Volkswagen Cabrio- Don't Judge a Book by It's Cover

OK, we know what you're thinking. It's written all over your face. A Volkswagen Cabrio? What kind of chickie cars has this magazine come to? Who owns it? Some bubble gum-popping 16-year-old whose mommy and daddy got it for her because she got straight Bs in school?

Now, cut that out. Didn't you ever hear the expression about judging a book by its cover? Because this is not some girly teeny bopper car, and the man behind the upgrades will be happy to demonstrate by blowing your doors off.

The builder of this most manly of Cabrios is Charlie Kemp. The Easton, Pa. resident has gone to great lengths to ensure that his convertible was anything but a sissy car. Or rather, he did. He has actually sold this car since these photos were taken, but the car still deserves mention.

Off the showroom floor, the Cabrio is essentially a third generation Golf. The roof is expertly removed by the body geniuses at Karmann, and the distinctive roll hoop is added to both help protect in a rollover incident and to give the car some added structural integrity. Combined, it makes the Cabrio one of the more solid convertibles on the market, even today.

Unfortunately, it also comes with only one engine choice, the much unloved 2.0-liter Volkswagen single cammer. You've read here how little love we have for this particular engine in its stock form. It has decent torque, but poor high-end power. It does boast a rugged construction, and it is also quite unstressed, at just 115 hp from the factory. Luckily, the engine responds fairly well to a turbocharging.

The primary ingredient in this Cabrio's pumping up is a Stage II turbo system from New Dimensions. The heart of the upgrade is, of course, a turbo. In this case, an IHI RHB5 unit. This water-cooled turbo is bolted to a special exhaust manifold, manufactured especially for this kit. The Stage II kit adds an intercooler mounted on the driver's side of the engine compartment. It is fed cool air from a hood scoop, giving the New Dimensions kit its distinctive look-and giving the Cabrio a face that says "I mean business."

There are more mods than just the turbo kit. Power is routed to the tranny through a Sachs sport clutch. Helping to distribute the power more evenly is a Neuspeed limited-slip differential. The stock cam has been ditched in favor of an APS 260-degree shaft. The stock computer has been upgraded with a Neuspeed P-Chip and boost is controlled by a custom-mounted Bosch boost valve. Air is drawn through a custom airbox. Since the engine is turbocharged, a New Dimensions oil cooler kit helps prolong oil life, an important consideration. Exhaust is routed through a Borla stainless-steel system with a huge 3.5-inch tip. The entire exhaust system has been ceramic coated.

The Cabrio's suspension is also the same as its Golf stablemate. There are MacPherson struts in the rear, along with a torsion beam axle. For the most part, the suspension falls into the category of "crude, but effective." Golfs wouldn't be as popular as they are if they didn't handle well, and the combination has served Volkswagen well.

Making the Golf (and Cabrio) handle better is a science that has been known for a long time. The suspension on Kemp's car has been modified, using APS lowering springs and Bilstein shocks. The springs and shocks help lower the center of gravity and give the car better damping, a shortcoming in the stock suspension. To help bring the tail around a little more effectively, a larger rear anti-roll bar from Autotech has been added. Enhancing the already stiff structure is an Autotech front strut tower brace. The braking system has been enhanced with stock-sized ATE slotted rotors and steel-braided lines from APS.

What the Cabrio offers over its standard Golf sibling is, of course, style. Kemp is well aware of this, so his Cabrio is appropriately addressed in this respect, as well. The wheels and tires are Bridgestone Potenza S02s, mounted on custom Kinesis Motorsport wheels. The stance, along with a Zender front air intake, add to the aggressive look of the hood-mounted air scoop. A European-style dual driving lamp grille and smoked external lights complete the exterior package.

Inside, Kemp's Cabrio came with a very German interior, which means it's black on black on black. He hasn't really changed the dcor, with the exception of a Momo steering wheel, carbon-fiber shifter and Corse pedals. What he has changed, however, is the sound system. An Eclipse head unit sends sounds through ADS separates and a pair of 6-inch ADS subwoofers are powered by an ADS 640. In the rear, twin 8-inch Eclipse subwoofers powered by an ADS P2100 amp are housed in a custom Plexiglas box.

Next time you're in eastern Pennsylvania, keep your eyes open. If someone in a black Cabrio starts throwing down revs at a stoplight, don't giggle and think you've found an easy victim; you just might be in for a big surprise.