^ Where do I start?
YES!!!! To answer your questions, she
IS fully loaded!
She's got everything you would expect but also a couple of mods you'd expect to see but which aren't onboard. Not in any order of importance and not the complete list: GTI with over 300 bhp, Quaife ATB diff, K04, KW tailor-made suspension, full engine mounts, custom cams, custom Milltek, custom alloys, short shift Manual, competition clutch, etc etc etc - Introducing VW Racing's road legal demo GTI and I'm the first customer to drive her.
She's been setup with the suspension I've been discussing with VWR for myself (plus a huge amount of their expert advice) - Tailor-made based on KW Clubsport. Hence why I was driving her. Notice that I call this car "her" and "she" because I am so in love with it.
I was a bit surprised when I was handed the key and expected to negotiate her out of the workshop. Although I have driven quite a few Golfs of this power level it was the competition clutch I was wary of - I need not have been! Like a responsive woman, she rewarded my gentle approach. All the Mk5 GTI's and R32's I've driven have been smooth and she was no exception. A gentle exit onto a main road and a bit of power and.......GRrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!! What a sound! I'm sure this metal-clad female is Brazilian! She sure knows how to roll an 'R'.
From the driver's seat she makes the most glorious sounds I've
EVER heard from a 4-pot turbo - Race car sound which you don't need ear-plugs for! Forget any radio though! You are enjoying yourself far too much for such silly unnecessary distractions.
Mark told me they'd installed the Quaife only yesterday as they wanted to match my car as closely as possible for my judgement of the suspension being what I wanted - The ATB diff reacts to grip which is in turn influenced by suspension. As expected, she was completely flatly planted around the roundabouts and we started off by heading to a section of the A5 which is concrete pads and a good test. Harder than mine but not in the least bit harsh - The Audi S4 is still the harshest I have experienced. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!! Ooooh! That sound again! It's not just the exhaust music but I was getting off on hearing
everything in the engine bay and even the rear brakes! Not a family car but a quasi religious experience.
I missed DSG and inevitably made a couple of wrong shifts but she obviously loved me as much as I loved her and forgave me instantly. I didn't stall her or crunch her box. She has loads of torque. Off into some sweeping country roads and then narrow twisties followed by lots of speed bumps. No problems anywhere. But she is an enthusiast's car and that's why I love her!
So, I was there for the suspension. Earlier in our discussions, VWR had initially tried the KW V2's and also with different spring ratings, but in the last few days they had decided to try the KW Clubsport (they have a technical partnership with KW Germany and can tailor-make). The Clubsport have the full adjustability of height, bump, and rebound and also camber if the top mounts are included. I have decided to leave out the top mounts until such time I may decide to do track days. Such adjustability allows VWR to precisely set up the characteristics of the suspension to their own requirements, rather than the pre defined requirements that KW put into dampers with less adjustment. Therefore allowing them to perfectly set the suspension to how you want it. The Whiteline AntiLift kit will be a good addition to the setup.
By the way, if you install the AntiLift kit it's advisable to upgrade the bushes on the other side of the wishbone. This is because the stock bushes are softer than the ones integrated into the Whiteline kit and loading will transfer to the weaker oem bush and could eventually cause failure.
What will I never forget? - Her feel and sounds! She is taut and tactile - Just how I like a ride to be.
Now, about the car.....
