Is The VW GTI Way More Powerful Than Advertised?

It’s no secret that Volkswagen knows how to extract big power from the 2.0L turbocharged I4 known as TSI that it throws in as many products as possible. The Golf R 400 is certainly proof of that statement. Even the mighty Bugatti Veyron is powered by, in crude terms, four TSIs that have been stapled together (That’s how they do that… right? A staple gun?). That’s why it seems odd to me that the most modern GTI there is only makes 210 horsepower. It’s not that 210 is a bad figure; it’s just not particularly inspiring.

What is inspiring is the following figure: 263 horsepower – assuming a 15% drivetrain loss. That’s what a recent dyno test that was posted on a Focus ST forum suggests the VW might actually be making. Yes, VW might be understating the power of its own car by 20%. Of course, the truth of the matter won’t come out until multiple cars are dynoed and the results are verified by a second dyno shop, but this is still a rather big piece of news should it be replicated.