Following Dylan’s post on the W12-650 (a car that really shouldn’t be a contender for the crown) I have sourced some new, special contenders to put that car to shame; a Golf R32, Mini Cooper S and Alfa 147 GTA (all with aftermarket components, as some may already have guessed).
1. HPA VW Golf R32 Twin Turbo
HPA (together with HGP) have released a twin turbo package for the Golf V R32. When I say released I should probably be saying specially made, since their twin turbo kits are made to order, as opposed to their single turbo kits which are sold as a package.
The kit produces 530ps and 640Nm torque, giving a hugely impressive 0-60mph time of only 3.5 seconds and a top speed of 200+ mph. The beauty about the R32 is that given that it is 4 wheel drive it is able to put the power down, giving excellent performance figures.
The focus has not solely been on the engine. HPA installed KW V3 coilovers and springs, radically improving handling, and huge 14.4″ 8 piston Brembo calipers to bring the car to a halt.
The price; well the turbo kit alone will put you back a cool €27,000 Euros, with the brakes a further €6,800 and the coilovers €1,300. It may be expensive but at least with a large wallet you can actually own this car.
2. Alta Mini Cooper S Turbo
My second contender, the Alta turbo Mini Cooper S, can produce up to 400bhp.
The kit features a Garret GT3071 turbo charger (rated to around 450whp), with a 2.5″ to 3″ polished, stainless steel downpipe which will bolt directly onto the stock cat back exhaust or obviously any aftermarket exhaust.
Unfortunately I was unable to find performance figures for this kit, but as you can imagine 400bhp in a Mini will be quick. Nowhere close to the R32, as I believe the mini will have big problems getting the power down. Between the Mini and the R32 I would take the R32 any day, as the 4 wheel drive will make the car much easier to drive & control compared to 400bhp in a FWD car. On the other hand with the hot hatch considerations; the cost of the turbo kit; a mere $4,000. Not much when compared to the R32’s price tag!
3. Autodelta Alfa Romeo 147 GTA AM Supercharged
Autodelta have a long history modifying Alfa’s but continue to push the limits. With their 147 GTA AM Supercharged they took their GTA AM and bolted a supercharger onto it.
The GTA AM features a bored-out version of Alfa’s 3.2L V6 unit, increasing engine capacity to 3,750cc. Autodelta fitted new steel billet camshafts, a Ferrari-derived larger throttle and an engine re-map, giving 328bhp, a 0-60mph time of 5 seconds and a top speed of 175mph.
That not being enough for the guys over at Autodelta, they decided to bolt a supercharger onto that system, and the GTA AM Supercharged was born. What you now get is 400bhp, improving the 0-60mph time by 0.2 seconds to 4.8 and giving a top speed of 180+mph.
As with HPA, Autodelta left nothing untouched, upgrading the suspension setup and adding stronger, heat treated brake discs & pads. Being a FWD car handling becomes a problem with such high power applications, as the wheels that put the power down are also the wheels that steer the car. They added a limited slip differential (with 30% progressive lock) to help transform the extra power into true performance.
As for the price I no longer remember since contacting Autodelta a long while back, but expect it to fall around half way between the Mini and the R32.
As for who takes the crown I guess it all depends on what you want the car for and how deep your pockets are. Personally I will wait to make my decision until the guys over at Autodelta or Dawie De Villiers (another great Alfa tuner) get their hands on the MiTo GTA.
4 Comments
I don’t see a V12 in any of these, or RS4 and Gallardo brakes … or a carbon fibre roof with a diffuser built in to channel air to the monster V12 sitting behind you … or customized C-pillars to channel air from the side of the car into the ‘engine bay’. The only one that could come close is the first one; however, a little crank of the boost on the twin turbo charged V12 and watch the number ride higher and higher.
Ah maybe but in the end of the day you can actually own all these cars, including the R32 which is quicker and with a good fabricator could be turned into a w12-650 aesthetic wise (Bentley V12 not required as the 3.2L twin turbo v6 is sufficient).
2010 está chegando o momento VW de varrer em definitivo os concorrentes, se entrar no mercado automobilistico mundial com seus motores 2.5 turbo equipando o Scirocco R, a Tiguam R, o New Beetle R e o Golf R, abrindo deste modo o leque opcional da melhor fabrica de automotores do mundo que se chama vw e pondo estes automóveis a uma velocidade final de 270 km/h, estirpando as fabricas e montadoras concorrente pra sempre. A VW vai vender muito e dominar o mundo.
i own a scion tc. i want to drop in a turbo that is street legal. i want to make it insane. how big can i go and which turbo can i put? should i do a kit? or a turbo with custom pipes?