As for ABD versus APR, the decision was clearly in favor of Alabama's APR boys. The problem? From the outside in, the ABD GTI is simply too much. They picked an industrial styling theme that covered the outside in a fake metal finish that seemed more NOPI Supershow than Wolfsburg Limited Edition.
And then there is how it drives. Sure, the big boost brings big smiles for the first couple of laps, but probing its outer limits causes furrowed brows. The faster I went, the less sure I became. I found myself feeling relieved that I didn't have to try and set a fast lap; before I'd ever attempt ten-tenths, I'd put on my firesuit and get my affairs in order.
Driving the ABD car is like raising a Bengal tiger at home-it sounds like a lot of fun until you get bitten. And though I never reached that point, I couldn't shake the feeling that when I ran out of talent in the ABD car, I'd be in a world of hurt.
The APR car is essentially the opposite. With smooth-actually massive-power delivery and a communicative chassis, higher speeds elevated confidence, not anxiety, levels. Jay puts it best: "Power delivery is good without the 'holy-shit!' of the ABD car or the peaky breathless feel of the H&R car's stock turbo."
And while neither of us care much for the paint job, we concede it makes for a pretty bitchin' cover and is perfect for a vehicle built for SEMA. But the bottom line is that the APR GTI managed to produce the most power, the fastest lap and acceleration times, and the most rewarding drive-all with a full interior. From paint job to performance, the APR GTI has proven to be the ultimate expression of what a tuned sport compact car should be.
Thunder Bunny IIA new Thunder Bunny made its debut alongside the Concept R GTI on the Volkswagen stand at SEMA 2006. Designed in collaboration with Derek Jenkins, chief designer at the Volkswagen Design Center California, the new concept shows VW's roots in the sport compact tuning scene and was built to commemorate Neuspeed's quantum leap with the original Rabbit.
Bill Neumann founded the California-based tuners Automotive Performance Systems (APS) in the 80s. He had driven the original GTI in Europe and was frustrated with the fact that Volkswagen's hot hatch had been sold in Germany since 1976, but hadn't yet come to America. Convinced it would be a big hit, Bill put together a Rabbit-based performance car capable of stunning performance: the original Thunder Bunny. It ran a zero to 60-mph in the low seven-second range and raced through slaloms at a pace that, at the time, had only been bettered by the Ferrari 512 Boxer, Lamborghini Countach and Renault R5 Turbo.
In the fall of 1982, the GTI finally came to America, but the Thunder Bunny had done its job. It put Neuspeed-the APS-trademarked line of parts and accessories-on the map. It also helped launch a North American community of specialists in water-cooled Volkswagen performance. Although the Beetle had a huge following of enthusiasts, the new generation of Volkswagen cars hadn't sparked much interest in the go-fast crowd before then.
The contemporary Thunder Bunny is a blend of subtle design and tuning technology, built to show how a comfortable daily driver can also provide exciting motoring. Under the hood is a turbocharger system designed by Neuspeed especially for Volkswagen's 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine. Boost is restricted to a maximum of seven pounds in this Stage One kit, but it still produces 75bhp more than the stock engine and hefty low-end torque.