Dream Daily

We can’t think of much better than a 700bhp Mk4 R32 turbo with factory build quality and turn-key reliability. Turns out we’re not the only ones - enter HPA Motorsports and its FTX700.

Written by: Byan McCarthy

Photos By: Jonathan Leung

It’s funny how the slow creep of time allows for the perfectly acceptable denial of getting older. And there is no better way to let that passage punch you in the pie hole than by looking at a car you recall being introduced new now nearly eligible for historic plates. This must be how boomers feel about their muscle machines.

It’s easy to argue that the MK4 R32 is the pinnacle of the fourth generation Golf. The enlarged 3.2L VR6 paired with 4MOTION all-wheel-drive made it a formidable year-round daily driver with plenty of usability. Volkswagen imported just 5,000 units to the US for the sole 2004 model year. The R32 was special in the way that modern “special editions” can’t even come close. Unique bumpers and interior treatments not seen elsewhere, including those Konig seats, all add up to a car of the likes we’ll never see again. Even a MK7 Golf R lacks the pizzazz the MK4 oozed.

It can be further litigated that the MK4 Golf derivatives (20th Anniversary GTI, GTI 337 and MK4 Jetta GLI 1.8T) really set the standard for differentiating models that has yet to be exceeded. They hailed from an era that found Volkswagen pulling out all the stops for enthusiasts. The 20th was the only way the 180-horsepower 1.8T was getting the O2M 6-speed manual. And who wouldn’t like to be able to bench race at the bar with brakes from the Audi TT 225? What did a MK7 GTI Rabbit Edition get you? Cornflower blue paint and a smaller infotainment screen. Heck, even the leather seats in the R were nothing more than Autobahn GTI chairs with different badge embossed in the headrest.

Anik Patel’s R32 takes the term special and airmails it across the continent to a little place in Canada called HPA. Upon first glance, you’d be excused if it appeared nothing more than a mid-aughts hatch with a flavor of the day wrap. Take a few steps closer and you’ll find yourself reversing your thoughts.

The body modification list is short, but thorough. The pronounced fenders have been botoxed, but not too plumped where you can’t stop staring at them, wondering if it know it looks like that. A Gillette has been taken to the rear emblem and handle, creating this vertical convex piece of metal that’s smoother than 1980s jazz music. Up front, OEM style HIDs, often found as a factory fit for our European friends, flank a grill that’s also devoid of its V and W. And would an R32 front bumper be complete without the requisite Cupra R lip spoiler? Stubby mirrors and an updated aerial round out the subtleties. But then it was repainted in Porsche’s Chalk gray, so subtle is subjective.

The one thing that should strike fear in every passing 911 Turbo or BMW M car is the HPA banner across the bottom of the door reading FTX700. Did I say passing? I meant passed.

HPA’s motto is Built to be Driven. Sure, that’s great in the signature of an email or emblazoned under a logo, but what does it mean? “I coined this phrase back in the 90s when many tuners were focused on generating extreme horsepower numbers on the dyno,” Marcel Horn, president of HPA, tells us. “However, these high-power builds often failed in real-world conditions due to reliability issues like broken drive shafts and blown engines.” So if it can’t stay running, it can’t be driven. And that’s one of the many things that HPA prides itself on. “We took a different approach, prioritizing durability and driveability over peak numbers. For years, we faced challenges justifying our lower horsepower/torque packages against the growing tide of internet wisdom.”

In 2005, Marcel and team were able to tour the R&D facilities of Volkswagen in Germany after being selected to build and prep three cars for SEMA. The information regarding each platform’s

capabilities, durabilities and limits proved invaluable. “This experience allowed us to refine our packages, ensuring they worked seamlessly within OEM clutches, gearboxes, and shafts, ultimately guaranteeing customer satisfaction and performance dominance, whether on the street or the track.”

That knowledge was applied to their first FT series of single turbo cars starting in 2005. “We quickly identified the 02M gearbox as a potential limiting factor,” Marcel informs us. “With its floating three-shaft design, it was stable up to 600 ft-lbs of torque and 600 horsepower. At HPA, we never push components to their absolute limits, as we understand that every part has a life cycle and prolonged use at peak limits can reduce reliability.”

Every fan of the marque should be aware of the twin turbo HPA cars, but it was the single turbo Black Jack kit that was their top offering at the time, coming in at 550 horsepower and 550 ft/lbs of torque. But it was reliable and that was the headline. In order to finish first, you must first finish is a quote that often gets attributed to many a racing great, but the message is clear.

