Audi has finally made the Q8 and it came with two engines – a 3 l diesel and a 3 l TFSI gasoline engine. We’ve previously tuned the mentioned diesel, but our friends from the United States needed some help with a customer’s Audi Q3 with the TFSI engine. Our Audi Q8 55 TFSI tuning resulted in a massive boost in power that gives the luxurious SUV 396 hp and 604 Nm of torque.
The Audi Q7 is one fine machine, but there has always been a bit of space above it in terms of luxury. VAG used to fill this space with vehicles from other manufacturers under the company such as the Cayenne, Bentayga or the Urus, but they all served their respective segments. Audi still missed an over-the-top luxury SUV.
This is how we got the Audi Q8!
Saying that it is awesome would be an understatement. Aggressive design is accompanied by a stylish, feature-packed interior, bathed in top-quality materials and the latest advancements in the fields of safety and comfort. And then there are the engines.
The Q8 starts equipped with just two engine options – a 3 l V6 TDI diesel and a 3 l V6 TFSI turbo gasoline engine. The gasoline version in the Audi Q8 55 TFSI has the measured output of 338 hp and 501 Nm of torque (335 hp and 500 Nm according to the spec sheet) and it makes the big luxury SUV a joy to drive. It is paired with an 8-speed Tiptronic and it reaches 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 5.6 seconds.
That is remarkable for a massive SUV with loads of weight-adding luxury perks and a V6. However, it can be a lot better. Our engineers got a chance to work on the gasoline version of the Q8 and we’ve made a remarkable machine.
After our Audi Q8 55 TFSI tuning the SUV now has 396 hp and 604 Nm of torque, which makes it noticeably faster and more responsive. Let’s see how we extracted such power from the stock V6.
Audi Q8 55 TFSI Tuning
It is important to note two things:
First of all, all the changes are performed on the software that controls operation of the engine. There are no new hardware parts for the engine internals, intake or exhaust. Secondly, despite keeping OEM hardware, the tuned 55 TFSI is completely safe, as reliable as before and it even keeps the OEM emissions standards.
This comes from the fact that we focus on preserving OEM software architecture, following the great job of engineers from Audi, but putting the output on a higher level. This also means that the torque curve resembles the stock one, offering the top torque over a very wide range – from 1,370 to 4,500 RPM.
The improvements come from a mixture of several adjustments. First of all, in order to produce more power, the engine has to burn more fuel and air. The amount of air is increased by adjusting the turbo pressure and increasing it to a higher but equally safe level. This is a software tweak only, but one that has to be carefully measured and tested to ensure safety and longevity of the parts.
The added air is accompanied by adding more fuel. This also has to be carefully tested, since air/fuel ratio has to be perfect. Another set of measurements, data logging, testing and fine tuning and the measured power and torque ratings rose to 396 hp and 604 Nm.
But this does not conclude the adjustments. We also advance ignition timing. This does not yield any significant increase in horsepower, but it makes a huge difference in the feeling behind the wheel. Advanced ignition timing results in a far more immediate throttle response that makes the Q8 jump with joy with the press of the pedal.
However, this adjustment has to be measured and tested. Advancing ignition too much can lead to serious damage. We cannot stress the importance of measuring and data logging enough. Guessing is not allowed and the car has to be completely safe after all adjustments. This is why we are so proud of our tuning process that was also used for Audi Q8 55 TFSI tuning project.
Another thing is fine-tuning for every section of the RPM range. This ensures the wide availability of torque. For example, we advance timing in lower RPM to give it a bit more push. As pressures inside cylinders start rising with RPM, we ease back a bit to ensure safety. When pressures start dropping in higher RPM again, we advance it again to prolong the top torque delivery.
This should make it clear why testing is important and how it translates to not just a safer, but also a better tuned vehicle.
We are currently developing additional tuning stages for the 3.0 TFSI and we also offer tuning for a large number of vehicles. Browse our database and find all you need. If you want more, contact us or visit our dealer portal.
