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SuperPro VAG Trophy Rounds 5 & 6 Snetterton 300 15th & 16th June 2013

Race reports

This weekend’s SuperPro VAG Trophy double-header on Snetterton’s 300 circuit continued the season’s now familiar trend of dramatic racing, when Arron Mason won Saturday’s round five and Ken Lark did likewise in Sunday’s round six. As usual, the races were no straightforward affair and, with 34 cars entered, there was always going to be action.

Following the cancellation of the year’s first meeting at Oulton Park in March, due to bad weather, series promoters MSVR added the two postponed rounds to this weekend’s high profile programme that featured British GT, BRDC F4 and VW Cup races. Consequently, with VW Cup cars eligible to run in Class A in the SuperPro VAG Trophy, the weekend’s grid was bolstered by a number of drivers that chose to enter both championships.

This cross-fertilization was evident from the qualifying session on Saturday, when the Golf Mk5s of Martin Depper and Arron Mason lined up alongside each other on the front row. But behind them the balance was redressed, with two regulars from the SuperPro sponsored series occupying the second row, in the form of 2012 Champion and round one winner Paul Taylor in his Mk4 Golf R32 and regular series front-runner Joe McMillan in his Seat Leon Cupra.

However, on damp and drying track, Taylor could have given more, if his four-wheel-drive VW had not broken a driveshaft towards the end of the session. Further down the field, James Bradley-Silverstone qualified his Seat Leon in 16th place and first of the Class B runners, whilst James Dowding was second in the category and first of the competitors contesting the Mk4 Golf TDI/GTI Challenge.

Race 1 (round 5)

Competitors lined up for the first of the weekend’s two races on a relatively dry track, the Class A cars on slicks and the Class B runners on treaded road tyres by virtue of the category regulations. The first three cars got off the line well and retained their grid positions throughout the first lap, with Depper, Mason and Taylor separated by less than a second as they began lap two.

But the man to watch was Seat Leon driver Dan Rose, who had from fifth on the grid to fourth and was now on the attack. Then, as the leader braked for the hairpin at Agostini, his car appeared to lose power and immediately slowed. This allowed Mason to take the lead with Taylor briefly second, until Rose went past the R32 driver before the end of the lap.

Not content to stop there, a bold move into Coram allowed Rose to get alongside Mason and then take the lead as they crossed the line to start lap four. But the 2011 Champion’s glory was short-lived, as the re-appearance of the rain saw him slide wide at turn one, the right-hander of Riches, with McMillan also going off from fifth place on the same lap.

At this point, Taylor took the opportunity to get past Mason and therefore, at the end of lap four, the race was to see its fourth leader in as many laps. But Mason was not giving up that easily and on the next lap re-took the lead and then proceeded to hold off Taylor’s advances for the remaining three laps.

In the meantime, Rose was making a comeback and, on the last corner of the last lap, he left his braking as late as he dare on the approach to Murray’s chicane. The maneuver could have gone either way, but fortunately for third-placed Stuart Lines in his Mk 5 Golf GTI – and unfortunately for Rose – this eleventh-hour attempt for a podium place saw the Seat driver end up on the grass and having to settle for fourth.

With Bradley-Silverstone getting no further than the first lap, it was Dowding who collected the Class B honours, following a determined drive that netted him an impressive seventh place overall. The similar TDI/GTI Challenge Golf of Mike Smith was second of the Class B runners, whilst Steve Rowland completed the top three in the category driving his Mk2 Golf GTI.

Click here for round five results

Race 2 (round 6)

The weather on Sunday was a wholly different affair and, although clouds still punctuated the Norfolk skies, there was no evidence of rain. With the finishing positions of the first race dictating the starting positions for the second, it meant that Mason started from pole, with Taylor alongside him.

When the lights went green, the run down to the first corner saw the now familiar sight of Taylor’s red Golf out-drag the rest of the field. However, by the end of the first lap his closest pursuer was Ken Lark, who had elbowed his way through from fifth on the gird. He was followed by Rose - and then Mason - who had managed to get himself caught up in some first-lap antics.

Having retired from the previous round of the championship at Cadwell Park with a blown engine, Lark was on fire – but not in the same way as he was last time out. This time it was a metaphoric blaze rather than real flames that were emanating from his VW Corrado, as he made the most of his new power-plant and overtook Taylor by the end of the second lap.

