Feature car - Kurt Hertsens' Golf GTI G60

Here’s our first feature car, we’re hoping you like it as much as we do!

 
Kurt Hertsens is the very lucky owner of this Volkswagen Golf mark 2 GTI G60. Originally sold in The Netherlands in 1990 Kurt’s Golf is a genuine G60 making it a reasonably rare car. Once in Belgium and in the care of Kurt this mark 2 Golf underwent an extensive range of subtle modifications, all of which encompass the OEM+ ideal but done well before the OEM+ look had even become that popular.


The engine benefited from some attention, the 1800 8 valve now producing a healthy 200+bhp thanks to a new camshaft, a new chip and a smaller pulley. A Mocal thermostatic oil cooler helps the engine cope with the extra demands created by the power increase whilst some extra detailing ensures a concours finish to the engine bay.

To cope with the extra power and speed generated Kurt opted for a complete set of adjustable AP coilovers as well as improved brake callipers, pads, discs and braided hoses - a front strut brace keeps the struts nice and tight. Whilst altering all the brakes and suspension Kurt also opted to convert his Golf from the original 4x100 stud pattern to the later 5x100 pattern, removing the need for spacers or adaptors. Kurt also switched away from the Porsche 17” BBS Rennsport wheels he had fitted originally (using adaptors) to a brand new, special order set of 7½x17” Compomotive TH2s (ET32 front and ET22 rear). Wrapped in 185/35R17 tyres the wheels really compliment the car’s styling as well as adding to the poise and enhance the stiff, race-car like handling of the G60.

 Having ensured his Golf now goes, stops and corners as he would like Kurt turned his attention to the exterior and interior of the car. The Golf retains all the original Volkswagen badges and is still painted in the original Royal Blue colour as it was when it left the factory. In keeping with the OEM+ look the door handles have been replaced by Porsche 944 Turbo versions and the front fog lights are now yellow rather than white, very subtle we think you’ll agree.

The interior is once again an example of OEM+ at its best, the front seats are electric Recaros re-trimmed in Golf mark 6 chequer material and leather. The original BBS steering wheel benefits from some mark 6 chequer material and a custom fabricated aluminium centre. Audi TT pedals add a touch more aluminium to the interior whilst OE style VDO gauges in the centre console provide all the information Kurt needs to fully enjoy the performance of his Golf.

Kurt is very pleased with the his car and rightly so, it embraces everything that is good about the G60 and improves it subtly making this Belgian Golf one of the nicest everyday OEM+ spec cars we’ve seen.

Thanks to Kurt for all his help and the photographs, if you fancy getting your car featured just let us know!

Wales Rally GB - day 3

Volkswagen Motorsport teams still dominate the final round of the World Rally Championship (Wales Rally GB) with Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia leading by a of 20.1 seconds over second place despite not having set a  fastest stage time all day.

Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila remain 2nd overall once again showing complete commitment behind the wheel of their Volkswagen Polo R WRC. Jari-Matti Latvala has seen his lead over 3rd reduce slightly despite setting three fastest stage times.

Andreas Mikkelsen/Mikko Markkula staged an impressive charge through the early stages if day three setting two impressive fastest stages times and moving up the leaderboard from 6th to 4th overall. The duo are now just 20 seconds off the bottom podium step with 6 tricky and slippery Welsh stages remaining.

The remaining stages of day 4 are slightly shorter than those of day three but are expected to pose no less of a challenge, even the final 4.58 tarmac Great Orme stage can ruin the rally of the unwary (Ogier has crashed out there once before).

1.		S Ogier
2.		J-M Latvala
3.		T Neuville
4.		A Mikkelsen
5.		M Østberg
6.		M Prokop
7.		D Sordo
8.		E Evans
9.		J Ketomaa
10.		M Higgins

Wales Rally GB - day 2

After a second day of testing, trying and traditional Wales Rally GB stages the Volkswagen Motorsport team of Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia lead the final World Rally Championship round by an increased margin. The duo are now 20.1 seconds in front of second place having set fastest times on all bar 3 of the events stages so far.

Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila moved up from 3rd to 2nd overall after a determined and committed performance. Jari-Matti Latvala has gradually extended his lead over 3rd and now has a 42.5 second advantage.

Andreas Mikkelsen/Mikko Markkula remain in 6th overall a mere 1.1 seconds off 5th and just 32 seconds off the bottom podium step and a Volkswagen 1-2-3.

With 7 more demanding stages to run on day 3 Volkswagen Motorsport and their 3 teams aim to consolidate their advantage at the head of the leader board. Naturally on such a famously difficult event this is far easier to say than to do!

1.		S. Ogier
2.		J. Latvala
3.		T. Neuville
4.		M. Østberg
5.		E. Novikov
6.		A. Mikkelsen
7.		M. Prokop
8.		E. Evans
9.		D. Sordo
10.		M. Higgins

Wales Rally GB - day 1

After a wet and windy first three stages Volkswagen drivers lie 1st, 3rd and 6th at the end of day one. All three drivers bemoaned the changing grip levels - Sebastien Ogier coped best to finish the day with a 3.2 second lead with Jari-Matti Latvala 5.2 seconds behind and Amdreas Mikkelsen 27.8 seconds behind leader Ogier.
After a good nights rest the teams face another wet and slippery day in the Welsh forests tomorrow.

1.		S. Ogier
2.		T. Neuville
3.		J-M. Latvala
4.		M. Hirvonen
5.		M. Østberg
6.		A. Mikkelsen

Audi A3 Cabriolet.

The latest A3 Cabriolet is now available to order (with deliveries expected to commence April 2014) and takes the recently introduced A3 Saloon as its foundation, ensuring the Cabriolet version of the A3 offers not only modern styling but also plenty of technology from the rest of the Audi range.

A choice of fabric roof tops are offered, both using a lightweight kinematic mechanism that opens in a little under 18 seconds at speeds of up to 31mph. When retracted either top (complete with heated glass rear window) stows away in a tray and barely affects the A3's luggage capacity (275 litres). All versions of the A3 Cabriolet have an active rollover protection system protecting occupants in case of a rollover accident.

The new A3 Cabriolet will be available with a choice of SE, Sport or S line specification and (in a novel and sensible approach) can be specified with one of three suspension options, standard, 15mm lower or 25mm lower at no extra cost.

The petrol A3 Cabriolet range will initially include the 1.4 TFSI (including Cylinder-on-Demand (CoD) technology) and the 1.8-litre TFSI engine, with a 300PS S3 version following later in 2014. Diesel engines will include the 2.0 TDI (150PS) from the outset with a 1.6 and more powerful (184PS) 2.0 TDI joining the model range later in the year.

Whilst the vast majority of A3 Cabriolets will be front wheel drive, the 2.0 TDI and 1.8 TFSI engines can be ordered with Audi's ubiquitous Quattro four-wheel-drive system - with the range topping S3 Cabriolet only available as a Quattro.

WEC Shanghai.

Marcel Fässler, André Lotterer and Benoît Tréluyer drove their Audi R18 e-tron quattro to victory at this weekend's Shaghai round of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC). This result means that every race that has been finished under green flag race conditions in 2013 has been won by an Audi.

By finishing third overall Loïc Duval, Tom Kristensen and Allan McNish were able to secure 2013 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) driver's title - Audi having already claimed the Manufacturers title a race earlier, underlining their dominance of this year's championship.

The 2013 world title is the Ingolstadt marque's 10th world title following on from the 1982 and 1984 manufacturers' World Rally Championship, the 1983 and 1984 drivers' World Rally Championship, the drivers' and manufacturers' titles in the 1995 FIA Touring Car World Cup and the 2012 WEC.

BMW i3 launches today.

