American Stock GTI vs German GTI

the american model is the exact same as the german one.just that the americans made up 200 hp for insurance reasons

Actually, I heard that the European cars were retuned to give the slight horsepower boost. It's not allowed over hear because our emissions standards wouldn't allow it... so for NA the engines were left the way they were.

In either case, as already said... the numbers are underrated anyway. The GTI makes roughly 200 hp at the wheels, so it would be more at the crank.

i think different fuel is used to test the power output of cars in american vs europe. pretty sure they dont run 93 to test power output over here in the states.

I think monster is correct. If you look at APR's website, when they test on the dyno with 93 Octane they measure 212hp. When they use 91octane they measure 200hp.

Last time I was in Europe and drove I remember seeing 95 and 98 RON octane gas. 98 RON is the same as 93 (R+M)/2 which is what we use here. I think it's just a gas difference in the testing.

VW/Audi do underrepresent their performance numbers though. My S4 measures 333hp at the wheels, and that is what Audi claims on the spec sheet.

http://www.goapr.com/products/ecu_upgrade_20tsi_trans.html

Snowbeer said:

I think monster is correct. If you look at APR's website, when they test on the dyno with 93 Octane they measure 212hp. When they use 91octane they measure 200hp.

Last time I was in Europe and drove I remember seeing 95 and 98 RON octane gas. 98 RON is the same as 93 (R+M)/2 which is what we use here. I think it's just a gas difference in the testing.

VW/Audi do underrepresent their performance numbers though. My S4 measures 333hp at the wheels, and that is what Audi claims on the spec sheet.

http://www.goapr.com/products/ecu_upgrade_20tsi_trans.html

Click to expand...

That is the most convincing answer I've heard, yet.

I see the different gas scenario as being a quite plausible one on the surface, but it still leaves some things unanswered when you do some digging. For one, is the GTI the only car that is produced in Europe and sold here that is affected so much by using the different fuel? Or rated differently for the different fuels?

I mean there are dozens of cars coming from Europe that have the same HP rating in both markets. So what gives? Do they not rate them differently for the different fuels, only VAG does, and only the GTI? The A4 for one is rated IDENTICAL for USA and Germany in both HP and torque.

So I think the difference in ratings could have something to do with some magic behind lifting the HP rating above 200 in the US, either tax or insurance related. Or marketing.

Also, the GTI is rated 0-60 at 6.8 sec. in the US, 0-100km (62) in 6.9 in Germany. So no acceleration difference at all. There is just little evidence at all that I've seen that makes me imagine a difference between the cars sold to different markets.

That little evidence being this: In the US, we get 207 lb. ft. of torque from 1800 - 5000 rpm, overseas it's the same at 207, but from 1700 - 5200. Now I'm at a loss.

So if there is a difference in engines, what is it?

It's not just a difference in the tune. I have a VW mechanic friend who has told me that there are mechanical differences as well. Also the turbo boost is like 0.6 psi higher in the European models.

Snowbeer said:

If you look at APR's website, when they test on the dyno with 93 Octane they measure 212hp. When they use 91octane they measure 200hp.

Click to expand...

That's fascinating. I've never noticed that on their website before. Glad I always put 93 in :thumbsup: