Hot rod

The down side is that $100,000 price that the best bodies command. In China, the A2 is still sold as the Jetta, while the A5 is sold as the Bora. They are NOT actual antique, but in some respects better than any previous source of hot rod bodies, even including 1932 vintage Fords. For example, in Mexico, the A4 is still sold as the Jetta, while the A5 is the Bora. As the supply of "real steel" antique bodies dwindles to nothing, those who reject fiberglasses as a "bogus aproach", can buy new "retro inspired bodies". In other parts of the world, this model does retain both names, usually in cases where a previous mark is still sold. Most of the metal was likely never used on a 1932 Ford. The model range returns to using the Jetta name on the continent, rather than Bora or Vento.

Technically, they were often late model cars with copies of 1930's-60's bodies on them. Volkswagen announced the Jetta in Europe in late May 2005. Interestingly, most of his cars were hand built one offs, complete with hand fabricated aluminium bodies. While critics embraced the overall vehicle, they claimed the styling was too Japanese (with similarities to the Toyota Corolla), and that it is too high-priced for the highly competetive compact car market. However, many of the vehicles no longer contained any parts from the original cars, and some were entirely unrelated to their supposed donor vehicles. 2005 sales of the New Jetta were dissappointing in the US. Coddington's hot rods had been registered as antique automobiles in order to avoid emissions and tax liabilities. The new Jetta was designed by Walter de’Silva.

On April 7, 2005, Boyd Coddington, famed hot rod designer and star of American Hot Rod, pleaded guilty of perpetrating a "Ship of Theseus" fraud. A GLI version was released as a 2006 model in North America in the late summer of 2005. Because the Swedish regulations required a crash test even for custom-built passenger cars between 1969 and 1982, but the law allowed lorries without a crash test, hot rods from this time were made as two seat trucks. In North America, the A5 Jetta went on sale in March 2005, as a 2005 1/2 model, overlapping the final model year of the A4 Jetta. Since there is very little "vintage tin" the hot rods in Sweden are generally made with a home made chassis (usually a Ford model T or A replica), with a Jaguar rear axle, a small block V8 and fibreglass tub, but some have been built using for instance a Volvo Duett chassis. A DSG gearbox, stability control, and electro-mechanical steering are also new innovations. Clubs such as Wheels and Wings in Varberg, Sweden have established themselves in Swedish Hot Rod culture. There is also a diesel powerplant, a 1.9 L TDI engine producing 74 kW (100 hp DIN) and 177 ft·lbf (250 N·m) of torque.

The culture is still going strong in Sweden where there are a lot of automobile enthusiasts, also known as raggare. Replacing the venerable 1.8 T is a turbocharged 2.0 L 16-valve I4 rated at 147 kW (200 hp DIN). It has also begun to garner respect as an exhibitor of contemporary artistic talent that transcends kustom kulture's bounds. This new 20-valve DOHC engine is based on the Lamborghini Gallardo's V10, sharing a similar head design and the same bore and stroke dimensions (82.5 x 92.8 mm). Juxtapoz Magazine, founded by the artist Robert Williams, has thrived as a recent extrapolation of kustom kulture art. The base engine is a 2.5 L (2480 cc) I5 producing 110 kW (150 hp DIN) and 168 ft·lbf (228 N·m) of torque. The Discovery Channel airs several shows dealing with modern interpretations of kustom kulture such as Monster Garage, American Hot Rod, and Overhaulin'. One major change is the introduction of the first independent rear suspension in a Jetta.

Hot rod builders such as Jesse James, who is also famous for his motorcycle modifications (choppers), have swept through popular culture like wildfire. Built in Puebla, Mexico and exported to North America and Europe where the A5 is called again Jetta, is larger than the fourth generation, with more upscale styling and greater interior room. There is still a vibrant Hot Rod culture in North America, especially on the West coast. The fifth-generation Jetta debuted at the 2005 Los Angeles Auto Show in January. The "classic era" of hot rod construction ended around 1965, in part because the supply of vintage tin had dwindled, but mostly because new cars were equipped for greater speed and power directly from the factory with little or no modification required. A high performance version of the A4 Bora sold in several countries had 4 motion all wheel drive and a VR6 engine. Construction of a hot rod required skill with mechanical work, welding, and automotive paint and body work. The engine block was not changed.

Certain engines, such as the flathead Ford V8 and the small block Chevrolet V8 were particularly sought after as replacements, because of their compact size, ready availability, and power. This was a 30-horsepower improvement over the previous 150 hp 1.8T and was accomplished with a slightly larger turbocharger (K03S instead of K03) and a slight change to the engine programming. The typical hot rod was heavily modified, particularly through replacement of the engine and transmission, and possibly other components including brakes and steering. Starting with the 2002.5 model year, all Jettas equipped with 1.8T engines, regardless of trim level, produced 180 horsepower ("AWP" engine code). Many of these had sound bodies and frames and had been junked for mechanical reasons, since the running gear of early cars was not durable. Later models of this higher trimmed GLI were available with a five speed automatic transmission with tiptronic. During this time, there was an adequate supply of what hot rodders called "vintage tin" -- junk cars manufactured prior to 1942 that could be had cheaply. The car could accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 6.7 sec with a top speed of 146 mph.