Right behind and ready to pounce if the leading pair got it wrong, were Rose and Mason, who themselves swapped places on lap five. Then, a lap later on the circuit’s infield section, Taylor was seen spinning onto the grass and then glancing off an Armco barrier. Although he rejoined the race, any chance of a top placing was now over, as he continued to circulate in eighth for the remaining two laps.

All this activity behind him allowed Lark to pull out a small gap ahead of Mason, who was at first pursued by Rose and then Stewart Lines, another VW Cup competitor in a Mk5 Golf GTI, who edged into third place on the final lap. Lark went on to record his first ever SuperPro VAG Trophy victory and was understandably delighted with the result, especially following the disappointment of his previous outing at Cadwell Park.

Dowding rounded off a perfect weekend by doing the double in Class B, with Rob Allum pleased to score an excellent second, having returned to the championship for the first time since last year. The Seat Ibiza driver finished just ahead of Rowland, who rounded off his weekend with another third in Class B.

Also worthy of a mention is Dave Garnsworthy, who finished in 19th place driving his instantly recognisable VW Caddy van. Another regular VW Cup competitor, Garnsworthy commented that he had enjoyed his temporary migration into the VAG Trophy and found the racing ‘great fun’.

Consequently, with two full grids and two fiercely fought races during the course of the weekend, the SuperPro VAG Trophy organisers were extremely pleased that the competitiveness of the series for cars based on a pre-2006 Golf platform was clear to see, alongside the other prestigious championships that were represented at the meeting.

Click here for round six results

The second half of the 2013 SuperPro VAG Trophy season kicks off in style, with rounds seven and eight taking place at the legendary Spa Francorchamps circuit in Belgium on 13th & 14th July. This event will mark the first ever overseas foray for the championship and, if the first half of the year is anything to go by, the topography and technical nature of this F1 venue is destined to provide yet another exciting two races.

The 2013 SuperPro VAG Trophy is sponsored by: SuperPro suspension parts, Dunlop tyres, Milltek Sport, Tarox brakes, Forge Motorsport, Petronas oils, Bilstein suspension, Louth Volksworld, JCM Direct and the Lubricant Consultancy.

Highlights of the races will be shown on Motors TV. Please check TV listings for details.

 

Sources 
www.vagtrophyracing.co.uk
www.superpro.eu.com

Thursday, 27 June 2013 04:08

Superpro Suspension parts BMW 1 Series

Tuesday, 25 June 2013 02:19

BMW 1 series

SuperPro introduces the complete range of Sway Bars and Bushings for the BMW 1 Series

With over 30 years of experience in designing and manufacturing world class Suspension solutions, SuperPro introduces the new range for the BMW 1 series. Incorporating its unique Roll Control technology, the new range provides:

  • Sharper Steering
  • Better Handling
  • More grip
  • Less Body Roll
  • Lifetime Warranty on all SuperPro Suspension Parts and Poly Bushings*
Thursday, 20 June 2013 01:20

Performance VM - Mk6 Golf GTI vs R


Veedub refiner APR has produced two of the finest tuned Golfs we’ve ever driven but with over 1100bhp on tap from these two hyper hatches, which would you chose: GTI or R?

I’m smiling as I type this as split almost evenly between these two late model Golfs from tuner APR is an incredible 1170BHP. I’ll be honest; at first I passed these two over as tuner demonstrators with a host of bolt-on parts and some graphics designed to lure you in. Whereas I need soul. Where is the essence of a modified VW that we all crave? These appear to be computer-designed, clean sheet builds that haven’t earned my respect through being built in a small garage somewhere, or having skinned a bunch of knuckles, or emptied wallets along the way. Yes, there’s all that power and comfort combined in the subtly tweaked yet recognizable Mk6 body shapes but for me there has to be that extra something. So where’s the soul?

Well, talking to Guy Harding, head man at Harding Performance, home of ARP Australia, I realize the soul can be found in him and his team. As he talks, his passion for VW becomes obvious. He’s instilled decades of experience in the builds, and that’s what I’m looking for.

Thinking laterally, for me, these two are the modern interpretation of the traditional air-cooled Cal-look Beetle - which makes a lot more sense when you talk to Guy because that’s his background. They’re not retro styled with recreated wheels or faux aged stickers designed to ape a look from decades ago. Instead they’ve been made with the same ethos as those giant-slaying Beetles. Subtle, everyday cars made to destroy and embarrass more expensive and supposedly capable machinery. Your Porsche GT3 just got whipped by a Golf R?

