Audi Performance and Racing

Audi Performance and Racing, generally known as APR, is an American automotive engineering and motorsport company focused on performance upgrades for vehicles produced by the Volkswagen Group. Despite the Audi-oriented name under which it was established, the company serves a broader range of Volkswagen Group marques, including Audi, Porsche, SEAT, Škoda, and Volkswagen. The company was founded in 1997 by automotive engineers Brett Augsburger and Stephen Hooks. Its initial product was an engine-control-unit software upgrade for the 1997 Audi A4 equipped with the 1.8T engine. This early offering established APR's core approach: improving vehicle performance through electronically controlled engine calibration rather than relying solely on mechanical modifications. APR subsequently expanded beyond engine software into hardware and integrated performance systems. Its product scope came to include exhaust systems and turbocharger systems, placing the company within the specialist aftermarket performance sector. APR's tuning products use proprietary software to read and write Bosch Motronic engine-control units, enabling changes to the software that manages engine operation. This technical capability became central to the brand's identity and product development. The company's activities combine aftermarket engineering with motorsport involvement. Its offerings are aimed at vehicle owners seeking increased performance from Volkswagen Group cars, as well as enthusiasts and specialist users interested in upgraded powertrain systems. The available reference material does not provide verified information about APR's current ownership, headquarters, revenue, executive leadership, detailed product generations, or geographic sales footprint. Those fields are therefore left unspecified rather than inferred from the company's association with Audi or the wider Volkswagen Group.

Audi Performance and Racing was established in 1997 in the United States by automotive engineers Brett Augsburger and Stephen Hooks. The founders developed the business around aftermarket performance engineering for cars made by the Volkswagen Group. Although the company's original name highlighted Audi, its intended technical and commercial scope extended across several related marques, including Porsche, SEAT, Škoda, and Volkswagen. APR's first reported product was an engine-control-unit software upgrade for the 1997 Audi A4 1.8T. The product reflected the company's early emphasis on electronic tuning: rather than limiting performance work to physical engine components, APR modified the calibration contained in the vehicle's engine-control system. This approach was particularly relevant to electronically managed turbocharged engines, where software changes could affect operating parameters and performance characteristics. Following its initial software product, APR broadened its aftermarket range to include exhaust and turbocharger systems. The expansion gave the company a more complete performance portfolio, combining software calibration with hardware intended to support higher-output engine configurations. APR's engine-tuning products use proprietary software to read from and write to Bosch Motronic engine-control units, a technical process that underpins its tuning services and products. The company is also described as an automotive engineering and motorsport business. Its identity therefore encompasses both consumer-facing aftermarket upgrades and engineering work associated with performance driving and competition. The supplied reference material does not document a detailed chronology of later ownership changes, acquisitions, executive appointments, product-generation launches, financial results, or specific racing programs. No such details are added here. The available record supports APR's development from an Audi-focused ECU-tuning specialist into a broader Volkswagen Group performance brand offering software, exhaust, and turbocharger-related products.

• 1997

  Company founded

  [1]Audi Performance and Racingen.wikipedia.org

  Brett Augsburger and Stephen Hooks founded Audi Performance and Racing as an American automotive engineering and motorsport company serving Volkswagen Group vehicles.

• 1997

  First ECU software upgrade introduced

  [1]Audi Performance and Racingen.wikipedia.org

  APR's first reported product was an engine-control-unit software upgrade for the 1997 Audi A4 1.8T.

• Product range expanded into hardware

  [1]Audi Performance and Racingen.wikipedia.org

  After its initial software offering, the company expanded into exhaust and turbocharger systems for Volkswagen Group vehicles.

Specialist aftermarket performance engineering for Volkswagen Group vehicles, combining electronic engine calibration with hardware upgrades and motorsport expertise.

• Engine tuning software · 1997

  APR ECU Software

  APR's engine-tuning software is designed for electronically managed Volkswagen Group powertrains. The company's products use proprietary software to read and write Bosch Motronic engine-control units, allowing revised engine-management calibrations. The first reported APR product was an upgrade for the 1997 Audi A4 1.8T, establishing software-based performance tuning as the brand's foundational offering.

• Exhaust hardware

  APR Exhaust Systems

  APR expanded its portfolio beyond electronic calibration into exhaust systems for Volkswagen Group vehicles. These products form part of the company's hardware-based performance range and complement its engine software and turbocharger offerings. Specific models, materials, applications, and current availability are not identified in the supplied reference material.

• Forced-induction hardware

  APR Turbocharger Systems

  Turbocharger systems are among APR's reported performance products. They extend the company's offering into forced-induction hardware intended for upgraded Volkswagen Group powertrains. The available source confirms the product category but does not specify individual system names, vehicle applications, performance ratings, or launch dates.

1. 1Audi Performance and Racingen.wikipedia.org