This month, we present an encyclopedia of tuned Volkswagens with the celebrated 1.8T engine from past issues of ec.
Oettinger Golf IV
by James Sly
Photos by Les Bidrawn
Like all of the Golfs which preceded it, the new A4 Golf is available in many different forms of trim and running gear in its homeland. The 1.8T is definitely my favorite, as much for the power potential as for the balance afforded by its lighter weight.
The CEC/Oettinger GTI started life as a Euro-spec GTI 1.8T rated at 150 PS (there are eight engines for the Golf offered in Germany, including the 1.8T, a GTI-only option), and there were only a few hundred kilometers on the odometer since it had passed through the Oettinger shop. In stock form, the 1.8T (engine code AGU) will crank off 0 to 60 mph times in the 8.5-sec. range, has a top speed of 125 mph and is designed to take 95 ROZ (RON) gas. The stock 150 hp peaks at 5700 rpm, while the 155 ft-lb of torque plateaus from 1700 rpm to 4700 rpm.
After passing through Oettinger's hands, the GTI 1.8T does much better. I used the accurate and easily operated G-Tech/PRO for the test and was able to reliably click off 0 to 60 times in the 6.5-sec. range--without seriously abusing the car, time after time. Awesome.
Designed for a little bit better fuel--98 RON or about 93 by U.S. standards (check out the "Getting Technical" on octane in this issue)--the Oettinger-tuned 1.8T yields 230 PS at 5800 rpm and bumps the torque to a peak of 236 ft-lb at 3000 rpm--with far better than stock torque everywhere. And, as I have already shown, the top speed jumped to almost 150 mph. For the record, the G-Tech/PRO also recorded several 60-to-0-mph stopping distances in the sub-120-ft range, an extraordinary feat. The combination of the sticky Yokohama rubber, the standard disc brakes with standard pads, and the latest generation of Bosch ABS easily bested distances which are usually achieved only after serious modifications. Want more power? You'd better order your 1.8T with VW's new 4-Motion all-wheel drive: Four driven wheels will do a much better job of getting this kind of power to the ground.
Getting 230 hp from this engine required relatively few changes. A larger turbo is used, helping to reduce exhaust restriction and allowing higher boost pressures without overspeeding the turbine or compressor or creating excessive back pressure. The stock exhaust manifold is retained.
The boost pressures are relatively mild. In stock form the 1.8T hits about 6 psi of boost, then backs off to 4 psi. The Oettinger-modified engine hits 0.4 bar higher--almost 6 psi--than stock, or about 12 peak psi. Nothing is outrageous here--except for the performance. Naturally the engine management software is modified to match the new turbo. Expertly modified, we might add.
Not only is the performance stunning, this newest of VWs is also one of the most comfortable to drive. There is nothing--absolutely nothing--to indicate the system is compromised for greater performance. Are you slogging along at 1200 rpm in third gear? Need acceleration? No worries. Just push down and go. No ill manners, no stalls and stumbles--just hard pull and solid forward thrust. Even when the car is pushed, the water temp needle sits unwavering in its indigo blue glow. Engine oil temp also stays well within bounds. After Oettinger's magic, this engine thinks it was born to crank out this kind of power.
Other changes include improved intake ducting and a cat-back Oettinger exhaust, with a pair of sexy polished outlets. Although the exhaust allows prodigious power, it purrs rather than growls, a refreshing change from overly loud exhausts that don't make more power. Finally, the Golf/GTI installation requires a new turbo-to-catalytic converter pipe to meet the power goals. (Passat and A4s do not require this change.) The stock intercooler is retained.
The Oettinger GTI was also bolstered by the firm's latest A4 suspension package, consisting of higher-rate lowering springs and specially valved shock absorbers. Cornering is flat and controlled. Only on my own devil's-test-of-suspensions, the concrete 101 Freeway, did the suspension tend toward the harsh side; it seemed as though the frequency of the ripples in the road elicited a negative harmonic in the suspension.
Still, the ride was surprisingly comfortable given the low ride height and ultra-low-profile Yokes. It's a good system that handily swallows up dips as well as it deals with hard cornering. Clearly Oettinger has done its homework on the shock absorbers. Typical of German tuners, the package does not contain anti-roll bars.
With the newest Oettinger aerodynamics kit, the Golf GTI looks as fast as it runs. The stock body work of the new Golf is already aggressive. The wide flares might look modified to the VW enthusiast accustomed to previous Golfs, but they are in fact just as they came from the factory--and they adequately cover the 8.0-in.-wide wheels and 235mm-wide (almost 9-in.!) rubber.