The BMW i3's electric motor generates 170hp (with 250Nm torque) which is available to the driver instantly. This gives the BMW i3 sprightly performance - zero to 62mph taking 7.2 seconds with (more importantly) a range of between 80 -100 miles in everyday driving - using ECO PRO mode and ECO PRO+ mode should increase that figure by 15% and 30% respectively. For nervous customers the i3 is available with a range extender engine, powering a generator to maintain the charge of the lithium-ion battery at a constant level while on the move. The 650cc (34hp two-cylinder petrol) range extender increases the car's maximum range in day-to-day driving to around 180 miles on one tank of fuel.
Driving enjoyment remains at the forefront of the BMW i3 thanks to the use of a lightweight CFRP passenger cell which helps compensate for the extra weight of the battery, whilst the location of the battery pack ensures a perfect 50:50 weight distribution and maintains a low centre of gravity.
The BMW i3 is available with four different interior specifications (Standard, Loft, Lodge and Suite) and all feature sustainable materials including sustainably sourced wood, natural fibres and naturally tanned leather. 
Both BMW i3 models include a three-year, unlimited mileage vehicle warranty and an eight-year, 100,000 mile battery warranty. The battery is also included in the price of the car negating a separate lease charge for battery, as is the case for other electric vehicles.

Model	Price OTR	Power Hp	Torque Nm	0 - 62mph Seconds	Top Speed Mph	Range (miles)	CO2 Emissions g/km
BMW i3	£25,680**	170	250	7.2	93	80-100	0
BMW i3 Range Extender	£28,830**	170	250	7.9	93	160-186	13

**With £5,000 OLEV Government grant.

Nani Roma and the PCR Sport Mini Cooper shine.

Nani Roma driving a PCR Sport prepared Mini Cooper emerged victorious in the final European round of the Gymkhana Grid series. After being invited by sponsors Monster Energy Nani and the PCR Sport team entered the Madrid event with the intention of giving the best performance they could.

Once pre-qualifying was completed Nani and his Mini had to focus on beating not only his fellow competitors but the demanding gymkhana course. Despite the short notice and Nani being unaccustomed to the spectacular (but short) nature of gymkhana tests the end result was astounding.

Not only did the PCR Sport built Mini defeat Anton Marklund's 650PS rallycross Volkswagen Polo Supercar in the semi-finals Nani also beat "Mr Gymkhana" himself, winning the final by beating all American superstar Ken  Block!!

It was a superb finish to the teams first ever Gymkhana Grid event with Nani Roma and everyone in the team delighted. Pep Codinach from PCR Sport summed the team's sentiment perfectly "We are certainly very satisfied with the (Gymkhana Grid) experience and would be very willing to repeat it again if the opportunity arises."

Bentley returns to the snow-covered wilds of the far north of Finland this winter offering a new and extended edition of its Power on Ice driving experience and the opportunity for even more guests to spend time developing advanced techniques with the four-time World Rally Champion and honorary ‘Bentley Boy', Juha Kankkunen.

The new Flying Spur will debut on the Power on Ice 2014 series tackling the challenging and exhilarating snow and ice circuits especially designed by Kankkunen (who in addition to his 23 world rally victories, has twice broken the world ice speed driving record behind the wheel of Bentley's Continental cars).

The new Flying Spur is powered by Bentley's 6.0 litre W12 twin turbocharged engine delivering 616 bhp (625 PS) and a 200 mph (322 km/h) top speed making it the world's fastest luxury four door production car. 

A state-of-the-art all-wheel drive system, constantly adjusts the levels of power to the front and rear wheels depending on available traction, ensures the Flying Spur delivers optimal grip regardless of road or weather conditions making it one of the very few ultra-luxury saloons capable of conquering this kind of ‘off-piste' driving challenge.

Sean Edwards

Sean Edwards, one of GT racings brightest stars, has been tragically killed in an accident in Australia. The 26 Englishman leads the 2013 Porsche Super Cup race series and won the prestigious Nürburgring 24 and Dubai 24 hour races this season. His talent will be greatly missed by the sport, his family and friends will miss him even more.

RIP Sean Edwards.

It's true! The bigger and better German Cars Blog is just over 1 month away!

Mercedes-Benz A-Class for 2014 BTCC

Current British Touring Car Championship team Ciceley Racing have announced that they plan to build and race a new NGTC-spec Mercedes-Benz A-Class in the 2014 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship.

