Our dressed up 2006 Volkswagen GLI - Eurotuner Magazine

We'll admit we sometimes make mistakes where the consequences have great severity. This happens to be one of them.

The story goes like this: As you know, in February we received our 2006 GLI from our friends at VW. They gave us the keys and a warning to leave the car stock. Pleasantly surprised, we'd been loaned a free car and didn't hear a word they said.

It remained stock for a week or so, but the more we looked at it, the more we felt it was indistinct from everything else on the road. To fix the dilema we phoned Landspeed to see what they could do for our GLI.

After talking with Dan Gardner and voicing our desire for a quality, stylish body kit to give the car some Euro character, Dan recommended the new Caractere kit.

Relatively unheard of until 2000 when Landspeed became its NA importer, Caractere has been known in Europe for years. Built from injection-molded polyurethane, these high-quality kits are not only lighter and stronger than their fiberglass counterparts, they're also easy to fit and flexible in the event of a mishap.

With several grille and spoiler options to choose from, and over ten different bumpers available, it took a while to pick the perfect kit, but after careful inspection we decided on the badgeless grille, GTI-style front bumper, skirts, roof spoiler, low-level rear spoiler and rear bumper pieces. The combination, though understated, would add a muscular touch without looking bulbous. Slightly tougher and thicker than the OEM pieces, we knew they were quality and didn't shirk at shelling out the $2615 for the complete kit. Landspeed also sells each piece separately, though you save 10% buying it complete.

DTM preparation
With our kit in hand, we headed to our friends at DTM Autohas in El Monte, CA, the undisputed experts in body kit fitting and painting. Bodyshop Manager George Nogal, accepted the challenge of fitting the kit without drilling or cutting so we could return the car to VW unmolested come year's end.

He started by test-fitting the kit to ensure everything aligned properly. "I was surprised how well the kit was made. It didn't look like it was bought from hell like many of the kits out there," George said. After making sure everything was neat and tidy, he filled the small holes created during the injection molding process. "There were a few pinholes to fill, but it was nice to see a kit without hundreds of air bubbles for a change," George said.

The kit was then power-sanded and primered. After allowing the primer to dry, he sanded the kit with 400 and then 600 grit paper to get a good surface, ideal for paint adhesion.

Once the pieces were prepped and primed for paint, DTM added a flex-additive to the factory United grey paint. Flex agents make the paint malleable and allow body pieces to bend without cracking the paint -a good thing with its polyurethane construction.

DTM painting
Since Project Dub was receiving the GTI-style front bumper, George masked and applied the characteristic black center section. "I painted the black part first because if there's any over-spray, it's a lot easier to repaint the small black section than the entire bumper," he said.

The entire kit was in the booth for three coats of United grey, followed by two coats of clearcoat. The clearcoat was then allowed to harden for several hours before it was wet-sanded to a glossy shine.

Caractere fitting
Front Bumper
DTM removed the entire factory front end in preparation for the Caractere transformation. The front bumper was mounted first using clips and screws. "It was a little tricky fitting the front because you have to align the bumper liners in order for the kit to fit properly," George said. Once proper alignment was achieved, they attached the accompanying clips and screws. The Caractere badgeless grille then clips into place inside the new bumper.

Skirts
The factory skirts were removed, along with the fixing clips. The side of the car was then cleaned, along with any remaining residue from the factory double-sided tape. A strip of special 3M adhesive was applied to the lower body panels before the 3M tape on the Caractere skirts was affixed. "The 3M tape will last forever if applied correctly," George said. "The trick is to properly clean the surface beforehand, and to keep it dry for several hours afterward to allow it to set." To ensure the skirts were secure for high-speed use, screws and clips were also used in factory locations.

Spoilers
Unfortunately our GLI came with a rather unattractive factory trunk spoiler mounted via three holes. We had two replacement options: A taller Caractere Sport "hoop" spoiler or their Classic design. The latter was low-level and reminiscent of the old M-Technik spoilers, so we chose this one. Because the car isn't ours and we'd have to refit the stock spoiler, the Caractere wing was fixed with double-sided 3M tape. This left one hole in the center of the trunk, which we temporarily filled with a grommet.

The roof spoiler is bonded to the rear screen with a combination of the same 3M adhesives.

Rear bumper
On the rear, Caractere retains the stock bumper but adds small winglets to the sides. These cover the black trim and give the profile a harmonious appearance. Since nothing has to be removed, the pieces were adhered using the same 3M double-sided tape. But because the US bumpers are a slightly different shape than the European ones they were designed for, these pieces were exceptionally difficult to align. So be sure you have a friend with you to eyeball the angles before committing to a position. Still, we have a tiny gap around the back edge, but it's not really noticeable.

Springs
Prior to the body kit and wheels, the car was fitted with Hotchkis lowering springs. They dropped the stance about 1.5" without compromising comfort.

Known for its domestic and import suspension products, our car was Hotchkis' test mule for the new GLI line, which will soon be expanded to sway bars and camber plates.

