I guess the V6 and quattro add quite a bit. Audi's AWD systems have always been heavy.

Don't even start on how much a 997 weighs...

Sorry, but he's wrong, plain and simple. There are 2 different pistons available, and that is where the difference in compression is. Both motors use the same headgasket.

The "engineers" at car shows are typically sales people that are culled from the various dealerships in Southern California;)

I just spoke with the engineers (who don't go to car shows) at the VW proving grounds in Arizona. We have a very good technical pipeline going between us over the years where they supply us tech info otherwise unobtainable and we provide them with prototype performance parts for testing and evaluation. They further confirm that the pistons (and thus CR) are different (and not just a different part number) between a euro and US spec motor and the US versions are about a MEASURED point lower. The A3 here in the States is using the lower compression 10.3:1 pistons as well.

Our bone stock car was detonating badly on the street and dyno with 91 after we got it last March, so much so that we had to abort the dyno runs. Mixing in 5 gallons of 100 octane to raise the octane level cured the detonation and allowed us to get the 185 whp baseline number.

When we drove the car to SEMA for display in BBS of America's booth, we filled it full of 100 octane and than blended with 91 in Barstow. The car also topped out at 153 mph on I-15 with the APR software and our intake/exhaust systems.;)

Believe your engineer source if you want. The magazines write based on the info they are spoon fed. Many of the journalists wouldn't know a camshaft from a crankshaft.:)

Ralph

From a USA Audi web site
Technical Specifications
ENGINE
1984 cc 2 liters In-line 4 front engine with 82.5 mm bore, 92.8 mm stroke, 10.3 compression ratio, double overhead cam, variable valve timing/camchaft, and 4 valves per cylinder
ENGINE PERFORMANCE
Power: 149kW, 200HP SAE @ 5100 rpm; 207 ft lb, 281Nm @ 1800 rpm
Fuel Economy EPA Highway (|/100km): 30, EPA Highway (mpg): 7.8, EPA City (|/100km): 23, EPA City(mpg): 10.2
TRANSMISSION
Front-wheel drive
Electronic traction control via ABS & Engine Management
Manual 6 speed transmission
SUSPENSION
Strut front suspension independent with stabilizer bar and coil springs
WHEELS
Front and rear tires with 225 mm tire width, 45% tire profile and Y tire rating
Front and rear alloy wheels with 8 inch rim diameter and 7.5 inch rim width
BRAKES
Front and rear tires with 4 disc brakes including 2 ventilated discs
4-wheel ABS
STEERING
Plastic covered steering wheel with tilt and telescopic adjustment
Power steering
FUEL
Gasoline direct injection
Premium unleaded fuel
55 liter 14.5 gallon auxiliary fuel tank
WEIGHTS
Weights: curb weight(kg) 1510 and curb weight(lbs) 3329
DIMENSIONS
External dimensions: overall length (mm/in): 4285/168.7, overall width (mm/in): 1958/77.1, overall height (mm/in): 1422/56, wheelbase (mm/in): 2578/101.5, front track (mm/in): 1521/59.9, rear track (mm/in): 1494/58.8, curb to curb turning circle (mm/ft): 10698/35.1

Internal Dimensions: front headroom (mm/in): 965/NA, rear headroom (mm/in): NA/NA, front leg room (mm/in): 1046/NA, rear leg room (mm/in): NA/NA, front shoulder room (mm/in): 1379/NA, rear shoulder room (mm/in): NA/NA, interior volume (liters/cu ft): NA/NA

Cargo capacity: all seats in place (liters/cu ft): 371/13.1

Are your modifications recognized by Volkswagen? Is the car under warranty after chips, intakes and exhausts are installed "closing the gap" as the article says between U.S. and Euro cars?

Secondly, Euro magazines rate the 2.0 T at the same horsepower and torque for U.S. and Euro models, which doesn't make sense if one engine has higher compression than the other. Maybe I'm wrong in this regard, but if you could share some of that "unobtainable" information you obtained, it'd clear things up a bit for me.

Thanks.

My UK car manual and advertising material calls for 98 octane fuel and 95 permissable with reduced performance.
I have run my 20.T FSI on 95 without pre-ignition knocks (but never from less than a quarter full fill up).
91 octane would appear to be below manufacturers recommendations.

There is also unconfirmed Audi forum chatter about model year 2006 having a very slightly lower compression ratio but the same power characteristics.

Nope, our modifications are not recognized by Volkswagen nor are they intended to be. Our prototypes are sent to VW strictly "under the radar" for evaluation and fitment on models that we can't get access to until the car's release. We're already learning some of the details on the new R32 based on the Mk5 chassis.

The parts are not sent with the intent to be fitted to production models and I'm sorry if I gave that impression, although I did speak with Len Hunt over the summer and he had some interest in pursuing some of our product line for their accessories division. Sadly, he was sacked a couple of months later.

Any car is technically not under warranty after performance modifications have been made, but the burden of proof is on the mfg. to show that a component failed due to installing an aftermarket part. You can't deny a warranty for a door handle that broke off because your car has been chipped. Some dealers are more "aftermarket" friendly than others and I've heard some real horror stories from customers over the years. We have built many cars over the years for our local dealer that they then sell with a mark-up to the consumer. The advantage to the consumer is that they can build the modifications into their financing.

