Photos courtesy of Unitronic
When a new platform or powerplant is announced, it’s time for developers and manufacturers to make like an egg and scramble.
We saw this with the MQB platform and experienced a lot of enthusiasm behind development of parts across the range, and now another exciting addition has been released by VAG and immediately jumped on by Unitronic: the 2.5-liter TFSI EA855 EVO engine.
“From very early on, we started following the new 2.5 TFSI EVO engine and had a feeling that it would be the next ‘hot’ platform that would become the benchmark for Audi’s platforms,” John Staffi, Unitronic’s Technical Director, reveals. “A few meetings later, we had bought one; and two days after that, the vehicle was strapped onto the dyno after a 1,000-kilometer break-in period had been completed, and we started tuning the engine.”
A week later, Unitronic owned the first 2.5-TFSI-EVO-equipped vehicle (a 2018 Audi TTRS) that was into the 10s in the quarter mile. And while 10s are impressive, the ultimate goal was to get the TTRS into the nines with the stock engine and full interior, all while developing a catalogue of performance parts and software.
Unitronic is able to act and advance so quickly because of their development techniques. Using a laser scanner, engineers can scan the engine bay of the car and individual components for measurements and design, which can then be fed through a 3D printer for rapid prototyping, allowing them to find a perfect fit and even start performance testing certain parts. Pair that with extensive experience developing ECU and TCU tunes through the Bosch ECMs that most VAG vehicles use, and you have a smorgasbord of performance parts ready to go in a small window of time.
So far, Unintronic has been able to engineer prototypes of a turbo upgrade, a more free-flowing intake design, less restrictive down-pipe and mid-pipes, as well as Stage 2+ ECU and Stage 2 TCU tunes. Staffi says that their biggest achievement has been the new intercooler, which supports upwards of 700 horsepower. Without jeopardizing or modifying the TTRS’ crash support bar, engineers were able to squeeze some serious cooling kit up front.
In the future, besides waiting for those quarter-mile times in the 9s, Unitronic is also toying with tuning options for ethanol and some alternative turbo options for extra kick. While most of the upgrades on the TTRS are prototypes now, they should all be bolt-on turn-key solutions for unlocking the potential of Audi’s potent five-cylinder platform.
In 1976, Audi developed their first inline-five-cylinder engine, known internally as the Type 43. Audi engineers wanted something to sit above the EA827 four-cylinder that sat in the Audi 80 and 100, and as a six-cylinder was ruled out due to less than ideal installation space and weight distribution, a five-banger fit the bill much more nicely. Based on its EA827 predecessor, the 2.1-liter inline-five, with the help of a modern injection system, produced 136 horsepower and a unique sound when it rolled out in the Audi 100 5E in 1977.
Over 40 years later, and Audi still has a thing for the unique rhythm and hum of five cylinders. After years of modernization through technical developments, rally engines, and even diesel, Audi’s newest five-cylinder is the 2.5-liter TFSI EA855 EVO (DAZA) engine, which resides in the RS3 Sportback and TTRS. The EA855 EVO saves 39.7 pounds over the previous 2.5-liter inline-five through use of lightweight construction methods and an aluminum crankcase, and measures only 19.7 inches long. With 400 horsepower and 354 lb-ft of torque on tap, this 2.5 TFSI is the most powerful series-production five-cylinder engine on the global market, earning Best Engine in the 2 to 2.5-liter category of the International Engine of the Year Awards for nine years in a row. Add in the 1-2-4-5-3 firing order for that distinct five-cylinder sound, and you can see why it’s such an exciting engine for VAG, tuners, and part developers.
ESSENTIALS
Vehicle: 2018 Audi TTRS
Owner: Unitronic
Engine: Audi 2.5L TFSI EA855 EVO I-5 (DAZA)
ENGINE
- Unitronic prototype (Hybrid turbo upgrade, turbo inlet elbow, intercooler, air intake, air filter, fuel injectors, DQ500 oil catch can, Stage 2+ ECU tune)
EXHAUST
- Audi Sport exhaust
- Unitronic prototype (down-pipe, mid-pipes)
DRIVETRAIN
- Unitronic prototype Stage 2 TCU performance software
WHEELS / TIRES / BRAKES
- HRE FF01 wheels
CHASSIS / SUSPENSION
- MSS Kits Track Pack suspension
EXTERIOR
- Custom Unitronic graphics
