Making a VR6 Suck (Better...)

What has to be one of the biggest problems with the Mk 4 GTI VR6 is how the car isolates the driver from the road by having very little auditory feedback from the engine. Sure, the power is great. What other car offers so much power in such a small package? Shifting is hardly ever needed with the VR6, which cranks out 181 lb-ft of torque. On the other hand, the driver must possess Superman-like hearing to discern the 174 horses from wind noise as the little beast pulls you into triple digit speeds. The sound deadening that VW incorporates is great for the average driver, but let’s face it, what average driver is going to spend the money on the VR6 power plant? Instead, most motorists are going to save their money and head for the 2.0L 115hp Golf.

Performance enthusiasts live for the power of the VR6 and the growl that should accompany it. Instead of spending hours on the phone to Germany, feverishly flipping through a German/English dictionary and trying to give a convincing argument for the need of engine snarl, we looked for an aftermarket product that would ease our cravings. The easiest solution to the problem was to increase noise from under the hood through the use of an aftermarket intake. While engine noise initially drew the desire for an intake, we knew we didn’t want to spend money on something that would only create auditory stimulation. After a brief thought session, the ITG Cool-Flo Air Intake with heat shield from Euro Sport Accessories was chosen. The intake allows engine noises to be transmitted out of the engine bay instead of being muffled by the restrictive stock airbox, while the heat shield allows cooler air to enter the engine, producing a denser air charge and, consequently, more power (That’s a good thing.—MAX).

In the end, our dreams were met (Most of them, at least.—MAX). Under acceleration, the engine allows itself to be known. And it doesn’t hurt that the engine is now able to inhale a little easier—the way its overachieving nature requires.