2000 Volkswagen Jetta VR6

Lee Borgioli gets it. He understands that for things to work out to the best possible ends, all things have to be balanced…

Lee’s model-year 2000 VW Jetta exudes this type of harmony (Hell, the paint color was probably chosen because it had “cool” in its description.—MAX). From stock to the prime example of German tuning that you see before you, it took a mere eight months, during which the engine was cracked open, the headrests were cut apart, and the trunk was torn up and rebuilt. The only way to be able to truly appreciate the detail and balance of the car is to view it from afar, sit inside it, and then drive it. When we told Lee that we’d like to consider his car for a feature, he handed us the key and told us to do exactly those things.

When you first see the Jetta, you immediately notice that it is lowered. Sitting 1¾ inches lower in the front and 1½ inches lower in the rear, thanks to Eibach Pro Kit springs and Bilstein Sport shocks and struts, the fenders hug 17x8.5-inch O.Z. Racing Polaris wheels and 225/45-17 Nitto NT450 tires. As you walk in closer, drawn by the simple elegance that the car’s aura projects, you notice that an Oettinger body kit has enhanced the Jetta’s clean lines. The kit subtly hints at what’s available when you lean your right foot into the gas pedal. You’re at the driver’s side door now, and you decide to take a walk around it before pushing the “unlock” button on the key.

You walk to your left, to the front of the car, and stop. The HID headlights staring you in the face are from the European Bora. The Bosch units fit flawlessly, as would be expected of an OE supplier. Between the headlights sits an Oettinger grille hiding a pair of strobe lights. The German license plate pokes fun at the state of California, saying simply, “It’s the cheese.”

As you pass to the rear, grabbing your attention is the Oettinger wing and the antenna above it that was lifted from an Audi TT. Continuing around to the tail end, you take a step back in order to have a full view. To the VW connoisseur, it’s truly striking. The Hella smoked taillights and Bora badge create a beautiful picture.

Opening the door, you notice the aluminum Torasport dash kit. As you settle down into the leather sport seats, you glance beneath the three-spoke steering wheel at the Audi TT pedals and dead pedal. Before starting the car, you want to set your favorite radio station, so you turn the key to the “on” position. Out pops the Alpine CVA1005 screen, which that you find is linked to the in-dash DVD player and the navigation system in the glove box. You put Kung Fu in the DVD player and fast forward to the scene in which Kane has to snatch the pebble from his blind master’s hand. While watching the monitor and listening through the Polk dx components, there are two things that make your senses go crazy—the frightening rumble of the bass and the ethereal glow from the back seat that reflects off of the tinted windows. You decide to investigate both.

Upon opening the door, you locate the source. The front seats’ headrests each have a 4-inch LCD monitor sunk into them. After marveling for a few minutes, you decide to search out the source of the bass. You head for the trunk. Following along with the factory look of the monitor install is the trunk set-up. So carefully incorporated are the MTX subs, Monster capacitors, Alpine 12-disc changer, and MTX amplifiers that the work appears to have been done by someone with an altered state of consciousness.

You say an abbreviated goodbye to Kane as you turn off the system to better hear the engine roar. At idle, the car sounds completely stock with only a slight hint at a bumpy idle.

After warming up the engine, you pull out onto the street and let loose. As the small of your back is pushed into the lumbar support, you realize the power of the VR6. The engine howl that you hear comes mostly from under the hood, thanks to the Eurosport intake, with a little growl being put out by the Techtonics exhaust. While these two modifications were probably good for 7–9 horsepower combined, the Dynospot Racing DSR 256 cams and custom-mapped GIAC chip provide the bulk of the horsepower and torque increase. The car now puts out 175 hp and 194 lb-ft at the wheels, well up from factory specs.

After tearing up the street, you decide to head onto the freeway for a high-speed blast. The onramp tempts you into checking out what the new rolling gear and suspension components are capable of. Eibach sway bars and a Neuspeed front strut brace help tighten things up, making the car feel as though it were on rails. Running through the gears a couple of times, you decide to return the car to Lee before you get any more attached.

“What do you think?” are the first words out of Lee’s mouth. As if you had been waiting for someone to ask you this question for your entire life, you expound the virtues of the cosmic, karmic creation. Lee comments that it wasn’t just a mere man who created the car, his vision was created by a squad of experts. As he runs through the list, you commit the names into your long-term memory: Chris, Alex, and Peter of Volks Cafè; Dick and Rob at Dynospot Racing; Ken at Ken’s Autobody; Larry at Circuit City; and Garrett at GIAC USA. You only hope your vision is up to these masters’ standards.

The total package disappears into the setting sun as you look on. Remembering the outstandingly understated body modifications, the incredible ICE, the perfectly modified engine, and the oh-so-sweet suspension, you start to feel as though your chances for indescribable contentment are disappearing with the taillights, but then another thought crosses your mind. Lee wouldn’t want his car to bring unhappiness but would rather have it bring awe and inspiration. You hop in your own car with thoughts of how to turn your MRyde into a magnificent automotive magnum opus that Lee’s car would call brother. Ahh, the beauty of a well-balanced Euro… Kung-Fu-style.