An "average" bolt-on 1.8T puts around 200-210 whp to the ground. That's with a chip, intake, and cat-back exhaust.

For this particular motor, a chip works wonders. 20 whp is a usual gain, with some reporting as much as 30. I can send you dynos.

For some reason, VW de-tunes the 1.8T to keep it under VR6 performance. They apparently want the VR6 to be their "top of the line" engine. Strangely enough, a new 1.8 can DYNO near 170, although the crank is reported as 180.

 

kind of a weak story...

 

yea, my friends jetta 1.8t beats gs-r's with bolt-ons, type-r's with some basic bolt-ons...it's pretty quick. he has a 2001 wolfsburg (150hp stock) with an autothority chip (+~50hp), cai, type-s bov....stock exaust. the chip adds more for his year, cause out of the factory it's supposedly 150hp...and the year after it's 180hp out of the factory. go figgure.
he used to beat me by a whole lot on the highway, when i just had bolt-ons and stuff, and my car was probably about as fast as a gs.

 

my freinds LS beat a stock 1.8t by quite a bit. once the 1.8 gets chipped its a whole diff story though. same thing with cars like gtp's, lightnings, etc.

 

I saw a turbo beetle spank a gtp friday night at the local ricer spot. Thing sounded like a damn diesel truck.

 

Actually, I know a lot of people with old school street driven bugs that run 12's and 13's. An 1800lb car with 200 hp will be quick, especially with the way they are geared. Don't much care for the newer VW/Audi products, very competent, but sorta heavy and they detune the VW's so the Audi's stay more powerful withthe same motor