Product Description
*MK7/7.5 Golf R, Audi S3, Audi (8S) TT/TTS, VW Areton AWD, VW MK2 Tiguan
The APR Cast Inlet Race DP Exhaust System replaces the restrictive factory DP with a larger, 76mm stainless steel mandrel-bent system, featuring a port-matched cast inlet, high-flow catalyst and various other features. Expect better throttle response, more horsepower and an intoxicating exhaust note, while remaining civilized during normal daily driving. It’s one of the best performance upgrade for 1.8T and 2.0T engines following APR’s ECU Upgrades and it’s designed and assembled in-house, using premium materials and world-class manufacturing techniques few can match.
Quick facts:
- More power, torque & less lag
+24-36 HP & +29-41 FT-LBS over stage 1! - Larger, 76mm system
Say goodbye to the restrictive 65mm system! - Cast Inlet with port-matched v-band flange
Unrestrictive flow for maximum performance! - Premium T304 stainless steel construction
Only the best to resist corrosion and stand the test of time! - Premium argon back-purged TIG welding
Clean, strong and attractive welds, inside and out! - Strong GESI high-flow catalytic converter
Reduced emissions, smell and noise without the power hit! - OEM-style slip-on clamps
Slip on and go with no pipe deformation! - OEM-style internally-corrugated flex section
Flex without the common failures and restrictions! - In-house design, assembly and quality control
Engineered from concept to reality to be the best! - Plug and play
Bolt on and go with the included instructions and replacement driveshaft bolts! - APR Stage II ECU Upgrade price waived
Upgrade from APR Stage I to APR Stage II for free! - Limited lifetime warranty
The best system with the best warranty!

Race DP with Cast Inlet
The APR Race DP features an investment-cast inlet, with a port matched v-band flange, creating an ideal flow path for exhaust gasses exiting the turbocharger. By matching the already oversized turbo outlet, the Race DP is able to maintain exhaust gas velocity, improving performance with minimal variances in cross-sectional area due to the strategic use of cast parts. Furthermore, the cast inlet allows for excellent packaging, satisfying other design criteria while maintaining a larger and constant cross-sectional area compared to mandrel bent tubing built to similar specifications. The end results it simple: Smooth exhaust flow and maximum performance!
The Race DP’s piping is upgraded to attractively-brushed, straight-through and mandrel-bent 76mm tubing, dwarfing the small 65mm factory system. Furthermore, components visible from the engine bay are tumbled for a more attractive finish. A CNC laser cut bracket provides a strong and accurately positioned mounting point to take the weight of the Race DP off the turbocharger, and the internally-corrugated flex section gives the Race DP the flex it needs under engine movement. Finally, the Race DP uses T304 stainless steel components that are TIG welded together with argon back-purging, ensuring the system not only looks great on the inside and out, but stands the test of time.
76mm Midpipe

The factory midpipe uses awkwardly-kinked, 65mm tubing with some systems featuring an additional midpipe catalytic converter. The APR midpipe eliminates the front resonator, giving the exhaust a slightly more aggressive note, while eliminating performance robbing restrictions. Finally, the midpipe uses attractively-brushed mandrel-bent 76mm T304 stainless steel tubing.
Flex Section
The APR midpipe use an OEM-style flex section that is fully sealed with a corrugated inner lining to improve flow and reliability. The low profile design and minimal use of bradding material eliminates clearance issues common with other designs that can billow, rub, rattle and fray over time. The flex section is constructed from T304 stainless steel and is argon back-purged when TIG welded to the Race DP.
Catalytic Converter
APR’s engineers specified a high-quality and high-flow GESI metal 300-cell catalyst ideal for forced induction application. During dyno testing, the 100mm x 100mm design showed no measurable loss in power thanks to the catalyst’s design.
Internally the catalytic converter feature a proprietary wash coat that helps to reduce emissions and smell common on cat-less setups. The low-profile catalyst features a fully captured substrate brick, which is furnace brazed to the outer mantle and physically captured by the diffuser cones preventing rattling, rotation, and damage to the substrate. Subsequently, a byproduct of running the catalyst is a reduction in noise, making the system as a whole more pleasing to the ear.
Brackets
Attached to the Race DP is a high quality mounting bracket. The bracket is constructed from T304 stainless steel and is CNC-machined and CNC-bent to exact tolerances. The bracket is TIG welded to the piping and argon back-purged.
Designed to stand the test of time, the adjustable bracket is CNC machined from 8mm-thick billet T304 stainless steel and the hanger feet are threaded into place, eliminating the need for welds. Weight is removed from the bracket, wherever possible, while not hindering its structural integrity. The bracket attaches to the Race DP’s integrated mounting bracket with the included hardware.
Clamps
Our system uses OEM-style low-profile slip clamps designed to eliminate the need for flanges, swedging, or slip fittings. By using this low profile design, the exhaust system can be positioned higher in the exhaust tunnel and away from the ground with better clearances compared to flanged setups. Each clamp allows for less turbulence and greater accuracy at the connection points as the pipes simply butt up to one another rather than the ambiguity and voids associated with swedged slip fittings. Furthermore, the clamp doesn’t rely on deforming the pipe to provide a tight seal, making install and removal more convenient.
Oxygen Sensor Bung
APR’s Engineers paid special attention to the details when designing the APR Cast Inlet Race DP Exhaust System all the way down to the oxygen sensor bung. APR’s O2 bung is investment cast from T304 stainless steel and is curved to perfectly fit on the catalyst, without protruding into the pipe, as this would further impede airflow beyond the sensor itself. The bung is TIG welded to the piping and argon back-purging is used to ensure the interior surface is smooth and clean.
Reducer
A simple and removable, T304 stainless steel reducer, featuring a smooth transition, is included, making the APR Cast Inlet Race DP Exhaust System directly compatible with the OEM catback exhaust system.
Harness
A high quality oxygen sensor extension harness is included as the catalyst and sensor bung is relocated further away from the turbocharger.
The Engineering and Designing Phase


