THUNDER BUNNY II
Layout Transverse front engine, front-wheel drive
Engine
2.5-liter in-line five, cast exhaust manifold, Garrett GT2871RS turbo-charger, uprated fuel injectors, aluminum plumbing, silicon hoses, cold-air intake, front-mount intercooler with cast aluminum end takes, high-capacity oil pan, custom software, 70mm cat-back exhaust with twin 100mm tips
Transmission
Five-speed manual, Neuspeed short shifter, Quaife torque-biasing diff
Suspension
Bilstein PSS9 coilovers, Neuspeed 25mm front and rear adjustable anti-roll bars
Brakes
Neuspeed stainless steel brake lines, Brembo four-piston GT front calipers and 12.9-inch rotors, MkV R32 rear assemblies
Wheels and Tires
Volkswagen Design custom alloys, 8x19
Michelin Pilot Sport Cup, 235/35
Interior
Factory GTI seats reupholstered in black leather with black/silver checkered inserts, OSIR Design silver carbon fiber belt line trim, GTI sport steering wheel, custom shift knob with rabbit logo, rabbit logo floor mats
Exterior
VW Design front and rear bumpers, side skirts, GTI roof spoiler, custom Candy White paint with silver ghost graphics, GTI bi-xenon headlamps
Performance
Peak Power: 225 bhp @ 5200 rpm
Peak Torque: 260 lb-ft @ 3500 rpm
The Face of Design
Abeng Halim of Volkswagen's Santa Monica-based design center poses with his radical new wheel. Like all of VW's design team, Halim is a rabid motorhead who drives a Eurovan, of all things, fitted with 20-inch alloys. Guys like Halim are continually pushing the design envelope, sometimes taking calculated risks, in search of greater things for Volkswagen. If you like what you see, let VW know. We did.
Whereas other guys talk about building fast cars, Aaron Neumann actually builds them. A `no-BS' engineering firm, Neuspeed's reputation for excellence has been built on decades of research and design, most of it wrought from Aaron's own hands.