Back in the days of World War 2, the German U-boat submarine was a lethal machine, feared by any sailor unlucky enough to be caught in its periscope. Yet the standard Golf TDI, in the performance world, typically won't provoke the same response. That's because nobody fears it except for gas station owners, who survive on lumbering and inefficient SUVs. And much like a U-boat in the North Atlantic, a four-door Golf can probably slide past most people completely unnoticed.
Lloyd Fields, a government analyst from Sanford, North Carolina, is on a one-man mission to change the perception of the humble TDI, ensuring that nobody will miss his four-door oil-burner. And if you're unlucky enough to go against it at a stoplight, you'll know to fear it if you ever encounter it again.
Like so many others, Lloyd started his quest without intending to turn a wrench except for basic servicing needs. Working in Washington DC at the time, he purchased this 2000 Reflex silver Golf TDI from a friend. "I bought the car because it was a Volkswagen and a TDI. I was looking for fuel economy and the convenience of a four-door. But then I was online one day and saw some of the things I could do with it and ever since then it's snowballed," Lloyd told us.
On his way to work each day he'd drive past Electrodyne in Alexandria, VA. So he stopped by, bought a body kit, and the rest is history.
The slow jog of modifications - a body kit here, a paint job there - turned into a full-on sprint in the summer of 2006. After being transferred to Huntsville, Alabama, Lloyd hooked up with car club H2O Tuning. "Once I moved to Huntsville and saw what I could do with the body kit I decided to see what else was possible."
Wide Dubtechnik front spoiler...
Wide Dubtechnik front spoiler is filled with Eurojet front-mount intercooler
Lloyd was soon deployed overseas for work, and his cohorts at H2O Tuning, headed by club president Matt Bounes, transformed his car into the beast you see here. "I told them to do whatever they wanted with my car. I paid for it and they installed everything. They sent me daily emails so I could follow its progress," Lloyd enthused.
After a slight mishap on a new body kit, Lloyd found his perfect look with the Dubtechnik widebody. "As soon as they sent photos of the Dubtechnik widebody I knew it was the one," he said.
The Dubtechnik kit and humble hatchback were dropped off at Hugh's Paint & Body in Albertsville, AL, where the front bumper, wide arches, side skirts and rear valance were molded to the car. The side moldings were also smoothed, along with the rear VW badge, wiper, and anything else that could be jettisoned.
Then a TM Tuning hatch extension found itself molded to the rear, along with an R32 spoiler, while Mk5 mirrors were modified to fit the doors. A RaceOnUSA Bser Blick hood provided an aggressive attitude to match the rest of the body modifications.
Everything was then coated in a smooth silver-blue metallic paint, a shade just noticeably different from the stock color, especially as sunlight hits it at many different angles.
If you look close enough, Lloyd had the Eagle insignia seal from a German U-boat ghost-painted on the side of the car, just behind the front wheel on either side. After seeing the seal on an encryption device displayed in a museum, he added it as a final touch. "I'm still contemplating whether I like it or not," Lloyd said. "I might even take it off, I'm not sure. But I thought it made it a bit different."
Despite his uncertainty over the graphic, Lloyd is more than pleased with the results, "For some reason, certain people absolutely don't like the widebody, but I love the car. I'm 100% satisfied with how it looks."