Right now, you're looking at the two most highly developed, street-driven Rabbits in the world. Big power, big brakes, widebody and more, they have it where it counts and both were built to be driven; hard. Both may look familiar because we previously looked at them a little over a year ago (et 4/08) during the early stages of their development. Since then, both have undergone significant updates. Both cars continue to use the turbo conversion from C2 Motorsport. And while C2's own car has been fine-tuned and undergone a widebody conversion, the second car from NGP Racing continues to strive for the ultimate power from the 2.5 liter five-cylinder motor. Therefore, we felt these warranted a second look to answer the thousands of enquiries we receive about Rabbit tuning. And in case you need convincing, check out these machines and realize the lowly Rabbit 2.5 and its Jetta brother can be a serious performance bargain, with new prices starting at just $16k.
NGP Racing
At first glance, it's not immediately apparent how much serious development has gone into this car since the last time we saw it, but the clues slowly reveal themselves. Motorsport-inspired wheels shod in sticky BFG KDW tires are the first hint. The bluish hue on the oversized front rotors and the bright-red multi-piston calipers are the next.
Once the ignition was fired and the force-fed five roared to life, all bets were off. Nothing ever sounds quite as perfect as a turbo five, bringing back memories of the glory days of Audi's Group B monsters.
Forged internals and lowered...
Forged internals and lowered compression help cope with the powerful stage 3+ turbo kit developed by NGP and C2 which uses a T3/T4OE turbo with 3" downpipe and exhaust
Pushing your foot down on the go-pedal in first gear results in remarkably quick response from the C2 turbo kit, and predictably little traction. Shifting to second and using a bit of throttle modulation lets the tires almost grip. Third is where it pays off as the tires, still spinning at around 80mph, finally gain purchase and slingshot you into the horizon. Fourth gear means excessive speed and time to use those big brakes to slow the car in a hurry for the next corner - perhaps too much speed was shaved, as the APR sway bars and FK coilovers make quick work of the curve, then it's back on the gas for more, the car fighting for traction on its way to the next bend.
It would be remarkably easy to lose your license in a car that's this much fun to drive. And its remarkable how far its come from its lowly beginnings as a lowly 170hp Rabbit.
NGP Racing's owner and president, Dave Graf, explained the changes centered primarily on optimizing the engine build and power output. "When the original et article was written, the car was still under some development," he began. "We originally had built a block with JE pistons but experienced excessive noise. So we've since purchased a new block and built a new motor with Pauter rods and Wiseco forged pistons."
A hotter turbocharged engine...
A hotter turbocharged engine requires more cooling via a custom hood duct
The new slugs give even lower compression at 8.5:1, and are 1mm oversized at 83.5mm. In order to keep the fuel flowing at the necessary rate, a high-flow Bosch fuel pump feeds larger 550cc injectors through a modified fuel rail and Aeromotive pressure regulator. This was necessary because the standard non-return fuel system caused an uneven feed to the injectors at the far end under hard acceleration, creating the possibility of a lean condition, something you don't want with 22psi of boost.
C2 Motorsports again returned to NGP to work its magic during the final dyno tuning, resulting in a very solid 378whp and a huge 441wtq - not bad for pump gas and super-smooth drivability.
As previously mentioned, other crucial systems have been upgraded to cope with all this extra power. The clutch and flywheel had previously been a headache for Dave and the crew, with nothing seeming able to tame those big numbers when mated with the stock dual-mass flywheel. The solution was a billet aluminum flywheel for the 2.5 motor from Four Seasons Tuning and designed for use with the popular 228mm VR6 12v clutch kits. A Spec stage 3+ clutch, intended for high-horsepower street use, was the final piece of the drivetrain puzzle. Surprisingly, the stock differential remains, and so far hasn't been a problem despite all the abuse.
The stock front brakes were ditched for an RPI Equipped big-brake kit, that featured chrome-hatted 13" two-piece rotors and Wilwood four-piston calipers. "With the additional power we had too many close calls last season on the street and track," Dave explained. "The RPI kit fitted like factory and the caliper design didn't cause problems with our wheel fitment. And I chose a street pad to reduce dust and noise."
The classic mesh wheel supplied...
The classic mesh wheel supplied by Miro along with 13" RPI big brakes with Wilwood calipers
After a brief flirtation with somewhat controversial 19" wheels last season, Dave saw the light and installed a set of the new Miro MO2 wheels in 18x8" front and 18x9" rear, with 215/40 and 235/35 BFG tires. The change improved vehicle dynamics immeasurably, and Dave can now throw the car through corners as he sees fit, rather than tiptoeing to avoid rubbing. "I can pretty much drive it like an asshole now," he joked.
"The car is an absolute tire-spinning machine," Dave exclaimed. "High power is tough to use on a front-wheel drive car, but it's also cool to hold-on and ride it out. It's like the old saying about dirt bike racing; throttle, point and shoot!"