One of the benefits of working for a company that deals with both air cooled and water cooled VW’s is that you get to enjoy both sides of the “scene”, the air cooled fraternity has been enjoying something of a retro renaissance in the form of the “back to 89” movement, true classics like “BillaBug” are being reborn, and introducing the young blood to how their forefathers used to do it back in the day, so I thought I’d take a trip down memory lane and revisit a show that really sticks in my memory, GTI International 2001…

2001 was a special year for GTI International as it was the last year the event was held at the Transport Research Laboratory, and whilst that other show was into it’s second year, it was still relatively small by comparison.

The Brit-Look was in full effect, with 17″ rims still popular on Mk2’s, as well as a plethora of other styling trends some of which are probably best left back in 2001, Hella Magic Colour Lenses anyone? That said, the influences from the continent were starting to become apparent, with cars like Mike Tonge’s G60 LO setting the tone…

Bini Yousef’s Mk2 was on the other hand, pretty much the pinnacle of a Brit Look car, 17″ RH Toplines, a combination of Rallye/Corrado front end, with the Jetta lower trim, and a seriously low slung stance gave the car serious presence.

As well as stunning show cars, Inters never failed to disappoint with regards to more performance orientated machines, with Volks-Speed debuting their innovative 20v G60’d VW Motorsport spec Rallye,

And the now legendary “Big Dub” making it’s first public appearance, Ian Birch creating yet another monster to emerge from the Dubsport stables, whilst people may have become used to the car now, the impact it had at the time was incredible, and it proved it’s build quality by being mercilessly thrashed down the 1/4 mile time after time.

Powered by two VR6 Turbo motors, with one driving each set of wheels, the sound was something to behold as well,

here’s a video from inside the car:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ak98AbGjlPA]

The line of Autometer Dials inside the cockpit was almost as impressive as the twin engines, with every gauge doubled up to monitor both engines simutaneously.

Another Mk3 to cause a bit of a stir was Carl Taylor’s now infamous P2YOB, fresh out the Premier Vehicle Services workshop, Steve Denton (now of Stylehaus) had taken the Mk3 to new levels, with smoothed flanks, seriously pulled arches covering a set of Schmidt TH Line splits (probably the first time most people had seen these in the UK), A6 door handles, smoothed bumpers, bad boy bonnet, relocated filler cap amongst other things, all finished in a coat of (if my memory serves me correctly) Catalunya Splash paint, this car like Big Dub is still around today, and is probably one of the best known third gen Golfs in the UK.

Also representing Dubsport was their VR6 powered Lupo,  a car which not only impressed by virtue of it’s immaculate engine install, but also by the fact that at the time, it was a car that had only left the showroom a few months beforehand.

Well known Dutch tuner Jeroen Dik of JD Engineering brought along his Corrado, powered by a 1900cc 16v G60, whilst appearing fairly subtle, the engineering behind this car was sublime, with attention paid to the smallest detail, like modifying the rear beam, so that the wheels sat central in the rear arch, despite the drastic drop in ride height.

One of the cars of the show for me personally though, had to be Roma Tunings Mk2, another 16v G60, perfectly executed, but the standout feature on this car was the wheels, not only had someone managed to cram a set of 19″ rims under the arches of a Mk2, but it was the wheels themselves which attracted the most attention, the cars owner had machined them himself, from billet aluminium, based on Kahn wheels, he’d also engineered his own bespoke centrelocking system as well, he’d had the good sense to knock up a couple of spares too!

Whilst not to the current trends, the car still impresses due to the skill and detail in the engineering.

So that was the end of an era for GTI International, a lot of people say it lost it’s magic when it left the TRL, and to some extent, that was probably true, it moved around from site to site, other shows came along, more people started buying parts online, and forums were taking off, so there wasn’t the anticipation of seeing “new” cars each year, but now Inters has settled into its new home at Bruntingthorpe, and with the introduction of camping, I personally think the show is beginning to come back around to what it used to be.

Oh, and you know I mentioned BillaBug earlier, well I couldn’t mention it and not put a picture in…

Catch you soon,

James V

All images except BillaBug courtesy of DemonVWphotos.co.uk