If you've been following the development of Project Dub - our '06 VW GLI (and we're sure you have!) - you'll be aware we worked on the engine (et 8/06; GIAC, Techtonics, Evolution Motorsport), kitted it (et 10/06; Caractere) and worked on the chassis (et 10/06; DCR, BFG, Hotchkis).
The extra power and torque from our 2.0T did leave the stock brakes occasionally feeling less than adequate. They'd get spongy if asked to work hard, and that's not a pleasant situation. So we were already thinking about big brakes before The Wheel Supply added 20" DCR forged wheels. Then suddenly we had gaping holes in our five-spokes and something had to be done.
While we knew of several big brake kits under development for the Mk5, the only one available at the time was Brembo's GT kit. It uses 328x28mm (12.9x1.1") cross-drilled rotors with two-piece floating aluminum hats. The four-piston calipers are available in silver, black or classic red and are apparently OE equipment on the Lotus Esprit.
The entire kit, which includes DOT/TV-approved braided lines, aircraft quality billet caliper carriers and high performance brake pads, costs $2595.
Shortly after we fitted this kit, a second became available with larger 355x32mm rotors at a cost of $3295. These will obviously look better and work harder but we can't complain with what we've got.
InstallationNow we can't pretend to be good at everything. Cordon Bleu chef, astronaut, Ferrari test driver and porn star is enough for me, so we deferred installation to the studs at evosport in Huntington Beach, CA. The company specializes in high-end Euros and racecar preparation, so fitting Brembos wasn't going to tax them too much. Their vast experience with such upgrades also meant they could warn us about common pitfalls so you won't make expensive mistakes.
We had the combined talents of Sean Guiney and Sam Rangel at our disposal to ensure everything went smoothly. If I ever need a testicle transplant, I'd trust these boys to bring me the new ones!
While removing the wheels the evosport crew discovered some neanderthal with an airgun had over-tightened one of the wheel bolts and damaged the hub. As it turns out, this was lucky because the other bolts had come loose and this was the only bolt keeping the wheel on. It cost us over $200 for a new hub.
They also found one of the CV boots on our brand new car was losing grease, so that was remedied as well.
Driving ImpressionsI must admit I'm skeptical about big brake kits. Many I've tried or fitted were little different from stock until used hard on a track. However, these Brembos were an exception. As soon as I got behind the wheel you could feel the difference. Even at low speed, rolling up to traffic lights, the pedal was firm and responsive. The sponginess was gone, replaced with a reassuring rigidity. I have to thank evosport for bleeding the brakes so diligently because there's definitely no air in the lines.
Shortly after fitting, we had the opportunity to do some canyon carving and the best thing I can say about the brakes is I didn't notice them! They were perfect. Even during hard, downhill charges for many miles, the brakes remained consistent and powerful. Where others were backing off with brake fade, I was able to carry on unabated.
With the cross-drilling, the brakes are slightly noisier than stock, but not annoyingly so. There's also slightly more brake dust but it's a small price to pay for the increased safety and confidence they afford me.
This is my first set of daily-driver Brembos and I'm a fan.- Greg