The quickest with front-wheel-drive?
450 horsepower driving just the front wheels, is this plausible? Mathilda Tuning boss Michael Paatz thinks so. And based on the outcome of testing on the fast Nardo circuit a couple of weeks ago the tuner based in Cologne may well be right… at least as far as the longitudinal dynamics are concerned. The GT-R1 astonished with a speed of 293.7 kilometres per hour, and that with a gaping hole in the air duct. “Unfortunately we had a few problems with the inter-cooler”, said Michael Paatz who was nevertheless far from displeased with the car’s performance, “and so we couldn’t get more than 7 thousand RPM.” If the motor had been able to go to the whole 7,400 revs and deliver the full 450 horsepower a speed of 310 should have been possible, according to Paatz. That would have made the GT-R1 the first street legal car with front-wheel-drive and four-cylinder power plant to break the 300 limit.
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- A central role is played by the turbo rebuilt by the firm HGP. Added is an inter-cooler, adjusted injection nozzles, 88 millimetre exhaust ducting with flap control and so many other modifications that the list would be too long for this story.
An impressive effort
The basis of the orange rocket is a Scirocco R with its two-litre 265 horsepower TFSI. In order to get 450 horses from this relatively compact motor a considerable effort was called for. A central role is played by the turbo rebuilt by the firm HGP. Added is an inter-cooler, adjusted injection nozzles, 88 millimetre exhaust ducting with flap control and so many other modifications that the list would be too long for this story. So that the DSG transmission would not simply give up the ghost in the presence of such awesome power this, too, was made more robust with a reinforced DSG clutch and DSG software tweaking. According to Mathilda the GT-R1 is capable not only of that remarkable top speed but also of hitting a hundred in just over five seconds and reaching in fifteen seconds the 200 mark.
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- The ultra-light ATS GTR alloys in 9.5x18 inch format with Dunlop SportMaxx GT tyres sized 255/35 would be good for excellent lap times although for the Gran Prix there will surely be Cup tyres worn.
Ready for the Tuner Grand Prix
But there are not a few cars which can astonish on the straightaways and the test of a tuned car is its behaviour on the track. And at Hockenheim the Mathilda Scirocco will be up against some serious rivals in the Tuner Grand Prix. The car’s suspension involves three-way adjustable KW competition coilovers to be on the safe side. These are about best of breed both on the track and on the highway. The ultra-light ATS GTR alloys in 9.5x18 inch format with Dunlop SportMaxx GT tyres sized 255/35 are also a wise choice as are the brakes by Movit with six pistons and 370 discs ensuring good stopping power. Inside the car the driver is ensconced in black Recaro Pole Position racing bucket seats and wears Schroth four-point seat-belts. The roll-over cage bolted to the chassis is by the firm CarDiff. All that remains to be seen is how the car performs at Hockenheim this weekend.
