Is 2006 the official year of the hot hatch? With
the turbocharged Astra, Focus, Mazda3 and Colt there’s never been such a
selection of truly quick shopping trolleys. One of the most desirable machines
in this segment is the Volkswagen Golf GTi which boasts 2-litre turbo power. But
with solid Volkswagen engineering, plenty of equipment and a mild 147kW, it’s by
no means the quickest hot hatch.
And that’s where the APR engine management reflash
comes in!
APR Reflash
The APR engine management reflash is marketed
mainly in Europe and the States but is available in Australia through specialist
workshops such as Volkspower (Melbourne).
According to Dean Coutts, owner/manager of
Volkspower, the APR upgrade is proving popular with local Mark V GTi owners and
offers incredible performance for the price.
“The Mark V really deserves its GTi badge but the
APR upgrade just takes it to the next level,” he says.
Retailing for AUD$1999, the APR ECU reflash gives
the little Volkswagen an amazing 47 percent more torque and 28 percent more
power. The standard 147kW/280Nm output pales in comparison to the reflashed
188kW/411Nm output.
So what is the reflashing process and what’s
changed in the program?
In contrast to other approaches to engine
management modification, the APR reflash involves absolutely no wiring. First, a
standalone PC is connected to the OBDII-style VAG-COM port and the standard
program is logged. The appropriate aftermarket tune is then selected from a
secure proprietor website and is flashed into the ECU. The entire process takes
around 30 minutes.
To entice potential customers, Volkspower offers a
free trial period that gives you six hours to sample the new program. If you’re
not impressed, you’ve lost nothing. But chances are you’ll be more than willing
to pay for the permanent tune...
Interestingly, the APR upgrade gives you two
separate programs to chose from – standard or modified. The cruise control
switch is used to switch programs. Simply hold the cruise SET button while the
ignition is on and the check engine light will start flashing. When the light
flashes quickly, release the SET button and the aftermarket program is loaded.
We can’t determine the specific changes in the APR
tune but it’s likely that fuel, ignition and boost mapping are altered. It’s
conceivable that the electronic throttle control strategy is also changed.
Mr Coutts says the new program is undetectable to
the VAG-COM diagnostic tool which is used as part of Volkswagen services. Of
course, any road test will quickly reveal the car is non-standard...
Customers can also have the option to buy
additional maps. A valet mode and 100 RON fuel map can be specified but note
that retailers such as Volkspower aren’t able to make custom changes. Each extra
map costs AUD$290.
Results
In standard form, the Mark V Golf GTi is quick but
it never really pushes you back in the seat. But with the APR upgrade, there’s
massively improved mid-range thrust and top-end acceleration is held further
through the rev range. In normal, light-throttle driving the car is also more
relaxed and effortless.
According to the owner of this particular car,
Desmond Ng, the biggest gain is on-demand torque.
“The standard car also has a bit of a flat-spot at
low revs which the APR program has eliminated,” he says.
There are no comparative fuel consumption figures.
Verdict
In the past decade we’ve seen numerous engine
management upgrades that achieve massive performance gains in factory turbo
cars. That’s nothing new. But what is new is how easy it is to upgrade the
program and the stealth nature of the mods - the APR upgrade is sure to appeal
to GTi owners not wanting to make overt changes to the car while it’s still
under warranty.
The Oettinger Upgrade
German-based
company, Oettinger, also offer performance ECU flashes for the Golf GTi. We
believe this is very similar to the APR upgrade except claimed output is
slightly less – peak power is 173kW.
However,
at the time of writing, Mr Coutts says Volkswagen Australia is considering
whether to uphold the full manufacturer warranty with the Oettinger product. If
this goes ahead, the Oettinger upgrade will have a distinct advantage over the
APR upgrade. Contact Volkspower for the latest developments.
Price
for the Oettinger reflash is around AUD$2200.
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