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US Spec GTI's Front Lower Spoiler Lip is Different!

ewoo

ewoo

Rally Car Newbie
Location
Ken~tucky! Wahoo!
I picked up my new GTI last week. This weekend as I was taking some photos, I realized that the US Spec front lower spoiler/valence is different than the European one! :frown:

I never noticed this before but it looks like along with the 17" wheels, wider seat--they also borrowed the lower front spoiler from the lesser (no offense) Golf GT.

And so, I will be ordering the Euro front lower spoiler from Hillside Imports. (I like the chunkier look of the Euro spoiler. Very subtle but important for me.)
 

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UNCbigM

UNCbigM

Autocross Champion
Location
Wrightsville Beach, NC
Wow! Nice catch!

I'm with you, that's crap. I hate it that we don't just get the exact same car. There is no reason to give us different front trim, different seats (if you can't fit in 'em, too damn bad, go on a diet), different wheels, and different option packages (heated cloth anyone?), not to mention anything else I'm missing.

Annoying.

(one thing I just noticed though, why does that last picture have a foreign plate? any chance that the spoiler on the first picture is not factory?)
 
ACgolf

ACgolf

Formula One Champion
Location
West Vancouver, BC
ewoo is 100% correct!! I got myself a european front valance at hillside import though for $100us. Great deal I must say. The reason why our US-spec GTI didn't get the european front valance is that our US-spec GTI had to clear the parking "BUMPS" when we park our car at parking lots. Most MKIVs had their front valance pulled out whe they try to back out from the parking stalls. Stupid US bumper regulations~!
 
M

mrdiavolo

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
Tuscaloosa, AL
UNCbigM said:
(one thing I just noticed though, why does that last picture have a foreign plate? any chance that the spoiler on the first picture is not factory?)
Click to expand...

The last picture was taken at the US GTI "First Drive". However the US GTI was still in the UK so they had UK plates on it. You can buy the Euro lip from http://www.hillsideimports.com for $100 but their websit is down ATM.
 
Dr. Woo

Dr. Woo

Ready to race!
Location
Hampton, VA
Car(s)
2008 VW .:R32
mrdiavolo said:
The last picture was taken at the US GTI "First Drive". However the US GTI was still in the UK so they had UK plates on it. You can buy the Euro lip from http://www.hillsideimports.com for $100 but their websit is down ATM.
Click to expand...
This wasn't in the U.K., it was in Germany.

Those are manufacturer plates, as my German VW fanatic friend explained to me.
 
loccusst

loccusst

FIA GT Champion
Location
IA
Car(s)
MKV GTI
All manufacturers do this. I used to be into Hondas heavily. Just be glad we aren't getting a down graded motor too like alot of cars from Japan that are sent over here. I can live with differant styling. I plan to put on differant spoilers and lips later......I love the R32 tail.
 
ewoo

ewoo

Rally Car Newbie
Location
Ken~tucky! Wahoo!
Dr. Woo said:
This wasn't in the U.K., it was in Germany.

Those are manufacturer plates, as my German VW fanatic friend explained to me.
Click to expand...

Your friend is right. Those publicity shots were taken in Germany. The car is a US bound GTI--with German manufacturer plates.
 
ewoo

ewoo

Rally Car Newbie
Location
Ken~tucky! Wahoo!
ACgolf said:
ewoo is 100% correct!! I got myself a european front valance at hillside import though for $100us. Great deal I must say. The reason why our US-spec GTI didn't get the european front valance is that our US-spec GTI had to clear the parking "BUMPS" when we park our car at parking lots. Most MKIVs had their front valance pulled out whe they try to back out from the parking stalls. Stupid US bumper regulations~!
Click to expand...

Hey ACgolf, how was the install? Did you have to take the whole bumper off?
 
davis_grad

davis_grad

Touring Car Champion
Location
Marin
ewoo said:
Your friend is right. Those publicity shots were taken in Germany. The car is a US bound GTI--with German manufacturer plates.
Click to expand...

Actually, according to the first drive article on VW Vortex, they were taken in the south of France . . . .
 
G

GTT

Touring Car Champion
Location
US, Chicago
OH, why bother!?
That is so insignificant. Other than an extra piece of plastic they almost look the same.
I acutally like the US version better. I would like them all if they actually came painted the body
color like they should have been in the first place.
 
ACgolf

ACgolf

Formula One Champion
Location
West Vancouver, BC
The US bumper regulation i was talking about is that there is a minimum height requirment that the front bumper be clear from the ground. With the eurospec front valance the front will not clear that specific height, which i am not certain what the exact measurements are.

I haven't install the Euro valance on my car yet, since my car won't be here until JUNE... :( But people on vortex are saying the install should take no longer than 15mins. I assume there will be just two bolts near the end of the valance where the fenders are, and then is just pull out and snap the new one back on. It will be just like the MKIV Golfs or Jettas.
 
Dr. Woo

Dr. Woo

Ready to race!
Location
Hampton, VA
Car(s)
2008 VW .:R32
davis_grad said:
Actually, according to the first drive article on VW Vortex, they were taken in the south of France . . . .
Click to expand...
Oh, well, on mainland Europe, then, with German manufacturer plates.
 
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