APR ECU Upgrade - 2.0T IS38 - MQB High Output

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 and torque levels, supporting various octanes both with or without any hardware or transmission modifications. APR Plus software is available featuring a factory matching limited powertrain warranty. Specific software is available for use with a high flow Race DP exhaust system, while all stages are fully compatible with an upgraded intake, intercooler, catback exhaust, or other minor bolt on modifications. Finally, each stage is offered with special “Low Torque” software, designed to limit peak torque for use with an unmodified factory manual clutch, or DSG transmission.

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 357 HP with 349 FT-LBS of torque. Gains as high as 66 HP and 68 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 357-381 HP with 349-392 FT-LBS of torque. Gains as high as 66-93 HP and 68-109 FT-LBS of torque are available throughout the power band, making the vehicle exceptionally quicker in all scenarios.

The upgrade is offered in both high and low torque versions, and is available for various fuel grades. The high torque upgrade may require an upgraded clutch on manual transmission vehicles, or APR's TCU Upgrade on 6 Speed DQ250 DSG/S tronic vehicles to avoid clutch slip, so low torque software is available, offering an impressive 349-366 FT-LBS of torque.

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. For those looking for even more power, check out our Stage 2 ECU upgrade. 

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.