This isn't the most heavily customized Golf GTI we've seen, but it comes with few custom parts we like, and belongs to a guy who's been into Vdubs for most of his life, a guy who just so happens to work for Vossen Wheels.
The metallic brown color is a wrap and the wheels are easily installed, so it's not amazing in that regard. But fans of the GTI will easily notice some funkiness around the back, where the VW logo has been shaved off. Considering it also opens the trunk, that kind of change shows commitment.
The taillights are also new, all-LED and borrowed from the more expensive Golf R. However, they weren't installed by choice, but by necessity. The owner of the car was on his way to Helen, Georgia for Southern Worthersee when a Toyota Tacoma rear-ended him at the lights. He then spent several months battling insurance companies, which couldn't have been very pleasant.
Regardless of that, the hot hatchback is now fixed and looking better than ever. It's also got some extra punch under the bonnet, as the 2-liter turbo engine has received the APR Stage I ECU update. Running on 93 octane fuel, the Golf now delivers 316 horsepower and 381 Nm of torque. We'd say that's enough to take on a V6 Mustang and win.
When combined with APR’s Intake System, peak power and torque figures grew further to 336 horsepower and 404 ft-lbs of torque.
So what about the stance? Well, just days after the repairs were finished, a set of H&K Coilovers arrived in the mail, and the little GTI was now ready to hug Vossen's limited-edition VLE-1 wheels. Even though they're made and designed in Florida, we know the crowd in Germany loves these weirdly shaped alloys and are installing them on everything from the Leon to the Passat.
But our favorite part of this whole project is the wrap. Toffee Brown is available on many Volkswagens, but not the Golf GTI. Who doesn't want a chocolate-colored hot hatch?
The taillights are also new, all-LED and borrowed from the more expensive Golf R. However, they weren't installed by choice, but by necessity. The owner of the car was on his way to Helen, Georgia for Southern Worthersee when a Toyota Tacoma rear-ended him at the lights. He then spent several months battling insurance companies, which couldn't have been very pleasant.
Regardless of that, the hot hatchback is now fixed and looking better than ever. It's also got some extra punch under the bonnet, as the 2-liter turbo engine has received the APR Stage I ECU update. Running on 93 octane fuel, the Golf now delivers 316 horsepower and 381 Nm of torque. We'd say that's enough to take on a V6 Mustang and win.
When combined with APR’s Intake System, peak power and torque figures grew further to 336 horsepower and 404 ft-lbs of torque.
So what about the stance? Well, just days after the repairs were finished, a set of H&K Coilovers arrived in the mail, and the little GTI was now ready to hug Vossen's limited-edition VLE-1 wheels. Even though they're made and designed in Florida, we know the crowd in Germany loves these weirdly shaped alloys and are installing them on everything from the Leon to the Passat.
But our favorite part of this whole project is the wrap. Toffee Brown is available on many Volkswagens, but not the Golf GTI. Who doesn't want a chocolate-colored hot hatch?