2008 VW Passat - Project Passat Revo Software - Tech - Eurotuner Magazine

Part 3
After outfitting our '08 VW Passat 2.0T project car with Privat wheels, Continental ContiSportContact3 tires, H&R coilovers and VW's Hi-Def body kit, it was time to give our family cruiser more power.

Equipped with a front-wheel drive 2.0-liter FSI turbo engine and six-speed automatic, our goal wasn't to go for broke with a big-turbo like Project Silverstone (elsewhere in this issue). Instead, we wanted easy power. So we made a call to Revo Technik for their software tuning.

Revo is no stranger to et. They're recognized for their reputable software for VW, Audi and Porsche as well as Seat and Skoda. With over 300 dealers worldwide, they have practically every corner of the earth covered.

We've tested Revo before on an Audi A3 2.0T DSG and our own Mk5 Jetta TDI project car (et 12/08, 4/10). While the A3 didn't see a huge increase in peak power, it got 30whp gains from 3000-4000rpm, plus as much as 48 lb-ft of torque. Our 2.0 liter TDI was equally impressive, gaining 28whp and 48 lb-ft of torque.

Last month, we got a taste of their Jetta GLI project car in eurotuner GP. The Revo Mk5 Jetta 2.0T won the best front-wheel drive award with a BSH big-turbo, bolt-on chassis parts and Revo software.

With this in mind, we knew our Passat was in good hands. So we made the short trip to one of Revo's biggest SoCal dealers, EuroCode Tuning in Torrance, for the software flash. Revo offers four software stages for the 2.0T FSI. They also have two stages of DSG software, but since we had a standard automatic we weren't worried about that.

For our bone-stock Passat, we selected the Stage 1 software. It's a basic package, said to increase power, torque and responsiveness all around. If you have more upgrades, such as a performance exhaust, intake or fuel pump, a higher stage would be justified.

The upload takes about 10min, according to EuroCode. Boost is typically raised from the low-teens to slightly over 20psi, depending on load conditions. Furthermore, the Revo software doesn't simply adjust boost but load, timing, fueling and more.

When we drove the car home, we could already feel a good spike in mid-range power. The next day, we visited our trusted friends at DC Performance in Los Angeles to use their Dynojet dynamometer to measure the difference between stock and Revo software.

The week before, we'd made the trip to DC to record a baseline number. In 75° weather, we recorded a peak of 172.78whp and 194.84 lb-ft of torque.

With our Revo'd Passat and a cooler 68° afternoon, we were happy to see the increase. After three dyno runs, we saw a peak of 190.63whp and 223.85 lb-ft of torque.

Overall, HP and torque increased across the powerband. However, the biggest difference was noted between 3500-4500rpm. At 4000rpm, for example, torque had improved by as much as 40 lb-ft, while power jumped 30whp.

Even with this improvement, EuroCode Tuning suggested more power might be available. They thought the valves were "clogged" and hinted that we might see 15-25whp more after the vales were thoroughly cleaned. Regardless, we can't complain about the gains for the inexpensive Revo Stage 1 software.