The Hot Rod era extended from 1945 to the beginning of the muscle car era (about 1965), reaching its height in about 1955. The interior was black with aluminum trim, including black upholstered Recaro bucket seats with red "GLI" lettering embroidered on the backrest (instead of the headrest), a black headliner with associated black trim, European gauge cluster, leather wrapped three spoke steering wheel, sunroof, Aluminum pedals (similar to Audi TT / Beetle Turbo S pedals), and a Monsoon 8-speaker stereo system with in-dash CD player and tape deck. . The GLI was available in Black Magic Pearl, Platinum Gray, Tornado Red, and Blue Lagoon. Author Tom Wolfe was one of the first to recognise the importance of hot rodding in popular culture, and bring it to mainstream attention, as described in his book The Kandy-Kolored Tangerine Flake Streamline Baby. The GLI came equipped with ESP (Electronic Stability Program) to improve vehicle handling and safety in low-traction road conditions. Hot rods are important to American culture. There were no options available.

There are also television shows like My Classic Car, and Horse Power TV. VW also installed a chrome exhaust with a single tip 2.25" in diameter. There are many magazines that you can look at to see hot rods like Hot Rod Magazine, Street Rodder, and Popular Hot Rodding. The car received a stiffer and lower suspension (Eibach springs 20% stiffer than stock, 21mm front sway bar, 23mm rear sway bar, gas Monroe shocks, and upgraded rear bushings resulting in a 30mm drop in the ride height), body kit (consisting of a front valance, sideskirts, and a rear valance), larger brakes (12.3" vented discs in front, 10" vented in rear), mildly smoked headlights and smoked taillights (R/SCC/R/SCC), and 18" (457 mm) BBS RC wheels equipped with low profile 40 series high-performance summer tires (Goodyear Eagle F1). Those who work according to the original idea of cheap, fast and no frills are often called rat rods. The Anniversary Edition offered a 180 hp 1.8 L inline-4, linked to a 6-speed manual transmission. Nowadays people who own hot rods keep them clean and try to make them noticeable. In 2004, Volkswagen offered the GLI in two versions; the 'standard' GLI and the limited edition 20th Anniversary Edition GLI.

The Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum houses the very roots of hot rodding. In 2004, the GLX model was dropped. The annual California Hot Rod Reunion and National Hot Rod Reunion are held to honor pioneers in the sport. The GLI offered sport suspension, six-speed manual transmission, and the 200 hp (150 kW) VR6. Hot Rodders, including Wally Parks created the National Hot Rod Association NHRA to bring racing off the streets and onto the tracks. It was available in the GLX and the new-for-2003 GLI model. In the 1970s hot rodders tried to clean up their reputation and thus they started to use the term "street rod" instead. In 2003, the VR6 engine moved to a drive-by-wire 24-valve design rated at 200 hp (150 kW).

Other sources indicate that the term was derived from replacement of connecting rods in engines to allow higher RPMs to be reached without parts failure. The GLX was the luxury model, with leather seats, wood grain trim, automatic climate control, rain-sensing windshield wipers, and other amenities. The term may have originated from "hot roadster" and the term was used in the 1950s and 1960s as a derogatory term for any car that did not fit into the mainstream. This line offered all engine choices until 2003, when the VR6 choice was dropped. Originally the term was used to the practice of taking an old, cheap car, removing weight (usually by removing roof, hood, bumpers, windscreen and fenders), lower it, change or tune the engine to give more power, add fat wheels for traction and paint it to make it stand out. The GLS was a step up, with options for leather seats and a sport package. Hot rods are older, often historical, cars. The GL was the base model, powered by a slightly revised 2.0 L 8-valve four based on the previous models, a 1.9 L TDI (Turbo Direct Injection turbo diesel), and from 2003 on by the turbocharged 1.8 L engine.

In some European markets, the station wagon version was marketed as a Golf ("Estate" in the UK and Ireland, "Break" in France, "Variant" in some areas) and had a Golf grille, headlights, bumper, and fenders. The A4 came in four different trim levels, and was also offered as a wagon. The rounded shape and arched roofline serves as the new Volkswagestyling trademark, abandoning traditional sharp creases for curved corners. Known as the Bora in Europe, the fourth-generation Jetta debuted in late 1998 after its larger sibling, the Passat, with which it shares many styling cues.

For those who preferred the GLX's looks, the GT and Wolfsburg Edition offered GLX accessories without the venerable VR6. Motivated by the renowned VR6 SOHC six-cylinder, the 172 hp (128 kW) powerplant was able to catapult the Jetta to 60 mph in 6.9 seconds, the fastest Jetta to date. By far, one of the most exciting trim levels was the GLX, replacing the GLI designation. The diesel engine once again made its comeback with VW's revolutionary 1.9 L TDI (Turbo Direct Injection) 90 hp (67 kW) diesel engine and was offered as a separate trim level.