In the past APR worked with other manufacturers to develop a limited range of private-label exhaust systems outside the scope of APR’s internal development and manufacturing capabilities. Understanding the limits of such a program, combined with APR’s desire to deliver higher-quality products in a timely manner with better customer support, APR invested in internalizing the program. With the release of this exhaust system and the others like it, APR is pleased to present new system designed and engineered in-house from the ground up!
Design and development begins with the use of APR’s professional grade in-house coordinate measuring machines. APR’s engineers have full access to a Romer Absolute arm with integrated laser scanner, FaroArm and Creaform 3D laser scanner for collection of special constraints surrounding the factory exhaust system. The engineers scan the vehicles and create detailed 3D maps of their design environment while designing each system in PTC Creo 3.0 CAD software.
Using APR’s in-house stereolithography 3D printer, rapid prototypes are created for fitment on the vehicle. The design is easily and quickly verified, and if necessary, changes can be made. Once adequate clearances and fitment is confirmed, especially in areas that move under load, physical quick-cast prototypes are created and fitted for final verification through real-world use.
APR’s world-class manufacturing partners from around the globe are responsible for manufacturing each component that falls outside of APR’s internal capabilities. Working closely with each manufacturer, APR’s engineers supply CAD models, materials specs, and other design specifications and work hand-in-hand with the manufacturer to develop the components. The end result is a collection of components, wholly unique to the APR name, awaiting final finishing, assembly and quality control at APR’s 78,000 square foot facility in Opelika, Alabama in the USA.
The Fabrication, Finishing and Assembly Phase
Manufacturing takes place both internally and externally to APR while finishing and assembly is completed in-house. APR’s fabrication team sends each cast component through the ceramic vibrating tumblers to smooth and de-burr surface imperfections. Each component is then cleaned by hand and prepared for assembly.
APR’s fabrication experts TIG weld each component, creating reliable, high quality and attractive welds. Each component is back-purged with argon during the process ensuring the weld is strong and consistent, as well as clean throughout. With this process complete, the APR Cast Inlet Race DP Exhaust System is born!
Final Quality Control
APR has placed a large emphasis on improving quality control across various product lines, and the exhaust program is not excluded. To ensure the systems are delivered as advertised, APR’s engineers have taken a multi-step approach that encompasses many techniques that go beyond the industry standard.

Metallurgy Testing
APR’s engineers request full metallurgy reports with each batch of components to ensure the components are made with the material grades specified on the original design prints. This information is then cross-referenced against randomly selected and independently tested samples before the components are released for assembly.
Dimensional Inspection
Great designs only matter if the manufacturer delivers the components as expected. To help ensure the designs are as specified, APR’s engineers randomly select components and conduct full dimensional inspections using in-house 3D laser scanning equipment. Tolerances are digitally checked against the original specifications and passed or failed based on the results.
Fixtures
Operating in an environment designed for accuracy and repeatability, APR’s fabrication experts leave little room for error during the final assembly phase. Jigs and fixtures, created in-house, live on custom-specified fabrication tables. This working environment ensures the highest level of quality control during the assembly process and safeguards against dimensional variations potentially created during the manufacturing process. The end result is a system that fits every time as it’s true to the original design specifications.
Visual Quality
When hand-building the products in-house, an extra level of control takes place. Components are visually checked for imperfections, and items that fall out of quality standards are rejected. The products are then packaged with care before being distributed across the world.
APR’s confidence in the system’s quality allows for a limited lifetime warranty.