Body modifications include front grille (with cold air inlet on the turbo models), front spoiler, side and rear valences and rear spoiler. The fit and finish is impeccable--none of the "kit" look, just excellent integration. The Oettinger aerodynamics are quality pieces, TUeV approved and wind-tunnel tested. The full kit on this car features larger air openings for the intercooler and engine cooling; an add-on front spoiler is also available for those not desiring the more extreme kit.
Oettinger
www.oettinger.de
AutoThority Jetta 1.8T
by Peter Wu
Photos by the Author
The noise usually started after business hours, in post-dusk light, when nearby families had gathered for the evening meal. From a converted tool shed out in the woods came the moans and groans of a flat-six being punished for research. Climbing up and down the octave scale, the shrieks and wails were shrill enough to curdle a freshly poured glass of milk and disturbing enough to ruin an appetite. It was noise to some, but soothing for the man dishing out the punishment.
Back in the earlier days of Autothority, after hours was about the only time founder, Al Collins, had to run the engine dyno in the tool shed. Research and development had to wait as most of his day time duties involved running the shop.
The early years of Autothority coincided with the dawn of computer controlled engine management systems. Armed with the knowledge that Porsche engineers were reprogramming E-Proms to extract more power, Collins, after some viability studies, realized that the future of tuning resided in tiny silicon chips.
While chips became and continue to be the company's bread and butter, Autothority has recently begun expanding into other areas of tuning. For example, their extensively modified, end-all, be-all 600-hp 993 Bi-turbo or something a bit less outrageous like this Jetta 1.8T.
It's well known that VAG's 1.8T is a good chunk of raw clay to start with. Either in 150-, 170- or 180-hp guise, it's relatively unstressed and just begging to be tuned. Naturally, Autothority has a reprogrammed ECU for their Jetta project car in addition to a few new developments.
Up front sits a polished aluminum cold air intake pipe Autothority calls the Flowtech. The piece, which incorporates a slightly longer flexible tube, wraps around the battery, thereby positioning the air filter to inhale cooler air. An added benefit of the intake, if not for the performance, then at least for the ears, is the hiss of the blow-off valve when you get off the gas. An ABD carbon fiber engine cover caps off the engine and an ABD strut brace keeps things tight. On the back end, Autothority developed a 3-in. downpipe which then connects to their high-flow catalytic converters and 3-in. cat-back exhaust. The tips remain hidden just like the stock setup.
Starting with the 170 hp AWW engine and adding the chip is good for 210 hp. Combined with the other parts, Autothority's Ali Farzad claims power is in the neighborhood of 225 hp, which is a nice neighborhood and similar to the output of the Audi TT-S's 1.8T sporting the bigger K04 turbo.
Being a showcase for their expanding VW tuning program, it was imperative that the car had plenty of visual impact. Stuffed under the wheel wells are monstrous 19x8.5-in. Fikse FM/10, two-piece, forged wheels polished (thankfully, not chromed) to a brilliant sheen. Many thought 19's couldn't be done, and, in this case, it certainly pushes the limits. The 225/35ZR-19 Toyo Proxes SZ4 tires are stretched to their max but, even so, the wide wheel can use even more tire. Autothority thought about using a 235/35 tire but feared there'd be too much fender rub. The rolling stock is paired up with a set of Bilstein Pss9 coilovers. Although not installed when I drove the car, ABD's front and rear bars now do battle against excessive roll.
Exterior enhancements include a Projectzwo body kit that includes a lower front spoiler, side skirts and a rear valance. The effect is aggressive without being over-the-top, it accentuates without distorting the original shape. The front grille is also from Projectzwo as are the shapely side mirrors and discreet rear spoiler.
Inside things get spruced up with a pair of MOMO seats and matching fabric for the rear seats, a three-spoke MOMO steering wheel, shift knob, drilled alloy pedals and floormats complete the MOMO theme. The Schroth front seat harnesses are hooked up to the child safety seat retractors located on the rear shelf, which allows for easy ingress/egress. A GReddy Turbo Timer keeps the engine running after the ignition has been turned off in order to extend the life of the turbo. An Apex'i programmable boost controller offers a wide parameter of mapping in case Autothority wants to play with different gear ratios or adjust for further-enhanced engine performance.
The Alpine CDA 7965 head unit controls a plethora of discreetly hidden place audio upgrades, especially in the trunk where JL Audio custom designed an amp enclosure with a plexiglass cover.
