VR6 Turbo Powered MK2 Golf

Cult cars can become dreams to some people. All you need to do is look at some very clean examples of MK2 Golf’s to see the impact it had. It was utilitarian in design, well made and the engines were superb for the time.

A cult following over the years has grown and there are still many about. But how far can you take something? Jordan thinks, quite far..

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Growing up with a neighbour who had a MK2 Golf back in the 90’s is what sparked it for Jordan. His dad eventually bought it off the neighbours and that’s where the love affair started.

Jordan had to have one when he was older, and his dream came true 9 years ago when he went out and bought the car he'd wanted since the 90's. After countless searches on eBay. A clean example came up in Largs and the opportunity was there. He travelled down and bought the car without much of a plan for it.

Over the years, It's been in bits, stripped down and fully rebuilt with stuff added over time. The original carburetted 1.6 was removed 7 years ago and replaced with a 1.8 20 valve unit. With all the other usual modifications being done such as lowering it and putting a GTI interior in it and some tasteful BBS reps.

Since then and more recently the car has changed quite a bit with more stuff added. Exterior has had the GTI treatment too with GTI bumpers, side strips and side skirts. A rare Kamei boot spoiler sits on the back, some G60 front arches and now a set of 16x9 Schmidt Modernline wheels replace the BBS’s. Some recent additions inside and out are courtesy of Porsche - 924 door handles and a later 944 steering wheel.

Yellow tinted fog and spot lights, smoked indicators and crystal rear lights along with yellow and white bulbs were added, which to me give the car that resto-mod look. The Mk2 seats and instrument gauges were replaced with MK3 ones. Mechanically things were changed again and MK2 GTI arms, hubs (to keep it 4 studs), driveshafts and a full polybush kit were added along with an AP coilover set

According to Jordan. He really didn’t like the 20 Valve engine he put in it. So instead, he ripped it out and put a 2.9 Turbo Charged VR6 in its place. After doing this, serious upgrades were needing to keep the car running.

A MK3 front subframe was added. The gearbox was upgraded to a MK3 gearbox with Sachs Paddle clutch along with a Mk3 Hydraulic clutch set up, all paired to a Mk4 golf gear linkage to remove the sloppy feel of the Mk3’s. To keep it cool, is a Corrado VR6 radiator and a front mount intercooler with a twin cooling fans hardwired to a switch. An alloy inlet manifold and a 3 inch downpipe to a 2.5 inch stainless exhaust keep the car breathing and exhaling.

Corrado G60 front brakes and MK4 Golf rear callipers with braided hoses and Kunifer brake pipes help it stop. An extra coolant temperature gauge, oil pressure and boost gauges were added.

If you are wondering by now what this car is like on the road, It’s mental. Spinning in 4th at 70 MPH on the motorway is achieved easily. The car is now kicking out 450 BHP with 1.5 bar of boost according to Jordan when it was last put on a dyno.

That sort of power in a car the only weighs just over a tonne is an impressive power to weight ratio. He’s now been tempted to upgrade to some Porsche brakes as he feels the current set up just isn’t enough. Jordan now doesn’t have much else planned for the car in the future. It's just a case of fettling it now to make it run reliably so he can enjoy and have fun with it. Here's to the next 9 years!

Written by Clarke Mackinnon

Photography by Crank Chamber

Edited by Paul Young.

Originally posted 2021.