That just happened. Guy shows me photo albums of foreign travel laden with rare and obscure air-cooled VWs going back to the mid-80s. this Wolfsburg thing has been in his blood for a long time.

For the last 15 years the water pumpers have come to his attention and under the APR banner this is the core business, working out of an immaculate and well-equipped workshop in Brisbane. If the sanitary feel is not something you really ‘get’ then imagine this is the clinical operating table that Guy and team use to bring these incredible machines to life.

That’s what they are you know, incredible. Both are the second incarnations for APR, as Guy explains: ‘This is our second Mk6 GTI. We previously built a 400bhp manual transmission vehicle. Once again, the never-ending search for speed made us move to a DSG car and extract more power.”

So what were the priorities when you started the project with a new car? “This vehicle has been made as a real sleeper (decals aside). Driveability and comfort are the number one priority. No vibration, no extra cabin noise, civility throughout,” Guy replies.

To achieve the 570BHP that the GTi does is no mean feat, especially when you consider on race fuel that also equates to a sledge hammer-like 700Nm. All the figures I’m going to be quoting are dyno hub proven too, so put the doubt away.

We know from talking to other builders that the newer gen engines aren’t the easiest to work on. Guy agrees: “Building these engines is a much bigger task than those of the engine family of the Golf R, and sourcing parts is not as easy. But the stock cylinder head is capable of this big horsepower.”

Upgraded rods and pistons go into the package as well as the usual attention-to-detail a build like this demands. Now in street-legal trim and running on treaded tyres the GTi can run an 11.5-second quarter-mile with a 124mph terminal speed.

“These engines, whilst comparatively making more power than their Golf R brothers have an issue pulling Gs around corners,” Guy continues. “To allow for the deficiencies in the oiling system we run a drain to sump catch can and an ‘Accusump’ which is secondary pressurised oil system.
To fit in a three-quart system, the easiest way we could do this was relocate the battery to a secure box located in the boot.”

Look inside and it’s all very factory. Again I’m looking for the personal touches and the discreet digital gauge on the steering column hints at its ability to monitor boost and trans temperatures. I’m starting to feel like that really is enough, the massive potential hidden beneath really will more than satisfy. This kind of approach is indicative of the new-skool approach: less is more.

Back outside if you forget the graphics, which are there for obvious reasons, there really are very few clues as to how potent the GTi is. One thing kind of stands out though. “Putting all this power down through the front wheels is a challenge – that’s why we stepped up to wider front wings to allow larger tyres and a wider track,” explains Guy. To see how this all comes together please check the video link over the page.

The Golf R programme has developed into something very different and the more time I spend with these two the more I notice how they server seemingly similar yet specific purpose whereas the GTi is almost the hooligan machine, the R seems like the dedicated weapon. I might be splitting hairs here but I have to discern between the two, otherwise I’m simply going to want both.

The cabin is almost stock. I say almost because those are Japanese spec Recaro SR-6 seats in there along with an AIM data logger display to inform you what’s going on. But swap the original sat nav/headunit back in and you’d never know the power was there. Guy runs us through how it’s all come together: “This is also our second Golf R, we previously built a 430bhp manual transmission vehicle. And again our search for all out speed made us move to a DSC car and up the ante a little!”
A little? That’s another 170bhp Guy is referring to there! “The car is circuit-focused, and spends a lot of its time upsetting GT3s at Porsche club events and is no slouch in a straight line,” Guy grins. “It still holds the record as the world’s fastest Golf R by quite a margin.” Guy also runs a 550bhp, turbo converted Porsche Cayman, so he knows what he’s talking about.

However hard it is, and we’re not about to say it’s easy, straight line handling is simpler than going around corners, which is why we need to know just how Guy makes the most of the R’s insane power? “Getting the transmission to handle the power and torque was no easy task,” he replies. “A careful combination of software and hardware took quite some time to work out. The temperatures are controlled with an additional SSP oil cooler.”

Guy is rightly a little guarded about just how it all works but the team at APR work closely with suspension specialist Fulcrum who produce the globally-known SuperPro brand of bushes. Along with its Custom arms, these go a long way to helping the pair put the power down.

Unlike the GTI, the R’s head has been swapped for an off-the-shelf APR item, again the engine build taking place in-house to exacting standards needed.

So what are they like to drive? “Perfectly mannered on the street with the damping wound off a touch,” says Guy. “Even grandma could go for a run to shops in them.”
I can’t think of a situation where these two cars wouldn’t shine, or equally blend in to the background if you so desired and I think that’s the key here. Have we all become too hungry for the extremes of the show car scene when sometimes you just want to drive really fast- literally to disappear in all possible ways.

