Like a newborn baby, it's taken nine months for us to develop this '09 Volkswagen Jetta TDI. Introduced in et 1/09, we've upgraded the Platinum grey sedan in a GQ-smooth fashion with KW V3 coilovers (et 2/09), 19x8" BBS CH wheels with 235/35-19 ContiSportContact3 tires (et 3/09) as well as a Euro Sport intake, Techtonics exhaust, plus EBC rotors and pads (et 6/09). In et 4/09, we pitted the car against a Prius, Civic and Project Silverstone, where it honorably returned 41.74 mpg in a mixture of city, highway and canyon driving.Now we're happy to show Project TDI's exterior with Volkswagen Accessories' new three-piece body kit, which debuted on the Jetta TDI Cup racecars, giving us looks that kill. The kit comes with the pronounced front bumper derived from the Thunder Bunny SEMA concept (et 2/07). The new skirts and rear valance are edgier to match the aggressive front-end. We also included a subtle lip spoiler on the trunk to complete the makeover.
 Foam Molders paint booth is...  Foam Molders paint booth is state of the art, passing all ISO and OE specifications |  The Foam Molders muscle behind...  The Foam Molders muscle behind our installation; Gil Plasencia (Product Development) and Rory Stramer (VP of Manufacturing) |  Faustino Solis (Paint Supervisor)...  Faustino Solis (Paint Supervisor) and painter Salvador Betancourt |
When we decided to paint and install the body pieces, Volkswagen of America recommended one of its most trusted support companies in Southern California - Foam Molders. The company has been around for 40 years but never in the spotlight. Based in Cerritos, CA, they specialize in aircraft, automotive, medical, paint and foam fabrication. They began molding foam but grew into a huge empire with a 130,000sqft facility specializing in various industries. Foam Molders has relationships with many OEMs, such as Toyota, Honda, Mazda, GM, Boeing, Disney and, of course, VW. So, if you've ever bought a body kit from a VW dealer, it was probably painted and shipped from Foam Molders since they ship directly to the ports before cars even hit local dealers. Unfortunately, an enthusiast can't go directly to them for paint and bodywork but we were lucky enough to get OEM quality service
You'll find abridged step-by-step instructions here, but you can find the full version posted at www.eurotuner.com
According to Foam Molders, the parts are user-friendly and the installation is self-explanatory. If you have a mechanical inclination, you could certainly do the job yourself. VW claims the job takes 7.5 hours to finish, which was close to our own experience.
 Front Bumper
Remove two...  Front Bumper
Remove two Torx T20 screws securing the bottom of the front grille. Then remove two Philips screws on top |  Pull tabs forward on both...  Pull tabs forward on both sides of the grille. Then pull up and out to remove grille |  To remove front bumper, undo...  To remove front bumper, undo two Torx T20 screws on top. Turn wheels to access wheel wells and remove four Torx T20 screws securing the bumper to the fender and splashguard. Remember to save all screws and make a note of their position |
 Under the front bumper, remove...  Under the front bumper, remove seven Torx T20 screws |  The bumper pulls straight...  The bumper pulls straight out with two people. Disconnect side markers once bumper is loose and pull off foam impact brace |  Screw holes in fender liner...  Screw holes in fender liner need to be drilled for the Votex bumper using supplied template. Drill three 6mm holes on both sides. Foam Molders suggested making the holes slightly bigger, but not as big as screwhead |
 On Votex bumper, installing...  On Votex bumper, installing mounting brackets for new grille. Four rivets go through the bottom where the bracket sits. Then four Torx T20 screws secure the top portion. Pull the pins on the rivets once bracket is fitted |  Now install side vents with...  Now install side vents with two rivets per side. Next is the upper bracket for the bumper using two Torx T20 step screws |  Install side pieces with Torx...  Install side pieces with Torx T20 screws that relocate mounting holes. Then re-install side markers |
 If you have foglights, install...  If you have foglights, install them now. There are four clips per bracket. Press clips onto the part that holds it into position |  Install four bushings per...  Install four bushings per side into bumper clip with Philips screwdriver. Then install grilles using Philips screws |  The lower lip simply clips...  The lower lip simply clips on |