Q: How long have you owned this car?
A: I don’t personally own the car. The car is owned by Mike Newman, of APTuning in Lebanon, PA.
Q: Is there anything unique about the history of this car?
A: The car started off as a daily driver for Mike’s girlfriend, and was soon thereafter fitted with an APR Stage 3 kit. After sponsoring the APTuning 20vTurbo Shootout at Maple Grove Raceway in June, the shop wanted to have a car to enter in the shootout. One of the guys in the shop, Joel, was going to drive the car, but couldn’t make it. At the last minute they asked me to drive it and we ended up winning the shootout.
Q: What was your objective with this car?
A: My objective is to run a 10-second 1/4 mile with it. We’ve already broken the 11-second barrier at Waterfest this year.
Q: What tuning style would you describe this car as?
A: Drag Racer for sure (the 24” slicks give it away).
Q: Who helped you build this car?
A: Mike, Mark, Tom, and the rest of the crew at APTuning. I can’t even take any credit for building the car at all. They did all the hard work - I just push the pedals and shift the gears.
Q: What makes your car special?
A: This car is special because it is the first Mk4 1.8T in the 11s, and will hopefully be the first into the 10s this year at Show and Go.
Q: What is your favorite part/feature/function?
A: My favorite part would have to be the nitrous switch. When I flip it… the car lays me back in the seat and takes off like a rocket ship.
Q: Who or what inspired the direction of modifications on this car?
A: I suppose I influenced the mods, but Mike from APTuning has the ultimate say in what does and doesn’t get done to the car, being that it's his shop and his car.
Q: What don't you like about this car?
A: I don’t like that it's not mine, and that at the end of the year it is getting put back to street trim. Luckily, there is already another car - bigger and badder - in the works.
Q: What would you change if you could?
A: I’d put a bigger turbo on the car (which may already be done by the time this is published).
Q: On a scale of 1 to 10, how satisfied are you with the outcome of this project?
A: An "11." It has FAR exceeded my expectations already and we’ve only run the car at 2 events and dyno’d it once.
Q: What would you do to the car if money were no object?
A: I'd fully build the engine, put something along the lines of a GT40 turbo on the car and at least a 150 shot of spray. The transmission would be a G-Force sequential transmission.
Q: Who has been your biggest critic of this project?
A: Absolutley no one. Everyone, including rivals in the hunt for the 11-second pass, have been nothing but supportive towards 100% of our efforts and it is VERY much appreciated.
Q: What do your family and friends say about this car?
A: They think its cool as anything. Most look at the car and say it's way too clean and smooth and plush to be a race car. But hey - what else can you expect from a car with 7,300 miles on it?
Q: What is your favorite place to drive this car?
A: The drag strip is the only place it gets driven so I suppose that’s my favorite place to drive it.
Q: What is your ideal day with this car?
A: Getting to the track around 9 am and blasting off consistent 11-second passes all day.
Q: Who gets to drive this car?
A: Myself, Mike, Tom and anyone that Mike says is allowed.
Q: If your car had a motto, what would it be?
A: "See you at the time slip booth."
Q: If you had to name your car, what would you name it?
A: Red Rocket.
Q: What was your previous project?
A: A 2002 GTi 1.8T (my personal car that I just swapped for a bigger turbo).
Q: What is your next project?
A: 2002 GTi 1.8T (new race car for next year).
Q: What one word best describes your car?
A: Smooth.
Driver/Owner Information:
Name- Ian Case/Michael Newman
Address- Reading, PA
E-mail- [email protected]
Username in VWvortex Forums- WhiteG60
Occupation- IT Administrator/APTuning Shop Drag Race Driver
Club Affiliations- DubEvo
Vehicle Information:
Year- 2003
Make- Volkswagen
Model- GTI
Mileage- 7,300
Original Color- Tornado Red
Current Color- Tornado Red
Engine- 1.8T
Engine Modifications- APR Stage 3; GHL cold air intake; HyperBoost diverter valve; 50 shot of nitrous; Yarrowsport prototype solid dogbone mount; APR front-mount intercooler
Exhaust Modifications- 3” dump tube
Transmission Modifications- O2A gearing (1 through 4 - no 5th); APTuning spool; 4.23 ring and pinion
Suspension Modifications- APR Roll Control springs; Yarrowsport rear chassis tie bar
Brake Modifications- None
Wheels and Tires- Front - 15x7 steel wheels/Mickey Thompson 24.5x8x15 ET Drag Slicks; Rear - 17” VW OEM Long Beaches with OEM tires
Exterior/Body Modifications- 337 front valence; 337 hatch spoiler
Interior Modifications- Sparco Fighter race seat; Sparco steering wheel
Audio/Video/I.C.E.– You don’t need a radio to go fast
Thanks/Props- Mike, Mark, Tom (and everyone else at APTuning); APR; Yarrowsport
*VWVortex
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