Maybe when you buy an APR kit, you get a little bit of soul food with it, two. An attitude upgrade that makes this inanimate object around you come alive, the added power and attention needed waking up sense so that you respond to the car on a deeper level than normal. If you pit the soul in yourself, you get so much more back out.


Friday, 07 June 2013 05:06

Looking for suspension bushes?

Friday, 07 June 2013 02:57

SuperPro Competitor Supply Offer

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Tuesday, 28 May 2013 02:30

Product Data Sheets

SuperPro VW Ball Joint SuperPro Supaloy & Roll Control Products for VAG Applications

Respected chassis specialist SuperPro has released several exciting new suspension enhancements for VW Group cars, offering enthusiasts the chance to dramatically improve the handling and control of their vehicles without ruining ride or refinement. The parts fit many key VW, Seat, Skoda and Audi models like the Golf, Leon, Toledo, A3 and Octavia.

The all-new Supaloy light-weight aluminium control arms for MK5 & MK6 Golf based cars from the various Volkswagen Audi Group manufacturers are now available from stock in Europe and represent the latest innovation from SuperPro. Combining the class-leading performance of SuperPro polyurethane suspension bushes with lightweight, high-stress & corrosion resistant metal-alloy arms, delivering a 44% reduction in un-sprung weight when compared with VAG original cast steel arms. The package is supplied with the separate rear mounting bracket as standard, making installation for the workshop a straightforward process.

Please Click here to read the full article
AAAA Awards Recognize Innovative Products And Marketing

Outstanding auto aftermarket people, products and promotional materials were recognized at the Australian Auto Aftermarket Expo held at the Sydney Exhibition Centre Darling Harbour, April 11-13.

Organized by Expo host—the Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association (AAAA)—the Awards to Industry program is run every two years in tandem with the Expo to promote excellence in the industry and to recognize the achievement and commitment of the industry’s people, and the research and development they invest in innovative products and marketing techniques.

SuperPro wins Gold at AAAA Show 2013 Awards

SuperPro has received the honour of winning the Gold Award for Best New Aftermarket Product, Parts for the SuperPro Sport-Align & Lift-Align arms.
Products submitted are subject to the following stringent criteria:

  • To what extent the product is NEW.(e.g Innovation, form, function, application, appearance etc.)
  • Practicality of product
  • Design & styling
  • Quality and standard
  • Packaging or point of sale

The products SuperPro put forward to win the category were the new SuperPro Lift-Align arms and the SuperPro Sport-Align arms.

SuperPro Lift-Align Arms

Our SuperPro R&D Team noticed that when modern Hilux and Navara 4x4 vehicles are lifted they run out of Camber and Caster adjustment,

With this realisation, SuperPro has designed a product that will provide a solution. With the modern trend to fit accessories, larger tyres & rims and suspension lift kits to the modern 4 X 4 has exposed the lack of Camber and, particularly, Caster Adjustment required to return the suspension geometry to OEM settings. Leading to undesirable handling and driveability issues like wandering all over the road, uneven and premature tyre wear along with the steering wheel vibrations.

The new Lift-Align Arms from SuperPro Roll Control are manufactured from a hybrid of high stress, cold formed steel tube and forged steel, with an adjustable position Ball Joint and are fitted with SuperPro bushes.

SuperPro Sport-Align Arms

SuperPro have developed & released new Sport-Align Front Arms for the VE Commodore in response to the need for an upgrade to the standard OEM style rubber bushings and ball joint. Both Arm Kits come supplied and fitted with SuperPro Polyurethane Bushings as well as both Ball Joints.

The front suspension bushings in the VE Commodore have always been notorious for excessive movement, in particular the front caster bush, which leads to a multitude of undesirable steering, braking, alignment and tyre wear issues. Add to that the trend by OEM Engineers to incorporate the ball joints into the arm assemblies, requiring those customers wanting to upgrade to superior bushings to purchase OEM style arms and then replace the bushings with SuperPro.

That is now a thing of the past; SuperPro Roll Control Sport-Align Arms are not only the perfect Performance upgrade, but the logical Repair replacement for VE Commodore owners wishing to restore that “New Car” feel.

SuperPro also received the distinguished Bronze Award for Excellence in Export which, in a time of the high Australian dollar and pressures in the world is a fantastic achievement to the SuperPro export team.

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