The car tools around town with the same flexibility of a stock 1.8T. It's docile on a gentle throttle and doesn't require many revs to stay in the flow. With it's quick-spool turbo, there's hardly any lag, making it easy to squirt in and out of gaps. Dip into the throttle with any authority and it pulls with a sense of urgency, like pit bull on a tenuous leash. The torque and power curves seem similar to stock, only much meatier, as evidenced by the slight writhing of the MOMO wheel under hard throttle. The most rewarding part of the powerband comes at the end. Where the stock engine starts gasping for air shortly after 5800 rpm, the Autothority mods allow it to keep pulling with tenacity all the way to the reset redline of 7000 rpm.
Couple that tenacity with the malevolent sounds of the intake, the hiss of the blow-off valve and the sportive blare of the exhaust and the adrenal glands start pumping. And, while the thrust won't blow you away, it is quick enough to demand that you stay on your toes and keep an eye on the tach.
Work the smallish MOMO wheel and the Jetta turns in quickly, with roll well-checked despite the stock bars, making clean arcs into the apex, but only when the surface is smooth. Mid-corner bumps upset the car causing the over-stretched Toyos to lose contact with the asphalt, putting an end to a fine beginning. One can't help but feel that it's not performing to its potential. A little more sidewall to absorb some of the bumps would seemingly help a great deal. A switch to a more narrow 18-in. wheel of the same make, and the extra sidewall the corresponding tire would provide, could bethe remedy at a small sacrifice to visual wow factor.
On the straight and not-so-sinuous, the Bilstein Pss9 coilovers take the bumps with surprising elastic compliance. In fact, the car rode as well, and in some cases better than the sport-suspended VR6 Jetta Wagon I drove to the Autothority facilities.
The mods by Autothority have infused a welcome dose of edge that's missing in the MKIV range. The audio and tactile sensations that VW succeeded so well in exorcising have been put back in by Autothority without making it a punishing or tiring long-haul ride. The result is a more involving drive.
Autothority Performance Engineering
www.autothority.com
Eurotech Atlanta's New Beetle
by Tim McKinney
Photos by the author
Every year Ettl's shop, Eurotech Atlanta, builds a project car to use as a promotional tool (the cars are later sold to help finance the next project). This New Beetle was built to show at the 2000 Waterfest, the largest watercooled show on the East Coast. Eurotech Atlanta specializes in VWs and Audis but, like many of us, Ettl has always been a Porsche fan.
Ettl was considering installing a factory Porsche wing but the one chosen looked just like the factory wing and already had a mounting pad designed for a Beetle. Even so the crew worked until three in the morning the day before they left to redesign the mounting system and properly install the wing.
They didn't stop with just a big wing though as Ettl "just wanted the body really smooth." Out came the turn signals and off came the hood logo. The turn signals were integrated into the headlight assembly--"like an old aircooled car"--by drilling out an existing dimple in the assembly and fitting LEDs wired to the flashers in the holes. Only the 1998 TDI cars came with these particular headlights, Ettl noticed the difference while servicing a car. When he mentioned his turn signal idea, the loyal (and rather accommodating) customer offered to swap his lights for the set from the project car.
Ettl added an ABD Beetle Cup racing front bumper and further reduced any visual clutter in the front end. The filled and shaved look takes the car's design to its bare essentials and further accentuates the audacious wing. A pair of discreet DTM chin spoilers are hung under the front bumper while twin dual-tip exhausts peek through a DTM diffuser at the rear. An Audi TT gas cap replaces the stock flap and looks so at home it should be standard equipment on all New Beetles. A small NACA duct was faired into the hood to feed the engine air and adds a subtle asymmetrical design element.
The interior is almost as wild as the exterior. The steering wheel comes from a 930S, the shift knob and leather boot from MOMO and the pedals from an Audi TT. The shells of the Cobra Sidewinder seats were painted to match the exterior (they proved to be too much for the new owner and are now back to black). Schroth three-point belts hold the front seat passengers securely in place. An Autometer boost gauge resides in a custom carbon-fiber pod on the upper left-hand side of the instrument cluster. Lest the inside appear too drab for the outside, the center console and dash were also painted bright yellow.
