Professional Strength

Professional Racer Alex Keyes turned to untronic for more power for his MKG GTI.

- Bradley Iger

Starting in 2004, Unitronic has offered owners of Volkswagen and Audi vehicles a host of staged software and hardware performance modifications that focus on tuning engine and transmission calibrations for higher output, quicker shifts, and better overall response. The company claims its products allow tuners to maintain OEM-like reliability and driveability in their cars while also maximizing performance.

But as we’ve seen with tuner cars in the past, the disparity between the marketing line and how modifications behave on the road can be vast. So when the opportunity came up to get some seat time behind the wheel of this MK6 GTI—which sports Unitronic’s full lineup of powertrain modifications—we jumped at the chance. Some seat time on canyon roads gave us the opportunity to see how the tuning company’s products hold up in the real world. Subsequently, we also discovered that this particular car belongs to Alex Keyes, a professional racer who competes in the Red Bull Global RallyCross series, which only sweetened the deal that much more.

“I’ve actually had this GTI for a few years now and for most of the time I’ve owned it, I’ve just been driving it around stock,” Keyes says. “I’ve always liked driving more than working on cars, but eventually I got bored and wanted to learn how to work on it and what could be done. I blew the original engine in the car back in December and had decided by January that I might as well build up the new motor since it was outside of the warranty. What I love about the GTI is how much power you can get from software like the Unitronic Stage 2 tune and how well it responds to chassis upgrades as well. With a little bit of love, they are extremely capable cars.”

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