VW's 1.0 TSI-The Baby GTI that nobody talks about !

Yeah, I know it's been quite a while since I last wrote about something, but today's topic is something that I have been anticipating for quite some time now. Today, I will take you through the story of the VW 1.0 TSI, along with a build that showcases the insane potential of the 1.0 TSI engine.

History of the Polo and Why the 1.0 TSI?:
Since the polo arrived on Indian soil, it got terrible engine choices apart from a few engines like the 1.6 MPI, 1.6 TDI, 1.5 TDI, and the 1.8 TSI (come on guys, the GTI is just a 2-door polo!). The 1.2 MPI and the 1.2 TDI were lacklustre engines, mainly targeted at Maruti Suzuki's customer base who went behind "kitna deti hai" compromising everything. But the unfortunate bit for VW is that both the engines were so dull for the polo chassis which was designed on a global platform. They just couldn't handle the weight of the chassis and touching triple-digit speeds took ages. Then came the 1.2 TSI with a DQ200 in the form of GT TSI, which was initially perceived well, but soon problems started creeping up. The 1.2 TSI was so old of an engine and the tuning potential was not so great due to the SOHC nature of the engine. The DQ200 7-speed DSG gearbox was a dry clutch unit, often lending its name to reliability problems and questionable long-term sustainability. This was when the 1.0 TSI engine was slapped onto the polo as a part of the 2020 facelift, which was launched as a part of the company's upgrade to BS6 emission norms.

The 1.8 TSI VW Polo GTI

The 1.0 TSI was a true engineering marvel. DOHC setup, stronger internals, and better engine design enabled it to win various accolades around the world such as the International Engine of the Year award. It also made more power than the 1.2 TSI (5 more hp!). Albeit being a 3-cylinder unit, it was so quick and fun to drive than the 1.2 GT TSI. VW didn't stop here though, oh no! They got Indian enthusiasts some more surprises in the form of a 6-speed manual or a Torque converter option! Sure, the DSG was missed, but the Torque converter was much more reliable and actually daily-driveable which the DSG failed horribly due to its jerky nature. 

The 1.0 TSI engine

Unfortunately, the 1.0 TSI also marked the end of the 12-year legacy of the Polo and Vento in the Indian market, paving the way to final editions of the same in the 1.0 TSI guise. It was really a sad and sorrowful day for Indian enthusiasts. But, little did we know that it was just the end of the Polo and Vento chassis, not for the 1.0 TSI.

Soon after, VW-Skoda announced their next twin products, the Kushaq-Taigun and the Virtus-Slavia. The 1.0 TSI became the volume-based engine option in the VW-Skoda portfolio, while the 1.5 TSI was positioned more as a niche offering, appealing to Enthu-cutlets like us. 

Now that we have talked about the backstory of the 1.0 TSI, how's its potential as a tuner-friendly engine?

The 1.0 TSI is far superior to the 1.2 TSI. Being a part of the EA211 family of engines from VW, the 1.0 TSI was the international engine of the year 2018. As I said, it was much stronger and more reliable than the 1.2 TSI, with a cast aluminium block and valvetrain, forged steel crankshaft, dual-overhead-camshaft design (DOHC), and 4 valves per cylinder. It made 110hp  and 175nm from the factory, paired to either a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed torque converter. It pulled the polo from 0-100kmph in a blistering 9.9 seconds, thus making it the fastest turbo-petrol hatch in the sub-15 lakh price bracket. 
 
A stage 1 ECU flash takes the power output to up to 130 hp, which is a significant increase in the power output compared to stock 110 hp. Then comes the stage 2 tune, along with supportive hardware mods such as a free-flow downpipe, an air intake, and other mods which easily make about 140hp. Stage 3 involves a Turbo upgrade to a slightly bigger turbo and all the other mods required. This is a very tune-dependent stage as the power depends on the boost pumped in, the size of the turbo, and several other factors. Usually, this ranges between 150-170hp depending on the tune and the turbo. 

To understand the true potential of the 1.0 TSI, I think we should take a realistic example, something that has been built already. Yes, a 1.0 TSI build. But, not any other 1.0 TSI build, it's a proper stage 3, turbo-upgraded build. 

Venom performance tuned 1.0 TSI

This specific 1.0 TSI engine boasts a stage 3 Venom performance ECU tune, a stage 3 hybrid turbo from Venom Performance, A de-cat downpipe along with a full system 304-grade stainless steel exhaust system with custom resonator and Borla Pro XS Endcan. The induction job is done by a Euro-spec channel Guide along with a Racingline turbo inlet and ITG stock replacement filter. This is a 6-speed manual iteration of the 1.0 TSI and the most surprising thing about this build is that it runs on stock block, stock internals, and even stock clutch. That is a real testament to the reliability aspect of the 1.0 TSI platform. Braking is taken care of with the help of an Audi S1 288mm upgraded Big-brake kit paired with EBC slotted rotors and ATE ceramic brake pads. 

These mods push this 1.0 TSI to produce a whopping 180 hp on 97ron fuel and a mind-numbing 200hp on 100ron fuel. A stock block, stock clutch, and stock internal engine, pushing 200hp per litre is just mind-boggling, and the owner of this polo, Sai, praises Vagmaster Chennai and Venom Performance for being the masterminds behind this monstrous build. Currently in its testing phase, this stage 3 build is aimed at being the most-powerful 1.0 TSI build in the country. 

Sai's 1.0 TSI motor bay 

It has to be noted that this very Polo has been dominating its class in its stage 2 guise. It has been the fastest stock turbo 1.0 in the 2022 Vroom meet, 2022 Rev Nights, 2023 Hyderabad Elite Octane speed fest and so many more events. Sai is proud that his car did 0-100 in 7 seconds flat with a 1-foot roll-out and 7.33 without it. He also holds the record for the fastest street stock category FMSCI recognized time of 15.286 seconds with a stock turbo and stock downpipe. This just proves the efficiency of the tune.

Sai, who is now testing the stage 3 setup on his 1.0 TSI, has been at the forefront in taking the 1.0 TSI platform to its limit and dialling up to an 11. Venom Performance, who have been developing the tune for Sai's 1.0 TSI has been proving why they're one of the best in the business because developing a tune for the 1.0 TSI without blowing up the stock turbo and still being the fastest has to be applauded. The stock turbo in the 1.0 TSI has had a reputation to blow up when tuned, but Venom Performance have understood the true limits of the platform and utilized its potential to the absolute limit. Vagmaster Chennai, who's the official tuning partner of Venom Performance in Chennai, have had their own hands in building this beast. The workmanship of Vagmaster Chennai and Venom Performance's fantastic tune has enabled this build to be at the forefront of the VW tuning scene in India and I am pretty sure that this would become the talk of the town once it emerges in full glory. 

These kinds of builds take the Indian tuner scene to the next level on the global scale and we have got to applaud the engineering prowess that has been required to develop these kinds of reliable and tuner-friendly engines. I am pretty sure that the 1.0 TSI will go down in history as one of the greatest tuner engines that were available to the masses, especially in the Indian car culture.

Thanks for your time, please check out Vagmaster Chennai and Venom performance on Instagram for their awesome builds. Thank you Sai for letting me write about your wonderful build. Check out Sai's own automotive firm, 0to100india  and keep supporting him. Cheers!