The team, which will become the first team to run a Mercedes in the series, took the decision to run the A-Class in conjunction with title sponsors Ciceley Commercials Mercedes-Benz Truck and Van dealership. 

Currently there is no works support for the project, Mercedes continue to focus their touring car efforts on the DTM, 2013 having been a reasonably unsuccessful year for the marque thus far. A successful debut season for Ciceley Racing's A-Class may well alert the Stuttgart marque to the BTCC.

The Ciceley Racing A-Class will be one of the few front wheel drive Mercedes to have ever taken to the race track, luckily the BTCC regulations balance FWD and RWD perfectly ensuring that Ciceley Mercedes and driver, Adam Morgan, could well be battling rival German marques Audi and BMW for race wins from the first race of the 2014 season.

With the BTCC being dominated by Honda Civics of late a Mercedes Benz A-Class could well be an inspired choice, it is certainly a very welcome choice with series boss Alan Gow welcoming the move “It will be great to see a Mercedes-Benz on the grid, to add to the already huge roll-call of other great brands competing in the BTCC."

Rockingham BTCC.

Rob Austin guided his WIX Racing Audi A4 to a maiden BTCC victory at Rockingham earlier today. Starting from third on the grid for the second British Touring Car Championship round Austin was able to use the A4’s traction to charge into the first corner and then establish a lead he was able to manage for the rest of the race. Despite backing off towards the end of the race the Audi driver was able to take an emotional victory to an ecstatic reception from not only his team but the spectators and fans as well.

Excellent result for Nathan Quinn, good experience for Alexander Gelvez

Nathan Quinn and fellow Australian Glenn MacNeall have done a fantastic job on Rally Australia bringing the Motorsport Italia MINI John Cooper Works WRC home in 8th place overall, a result which is Quinn’s and Motorsport Italia's best performance for 2013.

"Ever since we signed to do this event with Motorsport Italia I have been unable to wipe the smile from my face. Of course it wouldn't have been possible without all my supporters, especially my family who've always backed me and also the support of Coffs Coast Council and Rally Australia. After that, it was over to me and Glenn! If you had said to me a month ago that not only would we finish but we would be eighth there's no way I would have believed you" explained an elated Quinn.

In a drive that proved he had a clear objective to finish the rally and learn as much about the car and this level of competition as he could, Quinn has impressed many around the Championship. Speaking of his approach he said: "After the first full day of stages it was pretty obvious that these guys have been doing this for a fair while longer than me. So, after speaking with team boss Bruno De Pianto we came up with a strategy to drive fast but not take any chances. We knew that if we had a solid drive, we would achieve a good Top Ten finish."

Driving the MINI has been a steep learning curve for Quinn who has previously been competing in an Group N production car on Australian and Chinese event: "I've only scratched the surface in this car. There is so much more to it than what I got out of it this week and now I am just so hungry now to get back in that driver's seat. To see it packed up tonight ready to leave is something I don't think I can watch."

Just as Quinn has learnt a lot this weekend, Alexander Gelvez also had his work cut out coming to grips with his RRC specification MINI John Works Cooper. After retiring yesterday due to gearbox issues, Gelvez and co-driver Borja Rozada were back on the stages today looking to build on their experience in the car and finish the event: "We had a very good rally and enjoyed the stages today. The car was perfect and we could not ask any more. We enjoyed getting more experience in the car and particularly enjoyed the final Power Stage of the rally."

Team Manager Bruno De Pianto was pleased to have both MINIs at the end of the rally and especially impressed with Quinn's performance: "Nathan really did a good job this rally. He had such a tall task working with a new car, new co-driver, and new team all in front of his home crowd and competing against the world's top drivers, but he was unphased. He knew he had a job to do and he did it. He drove his own rally with his eye on his own targets and eighth place with four WRC points to his name is a really fantastic result.

"Alex had a more eventful run, but also got a lot of invaluable experience during the rally. He's just starting his international rally career and every new event is a steep learning curve. I was pleased to see him safely over the finish ramp this evening and look forward to our next adventure with him. The only thing left to say is a big thank you to Venezuela and its Ministry of Sport for making this happen."