Intercooler System
for VW/Audi 1.8T/2.0T 2015-23

Manufactured by APR | Part #IC100019

The APR Intercooler System is an OEM-location upgrade that dramatically reduces intake air temperature (IAT), minimises heat soak, and provides increased performance! The system is a direct bolt-on upgrade that requires no trimming and is recommended at every stage of performance.

Features:

• Dramatically lowers intake air temperature (IAT).
• Increases horsepower while minimising power-robbing heat soak.
• Effectiveness tested to over 500 HP.
• 21 horsepower gain over the factory system.
• Massive core size.
• Use of the OEM-location allows for a massive intercooler core.
• 61.60cm x 41.28cm x 2.95cm - 7490.52cm³ - OEM MK7 Golf (APR 92% volume increase).
• 61.60cm x 41.28cm x 3.18cm - 8070.63cm³ - OEM MK7 GTI (APR 78% volume increase).
• 61.60cm x 16.25cm x 3.48cm - 8681.87cm³ - OEM MK7 Golf R (APR 62% volume increase).
• 61.60cm x 16.25cm x 5.72cm - 14,379.65cm³ - APR.
• Intercooler installed in the best location for this platform.
• Utilises factory air dams for exceptional airflow across the core.
• 100% compatible with the Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) system.
• Highly effective core design.
• Bar-and-plate core with staggered and louvered fins.
• Rigorous testing determined core style, fin density, and size.
• Low pressure drop + highly effective cooling = high performance.
• Smooth cast end tanks.
• Engineered for low turbulence/restriction and maximum flow.
• Organically shaped to promote airflow across entire core.
• Pressure tested to prevent power robbing boost leaks.
• No hidden labour costs or permanent modifications.
• No trimming, cutting, or other costly modification required.
• No modification to the Adaptive Cruise Control System required.
• Designed by engineers with lasers.
• With the best equipment and smartest engineers, it just works!
• Material: 356-F Cast Aluminium and TIG welded in silver colour only.

Design:

APR pioneered the OEM-location direct-replacement intercooler system in 2006. Unfortunately, to the untrained eye, many intercooler designs appear the same. However, effectiveness of the system and overall performance are greatly determined by several key metrics. Alloy selection, end tank design, construction type, fin style, fin density and overall core dimensions must be analysed and balanced accordingly to deliver class-leading performance. While the OEM’s goal is to create a lightweight, easy to manufacture and inexpensive to produce, cross-platform design capable of supporting factory power levels, APR’s intercooler must be capable of supporting more than double the factory output. Achieving this goal took a multi-step approach focused around intercooler core selection, end tank design and install location.

The APR Intercooler core is a large bar-and-plate design featuring densely packed staggered and louvered fins. This design offers exceptional cooling while balancing pressure loss across the core, and maintaining critical airflow to the components behind the intercooler system. The core size was appropriately matched to the platform, minimizing pressure drop while leaving adequate space for appropriately designed end tanks. To APR’s mechanical engineering experts, the design represented the ultimate in performance, far exceeding the capabilities of the factory intercooler. To the driver, the result is simple: Repeatable performance, even in the most demanding of situations!

Core Style & Internal Fin Structure:

APR’s Engineers paid close attention to the balance between core effectiveness and pressure drop through the core, core style and fin density. With fin density too low, pressure drop decreases dramatically, but typically results in a core incapable of effectively cooling. Likewise, with fin density too great, pressure drop increases dramatically, resulting in the turbocharger working harder, and hotter, to produce the same level of airflow. By fine tuning this often unseen balancing act, APR’s engineers were able to maximise performance.

End Tank Design:

To fully utilise the massive core, APR’s mechanical engineers designed cast aluminium end tanks organically shaped for proper airflow distribution across the entire core. By correctly sizing the intercooler core, end tank design was not sacrificed. The one-piece end tanks are CNC machined to provide a slip resistant mounting surface for hoses, precise integrated mounting surfaces, and perfectly flat connecting surfaces used for TIG welding the tanks to the core. Through proper alignment in welding jigs, each unit is assembled to tight tolerances for a precise and accurate fit.

Placement:

Intercooler placement plays a critical role in overall performance. By utilising the factory mounting location, APR’s engineers were able to design a core featuring a massive frontal surface area and large core volume, which plays a critical advantage over common short and stubby front mount designs. Utilisation of the factory location means the core receives a high volume of pressurised airflow spread across the entire unit thanks to the highly engineered factory air dam system. Furthermore, by keeping the intercooler in the OEM-location and balancing core fin density, the factory air-to-water cooling system is not disrupted, which is ever so critical on this platform due to the use of an integrated cylinder head manifold cooling system. The APR intercooler system simply fits, which helps save on hidden labor charges during the time of install. There are no compatibility issues with active cruise control (ACC) systems and the design leaves room for future engine / transmission oil cooling upgrades for track-going customers. The intercooler installs without trimming any air dams, core supports, or more. There’s no drilling, or permanent modifications to the vehicle. Simply follow the included directions and enjoy!

For even more information from APR see here.

Vehicle Applications:

• Audi
• A3 1.8T/2.0L - 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
• A3 Quattro 2.0L - 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
• S3 2.0L - 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
• TT Quattro 2.0L - 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
• TTS Quattro 2.0L - 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023

• Volkswagen
• Arteon 2.0L - 2022, 2023
• Golf 1.8L - 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
• Golf Alltrack 1.8L - 2017, 2018, 2019
• Golf Sportwagen 1.8L - 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
• Golf GTI 2.0L - 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
• Golf R 2.0L - 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023