WheelsTires.net – Handy Tips about Auto Repair and More

April just last year saw Rhuari McAulay finally drive home the car he’d waited 16 months to come. It would be his first modern, high performance Volkswagen and it had been a treat to himself after an intense open-heart surgery operation one-year prior.

His 2012 Golf R was one he were required to own and, of course, the tale starts with an enthusiast intending to “”keep it stock and enjoy it.”” But everybody knowsshows, gatherings and events whenever he is able to.

Living in Vancouver places him in close proximity to one of the best-known VW tuners on the planet; HPA Motorsports. Highly regarded for the all-wheel drive and twin-turbo VR6 conversions, HPA fills all the gaps from mild to wild.

So as the Golf R was a departure from its traditional VR6 roots, company owner Marcel Horn realized it absolutely was an important car and sought out one like a testbed for many development parts.

Not only was Rhuari fortunate enough to be selected to receive these parts but Marcel had decided to take just four days to prepare his car in time for our own 2012 european car Tuner GP (EC 2/13).

He called the setup “”get fast quick””, turning a four-door hatch in to a genuine track contender. But don’t be fooled: whilst the kit isn’t excessively technical, it’s not something you could do within your driveway in three hours either, despite Marcel’s assertion it’s a DIY conversion.

Drawing on existing developments by long-time German tuning partner, HGP Turbo, HPA took a Garrett GT30-71/76 turbo and mated it with its own prototype exhaust manifold, high-flow fuel injectors and low-compression head spacer. These were paired with a new high-pressure fuel pump and front-mount intercooler to breathe new life into the 2.-liter four-cylinder.

02 2012 volkswagen golf r BBS CH R titanium wheels

05 2012 volkswagen golf r HPA quad chamber exhaust

06 2012 volkswagen golf r badgeless grille

In fact, throughout the dyno day at our Tuner GP the car put down 392hp to the wheels at 6700rpm, with 350 lb-ft at 5000rpm. Using the boost set at 26.5psi, it was a whisker shy of your 410hp HPA had predicted but a proper increase within the stock 256hp at the crank.

Undoubtedly, some of that increase was on account of the stainless downpipe and mid-pipe with 100-cell cat employed to keep the machine free-flowing. The quad-chamber bypass exhaust can be a work of art as well as the subsequent sound is somewhere between a vicious growl along with an air compressor purge, depending on RPM.

Keeping the power in balance is a Stage 3 Spec clutch, transferring drive to a set of gorgeous 19×8.5″””” BBS CH-R Titanium wheels and the 235/35 Continental ExtremeContact DW tires that were specified for participation in our Tuner GP.

Naturally, the build wouldn’t be complete without addressing exactly how the car rotates into corners, so KW Clubsport coilovers were fitted to provide road manners and track-day prowess.

Inevitably, the Golf R’s Haldex AWD system could benefit from some tweaking, so HPA added a Haldex Gen4 Competition controller. This was built to transfer more power to the back wheels, reacting faster and much more aggressively compared to thecollection of European big brake kits utilizing Baer calipers. The R concerns a halt with six-piston calipers in advance, clamping 355mm rotors with factory rear calipers and slotted rotors.

The result of the chassis and engine mods had been a best lap time round the Streets of Willow circuit of 1: 32.035 during the Tuner GP. However, it was achieved with some rather worn tires as the result of intensive set-up laps during the morning practice sessions. There’s no doubt they needed a little bit more time in a car and fresh tires nevertheless it represents a valiant attempt for a car that was only completed two or three days prior.

So, while no area was skipped inside the build, HPA laid out a clear path to transforming your R into a badass street car that’s equally at home on the track or maybe in the passing lane.

It’s not a built motor with standalone engine management, either, though no, it’s not just a simple weekend project. Rhuari’s car represents a happy medium, and you know he was happy to discover he reached keep all the parts except the turbo… but we’re pretty sure HPA has another on its shelf if he decided he can’t live without its Tuner GP spec.

2012 VW Golf R

Rhuari McAulay

Vancouver, Canada

Engine 2.-liter four-cylinder TSI 16v with HPA GT30-71/76 turbo, head spacer, prototype intake manifold, high-flow fuel injectors, high-pressure fuel pump, front-mount intercooler, downpipe, mid-pipe with 100-cell cat, exhaust bypass system.

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