK7 Golf R, and separate ECU Upgrades are available for use with the factory DP exhaust system. It requires an upgraded intake and intercooler.

With the factory exhaust DP it produces 345-373 HP with 359-390 FT-LBS of torque. Gains as high as 114-140 HP and 105-135 FT-LBS of torque are available throughout the power band. 

To get more power the vehicle can be outfitted with a catback exhaust and other small modifications without requiring any new modification to the ECU. APR's TCU Upgrade may be required to prevent transmission slip, and is required to achieve a higher redline. 

*APR recommends using colder heat-range spark plugs (Ex: NGK-R7437-9), properly gapped to a tighter gap (Ex: 0.024" ±0.002" or 0.6mm ±0.05mm), properly installed and torqued (Ex: Per the manufacturer's specifications), and maintained with a shorter changer interval (Ex: 10,000-15,000 mi or 16,000-24,000 km).

Acceleration Testing

Dyno testing is a great way to gauge power increases over the entire rev range but may not translate to real world performance. Through GPS based acceleration testing, APR’s Engineers were able to verify increases made on the dyno translated to a faster and quicker vehicle on the street.

APR Exhaust Crackle: Enhance your exhaust note just like Audi’s latest RS models! The APR Exhaust Crackle, lovingly called “pops and bangs” by many, adds a distinct crackle to the exhaust note upon lifting off the throttle, gear changes on a manual, decelerating, or while free revving at a stand standstill. This optional feature is available at no cost, at the time of flashing, for most compatible ECUs at stage 2 and higher stages. For convenience, the feature is only enabled when the vehicle is placed into sport mode or while free revving the engine. Lastly, for safety, this feature has built in hardware protection limits, and will only function when it’s considered safe to do so.