“I’m not going to mod it” were the words uttered when this car was first purchased seven years ago. The GLI being the epitomy of the Jetta mark, coated in that candy Tornado red paint, made for a beautiful sight off the showroom floor. Naturally it would make sense to attempt to preserve it’s original luster for as long as possible and not spoil it with over the top modification.

While the philosophy has remained the same, the car has not. A little less than a week into ownership the first small modifications to the car came in the form of a stubby roof antenna, then clear sidemarkers. Surely these simple changes did not compromise the original nature of the vehicle? Ultimately this was only the tip of the iceberg. A fitting analogy to be sure as it takes looking far below the surface to comprehend the amount of time it has taken to amass the quantity of sublte tweaks and modifications since those first minor changes.

This once daily driver has been BFI’s test bed for anything and everything MK4. If we sell it, chances are it has been installed and tested on this ride. Multiple sets of coilovers, spring and shock combinations, brake set-ups, turbos, exhausts, and software files have found their way onto this car over the years. This experience means that we can help the customer make a more informed decision by sharing our direct first hand experience with the variety of products out there.

While the popularity of the 1.8T and MK4 chassis has given way to the more modern cars, this Jetta can still hold it’s own in both the looks and performance departments in comparison.

ENGINE:

R32 Short Shifter

EXTERIOR:

BFI Stubby Antenna

INTERIOR:

SUSPENSION:

SPC Camber Kit

BRAKES:

SS Lines, pbr metal master pads

WHEELS:

1 in gold 1 in black, gold tires-215/40/17f 225/35/18r Sumi HTR+, black tires- nitto 555 225/4017f 225/40/18r

Everyone likes a good youtube or vimeo edit of a stunning german car done up and spun down. It’s easy- just click the link your buddy sent you, slump back in your computer chair, make sure the boss isn’t looking and away you go. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. We just feel like while those quick fix shorts have their place, it’s important to honor those cinematic classics that feature four (sometimes two) wheels and rubber and we’re here to share a few with you.

Follow Us. Simply “like” us on facebook and you will automatically be eligible to win this quintessential automotive DVD pack. On February 14th we will select one fan at random to be the winner. It’s that simple. Additional fans will be selected at random and will receive T-shirts and gift packs.

Le Mans is a 1971 action film directed by Lee H. Katzin. Starring Steve McQueen, it features footage from the actual 1970 24 Hours of Le Mans auto race.

The film is today still popular among race fans as it is a relatively accurate depiction of the era, with a lot of racing but very little dialogue (Indeed, there is no dialogue whatsoever until approximately 35 minutes into the film). Due to this, and partly to the American market’s general low awareness of the Le Mans 24 Hour race, it was only a moderate success at the box office there. It followed in the wake of the similar 1966 film Grand Prix.

TT3D: Closer to the Edge is a British documentary film by first time director Richard de Aragues. The film is narrated by Jared Leto and charts the world-famous Isle of Man TT motorcycle race that takes place on the Isle of Man every year, and follows the leading riders in the 2010 race, most notably Guy Martin and Ian Hutchinson. It was shot in 3D, and charts the racers’ reckless dedication and the extreme risks involved in their bid to become “King of the Mountain”. Closer To The Edge was produced by CinemaNX, the film production and distribution company backed by the Isle of Man Government.[

C'etait un Rendezvous

The film shows an eight-minute drive through Paris in the early hours of the morning (05:30hrs), accompanied by sounds of a high-reving engine, gear changes and squealing tires. It starts in a tunnel of the Paris Périphérique at Porte Dauphine, with an onboard view from an unseen car exiting up on a ramp (and from there following this route) to Avenue Foch. Well-known landmarks such as the Arc de Triomphe, Opéra Garnier, and Place de la Concorde with its obelisk are passed, as well as the Champs-Élysées. Pedestrians are passed, pigeons sitting on the streets are scattered, red lights are ignored, one-way streets are driven up the wrong way, center lines are crossed, the car drives on the sidewalk to avoid a rubbish truck. The car is never seen as the camera seems to be attached below the front bumper (judging from the relative positions of other cars, the visible headlight beam and the final shot when the car is parked in front of a curb on Montmartre, with the famous Sacré Cœur Basilica behind, and out of shot). Here, the driver gets out and embraces a young blonde woman as bells ring in the background, with the famous backdrop of Paris.