The Beetle backs up its outrageous looks with plenty of power. The 1.8's output has jumped from the stock 150 bhp and 155 lb-ft of torque to 225 bhp and 250 lb-ft of torque. The dyno says 196 bhp reach the 18-in. wheels! A larger KO4 KKK turbo (same as the Audi TT) was bolted on in place of the stock KO3. A Eurosport Cool-Flo air intake and custom stainless-steel intercooler tubes from Forced Performance finish the intake side modifications. Ettl polished the oversize upper and lower intercooler tubes for a better look and used aircraft clamps to hold them in place. A modified cat-back Techtonics Tuning 2.5-in. exhaust rounds out the bolt-on mods. Ettl and crew fabricated a replacement for the Borla rear muffler that features a pair of Eurosport DTM twin exhaust tips.
GIAC and Eurotech Atlanta were one of the first to successfully add a KO4 to the 2000 1.8T New Beetle. Eurotech Atlanta is the Southeast distributor for GIAC chips and Ettl thinks Garrett is "probably the hottest chip tuner in the land."
Porsche Sport Design II two-piece wheels, sized 18 in. and available through Porsche's Techquipment catalog, wear Toyo Proxes T1-S tires, 225/40/18 on the 7.5-in. wide front wheels and 245/35/18 on the 9-in. wide rear wheels. Koni Yellow adjustable dampers work in concert with Apex lowering springs to keep the Beetle pointed in the right direction. Ettl chose the Apex spring kit "because it is very difficult to find a Mk IV spring kit that lowers the back as much as the front. Most of the kits make your car look like a jackrabbit." Not knowing when to stop, Ettl had the wheel centers painted black. Mintex pads in stock calipers grab Zimmerman cross-drilled rotors to slow the New Beetle down.
Body roll is minimal and despite the low-profile 18-in. tires the ride is firm without being overly harsh. The Koni/Apex combination retains enough suppleness to make the car a reasonable daily driver but you are never far from that mythical kart.
And this year's car? Look for a supercharged VR6 wide-body Cabriolet coming soon to a show near you.
Eurotech Atlanta
(770) 794-7240
TEC Automobildesign Golf IV
by Ian Kuah
Photos by the author
On a bumpy, twisty road, the TEC 330-hp monster Golf is a real handful. Even with the traction control dialed in, torque steer tries to pull the nose every which way whenever you dig deep into the throttle travel. Best to ride the fat torque curve and take it easy until you reach smooth tarmac. All these woes however, are nothing to do with TEC's engineering expertise which is really outstanding. The problem is simply asking the front wheels to lay down big power and steer at the same time. The front-drive version of Audi's TT is similarly hopeless on a bumpy road, lighting up its traction control warning frequently when you are charging hard.
At the Malmsheim test track, I tried the six different settings and by revving up to 4000 rpm and dropping the clutch, produced everything from lurid wheelspin and snail-like forward motion to a mere chirp at the front tires followed by clean and rapid acceleration. So what has TEC done to squeeze Porsche Turbo power out of a mere 1.8-liter four-cylinder motor? Well, believe it or not, the pistons, crank, rods and cams are bog standard, which just goes to show how robust the original components of the factory engine are--and how great the engine's potential is.
What TEC does is throw away the standard exhaust manifold, puny little KKK turbocharger and the entire exhaust system, including the cat. The stock intercooler also gets the heave-ho, as do the stock injectors and fuel pump. And that small stock intercooler gives way to one that makes full use of the width of the car. A much bigger KKK turbo with an external wastegate is bolted to a new manifold and connected to a TEC sports exhaust with a bigger free-flow catalytic converter in line.
Apologies to the stealth brigade, but the deep front spoiler with a central intake big enough to suck in little boys is an absolute must for this conversion. The factory spoiler only has one intake, TEC's has three. A big one in the middle for the huge intercooler, one on the left for the oil cooler and the one on the right for the air inlet. Bigger injectors replace the standard ones whose flow rate can only cope with 290 hp.
The fuel pump inside the tank is replaced with one that can keep up with the modified engines thirst. The bigger pump is a definite must for conversions over 290 hp. Turbos like a free flowing exhaust. Incidentally, the lesser 286-hp conversion can make do with a 60mm (2.25-in.) diameter exhaust pipe where this 330-hp version actually needs its 70mm (2.66-in.) drainpipe. By comparison standard exhaust is a puny 54mm (2.125 in.) in diameter, and the stock muffler attached to it has far too much back pressure.
The TEC-modified Motronic ECU is the key to the smooth running of the whole conversion. The black box looks after the revised fueling and ignition curves and keeps the boost pressure of the bigger turbo in check. The end result is 330 hp at 6800 rpm with a whopping 354 ft-lb of torque at 4200 rpm. These numbers are comparable to those of a 5.4 liter BMW V12 motor!
