VWt Issue 98

Hello and welcome to issue 98 of VWt magazine. Is it just me, or does there seem to be more Transporters about than ever? It seems every time I hit the road, I see a constant flow of modified Transporters and campers going in the opposite direction. Everything from newly converted 6.1 campers to slammed T4s and splitties. I am sure it has a lot to do with living in the South West, as being Bristol based means we definitely get our fair share of Devon, Cornwall and holiday bound traffic. But it certainly feels even busier than normal, which is great news for us, the scene and of course everyone that works within the industry. Lockdown has certainly played its role also, as more and more holiday makers hit…

Mikey could possibly be one of the happiest guys in town. You get the impression he’s very present in the moment. The people who go through life like that tend to lead a very minimalist lifestyle, like Buddhist monks for example. We had a decent conversation so he either hasn’t taken a vow of silence or he has broken it. Either way, his van is an absolute signature piece of minimalist customisation. OEM plus has been around for a while, but this van has all the elements of a new breed of OEM plus plus! To get to the heart of it, you need to get to what it is that makes Mikey tick and that is a lowered car. From the moment he was able, Mikey has been lowering…

Founded in 1970, BBS takes its name from the surname initials of founders Heinrich Baumgartner and Klaus Brand and the town in the black forest, Schiltach in which it developed. Since the invention of an innovative three-piece motorsport wheel in 1972, the company has become synonymous with high-end aftermarket wheels. The BBS LM (Le Mans) is a typically classic design that can cost a cool £1000 a corner new. A great investment wheel, if you can afford a set that is...…

The build is all about subtle mods – the DRL headlights, the sequential side repeaters and the clear rear LED lights; things like that. The subtlest however, can be found in the tailgate. If you noticed it right off the bat, take ten house points. Having had a little history with Japanese cars, Mikey had an idea to replicate the ‘import look’ on the T6 tailgate. Steve at Paint-Worx Loughborough obliged and the result is a much smaller than standard number plate housing. The execution is sublime. Expect to see this one popping up in other places – just remember you saw it here first.…

Engine: 102 2.0tdi Chassis: Genuine BBS LM Splits 19”x8.5 front & 19”x10 rear, Solow Suspension, machined top mounts, extreme hub mod with sleeves made for the brake lines, rear THQ adjuster deletes, H&R anti-roll bar, Powerflex adjustable bushes, chassis Notch, rear nipples shaved, rear ABS lines relocated, shortened driveshafts, skinny CV boots Exterior: THQ V3 DRL Headlights, THQ sequential side repeaters, custom THQ all clear rear LED lights, most the van was painted, custom tailgate including 3rd brake light smoothed out, and number plate recess shortened Jap Spec Interior: Front seats retrimmed with GTD fabric, billet aluminium THQ gear knob, luxury tailored front mat, MK7 GTD steering wheel, fully sound proofed and insulated, rear carpet-lined, brand new genuine rubber rear cargo floor, new genuine threshold and Kombi step Audio: Discover…

Volkswagen is urging motorists to treat van drivers, many of whom have been hard at work during lockdown (just saying), more considerately. New research, by VW has revealed van drivers’ biggest annoyances, from not being left enough space to small parking spaces. Grrr… don’t you just hate that?! In a study by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles of 1,000 UK van drivers, nearly a third (31%) ranked not being left enough space on tight roads as their biggest annoyance. Fellow drivers leaving tight parking spaces or narrow bays in car parks ranked second alongside not being let out into traffic. Whilst over a quarter of van drivers listed being cut up at roundabouts or cyclists coming up alongside their vans at a junction (26%) as the greatest faux pas. A further 23%…