2010 Golf R20: The Replacement for Displacement
Car and Driver got the scoop on the next gen Golf’s top-of-line model, the R-series. Apparently to be called the R20, the new hot hatch will use a similar 2.0L direct-injection turbo motor to that of the current GTI’s 2.0L, only bumped up to 270 hp and mated to an AWD tranny. It’s like an S3 in a VW skin. Hopefully the below illustration from Car and Driver is representative of the R20’s actual design – a more aggressive design than the current MkV R32’s softer more refined lines.
Hop over to Car and Driver for the complete story.
Aircooled Porsche with a Modern, Electric Twist
When the real estate market finally crashes in Seattle and I can afford to buy a house, one of the cars occupying my multi-car, climate-controlled, stable will be a Porsche 911. But should I go with the classic and simple aircooled go kart with the simply lines and pure interior? Or its much more capable, and complicated, watercooled counterpart with the bulletproof boxer? Well, now I have a third choice…. Electric.
EvPorsche can convert your German dream car into a tree-hugging, earth-friendly electric-powered kraut rocket. And because electric motors produce gobs or torque, performance numbers are remarkably similar to the original gas powered numbers. How does 0-60 in under 5 seconds with 1200 lb-ft of torque putting power down to the pavement…. And all with zero emissions. Now in all reality, this is not going to be a highway, or even a canyon cruiser. The EvPorshe conversion is only good for about 50-miles. Sure, mileage is not very impressive, but for somebody like me who live in a metropolitan area, I usually don’t even drive 50 miles a week. And did I mention the 1200 lb-ft of torque?
More info over at Motor Authority or EvPorshe’s website.
Audi’s Superbowl Commercial: The Chase
Jason Statham’s flicks aren’t always of the highest cinematic quality, but they’re usually at least enjoyable to watch. He’s witty, he can kick some ass, and man, can he drive. Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Bank Job, Death Race, Crank, Snatch…. All great movies. I’ve almost even forgiven him for making In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tail.
But Staham’s most defining movies are the Transporter series. I guess Audi saw that, too, and then enlisted Statham for their Superbowl commercial, co-staring the new Audi A6. This is by far one of my favorite Superbowl commercials this year. Check it out below:
Source:YouTube
Follow the jump to watch the making of this crazy commercial.
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Eye Candy a la VWVortex
Dub Dub Dub Dubba-dub-dub-dub Dubba-dub-dub-dub….
Careful, it’s an annoyingly catchy anthem. I bet it gets stuck in your head, too.
Source: YouTube via VWVortex
How’s Your Stance?
H&R Wheel Spacers: Go Wide
I wanted to lower my car’s coilovers a bit, but the guys at Group2 Motorsports could only drop it down to a certain point or my wheels wheels would rub the suspension. They suggested looking into wheel spacers to solve the problem, which would also improve handling and aesthetics by offering a slightly wider stance and somewhat more balanced look.
After browsing through a few online stores, I found Achtuning was having a month-long sale on all H&R, and Dion from Achtuning also posted an announcement in the VWVortex PacNW forum that they were offering an additional 10% off for a few days. Perfect!
I went with 5mm spacers up front and 15mm spacers for the rear. The wheels will sit just up to the edge of the fenders, giving the car’s stance a more solid look (and feel), improved handling, and the option to take the coilovers down a few notches.
The spacers will be installed shortly, so stay tuned!
Source: H&R
Props: Achtuning
Wayne’s O2 Sensor Angle Block
I’ve had a “check engine” light (CEL) on in my GTI for something like two years or so now. The MK4 uses many sensors in order to maximize the efficiency of the 1.8L turbo motor. This ends up being both a good thing and a bad thing. It’s great because I get about 37 mpg in the city, and 30 highway. But it’s also bad, because these little sensors also go bad, and sometimes with a disturbing frequency. Bad sensors result in annoying CELs.
I use Ross Tech’s VAG Com to check the error codes, then hop over to the VWVortex forums and research what the various error codes mean. Most codes are fairly common among the Volkswagen tuning community, so using the ‘Tex’s forum search, I can usually come up with a few threads that lead to a solution. My most recent reoccurring CEL battle was giving me these results in VAG Com:
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New Booty Jewelry for the GTI
I’ve wanted to upgrade my factory taillights for many years, but the factory tails just looked so great on the Silverstone paint. The smoked accents on the GTI tails just matched the paint color perfectly.
VWVortex PacNW Forum Alki GTG
This past Tuesday, a few VWVortex members from the PacNW forum met up at Alki beach for a little GTG. It was my first time making it out to one of these events, and I look forward to the next one. Quite a few cool cars (and owners) made it out, and the weather was brisk, but at least it wasn’t raining. The Alki Beach boat launch has an amazing view of the city’s sky line. Next time I’ll have to make sure to bring the Nikon and a tripod as i only brought the Samsung point-n-click with me. Click the image below to check out the gallery.