APR Stage 3 (IS38)
IHI IS38 turbocharger
Milltek Sport downpipe
Milltek Sport cat-back exhaust
Uprated intercooler
APR coils
APR spark plugs
Racingline R600 sports intake
Racingline enlarged turbo inlet
Racingline muffler delete
Racingline intake hose
Forge blow-off valve

A popular upgrade for the 2.0 TSI 162/169/180 kW engine is replacing the original IS20 turbo with the more powerful IS38, which is fitted as standard to the Golf R, Superb 200/206 kW, Audi S3 and others. To give the turbo enough air we used the Racingline R600 sports intake, which completely dominates the market for value for money.

With this upgrade the car easily reaches 400 hp.

To change the overall character of the car we also fitted a Milltek cat-back exhaust.

Tomason TN29 wheel set
SCC 10 mm spacers

To go with a black car with black accents we chose dark bronze wheels from Tomason. This particular design caught our eye for a car shaped like the Octavia, and you can judge from the photos whether we chose well.

We also chose wheels that would genuinely benefit the car. Until then Martin had been running the original 18" wheels. Each wheel weighed 11.3 kg. The Tomasons we supplied, although an inch bigger and wider, weigh 8.37 kg. An absolutely brilliant weight that helps the handling by reducing unsprung weight. Room for big 6-piston brake calipers was also important: only a few aftermarket and original wheels fit over them without spacers, but these do.

Spacers were still needed at the rear, though, because before the 2017 facelift the Octavia's rear track was a full 20 mm narrower than the front.

Racingline lowering springs
Whiteline anti-roll bar kit
Racingline front subframe brace
Racingline subframe locating spacers
Strongflex bush set

6-piston 356 mm front brake kit
356 mm rear brake kit
Brake air ducts

Racingline springs took care of a tasteful drop, lowering the car evenly front and rear. The ride height is still no hindrance in everyday driving, as it is only -20.

We stiffened the chassis with a front subframe brace, which makes the steering more responsive and feel more solid. All the bushes were replaced with Strongflex ones. When refitting the front and rear subframes we used Racingline locating spacers.

The car could already accelerate, now it was time to teach it to slow down. For that we used 6-piston calipers with 356 mm discs at the front, so that 18" wheels still fit. The rear calipers were replaced with a newer version that takes vented discs, upgrading from 310 mm to 356 mm at the same time. Braided brake hoses and performance brake fluid come as standard. For better airflow to cool the front brakes, we fitted the front control arms with brake air ducts from Audi RS models.

Wavetrac limited-slip differential
ARP high-strength bolts
APR short shifter
Motul Gear 300 LS 75W-90 gear oil
Uprated clutch kit
New dual-mass flywheel
Gearbox mount

If there was one thing the RS220 lacked, it was a limited-slip differential, which only the more powerful RS230 got. Fortunately that is not an unsolvable problem, and a mechanical Wavetrac limited-slip differential went into this RS's gearbox. It easily goes beyond the level of the diff in the more powerful RS230.

The clutch had to keep up with the high power too, because on manual RS models the standard clutch struggles even with a basic Stage 1 upgrade.

Complete timing kit
BarTek steel oil sump
Thermostat housing with water pump
Camshaft magnets + bracket and cover
Oil pickup cleaning
PCV separator
Silicate-free expansion tank + G12 Evo
Millers Oils 5W-40 NT+ engine oil
OEM multifunction steering wheel replaced
OEM window switches replaced
Air conditioning condenser

Third-generation Octavias have been around since 2013 and this one is one of the first. They are getting relatively old now, so they need not only upgrading but also careful looking after for the longest possible trouble-free life.

Thanks to our experience with TSI/TFSI engines, we know what preventive servicing to choose, what to check and how to repair it properly.

Maxton Design front splitter
Maxton Design rear diffuser
Maxton Design side skirt extensions
Maxton Design rear wings
Black painted Škoda badges
Black RS230 grille surround
Black and red RS badges front and rear
Milotec rear window deflectors
Maxton Design boot spoiler extension
Polishing and ceramic coating arranged
Roof rails wrapped in gloss black arranged

Black might seem boring to some, but in a beautiful gloss with the right details it is really stunning. For a cohesive look we fitted the car with a complete MaxtonDesign kit (side skirts without drilling into the sills) and replaced all chrome parts with gloss black versions, either original parts or using wrap film.

We thank Martin for the trust placed in us over all the years of bringing the RS to us for both maintenance and upgrades.