CFC and MK-Soundstyle's VW Golf GTI Aims to Deafen

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The people over at CFC Styling Station and MK-Soundstyle in Neuss, Germany are trying to give old Phil a run for his money when it comes to baseless ego (scroll down to read excerpts and add curse-free insults, this is a family show). With the Hi-Fi Golf, these people have created a huge, rolling boom box...of doom.

Under the matte silver painted body (€1,500) is an upgraded suspension with bits from ap-X which, that will run you €749. Eisenmann is behind exhaust duties with a €1,238 kit plus...actually, enough with the silly grab-bag tuner name-dropping and pricing. Bottom line, it's got 265 horsepower from some chip tuning that costs significantly less that that of Sport Wheels' Galactic R8.

The sound system, though, is this GTI's claim to fame thanks to MK-Soundstyle (name only dropped because they're partially behind the build). From Pioneer come the head unit and four amps hooked up to a 15-inch sub. It has Rainbow tweeters and midrange speakers powered by another two amps in front.

At least they admit it isn't for everyone. What IS for everyone are a few choice excerpts from the press release:

"The task of turning a VW Golf VI GTI into a driving sound machine and making it look excessively great at the same time is probably not for everyone."

"The result is worth a few words of admiration."

"Renewed confirmation of the old saying 'No risk, no gain!'"

Agreed; press releases are there to announce to the world how great your product is. However, at least have some video of it shattering teeth. Pictures, while worth a thousand words, can't hold a single tune

Post Title → CFC and MK-Soundstyle's VW Golf GTI Aims to Deafen

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Next Corvette Stays the Course, Mid-Engine Layout but May Gain Hybrid

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Plain and simple: no mid-engined Corvette, maybe a hybrid, and a statement that GM is not testing any V6s in the Corvette (yet). That's from GM's global vehicle engineering VP Karl-Friedrich Stracke, and it's fine by me. Spend wisely, slowly upgrade the program, don't rock the boat.

The Mid-Engine and Dual-clutch Transmission:

Stracke decided to finally bury the mid-engine rumors once and for all by "quashing [them]" under his corporate boot heel. Also, he decided to let PR clarify that there is no dual-clutch transmission on the way. For those of you wondering about that, Autocar heard from a Saab source that just such a transmission was developed while Saab was still part of GM.

Let me get this straight:

Saab had the time and money to invest in a snazzy tranny, but somehow couldn't muster the energy to upgrade the 9-5 for the better part of a decade? No one else saw a hole in that story? Guess it's torque converters and clutches for the immediate future.

The V6 Powerplant:

GM says nope, I say why not? An entry-level twin-turbo V6 is an option people might consider instead of the V8. Most of the people I see driving Corvettes probably wouldn't even notice the difference (same goes for a hybrid). That's not to say that the Vette would ever lose what made it great, but performance and function could be had with a high-output whistling-sixer while also helping with that pesky CAFE rules.

Before anyone screams bloody murder, can we look back to 1953 for a moment and marvel at the Blue Flame inline-6 under the hood? That's right, 6 cylinders. So it is possible to incorporate less than a V8 under-hood without raining on the fanboys' parade.

The Hybrid and the Future:

A hybrid system would certainly be a fascinating option to have on an order sheet. GM has the tech in place already, so why not go mild-hybrid and have all the clutchless wonders out there save some dough while puttering quietly around town?

Shouldn't more be done to bring the Corvette in line with its competition and the modern era? As epic as it is, it's a wee bit outdated. The Vette is supposed to be the big-daddy for General Motors, not just Chevrolet; that means it should not only eviscerate Porsches and Ferraris, but look just as amazing. A nip and tuck here, some new tech there, and presto: a halo car, but also so much more. It could finally appeal to global consumers.

With no mid-engine, a possible hybrid, and that V6 just begging for a chance, the Corvette will continue to live on for now as it always has: heart beating up front, legs kicking out back.

Maybe one day, hopefully, the Corvette will finally evolve into something more...I sense a digital smack coming...modern. There, I said it. Now if you'll put down your pitchforks, let's bring GM's bad boy into the 21st century.

Post Title → Next Corvette Stays the Course, Mid-Engine Layout but May Gain Hybrid

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