Volkswagen GTI | VW Golf MK5
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And not just a quick spin around the block in a customer’s car or a specially prepared car for quick in and out testing. The car was released for a number of days so that it could be driven it under all conditions, hot or cold, raining or not, aircon running, speed cruise being utilised etc. But most importantly, it allowed time for the tester to put normal pump fuel in the car before doing the actual performance runs.

The numbers returned via the Racelogic VBOX test equipment after a morning session at Gerotek where the test ambient temperature was a warm 22 degrees, has already caused quite a stir in the local aftermarket-tuning world. And tells you quite a story about what hype to believe and what hype not to believe. It also proves that when it comes to putting your car on the road, your ads can’t talk the car fast, it either is quick or it isn’t.

First up, the SAC GTI is stock standard in trim and sound options; no extra weight on board in terms of body kits and subs, it even comes fitted with the standard 17” alloys as opposed to the optional 18” wheels. It also only has a SAC PowerPlug fitted; no free flow exhaust, no water injection and a standard intercooler to boot.

What it does proudly have is a full year’s development work under its belt in the hands of Steve Fischer at SAC’s dedicated research & development centre. And perhaps that is the secret to this simple plug and play unit producing such exceptional results.

Now if you recall, the first test conducted on the car when it was stock standard saw it run to the 100 km/h mark in 7.83 seconds, 200 km/h in 38.22 seconds and top out at 230.27 km/h true. The interim development chip realised results of a 0-100 km/h in 7.30 seconds, 200 km/h came up some 6 seconds quicker at 31.97 seconds and top speed went to a healthy 239.57 km/h.

All this aside, what are the numbers that the SAC GTI is putting out that seems to be causing a stir?

Well the car now goes to a 100 km/h in only 7.17 seconds, 200 km/h in an indecently quick 28.08 seconds, that is 10 seconds quicker than stock standard and the biggest number was the 249.35 km/h true top speed. This takes the GTI to the top of any hot hatch pile, with only Opel’s Astra OPC running fractionally ahead to 200 km/h, but from there the GTI will get away from the Opel, and minus the more powerful and all-wheel driven Audi S3 that does this sprint in 6.67 seconds, 25.55 seconds and 259.73 km/h respectively.

And should you still care about driveability and fuel consumption, the SAC GTI ran normal everyday fuel consumption figures in the mid 8’s and once finished with the high speed testing, this figure had risen into the 12’s, but all too soon it was heading back down under 10 litres / 100 km/h again. And as to be expected, the driveability of the GTI was kept as good and if not even smoother than it was when the car left the showroom floor.

Should you want to know more about this upgrade, you can contact one of the Steves Auto Clinic branches situated countrywide, or take a drive through their comprehensive website at www.steves.co.za .