So how does this relate to the gray monster you see spread out before you? “One day, we turned our attention to Audi’s new MQ500 four-shaft gearbox, seeing it as a potential solution to break through the limitations of the 02M,” Marcel recalls. “Our engineering team, using Anik’s car as a testbed, developed a conversion that included a high-performance 100% carbon-on-carbon clutch. This allowed us to explore the upper limits of the VR6 engine’s potential. The question remained: could Audi’s robust driveshafts and gearbox handle the power?”

It’s important to pause a moment to make sure you understand this is not simply a car with slapdash modifications to make it go fast and make cool noises. HPA doesn’t build customer cars so much as they engineer them. It’s a complete package. A turnkey operation that ensures the car will start, run and do so in a reliably enjoyable manner.

The FTX package was the culmination of a number of things that had to be engineered in such a way to make the reliable sort of power that Marcel demands from his team. “As we strapped into the rolling road and began pushing BorgWarner’s hyper-efficient EFR turbo, we realized our fueling system needed an upgrade to feed the beast,” Marcel explains, donning his best white lab coat, probably. “As we continued testing, we encountered a new bottleneck: the intake airflow pathway. The turbo was drawing so much air that, for the first time in 20 years, HPA’s OEM-level engine bay packaging was the limiting factor. However, before we became too concerned, we saw an impressive 800 ft-lbs of torque and 704 horsepower on the dyno. Thus, the FTX700 was born, all within the safe limits of the driveline and fueling system.”

With over a dozen completed FTX700 cars so far, it’s not hard to pull up some video footage from your favorite moving picture website and see and hear the fury unleashed. Someone should create a soundboard with the different noises the VR makes as it climbs the RPM ladder. It’s surreal.

With the limiting factor determined to be airflow, Marcel and his team set about rectifying that problem in true HPA fashion. “The path from the airbox, past the ABS, and into the turbo with its hard turns, restricts the turbo from surpassing 700 horsepower. To go beyond this, we would need to move away from the reliable OEM airbox and simplify the air pathway. There’s definitely more potential there, but for now, if you’re brave enough to handle 800 ft-lbs of torque at 2,700 RPM through front and rear posi differentials on the street, you’re in for a thrilling experience!”

So that, in a very large nutshell, is what makes an FTX so special. But in this case, it’s more than just a powerful engine, but a complete package for a very lucky owner. He also needs to stop when the times comes and there is no better solution than HPA’s massive big brake kits both front and rear. The latter measures up to 335 mm rotors, while the former’s are massive 365 mm discs grabbed by 8-piston calipers. If you ever wanted your eyeballs to become acquainted with the inside of your lids, mash the middle pedal at speed and let the inertia of motion play matchmaker. Covering those big old stoppers are some beautiful 19” HRE RS100s wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires. The aggressive yet approachable stance is provided by KW Clubsport coilovers, the go-to brand for HPA considering they’re the reason they exist in North America to begin with.

The interior of Anik’s R32 is three steps above OEM+, with retrimmed Recaros taking prime position in a cabin fit for a king. The pair of Sportster CS have been treated to a blue plaid costume change courtesy of Velocity Upholstery. The blue is an extension of the R theme itself, given the factory’s use of blue needles in the dials and blue details throughout to set it apart from the standard Golf. And who doesn’t enjoy the conversation starter that is plaid, right? The rear seats, door cards, and parcel shelf were all trimmed to match. The headliner was also done, but if you look closely you’ll notice that it’s not end to end in plaid, but a combination of leather and plaid, with the hides covering the roof console and visors, too. Blue stitching quite literally ties it all together. An HPA Clubsport rollcage and full Focal sound system finish off the interior.

“When I’m fortunate enough to meet a customer and take them on that first test drive, it’s always an inspiring experience. Most customers strap in, not fully expecting the level of thrust comparable to an early Dodge Viper. But what truly catches them off guard is the continuous G-force that doesn’t let up, even as the acceleration pushes past 7,000 RPM. As the speed increases and the braking zone shrinks, there’s a palpable moment of panic as they realize just how quickly the runway is disappearing. Once I’ve fully showcased the platform’s potential and instilled the respect they must now have for their augmented ride, I see them relax and catch their breath. Then, with a smile, I ask if they’d like to experience that again—this time, off Valet mode. That moment, when they truly grasp the power at their fingertips, is priceless for me!”

When asking Marcel is there’s going to be an FTX800 in the future or if they’ve reached the pinnacle of reliable power, he answer was hopefully veiled. “There is a wish to punch past the current, we are debating if this will come via the 3.2 or under the VRXXXT program anchored by the 2.5. For this, you will have to stay tuned.”