THIS HPA MOTORSPORTS MECHANIC'S 550 HP MK4 R32 TURBO IS EARLY 00S PERFECTION.
The Mk4 Volkswagen Golf, produced between 1997 and 2003, marked a significant shift in the Golf lineup. It was the first Golf to fully embrace a more refined and mature design, aimed at a higher level of buyer. The Mk4 was also pivotal for its build quality, safety features, and technological advancements, setting a new standard for compact cars, even though many enthusiasts rate it the worts GTi ever, there are many that feel the polart opposite. The Mk4 R32, launched in 2002, was best exploitation of the Mk4 Golf platform and it was designed to be a high-performance variant, even above the famed GTi. Instead of a tweaked version of the 1.8 T 20-valve motor, it was fitted with a normally aspirated 3.2-litre VR6 engine, a narrow-angle V6 engine with a 15° cylinder angle which allowed for a more compact design enabling fitment into a space typically reserved for inline-four engines. This powerplant was rated at 177 kW with 320 Nm of torque. This made the R32 the most powerful Golf at the time, the most powerful GTi featured 132 kW with 235 Nm. The Mk4 R32 was equipped with a 6-speed manual transmission as standard, but there was also an automatic option which was the borth of the famed DSG transmission. The R32 featured Volkswagen's 4Motion all-wheel-drive system, which used the now iconic Haldex center differential. The R32 could accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h unless than 7 seconds, which was quick for its time, and it had an electronically limited top speed of 250 km/h. Volkswagen produced approximately 12,000 units of the Mk4 R32 worldwide, making it a relatively rare model. It was available in several distinct colors with Deep Blue Pearl being the most iconic colour for the R32. One of the R32's standout features was its exhaust note, the exhaust system was specifically tuned to enhance it, which is awesome.
There was a handful of properly sorted Mk4 Golfs back in the early 2000s, the most famous being the Dahlback Racing monster, but that used more Audi underpinnings than anything else. As you’d expect, some tuning shops created upgrade packages for these cars, one of the most well-known being HPA Motorsports, the Canadian Volkswagen experts. These guys created a full upgrade package to turbocharge the 6-cylinder lump, and the kits were so well designed that they managed to fit perfectly in the already compact engine bay. The fit and finish was also OEM-quality, which meant they weren’t cheap. As you’d imagine, HPA Motorsports had their own R32 as a demo car, but they don’t. While also, they do. In true tuner style though, it has a wee bit more power on tap. This car belongs to a mechanic at HPA (check more of the car on Instagram), and in the case of his Mk4 R32, power was taken from the stock 177 kW up to a completely bonkers 405 kW, or 550 powers of horse if that’s your preferred metric. The Diamond Black R32 has seen extensive upgrades, but as you’ll see when you watch the video with Marcus Vandenberg from Roads Untyravelled at the wheel. The car drives like stock but handles better - the 20-year-old chassis manages to exploit that power perfectly thanks to choice suspension upgrades. We’ll let you hear and see the rest of the specs in the video, but in the meantime, we’re stating that this is the best Mk3 R32 that there is, and if you happen to disagree, just know you’re wrong. I wonder what it would cost in Rands to get this car to SA? Probably Mk8 R money, but it’ll be worth it!
Take a look at the YouTube video from Roads Untravelled as he takes a close look at one of the most well-known Mk4 Golfs from the early 2000s. The car is still immaculate and even 20 years down the line, the Mk4 shape doesn't look dated at all: This Fire-Spitting 550 HP Golf R32 Makes Your Mk8 Look Silly | Roads Untravelled
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