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Earl Stevens
5 years ago
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structural steel and mounting brackets for the European bumper to ensure the kit fits like a glove. Since VW no longer uses 5 mph bumpers on U.S. cars, it doesn't create any safety or legal problems.

3 structural steel and mounting brackets for the European bumper to ensure the kit fits like a glove. Since VW no longer uses 5 mph bumpers on U.S. cars, it doesn't create any safety or legal problems. Side skirts and fender flares are included along with the front spoiler/ bumper and the rear skirt/bumper combination units. All the body parts are made of polyurethane, which according to its proponents, makes them much less susceptible to damage than glass fiber or ABS. The pieces come fully primed and are ready to accept paint to match the color of the car. The integrated fog lights are also included in the comprehensive kit. If you look closely, you 'II notice special blacked out rear tail lights. They are not just painted black, they are replacement units molded out of black plastic for that Night Rider look. A matching black plastic panel which fits between the two tail lights is also available, but is not fitted on this project car. The units are made by Treser in Germany and imported by Neuspeed. Zender makes the rear spoiler which has been painted to match the body color on this car. A set of outrageous Pulsar wheels by Momo complete the Euro look. They are, of course, one inch larger than stock and shod with Goodyear 195/50xl5 tires. Enough of the outside. Let's look underneath. A stock GTI is one of the best handling sedans on the road, but it's still not on par with a true out and out sports car. Neuspeed's suspension components tum this project car into one that will stick like the proverbial limpet to freeway on and off-ramps and mountain roads. Neuspeed makes a variety of different sway bars for front and rear which can meet different customer needs. Neuspeed's project car has a 7 /8" front and an adjustable 1" rear sway bar. To ensure rigidity under hard cornering, the car is fitted with an upper strut tie-bar. To complete the handling package the car is installed with a Koni sport kit comprised of adjustable front and rear gas shocks. Progressive rate springs lower the ride heig!"lt by 1 1/4" and give the car a firmer, but not harsh, ride. Performance wise, this car is not as fast as it might be as it has only been fitted with a European spec GTI cam along with a Gillet exhaust system also imported from Germany. Neuspeed's oil cooler kit is a worthwhile extra. It helps keep the oil temperature down under heavy running. The company sells quite a few European GTI engine components-all of which can help GTI owners gain those valuable few extra horses without affecting the overall driveability. As we mentioned in this month's Showroom Floor (p. 6), next year VW will solve the problem of extra horsepower when the 16-valve GTI is introduced. Driver and front seat passenger get to sit in Flofit bucket seats covered in matching GTI upholstery. The driver gets to tum the wheels with the aid of a red Momo Monte Carlo steering wheel and he shifts with a matching shift knob. Even his shifting is aided by a Neuspeed short shift kit which changes the stock linkage to one with a shorter throw. A Votex custom dash panel contains three VDO instruments and a cassette storage tray. Just to complete the sporty touch, a set of Autolook aluminum pedals, complete witil holes (they look like Belgian waffles!), keep the driver's feet in position when he's driving hard! Despite slow sales of the Mark II Golf GTI when it was first introduced nearly two years ago, it has now caught on. According to Neuspeed's Gary Neumann, the company is beginning to see several Rabbit GTI owners accepting the new model and moving up. There's no doubt that the GTI appeals to the enthusiast segment of the market. Neumann says sales are strong and judging by the healthy number of VW specialists, it would appear that even if VW sales are lower than those of Japanese manufacturers, VW owners appear more likely to spend money on accessories than owners of Japanese cars. Like other German auto makes, VW is still a good bet for the accessory aftermarket, especially when a modem VW can be made to look so dynamite. IAPA

The numerous m iles of twisty

New Hella Body Kit & Neuspeed components Equal one Fine vw The numerous m iles of twisty canyon and mountain roadways that traverse their way across southern California's terrain are the perfect test beds