Another trick component is the six-speed gearbox. TEC have been clever here and cast a new 5cm (2 in.) longer alloy end cap for the VW box to contain the extra ratio. The new sixth gear is slightly taller than the normal fifth, and when coupled to the 3.53 final drive, gives 2600 rpm at 70 mph instead of the 3000 rpm you get in fifth in standard trim. And since the TEC-tuned engine has the juice to pull that taller gear, top speed is also suitably enhanced. Like the aforementioned 170 mph number--substantially higher than stock!
The uprated suspension includes Koni shocks, made to TEC specifications, and bigger anti-roll bars keep cornering lean to a minimum. In this instance, TEC has had to devise an underslung rear bar as the lowered ride height precludes the use of the factory over-axle design. The seriously big brakes are AP Racing four-pot calipers in front on 330mm cross-drilled vented discs. The rears are also cross-drilled and vented but retain the stock 239mm diameter with standard calipers. Brake pads are Ferodo "fast road" spec all round, while braided hoses guide the fluid round the system. Those five-spoke wheels are 8.5 x 18-in. O.Z. Racing Saturn Plus alloys wrapped in 225/40ZR Michelins.
So is 330 hp the end of the TEC adventure? Actually 400 hp is the figure being bandied about for its next Golf demonstrator. Sensibly, this will not be a front-wheel-drive Golf. The TEC 400-hp motor program has been proven in thousands of kilometers of hard testing for TUeV approval in an Audi A4 quattro and will be a match made in heaven for the new 4wd Golf 4-Motion.
TEC Automobiledesign
www.newdimensions.com/tec/index.htm
Projektzwo GTI
by Les Bidrawn
Photos by the author
Volkswagen's platform-sharing mentality means there are no external differences between the European and U.S.-spec Golfs and Jettas, a situation that's especially beneficial to companies like VW Sport. Projektzwo's inspired styling is a direct fitment on the factory panels. Body styling is comprised of front airdam and grille, side skirts, rear valence, upper rear spoiler and electronic sport mirrors, all fabricated from precision-molded pur-rim (reinforced polyurethane). There's also a piece that blends the rear hatch opening into the rear bumper--a nice touch that speaks volumes about Projektzwo's attention to detail.
The car featured on these pages was the same 1.8t GTI which Projektzwo displayed at the Geneva Autoshow. Why this great four-pot motor is not a U.S. option in the Golf and Jetta has sparked a firestorm of debate among VW enthusiasts. Volkswagen's answer is its narrow-angle V6 ("VR6" is not official parlance), a hearty 180-hp engine with a new variable-length intake. Were the U.S. market given the choice, I wonder which motor would be the more popular. The performance enthusiast would undoubtedly grab the lighter 5-valve 1.8t, as a simple chip upgrade can provide a heady increase in output. Projektzwo did just that with a revised Motronic program that squeezes boost to one full bar, and it also added a ram-air style intake which feeds from a hose routed from the inner fender well. Projektzwo also fabricated an entire exhaust from aluminum which terminates in dual tips. These simple yet effective mods add up to well over 200 at the crank, a number VW engineers feel is the maximum a fwd car can safely handle without FourMotion, Volkswagen's new awd system.
The Projektzwo GTI stands perched on special springs that lower its chassis 40 mm. Running gear is massively strong 18 x 8.5-in. Projektzwo wheels shod with Dunlop SP8000 high-performance radials, measuring 225/40ZR-18 in front and 255/35ZR-18 behind.
"Believe it or not, we could have gone bigger." said Beardow. "There is absolutely no clearance problems with these wheels--the 34 mm offset is just perfect."
The integral fender flares of the GTI swallow all this rubber in one gulp, and, from a purely aesthetic view, the look is pretty cool. Ultimately, though, it conspires against the VW's performance. While the wheels are very, very strong, they are also very heavy, and the additional rotating mass hobbles the GTI's sprint from the starting line. The big rubber out back also means the car is unwilling to release grip there, so understeer becomes the prominent theme in the chassis' behavior. These are not mortal sins, however, and forgiveness is easily achieved through proper running gear choice.
The designs of Projektzwo's Mr. Heinz Ommler leaves the VW product with singularity that galvanizes opinions--love it or hate it, the styling leaves an indelible mark on the senses. If you're looking to make a screaming statement, you could do worse than choose Projektzwo.
Projektzwo Automobildesign GmbH
www.projektzwo.de