| GT35R Tubo - In The Garage
Volvospeed S60R
Originally bought by Charles Linden at Volvospeed as a platform to review products, it grew into a carbon fiber racer inspired by Speed Motorsports' World Challenge GT S60.
Bob Miller and John Nelson at Speed Motorsports helped with the project, providing the same carbon fiber widebody kit as on the racecar. The suspension is the same as that used on the racetrack, as are the brakes.
Alamo Autosports was charged with the engine work. The block was re-sleeved for Wiseco pistons, and Pauter rods are on order. Power will come from a custom GT35R turbo, which will be put to the ground through a Mitsubishi Evo 9 transmission via a set of 315/35-18 Toyo tires.
The interior will feature Recaros, a leather-wrapped rollcage, plus a stereo system from Maxxsonics with GPS and DVD.
The goal for Volvospeed is to build a street-legal racer finished to a high standard. As the build progresses, updates will be in et and at volvospeed.com
Tein GTI
We've been following Tein's GTI for several months. The Japanese suspension specialist is building the car for SEMA. The widebody you see here is still under construction at BRS Auto Design, but is almost complete. The GTI also wears Seibon carbon door skins, hood and tailgate, which will eventually be color-matched.
Eurocode is working on the motor and is still awaiting parts, but in the meantime has built a custom clutch using a modified Sachs pressure plate, dual diaphragm and lightened flywheel.
A StopTech brake kit has been test-fitted already, and the most recent delivery was lightweight reclining Bride Gias seats. More info next month.
Carbon GTI
This is a rendition of Fausto Merida's '06 GTI that's destined for greatness at SEMA. The illustration shows it in Carbon Creations' carbon/kevlar bumpers, widebody fenders, skirts, hood and tailgate. Not every detail is finalized yet, but Fausto hopes to have DP Engineering wheels with Dunlop tires, plus Megan Racing coilovers and sway bars. The motor will have a big turbo, Evolution Racewerks FMIC and a nitrous shot, while the interior gets Status seats and the obligatory sound system.
WRD GTI
Another SEMA car, and part of VW's official GTI presentation, WRD has been invited to build a Time Attack car for appraisal and display at the show. The tuner is late to the game, only receiving its car in July, thus giving them about four months to complete it.
To date, the crew has stripped everything, including the wheel wells, exterior pieces, interior and dash. They spent two weeks removing heaps of wiring, as well as the whole front end, plus the a/c.
Starting to rebuild, WRD installed a Forge FMIC and has fabricated brackets for a Momo race seat.
Plans call for an APR K04 turbo, 3" turbo-back exhaust and 3" intake. Nitrous Xpress will supply a wetshot and intercooler sprayer, while the tranny gets a Quaife LSD and Spec clutch. The car will sit on Momo forged race wheels and Koni race coilovers. Wilwood is designing 13" front brakes and 12" rears. It'll also have a rollcage, as you might expect.
Evosport M3
This M3 is being built for Time Attack in conjunction with evosport. Details are sketchy at the start of the project but it's clearly widebody and the motor will be turbocharged. And since the last evosport E36 M3 turbo we featured (et 9/06) had 500hp on the road, you can expect over 600hp from this badboy. We'll get more details next month, but Time Attack competitors be warned.