What we have done though for many products is apply for, test, and receive CARB exemption. Our (with APR's programming help) chips are undergoing testing right now, ALL of our intake kits for Mk3, Mk4 & Mk5 models have been granted a CARB EO number and many of our performance camshaft grinds have passed the testing and have a EO number as well. While they may still technically void a new car warranty, they legally pass CA visual and rolling dyno emissions. Testing is very expensive, approximately $3,500 per product line which is why many companies don't bother.

You are absolutely correct on the quoted horsepower/torque numbers. They are the rated the same for US & Euro spec motors. While both motors are using Bosch ME9, the programs between the two are different and not interchangeable. You may remember the original 1.8T's were 150 horsepower when released, and than increased to 180 horsepower a few years later. The difference was in the ECU as they both used K03 turbos. When you chipped either, the end result was the same (approx. 195-205 depending on what chip mfg you believe) and not a 30 horsepower disparity as they were from the factory. The 1.8T in the Audi TT rated at 225 hp had different electronics from VW, as well as different camshafts, exhaust and turbo (it used a K04).

Like Porsche, VW's numbers are probably a little understated. Our GTI made 185 whp on the Dynojet, which if you assume the 200 crank horsepower quoted by VW as being absolute is only a 7% driveline loss.

Ralph

Ralph

Ralph - thanks for the response. I ask about the warranty only because both John Cooper and Dinan are recognized by Mini and BMW and are under the company's warranty. Same with Saleen, for example.

I like the mods, though. Any idea of $$? Do you have a package put together?

Oh, and what'd you do to lighten the GTI?

SmileWavy

Hey, Ralph, have you seen any trick front spoiler kits for the A3? There was a really tricked out car at SEMA that seemed to have everything on it.

Any recommended 18" wheels? I'm partial to the ADR 7-spoke styles and the ADR M-Classics.

Those guys are way out of our league. We are the 2nd largest VW tuner in the US (after Neuspeed), but VW has never been aftermarket friendly, especially to a US tuner. We're still considered "boy racers" by the manufacturers. Building production cars isn't our area of expertise nor something I personally have an interest in.

My opinion is the best bet in the VW/Audi world to ever achieve "mfg status" would be ABT in Germany, as they already prepare many cars for competition and they are considered to be in similar standing as AMG is to Mercedes. The funny thing is, much of they're stuff is so overpriced and many of our products (and others in the US as well) fit better and make more power. They seem to have a different US distributor every couple of years, as people realize that they're paying primarily for a name and not necessarily the performance. Volkswagen guys won't touch their stuff.

Many of the chip tuners (APR, GIAC, REVO, etc) charge $500-$700 for their programs. The new cars are all flashed through the OBD2 port and many of the chip tuners are all trying to outdo each other with different options. When you consider that 30 whp is gained for the above dollar range, it's not a bad deal.

Whereas you could simply bolt on a K04 using the stock manifold and a simple remap yielded 230-240 crank horsepower on a 1.8T, the A3/GTI/GLI 2.0T has an integrated manifold/turbo. Not going to be cheap for an aftermarket upgrade.:( We have the new Garrett turbo on the bench and are just waiting for the prototype manifold to arrive.:) This turbo conversion will also be submitted for CARB exemption.;)

As far as lightening the car, all we really did was remove the rear seat, spare tire and we lost a fair amount of pounds when converting to our 321 stainless exhaust. It ended up being a little over 100 lbs. in savings, not a whole bunch but we have to put the car back to stock before shipping it back to Germany in late March.

If any of you guys buy A3/GTI/GLI's, let me know via PM. I'll give a Pelican "good guy" price.:) I didn't intend to solicit business as I am on Pelican as a Porsche enthusiast and want to keep it that way.:)

Ralph

Since I'm more into the VW market, I honestly don't really pay all that much attention to the Audi's, although in your instance the A3 is based on the same platform as the GTI so I should be smart and market our products to that niche as well.

We are the US distributor for Zender GMBH in Germany, which provides the aerodynamic pieces for some of Volkswagen's production cars. The German site is www.zender.de If you see something you like there, let me know and I can order it. We have shipments coming from them every 10-12 weeks.

Some of the other more popular aerodynamic kits are from ABT, Oettinger, Caractere, etc. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, some look better than others. Try to find a spoiler that is made from a flexibile polyurethane, they are much easier to work with and are more durable than fiberglass. I personally like a stock appearing car until you hit the gas pedal. I would have preferred our GTI to remain body kit free, but since it was as much a show car as a test mule, the body kit was fitted and bright red Sparco seats installed.

Wheels are also personal preference, I personally am a huge BBS fan and use them for our project cars. Nothing looks better IMO than RS-GT's.

Ralph

Thanks Ralph. both Zender (now Zentec) and Oettinger have poorly-translated sites and it's hard to tell what they're selling (no wonder they need US distributors).

I like BBS, too, though with its super-high a 56mm offset, a flatter wheel like the LM would look best on an A3, IMO, if I were feeling spendy.