Grand Prix is a 1966 American action film with an international cast. The picture was directed by John Frankenheimer with music by Maurice Jarre and stars James Garner, Eva Marie Saint, Yves Montand, Brian Bedford, and Antonio Sabato. Toshirô Mifune has a supporting role as a race team owner, inspired by Soichiro Honda. The picture was photographed in Super Panavision 70 by Lionel Lindon, and presented in 70 mm Cinerama in premiere engagements.

Its unique racing cinematography—in part credited to Saul Bass[1][2]—is one of the main draws of the film. The film includes real-life racing footage and cameo appearances by drivers including F1 World Champions Phil Hill, Graham Hill, Juan-Manuel Fangio, Jim Clark, Jochen Rindt and Jack Brabham. Other drivers who appeared in the film include Dan Gurney, Richie Ginther, Jo Bonnier and Bruce McLaren.

Love the Beast

The film documents the 25-year history of Eric Bana’s first car, a 1974 Ford XB Falcon Hardtop that he purchased at the age of fifteen for AU $1100. In this film, Eric explores the central role that fixing and racing this car has played in his life and the lives of his friends. He describes it as being, “like a campfire for me and my mates”. Celebrities Jay Leno, Dr. Phil and Jeremy Clarkson offer opinions on the emotional attachments that some people form with automobiles.

Recently Black Forest Industries was contacted to provide our Stage 1 Engine mounts for a high profile Audi TTS build which was featured on Fourtitude.com. A thorough documentation was conducted as the TTS went from showroom stock to heavily modified using only the best products from the aftermarket. The owner of this TT , Jason Crouch, was so satisfied with how our mounts performed, even holding up to the 400+hp APR Stage III turbo kit, that he has again contacted us for a new yet to be announced VW project. We look forward to supplying an even more complete range of products on this future build. Keep your eyes peeled on vwvortex.com for details as they are revealed.

Check out just one of the 14 videos produced for this series cataloging the build up. Our engine mounts are featured at 1:27

You can check out All 14 Webisodes Here

Complete Modification List:

Base Car: 2009 Audi TTS Coupe
Engine: 2.0T FSI
Transmission: 6-Speed S-tronic
Color: Sprint Blue
Modifications
Engine: J-Caps Aluminum Oil, Coolant and Dipstick Cap Covers, AEM Cold Air Intake, Forge Diverter Valve, Forge Recirculation Spacer, Forge Oil Catch Tank, Neuspeed Turbo Discharge Pipe, Neuspeed Power Pulley, APR Stage III Turbo System, Red Line 5W 40 Synthetic Oil, Red Line Water Wetter, Black Forest Industries Motor Mounts, EVOMS Intake, Okada Projects Plasma Direct Ignition Coils
Transmission: Stock
Exhaust: Meisterschaft
Wheels: HRE C93 19-inch Wheels
Tires: Goodyear Eagle F1 Tires
Suspension: Neuspeed Rear Swaybar, Neuspeed Rear Swaybar Links, KW Variant 3 Coilovers
Brakes: Hawk Ceramic Brake Pads, Neuspeed Braided Stainless Steel Lines
Exterior: Silver Painted Chin Spoiler, Audi Accessories Rear Decklid Spoiler
Lighting: Stock
Interior: AEM Tru-Boost Gauge
Stereo: Stock

There are a lot of things we take for granted living in the good ‘ol United States of America. Among them none is more important than our sense of personal security. Most of us have the luxury of leaving our homes and heading to work on any given day under the safe assumption that a vigilant mob will not open fire on our vehicle while stopped at the corner of McDonald’s and Starbucks. Unfortunately for others in this world that is the reality they live with on a daily basis. But rather than holing up in their homes, those people do the best they can with the situation and take every precautionary measure possible- including armoring the bejeezus out of their Audi A3s.

This particular customer of ours lives in Medellin, Colombia , one of the most violent cities in the world and former home to the infamous Pablo Escobar. With an average of 9 violent murders per day in the city ( and counting ) as a resident you can’t help but watch over your shoulder and do your best to keep your wits about you. It has become common practice for the people of Columbia, when purchasing a new vehicle, to immediately have it sent to a shop to be retrofitted with a variety of assault countermeasures.

