Pocong GTI: Plautos's MAD Polo GTI!

Having the privilege to hang around in VWwatercooled Australia forum, it enables me to meet Polo GTI enthusiasts worldwide and acquire knowledge inside-out in the world of VWs. Most of their rides are mildly modded with impressive result – no kidding!

This time, I’m featuring a candy white Polo GTI from Brazil owned by fellow forummer Plautos. Apart from being enthusiast and an avid racer, he’s very much a ‘grease doctor’. Specialised in rebuilding all sorts of diesel engines, every mods done into his Polo was all DIY from installation of K&N filter till LSD and improvised dampers. He’s the “Chip Foose” in the Polo community, that’s for sure.

Through the use of larger K04-25 from Audi RS4, Cat Cams, 386cc injectors, Forge goodies, custom exhausts and APR Stg 2+ reflash, these mods easily registers 270hp and 402nm on wheel dyno. Internals remain untouched. For a 1.1k kg car, the amount of power is just insane (that’s more than twice the power of standard engine).

Unlike most people, he mod this car not only for straight line, he wants to track it occasionally. So, harnessing all the power has been put to rest to the shoulders of custom improvised dampers from Koni, H&R sport spring, custom PU bushes and 215/35/18 Yokohama Parada tyres. Wilwood Superlite 4 pot BBK for front & back.

In Interlagos circuit, he clocks 2:09.9 on clear track with some rain drops. To give you a perspective how fast it is, an R35 GTR made 1:54.5 on dry and clear track. Expect him to shed 2-3 seconds off after using LSD and reduce sliding on high speed turns.

Don’t think a minute Plautos would stop here. There’re plenty of mods coming along and it’s going to be massive and best of all most of it are going to be self custom. We could be seeing GT28RS with custom housing. Good luck!

Engine

1781cc Inline 4
DOHC, aluminum, 5-valves per cylinder, hydraulic bucket tappets, 9.5:1 CR
81 * 86.4 mm, cast iron engine block
Mahle forged aluminum piston, fracture-split forged steel connecting rods, one-piece cast, forged crankshaft
Motronic ME 7.5 electronic multipoint sequential fuel injection
Cat Cams’s camshafts
Audi TT 225 386cc injectors
Borg Warner K04-25 CHRA turbo
High flow manifold.
Forge front mounted intercooler
Forge turbo inlet pipe
6500rpm (rev cut 6800rpm)
ECS N75 Race dump valve
FPR 4-bar
Custom PU dog bone bushings
K&N 3004 open pod filter
NGK R7435-9 spark plugs

Transmission & Drivetrain

5-speed manual
Gear ratio: 1st – 3.30, 2nd - 1.94, 3rd - 1.36, 4th - 1.03, 5th - 0.82
3.65:1 final drive
Phantom Grip LSD
Uprated clutch
Fidanza 225mm 5kg flywheel
Custom short shifter

Exhaust

Custom 3” downpipe
Sport cat
2.5” piping
Custom muffler

Electronics/Engine Management

APR Stg 2 98oct reflash

Interior

Factory standard Polo GTI
Autometer Gauges

Suspension

Front. Independent, MacPherson struts and coil springs. Anti-roll bar.
Rear. Torsion beam axle, trailing arms, coil springs.
H&R Sports spring
Koni Yellow (modified) dampers
Custom solid PU control arm bushing
White Line rear Toe kit

Brakes

Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brake-pressure Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist
Front. Willwood Superlite BBK four pot 355mm
Rear. Willwood Superlite BBK four pot 355mm with handbrake caliper
Goodridge steel braided line

Wheels & Tyres

Centre Line, Storm, 18x7 rims with 38mm offset
Custom 10mm spacer
215/35/18 Yokohama Parada

Performance

270 hp on wheel (290bhp on engine)
402 nm torque on wheel (445nm on engine)
Top speed 260km/h
2:09.9 (Interlagos)