Why Everyone Loves the IHI IS38 Turbo Upgrade

If you've been hanging around the Euro vehicle scene for more than five minutes, you've certainly heard someone point out the ihi is38 as the particular go-to swap regarding extra power. It's the factory-standard turbocharger found in the Volkswagen Golf R and the Audi S3, but its reputation has exploded considerably beyond those two cars. For owners of the VW GTI or the Audi A3, this turbo represents the "Goldilocks" zone associated with tuning—it's big enough to give you an enormous boost within performance but little enough that this doesn't ruin the particular car's daily the driving experience. ...

April 11, 2026 · 7 min · Thalji Soe