Here is the procedure in the customer’s own words:
“Well is fairly simple and quick
1. Buy Car
2. Take it to the Armoring shop
3. Discuss your risk of getting killed/kidnapped/car jacked
a. I was only afraid of getting car jacked
4. Decide on armoring caliber, ie. Level II, III, IIII , IV
a. Chose II
5. Drop off car
6. Armoring begins
a. Remove all interior parts that are going to be armored
b. Remove all windows
c. Remove inside panels of doors
d. Bake armored windows from template made from original windows
e. All panels that wider that ~ 8 Inches are layered with Aramid type Yellowstone (Like Kevlar)
f. Smaller panels , i.e A Pillar and B pillar are welded with 10MM thick Steel, since Yellowstone needs more surface to work properly.
g. Firewall gets Yellowstone treatment as well
h. Roof gets Yellowstone treatment as well as the sunroof shield(Sun roof remains completely operational)
i. Doors are widened to accommodate larger windows.
j. Put rear windows in and gate window.
k. Assemble interior together
l. Install loud siren
m. Mount plastic wheel on the wheels, so the car can run with a flat
7. Deliver car to customer with about 300+ pounds of theft deterrent material.
8. Happy customer!!!! ”

With all of the added weight of the theft deterrent that naturally takes it’s toll on the performance. To counter this, an arsenal of performance parts were ordered up including a full set of our bulletproof BFI Stage 1 Engine Mounts . Here is a breakdown of all of the performance upgrades:

APR Stage 2+
APR 3” DP
Eurosport 3” Catback
VMR V701 18×8.5
FK/Konigsport Coil-Overs
BFI Stage 1 Engine Mounts
APR FMIC
Carbonio Stage 1 & 2 CAI
APR Front & Rear Sway Bars

This combination of performance parts yields an extremely potent and most importantly reliable A3. The final result is a vehicle that will not only stand up to a firefight but can also make a quick getaway when necessary.

Never underestimate the importance of good lighting. Every good lip spoiler out there stands little chance against even the smallest debris when you’re moving at speed. Give yourself that added fraction of a second to avoid disaster with the addition of these factory style fog lights and fog light grilles.

For any vehicle not equipped with foglights from the factory, this retrofit wiring harness is just what you need to painlessly upgrade your lighting.

Sold as kits- we offer the fog light grilles and wiring harness together for the Mk5 Rabbit (European 4-Slat)

As well as the MK5 GTI or GLI

And the MK5 Jetta

And for foglights we now have:

MK6 Golf Non-projector

MK5 Rabbit Projector

Mk5 Jetta / GTI Non-Projector Foglights

MK5 Jetta / GTI Projector Foglights

Naughty or nice, help a family provide toys for their tots, while you buy toys for your rides. Purchase this sticker and we will donate the full purchase price to the Toys for Tots Marine Foundation.

And don’t leave yourself out this year. Only you know just what you’re looking for. To help make things easier we are extending a last minute discount on everything in the store just to make sure you get everything our your list. Simply enter the coupon code BFCS11 during check-out and receive 10% off your entire purchase.

**Coupon code expires Sunday 12/18/11 at 11:59 P.M.** only valid for new order and items currently in stock.

“For Drivers and Dreams”- that is the slogan for the Essen Motorshow, going on it’s 44th year in Essen, Germany. While the saying may not translate perfectly on paper, it definitely makes sense as soon as you set foot in any of the 12 massive exhibit halls. For the drivers, there is an entire wing dedicated to German motorsport history, with the likes of past and present DTM combatants , as well as infamous Audi rally cars – right down to ex formula one chassis that have been taken off the circuits so recently that the tires are still warm. It’s as much a museum experience as it is a motorshow.

The experience was made all the more surreal given the fact our first exposure to Essen came after 14 hours of travel across the Atlantic when we were immediately thrown into the mix without a chance for our clocks to shift. Couple the jet-lag with the more than friendly owners from JOM.de who were very insistent that we sample at least two of their special cherry vodka slushies at 8:30 A.M. their time and the whole thing seemed oddly like a German Can Cun. The only thing missing was the referee whistle and violent head shaking. And to be honest JOM’s air horn display which customers tested frequently wasn’t far from that.

