Chip tuning is frowned upon by automakers and responsible owners. However, from a purely scientific and somewhat vulgar point of view, it's very interesting. Up next, we're going to look at the VW Golf GTE, a plug-in hybrid that you wouldn't normally thing to play with.
Under its bonnet is the same 1.4-liter TSI turbo engine you may find in the Audi A3 or SEAT Leon. However, an electric motor stands between it and the twin-clutch DSG gearbox. The result is total system output of 204 PS and 350 Nm (258 lb-ft) of torque.
The ECU modding specialists at ZIPtuning played with their computers and found the GTE had a little more to give. Thus, their plug-in produces 231 PS and 408 Nm (301 lb-ft) of torque.
This increase might seem small, pointless even. However, you need to remember that not all the power comes from the TSI engine. Gasoline provides 150 PS, and 104 PS comes from the electric motor. Because they don't deliver the goods at the same time, it's not a case of 1+1=2.
"At ZIPtuning we are car enthusiasts. We love driving, and we like speed. In our opinion, there is always a possibility for better performance. Your car can do better, without losing durability. We are proud to share all our passion and knowledge with you. It's our mission to improve your car in every way, on every road," these tuners claim.
Does a tuned Golf GTE have any bragging rights? Well, it's now more powerful and faster than the Passat GTE. With the extra power, 0 to 100 km/h sprints can probably be done in 7.2 seconds, which is neither great or bad.
However, what you need to remember is that you are lugging around a huge battery pack that kind of spoils the performance in the corners. If you just want a really fast Golf that you can tune, the regular GTI is a far better candidate, as it can reach 300 hp without breaking the bank.
Still, the GTE is amazing in other ways. For example, it can travel for up to 50 km (31 miles) on battery power, and VW says it can return 157 mpg (1.5 l/100km).
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
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