All were powered by a 2.0 L I4 making 115 hp (86 kW). The Jazz Edition was a GL with a 6-disc CD player standard. The City was a minimalist Jetta without a radio or air conditioning, while the 1994 Limited Edition and 1995 Celebration packages were value-priced GLs costing some $600 less than standard. The K2 was a similar package, but in place of the bike was a K2 snowboard or a pair of K2 skis.

The Trek was a special trim that included a bike rack, a Trek bike, spoiler, rocker panel covers, alloy wheels, and in 1997, other accessories and options available for the top-of the line GLX, save for the VR6 engine. The GL was the base trim while the GLS was the luxury trim with leather seats and power locks, windows, sunroof, etc. Exterior changes to the A3 through its production run were subtle, such as a new grille, body-colored rub strips, and different wheel covers. Though only offered as a four-door sedan, the A3 spawned more trim levels than any other Jetta line.

The third-generation series was criticized for its "boxy" design. Hailed as the "Poor Man's BMW", it was designed in-house under Herbert Schafer. The Vento debuted in 1991 while the Jetta debuted in 1993. Known in Europe as the Vento, the A3 was a refined evolution of the previous-generation Jetta.

The A2 Jetta went on to become one of the first Volkswagen models produced in China. In the UK the A2 series Jetta fell into the small executive saloon car class along with the Vauxhall Belmont, Rover 213/216, Daihatsu Charmant, Audi 80/90, and the Ford Orion. The A2 Jetta Carat model sported luxury trim but it did without many of the performance upgrades of the GLI. The 2.0 L 16-valve was equipped with the CIS Motronic engine management system.

The GLI became a serious performance contender in 1990 with the addition of the 2.0 L DOHC 16-valve four rated at 134 hp (99 kW). In 1987 VW introduced it's first twin-cam engine, a 1.8 L DOHC 16-valve that made 123 hp (92 kW). The sportier GLI model was first powered by the standard 1.8 L gasoline four with 100 hp (75 kW). The ECOdiesel made 59 hp (43 kW) and 81 ft·lbf (109 N·m) of torque.

Three diesel engines were offered in the A2 series: a 1.6 L naturally-aspirated diesel with 52 hp (39 kW), a 1.6 L 68 hp (51 kW) turbo diesel, and a 1.6 L ECOdiesel that was sold for two model years, 1991 and 1992. Base and GL-model A2 Jettas were powered by a 1.8 L gasoline I4 rated at 100 hp (RV code Digifant engine management with a single outlet exhaust manifold) (75 kW) and later 105 hp (PF code Digifant with a freer-flowing dual outlet exhaust manifold) (79 kW). External changes throughout the A2 series' run were few: the front-quarter windows were eliminated in 1988, larger, body-colored bumper covers and lower side skirts were added from 1990 to 1992 and there were various grille and side-cladding changes. Like the A1 series, the A2s were offered as two-door coupes or four-door sedans; coupes were limited to base, diesel and "Wolfsburg" trim levels.

Introduced in Europe in 1984 and in North America in 1985, the second-generation Jetta proved to be a sales success for Volkswagen, outnumbering Golf sales two-to-one and securing the title of best-selling European car in North America. The A2 series is the longest reigning Jetta so far. Additional engine choices were a diesel 1.6 L four making 50 hp (37 kW) and, in 1984 (the final year of the A1), a "GLI" high-performance version was offered, powered by the 1.8 L engine and close-ratio transmission from the Rabbit GTI, which made 90 hp (67 kW) and 105 ft·lbf (142 N·m) torque. In 1981, the engine was upgraded to a 1.7 L producing 74 hp (54 kW) and 90 ft·lbf (121 N·m) torque.

Powering the base A1 Jetta and GL trim in 1980 was a standard 1.6 L four-cylinder producing 78 hp (57 kW) and 83 ft·lbf (113 N·m) torque. In some markets such as in Mexico the A1 Jetta was known as the Volkswagen Atlantic. A version of this model, known as the Volkswagen Fox, continued in production in South Africa until the late 1990s. Styling was penned at ItalDesign, by Giorgetto Giugiaro.

The first-generation Jetta appeared in the North American market in 1980, available as a two-door coupe and four-door sedan. . The mechanicals are shared with the other Volkswagen A platform cars. This proved to be a wise move on Volkswagen's part, as the Jetta became the best-selling European car in the United States.

Similarly, in South Africa, the Jetta remains more popular than the Golf. The model was developed due in part of the Volkswagen marketing group's observation that the North American market leaned more towards the sedan shape as opposed to the Golf's hatchback configuration. Until 2005 the name was only used in North America and South Africa, as it was dropped in Europe in 1991, when it was replaced by the Vento, which was in turn replaced by the Bora in 1998. It is essentially a sedan version of the Volkswagen Golf.

The Volkswagen Jetta is an automobile manufactured by Volkswagen.