SP Rides: Lots of Wheelspin!
BY MICHAEL KITCHENS
Name: Trenton Nicol
Age: 22
Occupation: Combat engineer, U.S. Army
Hobbies: Cars, mountain biking, surfing
Year, Make, Model: 2016 Volkswagen Golf
Color: 3M Black Rose vinyl wrap
Engine: IS20 turbo swap, Forge blow off valve, CTS turbo catless downpipe, GTi exhaust, JB4 piggyback ECU, APR closed carbon fiber intake, (CTS turbo FMIC)
Exterior: Full vinyl wrap, Ed’s Golf R headlights, Eurospec Golf R taillights, rear wiper delete
Suspension: FK Automotive Tuning lowering springs
Wheels, Tires: 18-inch Rotiform BLQ wheels, Primewell Valera Sport AS in 235/40ZR 18s
Trenton Nicol’s first taste of modified goodness was a 350Z, which he absolutely loved. Of course, the Z isn’t exactly a family car and with a baby on the way, the thrill was short lived. And so, enter the Volkswagen Golf, a ride which might seem comparatively sedate, however, underneath its wrapped exterior beats sterner stuff than expected.
Purchased with full intent to get back into the modding game, the first change was a sweet set of Rotiform BLQ 18-inch wheels. Clad in the relatively new all season ultra-performance Valera Sport AS from Primewell, the ride only needed the installation of lowering springs from FK Automotive Tuning to hit the sweet spot. Coilovers are soon to come, but the end result is an impressive yet comfortable tuck for the current stance.
With a bustling family, Nicol tries to keep within budget. This means that he’s a shrewd wheeler and dealer, along with doing all of his modifications by himself. “I don’t like to spend money on things I can do myself,” shared Nicol.
Nicol was unhappy with the current look of the car and wanted to switch up to a unique flavor. The silver pallet was wrapped in 3M Black Rose vinyl for a decidedly upscale look. The burgundy-copper tone accents the panels and body flares while keeping the entire vehicle awash in a feel of luxury fitting for its European origins. To continue that feeling, Euro-spec Golf R taillights have been paired with a custom set of Ed’s Golf R headlights. A slick touch is the rear wiper delete which opens up the back end of the ride.
This ride comes in 180HP stock, unlike its GTi cousin, however, even this base model is turbo-powered. The next step for Nicol was an IS20 turbo swap which bumped up the HP considerably. Now running at 23psi from a stock 16, it’s most likely in the 280 to 320HP range thanks to the additional mods. With the turbo swap, this ride now hangs with cars in much higher price brackets such as the STi.
Helping all of this along is a CTS turbo catless downpipe is mated to a GTI exhaust while venting is handled by a Forge blow off valve. Additional breathing room is provided by an APR closed carbon fiber intake while the entire system is tuned by a JB4 piggy back module. On order and soon to be installed is a front mount intercooler which will provide further power at Nicol’s upcoming dyno day.
Nicol loves the bodylines of this ride. With the gorgeous wrap, everything looks impeccable, especially the rear end thanks to the awesome tails. Through it all, he feels that it’s important to build your ride for yourself. “I’m accomplishing my goals as I go along, the way I want it to be,” said Nicol.
