In this post, we are going to discuss the Bosch MG1 and MD1 ECU, which was introduced back in 2016. This type of ECU controls both petrol and diesel engines, fitted to a wide variety of vehicles. Including the Ford Fiesta ST MK8, Audi S4, RS4 and more. (Keep reading for a full list)
Ford has used the same ECU, why is Revo Software available for those models and not VAG models?
The simple answer is security, Ford didn’t include it to the extent that Volkswagen Audi group did, and this is what is holding everything and everyone up. Maybe, Ford, is more understanding of their customers who choose to modify their vehicles?
Most importantly, tuning the car is possible (more on where we’re at with that below), but installing Revo ECU Software safely is the challenge; frustrating, but not uncommon. Similarly, the same thing happened when the Mk7 Golf was first launched in 2012. For instance, it took a few years before anything was released but was well worth the wait in the end, especially considering that you can now install a Revo Performance and Powerpack and be running 500HP reliably.
What ECU is in my vehicle?
Currently, the MG1 and MD1 ECU’s are installed in VWAG (Volkswagen Audi Group) vehicles with the engines listed in the table below. As Revo products are available globally, there are some other variants with differing power outputs depending on the region and country you’re in. It gives you a good idea if you’re looking to buy a car to tune (or already own one).
And if you’re not confused enough, some earlier models and engines were fitted with the earlier Bosch MED17 ECU before switching to MG1. If you have one of these, the good news is there might already be Revo Software available for you. You can check this by visiting a Revo Authorised Dealer who can check.
| Engine | Engine Version | Engine Variant / Vehicle Type |
|---|---|---|
| 1.5 TFSI | EA211 EVO | 130HP (DACA) / 150HP (DADA) |
| 2.0 TFSI | EA888 | 190HP (DKTC) / 230HP (DKTA) |
| 2.0 TFSI | EA888 | 200HP Polo GTI AW / A1 40TFSI |
| 3.0T V6 | EA839 | Audi S4 / S5 / SQ5 |
| 2.9T | EA839 | Audi RS4 / RS5 |
| 3.0 TDI | EA897 EVO2 | 231HP (45 TDI) / 286HP (50 TDI) |
| 3.0 TDI | EA897 EVO2 | 357HP (Audi S4 TDI / S6 TDI / S7 TDI) |
Tuning the MG1 & MD1 ECU
The Revo calibration team have been working relentlessly since the release of this Bosch ECU type back in 2016. The great news is that significant progress has been made on our in-house development S4, and we’ve been making great progress on tuning. We’re continuing to work on this, and the other engine variants. We’ll keep you up to date with any further progress at the bottom of this post. Exciting times!
There’s a lot more than just tuning to consider.
There’s a lot more than just tuning to consider. What use is awesome Software if we can’t install it on your car safely? When most other tuning companies use similar if not the same software installation tools, we only use Revo Flash X. Just in case the name doesn’t give it away, this is our own delivery tool.
Communicating reliably and safely with the ECU is just as important as the tuned file being installed. That means installation done properly; not ripping out your ECU and shoving some probes into it on a bench – we’d rather leave that to our development team.
To install Revo ECU Software, we have to make big changes to Revo Flash X, but what’s that?
Revo Authorised Dealers do much more than just install ECU Software. They health-check your vehicle before installation, and data-log it afterwards to ensure everything is working as it should. That’s why we’ll never ask you to send us your ECU.
When it comes to installing Revo performance ECU software files, however, we’ve made this as simple as possible. Revo Authorised Dealers use Revo delivery tools so that accessing the ECU is done safely and reliably. This is where Revo Flash X and Revo Portal come in – the ultimate installation tools.
Revo MD1 & MG1 ECU Software will only be available when we can safely deliver the software.
Revo Flash X and Revo Portal are Authorised Dealer only tools, that allow access to Revo’s full library of performance ECU files, support materials, data logging information and the ability to install Software primarily via the OBDII port. Developing our own delivery system ensures that we can support dealers and customers quickly and effectively. The Revo technical support team can see detailed information on the installation process live, anywhere in the world.
To install Revo performance ECU files onto the Bosch MG1 and MD1 ECU, we have to make changes to Revo Flash X to support it. We’re about to release an update for our Dealer network to add this functionality ahead of the release of the new performance ECU Software.
It’s not just Revo that would need to make these changes either. Other major tools would need to be updated too. Utilising our own tooling ensures we know the process is safe and won’t cause any damage to your ECU. We can extensively test our system in-house before making it available to our dealers. Therefore, not having to rely on a third-party tool means we don’t have to trust another companies definition of safe. (We have pretty high standards) Revo Authorised Dealer tools offer far superior access to the ECU, reliability and security but are not publicly available.
Global testing continues
We have multiple Bosch MG1 Equipped vehicles in our fleet and have been working with B9 S4 3.0T for some time. At present we don’t want to tease you with timescales. Rest assured we are continuing to work on this, and we will keep you posted with more details as we progress through our global development programme.
