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Project Golf SportWagen- Intro

I’ve never really been one for SUVs and crossovers.  The current offerings aren’t the body-on-frame, go-anywhere specialty tools I remember from my youth, and what they lack in capability, they also lack in on-road performance. The current crop isn’t terribly good at handling or being efficient, which in my opinion are major components of our ideal driving experience.  So when it comes to space or utility, I usually look for something of the wagon variety- and it seems that I’m not alone.

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We hit quite a few shows around the east coast each summer, and we see modified Jetta SportWagens at nearly every event. Even amongst common consumers, these cars are highly sought-after. They don’t depreciate much, making even early Mk 5 2.5 versions expensive in comparison to other Jettas or Golfs of the same vintage. This year, Volkswagen launched their latest SportWagen, which is now billed as a Golf.  In many ways, this latest SportWagen is the best yet and it has certainly won the attention of both enthusiasts and common consumers alike. With that in mind, we figured that taking a closer look at the new Golf SportWagen was probably a pretty good idea.

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Over the summer, we’ll be taking a Silk Blue Metallic Golf SportWagen SEL identical to the one pictured above, and transforming an already good car into something greater. Suspension, wheels, power adders and various other modifications are all on our short list, with the ultimate goal being a vehicle that will feel at home at enthusiast events, the head of our local mountain bike trails, the grocery store parking lot and everything in between.  Simply put, we’re looking for something that can do it all.

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Never ones to leave things until the last possible second, we’ve already got the ball rolling with more than a few partners in the aftermarket space to ensure that this one gets done right, and with plenty of time to spare before the end of this show season. Our office is quickly filling with boxes, and we’re eager to get started.  But first, I’ll need to retrieve it from our Chicago offices, and bring it home to Pennsylvania.

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See more images of our Golf SportWagen Project, here.

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