Originally fitted with factory 17" wheels, the new springs struck a good balance between form and function. The car looked good, rode great and handled better. A true test to their craftsmanship came when we fitted the 20s to the Jetta, without experiencing a decrease in civility. Admittedly, they worked better with the 17s but we can't complain after fitting wheels outside their intended parameters, especially since the car is still a formidable canyon carver. www.hotchkis.net, 877/466-7655

DTM Autohas
Established in 2001, DTM Autohas serves both the Euro and import community as a retailer and bodyshop. Known for its impeccable bodywork and paint, several of et's own cars, including projects Dub and Envy, have gone under the knife at DTM. Also recognized for carbon hoods, many cars have been shod with DTM Karbon. www.dtmautohaus.com, 626/442-0318

DCR Wheels
In true Euro tradition we looked for special wheels to complete the package. Initially we lusted after BBS LMs but were disappointed to discover they weren't available for the Mk5.

Frustrated, we contacted Derek Jenkins, VW's Chief Designer and head of its SEMA program, for help. He recommended an open, five-spoke design, saying these would work well on the car, mentioning a mesh wheel would look too closed and not suit the lines of the car.

Heeding his words, we found the new forged five-spokes from DCR Wheels after photographing Albert Halim's '03 Audi A4 Avant (featured in et 08/06). Albert's the co-owner of The Wheel Supply in City Of Industry, CA and his DCR five-spokes fitted the bill perfectly.

We mentioned our ideas to him and he suggested a 19" would be perfect. However, he assured us he could easily tuck 20s under the capacious fenders.

We explained our goal of an understated Euro theme and Albert then recommended the DCR Monte Carlo five-spoke wheel he builds in-house.

Originally intended for a Benz with the same 5x112 bolt pattern as our VW, the wheels filled the GLI's arches superbly.

The wheel centers are designed and manufactured in-house by TWS, while the barrels are made by Triangle Hard Alloys - the same company HRE uses.

With a three-piece design, both the centers and barrels are manufactured from forged T6-6061 aluminum. The centers are buttoned to the barrels with 42 stainless steel bolts, and sealed with TWS-specific RTS9000 silicone adhesive.

With the SoCal Euro GTG just around the corner, we quickly experimented with different widths and offsets in pursuit of the ideal fit. You can get huge wheels under these cars but as time ran out, we took a conservative route and opted for 20x8.5" front and 20x9" rear. The resulting widths produced nicely proportioned 1.5" front and 2" rear lips that still left room for the gargantuan Brembos that were soon to come (step-by-step fitting next month). With the 9" deep-dish wheel on the back we've experienced only slight rubbing - a problem that could easily be fixed with more time, but we put Albert under extreme pressure to paint and build these wheels in less than a week.

In keeping with our Euro theme, we asked Albert to color-match the centers. As we've said numerous times, this is a signature Euro look and TWS was able to match the United grey perfectly.

We also had a choice of lip finishes. These range from polished to chromed and painted. On Albert's recommendation we went with black-chrome outer lips. A quick wipe with a cloth and these rims shine like the surface of the sun.

The inner barrels are bare aluminum and should be protected from harsh chemicals. In fact, with the chromed and painted finishes, TWS recommend the wheels should be cleaned like bodywork - with soap and water.

At around $1000 each corner, the DCR wheels aren't cheap, but the choice of finishes, offsets and widths combined with great strength and light weight make them an attractive choice for European cars.

LandspeedBased in both Luxemburg and Tucson, AZ, Landspeed is best known as the North American distributor for Caractere styling products from Werbomont, Belgium. However, Landspeed also specializes in interior, exterior and electronic mods for VW, Audi, Porsche and BMW owners. And while it gained notoriety for its work with the Mk4 chassis, the company has actually been around more than 20 years. www.landspeedusa.com, 800/237-5625

TWSThe Wheel Supply has been around nearly four years and since opening has acquired an enviable reputation in the Euro industry. Known for its wide selection of wheels, TWS also manufacturers DCR Wheels in-house. More than just hoops, TWS also offers brakes, suspension and accessory fabrication; including many one-off products like eight-piston AMG retrofit brake kits. If you're looking for help with a Euro project, this is a great place to start. www.thewheelsupply.com, 909/378-7515

BFGoodrich tiresFinding tires was a second stumbling block, but Albert steered us toward some 225/30-20 BFGoodrich g-Force KDWs. Being narrow, they'd have a stretched Euro-look while the proven tread pattern and compound would give excellent grip. With these on, the car handles marvelously in the canyons and rides surprisingly well for a daily driver. Despite the crater-scarred roads of Los Angeles, the forged wheels and 30-series tires have stood up to all the abuse and have sheltered us from its effects. These are very strong wheels.

Project Dub now bleeds Euro. It's typically understated yet muscular. In fact, it receives compliments everywhere we go. And to the untrained eye, the cleanliness of the kit coupled with the grade-A gargantuan wheels creates a package that turns heads.

"When I first saw the car finished I was amazed it could look so good, considering what we started with," Sir Emmerson said. "I'm actually not embarrassed to drive it now. I think we've found the GLI's Euro roots. They were always there but were pretty well hidden. Now there's no question about its heritage. This is a Volkswagen."