What Lies Beneath

Robin got in touch with a cool looking white, 4-door, big bumper MK2, and what a MK2 it is.

From the outside, Robins MK2 has a seemingly understated OEM look to it, but if you’re at a 1/4 mile track day and this comes up next to you, there’s a good chance you’re just going to see the back of it for this run… the only giveaway for the eagle-eyed amongst its victims, is the badge that sits in the front grille…

Robin explains how he came to have this car, and gives us a rundown of this daily driven racer.

“I’ve owned the car for 11yrs.

It started life as a 2E 2L 8v digifant motor, eventually converted to a modern EFI making 91kw and 164nm.

These were produced in South Africa in 1992 under the VWSA motorsports banner, as a “test” vehicle for the mk3 gti as we never received a 16v mk3 gti, but one with a 2.0 8v.

The car is used as a true daily driver. Long road trips are part of its life. I drag race it and as a 1.8T 20v, it’s been down the strip over 320 times over 3 years. It’s seen a couple track days.

Plans to go big turbo are in the works, but not as quickly as I’d like.
The car is built on the foundation that if it can’t be a daily, I won’t build it.”

We love this dedication to keeping this as a useable, reliable car, but with the power to surprise a lot of newer cars.

We are loving how clean of an install this is, its almost as if it was there from factory.

Robin explains the spec here…

1.8T 20v AGU
K03
AJH intake
63mm downpipe and exhaust.
Custom intercooler and stainless steel piping.
GFB decepter pro 2 electronic bov
GFB G-force 2 electronic boost controller.
Powermods management with flat foot shifting and 2-step launch control.
Poly engine mounts

BC Racing BR edition coilovers.
16″ volk racing G25 lightweight 7J with 195/45 Nankang NS2 tyres.
14″ stock “rib cage” wheels are used in winter on Yokohama s-drive 185/55 tyres.

The car made 140kw 321nm at the wheels. With more work in the pipeline, we are going to keep in touch with Robin, as this build can only get better, and quicker.

We love how this MK2 has been built to be a true sleeper, easily mistaken for something it’s not, until it passes you, well done Robin, can’t wait to see where this goes.