Alcohol aside, for the dreamers in attendance there is an endless variety of vehicles with show stopping appeal no matter what your preference is. Along side the wild stereo demo rides you can find a sea of tuning parts – from headlights and tail lights, to exhausts and suspension, wheels, seats, right down to gold plated hood latches. Amongst them all JOM.de filled out an entire exhibit hall to themselves with a massive display complete with an 18 wheeler mobile office, kitchen, and dining room all-in-one. The unit was furnished with not only the aforementioned slushy machine, but also a steamer for wurste and sausages, something no self respecting German can go without, and something that goes great with the beer and slushies.

There is even something for those too young to get behind the wheel, or for those of us who still hang onto our youthful side. Booth after booth of the favorite cars from the exhibit halls, only on a much smaller scale. We couldn’t help but pick up a couple models to bring home with us as a souvenir- A Carrera RS , and E30 DTM BMW replica which now sit as happy reminders on our desks. And if the non moving cars weren’t your cup of tea there were several brands of slot cars set up for head to head action.

And for those dreamers who were more interested in design, there were plenty of one off creations showcasing the potential of what the future could have looked like, not just in terms of motorsport but general transportation as well.

Essen Motorshow is many things to many people people but no matter what your tastes are it is definitely the stuff dreams are made of.

First it was the 16v; the preferred and best available engine option for improving performance in any MK1. Then after a span of almost a decade we began to see the technologically advanced yet highly complex 1.8T win favor as the people’s choice for champion powerplant. Now, nearly another 10 years later Eurowise is trying to change the game yet again, by simplifying the process of dropping any 12v VR6 into a MK1 chassis. While not everyone would agree that the VR6 is the best match for the lightweight and notoriously nimble rabbit, the fun factor is something that once experienced, is almost impossible to argue with.

As if the feat of stuffing the significantly larger engine into the MK1 engine bay wasn’t enough of a challenge, Eurowise decided that they wanted to do a complete build from start to finish in only 16 days. The initial to do list went as follows:

-install VR6 motor
-convert to CE2 wiring
-build exhaust system
-install new top
-install new headliner
-install new carpet
-strip entire car down and paint exterior, doors, engine bay, under body, fender wells, door jambs, trunk
-install new wheels
-install entire new suspension
-recover or replace interior seats, door panels
-install new stereo system

With the help of many hands the entire car was stripped down in very short order. The body was sanded to bare metal exposing some very liberal bondo work which was addressed and cleaned up. Meanwhile, as the dust and sparks flew- an arsenal of replacement parts was ordered up including JOM Coilovers , MK1 Ecodes , MK1 JOM Clear / Red Tails , MK1 Stage 1 BFI Engine Mount Kit and a host of other items.

A few simple touches give the engine compartment that OEM plus appearance as if the VR6 was there from the factory. It looks right at home thanks to the proprietary engine mount brackets from Eurowise, coupled with their custom axles.

The crowning touch to this build would definitely have to be the retrimmed Recaro interior supplied by Love’s Trim Shop . The supple light tan leather really compliments the GM Frost Green Metallic exterior especially when cruising with the top down on an early NC fall day.

Work smarter not harder. Having the right tool for the job always makes life easier. Stop busting your knuckles trying to wedge your cat into your engine bay to keep your timing correct. Schwaben tools are specifically made for you vehicle and just like what factory technicians use day in and day out.

For over 40 years, Schwaben has produced quality hand tools and tool kits, many of which are specially designed for use on European motorcars. Superior engineering, manufacturing, and distribution techniques allow them to set World Class standards for our tools, and still sell them at reasonable prices.

Schwaben’s concept is simple; sell exceptional, affordable tools with an OE look and feel, that are all backed up by first rate customer service.

All Schwaben tools and tool kits are manufactured under strict quality control standards, designed to give you years of trouble-free service.

This strut tool is essential if you do not have access to air and especially helpful when installing any of our JOM Coilovers:

For MK4 and up this spreader (huh huh you said..nevermind) is also mandatory for installation of the front struts

If you own a VW there’s a great chance you’ve had to remove an axle more than once. If you haven’t yet- you will, and both of these guys will make your life much easier.

You best Protecta ya neck! – and those rare wheels. If you love your rollers and take them on and off / swap them out as much as we do then these safety sockets are just what you need to prevent scratching the inside of the bolt holes during removal and installation.

Lots more tools to see HERE