As the saying goes, "there's no biz like show biz" and it's especially true for Jeremy Nagelberg and his R32. With ties to the movie industry and a stroke of luck, he managed to convert his mostly factory R32 into a potential superstar. Born into a family with two brothers, each owning an Audi, Jeremy decided it was time to follow in their footsteps with a Euro of his own. He previously owned a nicely modified WRX but an unfortunate accident in 2002 meant he locked his sight on a new R32. "The interior of the WRX felt cheap, which I didn't like. And since most Euros have nice interiors, the R32 was ideal," Jeremy noted.
Just two weeks after taking delivery, he was already customizing his new baby. He lowered it on a set of 19" DTM Kreuz wheels with KW Variant 3 coilovers. In addition, Neuspeed sway bars were added to help with the handling. Soon after, the car was cast for the remake of an old classic, Herbie. "Craig Lieberman [who cast for the The Fast & The Furious movies] is a good friend of mine and operates moviecarz.com which casts cars for movies and TV appearances," Jeremy noted. "So I signed up and got lucky when Disney was looking for VWs."
Disney had the car two months, in which time they shot the car show and the desert race scenes. Although they kept it for so long, the car is only seen for a split second in the movie. "It's strange because my car is clearly seen in the trailers, but Disney cut the movie so you only get a glimpse of it," he complained. "But at least I got to meet Lindsay Lohan!"
Fortunately, Jeremy was also generously compensated for his services but after receiving the car back from the shoot, he discovered the engine was blown. "Disney wouldn't take responsibility for it, so I took it to the dealership and it was covered under warranty," he said. Upon pulling the motor, the technicians found the culprit. It was a spun rod bearing.
After another month installing a new motor, Jeremy finally got his star back. And with his newfound riches, Jeremy pampered his ride like any hard working star deserves. At the top of the list was a VF Engineering stage 2 supercharger kit. "At the time, HPA and VF were the only companies offering forced induction. I couldn't justify spending a lot of money on the HPA kit, so went with the supercharger," he explained. The kit came with a large front-mount intercooler and K&N filter. He also added a Supersprint Y-pipe and EIP Competition exhaust for increased flow and an aggressive growl.
The exterior was also revamped with several cosmetic parts, one of which is the carbon fiber boser hood. The center of the hood has been color-matched along its natural lines and sprayed with several layers of clear coat mixed with blue pearl to enhance the blue carbon weave. He also fitted a Kamei grille, sandwiched between a pair of European HID headlights. He opted to keep the stock bumpers because they suited the car, but installed a blue carbon splitter that matches the hood. In the rear, the hatch has been shaved of its emblem and handle, giving it a smooth look.
During the filming, his wheels were damaged too. "Since my car was also in the desert race scene, the dirt practically sandblasted the clear coat off the wheels," he noted. "So I took the opportunity to buy a set of 19" iForged Monaco wheels and a Brembo Big Brake kit." He kept the KW coilovers and installed custom chromoly end-links by ASC Custom Fabrication which were painted Kandy blue. They also designed and fabricated a unique pair of front and rear strut bars that are not only functional but look good. The involvement of ASC doesn't end there. They also constructed a six-point chrome rollcage with bars flowing through the dash. Amid the bars is a pair of Recaro Sportline leather seats with Willans four-point harnesses - nothing but the best for this car, and Jeremy put every penny earned from the car right back into it.
Although Disney cut most of the scenes with his R32, it wasn't without its rewards. Jeremy was well paid and this funded the new mods, making it a likely candidate for future movies. Would this mean his R32 might be seen in other movies? Who knows, only time will tell. But we can tell you this R32 is a natural born star.
Special Thanks:
My family: David, Bette, Justin, Jesse, and Jenna, my roommates Matt Mendiola and Jonathan Laufer, Craig Lieberman of MovieCarz.com, Ryan Pietersz and Long of DTM Autohaus, Steve Oropallo of Detail Works in San Diego, Kevin Thiel, Team Europrojektz and all of my friends for their support.