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2002 Volkswagen GTi 337 with 6,700 Miles

Published September 10, 2014 by Carter

I have to admit that when I initially heard the details of the 337 Edition GTi, I was very excited. To me, it seemed like Volkswagen had finally gotten the message and brought us a modern interpretation of the car that I loved, the 1990-1992 GTi 2.0 16V. After a period of low performance 4-cylinder variants, the pokey 1.8T was now pumping out 180 horsepower and matching torque – finally, the car had the go to match the show. While the VR6 had continued into the fourth generation GTi, the accompanying weight, luxury items and electronic throttle meant that while horsepower numbers went up, the seat of the pants kick and thrill that was the hallmark of the original and 16V GTi – and even the Mk.3 VR6 – had been replaced by a stout highway cruiser. As if to answer critics and revisit the original formula, in 2001 Volkswagen introduced a stripped down, turned up version of the GTi called the 25th Anniversary edition, celebrating the original 1976 launch. For me, it was a return to form for the original hot hatch with some great updates. Unfortunately, it wasn’t heading to the U.S., because of course we didn’t receive the GTi until the 1983 model year. But U.S. fans were taken care of too when the nearly identical GTi 337 was launched. Outside, it got some awesome shot-peened BBS RC wheels that looked stunning compared the the rather bland wheels styles that had adorned the GTi since the BBS RMs on the 16V. Behind those wheels were beefed up brakes and red calipers, because red is of course faster (or, slower in that case?). It also sported a new body kit that highlighted the lower stance – hunkering the GTi down over those great wheels. After a period of hidden tailpipes, a polished exhaust tip emerged from the rear valance – a nice change for sure! Inside, special details like brushed trim, red-stitched shift boot and special “Golf Ball” knob for the 6-speed manual and some awesome Recaro seats greeted you. And to keep weight down, no sunroof was offered. This was a sporty car that went like it looked for a change! Limited to 1,500 examples, it was an instant hit and apparently a good bet for a future collectable:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2002 Volkswagen GTi 337 on eBay

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1979 BMW 635CSi Euro-Spec

Published September 10, 2014 by Carter

As iconic designs go, the E24 has to rank pretty high on most German car enthusiasts’ lists. The lines are pure and classic – a long hood line with chiseled front end, delicate and subtle wheel arches, a sweeping greenhouse and a flowing trunk line. It just looks right – the front of the E9 that it succeeded was equally as classic, but I have always felt that the back of the 6 series was prettier than the car it replaced. It took elements of some classic BMW designs that preceded it and incorporated them flawlessly with updates for a new time. By 1970s standards, it was a very clean design – consider what was coming out of Detroit during this time period, and you’ll understand why the 6 still looked reasonably fresh a decade on in the 1980s. But for my money, the prettiest of the 6s are the early Euro cars, unencumbered by the DOT bumpers. Early on, though, the 6s suffered from not much performance – the engine lineup was effectively carried over from the previous E9 platform. That was solved in 1978 with the launch of the 218 horsepower 635CSi; a 5-speed transmission, deeper airdam and black rubber rear spoiler with model designation indicated the higher performance of this model. The 635 officially wouldn’t come to U.S. shores until much later in 1984 with the E28 updates in place, but for a time this was the highest performance BMW coupe you could get. Finding early examples that are still in prime shape is quite tough these days, but there’s a lovely example on Ebay today in Connecticut:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1979 BMW 635CSi on eBay

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Tuner Tuesday: 1978 Volkswagen Scirocco Sidewinder II Turbo

Published September 9, 2014 by Carter

If the Mk.1 Scirocco is already a rare car to see, finding a period modified one is even more rare – especially when it comes to a well known example, such as the New Dimensions turbocharged example we see here. On top of being a fairly rare car already, this particular example is also one of the even more rare “Sidewinder II” editions that came out in 1978. What did the Sidewinder II get you? Well, according to this letter to dealers from Volkswagen, the Sidewinder got a special air dam, special seats, speedometer backing, decals, and black trim. I love, too, how Volkswagen likened the pose of the rattlesnake to the engine layout in the Scirocco; reaching, considering the 71 horsepower accelerated the “sports” coupe to 60 m.p.h. in a semi-leisurely 11.6 seconds. To fix that, this New Dimensions example has a 1.8 turbocharged motor fitted along with some fairly rare parts:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1978 Volkswagen Scirocco Sidewinder on eBay

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Duocorns: 1987 Volkswagen Quantum GL5 Syncro Variant and 2003 Volkswagen Passat W8 4Motion Variant 6-speed

Published September 8, 2014 by Carter

In yesterday’s Audi project post, I wrote up two more-rare Audis with potential, though both would require some work and dedication to get to daily driver status. Today, I’ve got two more “project” cars – though, if anything, these two are considerably more rare these days than either of the two Audis. Both are all-wheel drive wagons from Volkswagen, but if you can quint and see a family resemblance, that’s about all that links them together. The first is the B2 Audi-derived Quantum Syncro – essentially, an Audi 4000 quattro with Volkswagen hubs, wheels and brakes and a unique rear suspension under the Quantum body. The Passat W8 also shared Audi A4 all-wheel drive components but essentially was a completely different offering, from the 6-speed manual transmission this model sports to the unique W8 motor stuffed into the discreet Passat Variant package. While there were considerably more Quantum Syncros produced than W8 6-speeds, finding one today can be quite hard – many succumbed to poor residual value, rust and neglect; though not complicated cars, the were more expensive to work on than the standard 4-cylinder models. The W8 is at the verge of falling into the same fate, with the exception of original production numbers – with only a handful of W8 Variants imported originally, both of these cars are serious unicorns these days. Which is your style?

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1987 Volkswagen Quantum GL5 Syncro Variant on eBay

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Wednesday Wheels Roundup: RS Edition

Published September 3, 2014 by Carter

Though there was a brief period where they were considered a little past their prime, BBS RS wheels have come roaring back as a popular fan favorite once again. Expensive wheels when they were new, amazingly in some cases they’re even more expensive when fully polished and restored than they were originally. Here’s a roundup of a few different colors and options; gold wheels for your Porsche 930 – is there any better fit? Then a fully restored 4x100mm set that would look great on a BMW E30 or Volkswagen GTi. I also found a few sets that need some work; the white set appears to be originally for a Porsche 928 but needs restoration, and the silver set is missing a wheel for your BMW. Finally, a set of black wheels for a Mercedes or Audi and a set of the newer variant – the Super RS, for your new BMW M car. What is your favorite?

CLICK FOR DETAILS: BBS RS 131 16×8.5,9.5 5×130 Wheels on eBay

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