Where can I keep up to date?
This is a live blog post so we’ll add any major updates from our calibration team at the bottom of this post. Oh, and here’s a little teaser of some Performance Pack hardware we have lined up for the S4. You’re welcome.
Live Updates
March 2017
Our S4 is here
We are excited to have taken delivery of our Audi S4 B9 3.0 TFSI. This will allow us to start looking at hardware solutions for the B9 Platform and for our calibration engineers to get the first look at an MG1 ECU on this platform. Exciting times are ahead, especially as the S4 comes with a great interior (and massage seats). We can think of worse places to be working.
JanUARY 2018
One size doesn’t fit all
You might not be aware but there’s more than one type of Bosch MD1 or MG1 ECU (not just between Ford and VAG) but across each manufacturer. We’ve been looking at the various types of encryption and routines since the introduction of MGD1 back in 2017. They don’t all share the same unlock protocol so it’s not one size fits all. Ultimately this means that our engineers are going to be kept very busy over the coming months. And this is why we love what we do. It’s a constant learning curve to keep up to date on new developments to ensure we can deliver the best possible products.
June 2018
Ford MG1 Development
The Ford Fiesta ST MK8 has been released in the UK. And initial thoughts are very positive. Let’s see what it’s like to drive and what potential this new engine has. We will be working with one of our Authorised Dealers, who has been lucky enough to get their hands on one of the first ones from the showroom. This will give us a great start on the development of software and hardware for the 1.5 EcoBoost Engine with a Ford MG1 Engine Control Unit. We’ll keep you updated on our progress.
March 2019
Fiesta ST MK8 Software
Where others seem to have been capped on performance, having full access to the ECU and stock files has allowed our engineers to produce more performance. After 9 months of development and global testing, our Stage 1 software for the Fiesta ST Mk8 is now available from your local Revo Authorised Dealer. Increasing the power of the 1.5L 3-cylinder engine from 200ps to around 245ps. This is more of an increase at this stage of tuning than on the previous 1.6L 4-cylinder EcoBoost found in the Fiesta ST Mk7. For all our non-Ford owners, don’t worry we haven’t forgotten about VAG MDG1 development either. The level of encryption on the Ford ECU’s is a lot lower and has therefore allowed us to produce the software quicker.
SEPTEMBER 2019
Flashing progress
Bench flashing of the VAG MG1 ECU is now available, we are starting to see the results of all the hard work and long hours. This method of installation really isn’t commercially viable and user friendly for our global network of dealers, so we continue to work on our Revo Flash software and flashing tools to safely offer port (OBD) flashing. This is a huge step forward towards this and marks a real positive point for the MGD1 ECU development programme.
January 2020
Moving forward with port flashing
Another huge milestone, port flashing and unlocking have now been developed for the majority of the ECU variants. Testing on our own Audi S4 3.0 TFSI B9 is going well, and we now have an Audi A5 B9 2.0 TFSI 190PS model with an MG1 ECU that we’ll be working on.
This will allow us to gather more data for the flashing routines and moving closer to be able to offer a final solution through our current tooling.
april 2021
1.5 TSI development update
As previously mentioned, there are various types of Bosch MD1 and MG1 ECU’s (this is easily now into double figures). As a general rule the protocols used on 1.5 TSI vehicles, which are currently used in a wide range of vehicles, are different from those used in some of the 3.0 TFSI and 2.0 TSI variants.
This means that we will need a new flashing tool for our dealers to allow us to flash these ECU’s and future proof us for additional types. This new tooling is in the pre-production prototype phase, with several fully functional devices in testing and full development within our dealer network. Full production will be starting very soon.
May 2021
Dyno Time
Our engineers are now back in top gear and further drivability testing on our Audi S4 is in full swing. We also managed to get it back on our hub dyno for runs and number confirmation. We can’t tell you the results just yet – you will have to wait a little longer – but it will be worth it. As part of our Global Development Programme, the 3.0 TFSI is currently being tested in Russia. This ensures our software is capable of running in different climate conditions and also varying driving styles.
june 2021
2.0 TSI development update.
This month has seen some huge steps forward in our 2.0 TSI Transverse GPF 190PS software. We have had additional vehicles in our HQ for development. A VW Arteon and Tiguan for ECU ID confirmation and dyno runs. Our engineers have managed to get some great feedback and the end is now in sight. With the way things are going, we should be looking at releasing software for specific ECU ID’s in August. The wait is nearly over….
july 2021
Different performance modes
As you may know, at Revo we offer tuning for different fuel qualities. Not all the countries we supply software in have access to “decent” fuel. As part of our Global Development Programme, we are now testing different tuning/calibrations for 95ron, 97ron and 99ron modes. This allows customers the option to safely optimise the performance of their vehicles for the fuel quality they run.
Development Log
As of June 2021, we have logged over 550 hours of development time on the VAG MDG1 ECU. Excluding all the hours of driving and feedback from our dealers and BETA testers.
