GranTouring's Car!

We’ve built a lot of MK4’s over the years… And while trying to mend a customers Golf TDI we were in desperate need of a 5-speed diesel transmission, so we called up our friends at StripSearch VW in Ringo, NJ. It had been a while since we’d reconnected with Jeff, and as luck would have it, he had what we were looking for and then some! 

As we got to talking, I mentioned I was looking for a “new project” and mentioned a that a MK4 wagon was on my list of possibilities, and he replied “I might have the car you’re looking for. Let me send you some pix.”  

Turns out, Jeff had EXACTLY what I wanted to build: A MK4 “Golf Variant“ (as they were marketed in Europe) also known as a “Golf Estate” as the Brits like to call it. Better still, this “euro-spec” swap had everything outside of 4-motion AWD which came standard on the VR6 wagons in Europe at that time. This 2003 “Jetta Wagon” as it was sold in the US started it’s life as a 2.slow making 110 bhp on its best day but was meticulously converted using 3 different cars to a 24-valve VR6 with 6-speed 02M transmission. It’s hard to tell that it has Over 200k miles on the body, it is relatively straight with only a couple dings, blemishes, and was mostly garage kept.

To say it didn’t need some TLC would be a lie, but I had to ask: “Jeff, why would you want to sell the car?” to which he replied “Well, I kinda built it in a hurry for Eurokracy a couple years ago, drove it up to Canada for the show, tooled around with it, and it’s been sitting in the back corner of the shop for a while. I don’t want to sell it, but I know with GTM it would be going to a good home.” – I told Jeff to load the trans we needed in trunk, and we’d come get the entire package! 

2002+ Audi TT ALMS 18″x8″ (ET33) 9-spoke wheels, with European VW Center Caps imported from UK; w/5mm spacers

color matched “Galactic Blue” Golf 2.0 complete front clip (fenders, bumper, hood, etc)

Glass European Headlights

Clear/Crystal Bumper Markers

2002 Wagon “short” aka “euro” rear bumper imported from EU

Black 20AE style headliner, pillars and components.

European “A4” style rear lights imported from Latvia

Blacked front bumper rubstrip

Imported flat-black front grille with VW logo

Golf VR6 rear rebadging 

There's nothing quite like driving a VR6 powered vehicle, from the earliest Corrado's to the 3.6-litre Passat CC's and everything in between (including the W motors) it's a unique experience. More affectionately referred to as "wookies" in the VW community for the Chewbacca growl that the VR engines make, the stand apart from anything else in the crowd. The MK4 VW chassis also stands alone with no predecessor and no successors and is a wonderful example of Fahrvergnugen ("The Joy of Driving"). Learn more about the venerable VR & W engines! https://www.gtmotorsports.org/vr-w-engines-explained/

Porsche Boxster (986) “mono-bloc” Brembo 4-piston front-caliper upgrade, 12.25″ Audi TT/20AE Rotors, R32 Stainless Brake Lines (front/rear); 20AE Rear caliper upgrade with ventilated rear rotors

Black Leather High Bolster front/rear seats from GTI; with cold weather package, “lift & tumble” seats; GTI rear seat conversion

Leather door card insert conversion from Jetta GLI (front and rear)

Center arm-rest delete

Early style Dashboard with defined Airbag area

20AE GTI/GLI louvered vents

2005 center console with cup holders, with "above radio" cup holder delete

Interior component refinishing as seen in THIS ARTICLE .

European RMT-100 (Clarion) dual-din stereo head unit with Bluetooth and AUX

European courtesy "3 blink" turn signal upgrade

Golf monster mats 

Custom under hood graphics by our sponsors at www.cdans.com lets us show off the 24v manifold! 

~130k mile 24-valve VR6 engine with matching 02M 6-speed transmission

New Sachs Clutch package

TyrolSport shifter bushings (upper)

K&N air-filter

STI coil-packs; with NGK iridium plugs

Techtonics Tuning Manifold Back Exhaust, 2.25″ made of 304 Stainless; high-flow cat, no resonator with Borla muffler; custom tip.

European ECU – 208+ whp as seen at Autofab Dyno Day 2020 (jump to end of video).

BFI Stage-2 (Green) Motor Mounts; GTM Stage-2 “red” dog-bone engine mount

New/Refreshed cooling system; VR6 fan package.

Track-Studs racing stud conversion

Removed FK coils and swaped in adjustable Koni Yellow Sport and Neuspeed Yellow Springs for more comfortable street ride.

ECStuning Urethane control arms

034 Motorsports Adjustable Swaybar links

TyrolSport steering rack reinforcement

Eurosport Lower Stress Bar; Aftermarket Upper Stress Bar

TyrolSport solid subframe bushings

Poly Rear Trailing Arm Bushings (RTABs)

GTI high-density Ball Joints

ATE TYP200 DOT4 brake fluid

Separated Brake/Clutch reservoir system (below); also uses DOT4