With a time of seven minutes and 23 seconds, that is the quickest Volkswagen Golf Mk2 to ever lap the Nürburgring Nordschleife.

Do I’ve your consideration? Good, as a result of while it might look slightly tough across the edges, Nigel Pinder’s Volkswagen Golf CL is without doubt one of the most exceptional vehicles I’ve ever skilled in particular person.

Nigel’s first expertise of ‘The Inexperienced Hell’ occurred again in 2006 in his household automotive, a 2003 Mazda 6 property. After only a few meandering laps, he’d caught the bug. Realising fairly shortly that the poor Mazda wasn’t actually appropriate for the job, he set his sights on both an E30 BMW 316 or a Mk2 Golf.

The front-wheel drive security of the Golf received Nigel over, with the added level of: “If I hated it I might simply promote it and purchase an E30 anyway.”

Clearly, Nigel didn’t transfer over to an E30, although his first Golf met its demise on the ‘Ring round Easter in 2007. The automotive you see earlier than you is Nigel’s second Mk2, and the results of 16 years’ price of analysis and growth.

Nigel and the ‘Pinderwagen’ are considerably of a legendary pair within the UK observe day and Touristenfahrten (TF) circles, so when the possibility got here as much as spend a day with the 2 at Thruxton Circuit, I wasn’t going to move it up.

Two issues have been obvious from the off: One, Nigel is a stunning chap and, two, you’ll be able to inform he’s been attending observe days within the Golf for near two a long time.

At first it was ‘simply’ a Mk2 Golf with a Mk3 Golf GTI 2.0L ABF engine, which except for the addition of a standalone ECU and Suzuki GSX-R throttle our bodies remained pretty normal till being turbocharged in 2014. The rationale for the latter? Some pleasant in-family rivalry.

“I had plateaued across the ‘Ring with a time of 8:20 the identical 12 months my son took his E36 328i observe automotive,” says Nigel. “Inside 5 laps of making an attempt the E36 I’d managed an 8:04, and I used to be torn between stepping into one thing totally different or turbocharging the Golf.”

Right now, the engine is lots totally different to when it was initially turbocharged, although. The block, cylinder head and crankshaft could also be normal, however the remainder of the construct is complete. Wiseco solid pistons are mounted on Built-in Engineering rifle-drilled connecting rods with ARP bolts, whereas ARP head studs hold all the things in a single piece.

The turbocharger is a hybrid Littco-Garrett G25-660 plumbed as much as a customized KR/1.8T consumption manifold and ABF throttle physique by way of the customized front-mounted intercooler, with a mix of two.5-inch and 3-inch pipework. A DTAFast S80Pro ECU controls ignition, gas and increase, whereas a customized SCH40 metal manifold and 3-inch system handle exhaust gases.

Energy reaches the entrance wheels by way of an SQS Racing 02Q 6-speed dog-gear handbook transmission with an SQS SeqShift mechanism, which primarily converts the standard H-pattern into sequential shift. A light-weight flywheel, Alcon paddle clutch, SQS plate-equipped restricted slip differential and customized driveshafts bolstered with Golf R32 elements full the bundle.

Suspension and chassis-wise, the Pinderwagen has had as a lot work as Nigel has been capable of do to beat the truth that “on the finish of the day it’s a 30-year-old Golf – there’s solely so quick it’ll go!”

The shell has been strengthened and stiffened with a mix of multi-point roll cage and reinforcing the chassis legs within the engine bay. The entrance stitch-framed subframe has been braced to take away as a lot flex as attainable underneath load, along with polyurethane bushes all through the automotive.

On the again, the stub axles have been spaced out by 25mm and changed with newer VW Polo objects for higher sturdiness, whereas on the entrance a mix of prolonged decrease wishbones give elevated caster at 7.5 levels versus the manufacturing unit 1.5 levels for extra camber when turning.

This has been carried out alongside spherical joints and an upgraded Vauxhall steering pump and steering rack from a Mk3 GTI for extra exact and dependable cornering, going hand in hand with the KW Clubsport coilovers working Eibach Professional Race springs in customized prolonged, bolstered and slotted strut towers

AP Racing CP9660 callipers and Reyland floating discs on the entrance are, admittedly by Nigel, overkill in a bundle as gentle and manoeuvrable because the Golf. However with security and reliability on the ‘Ring being the precedence, I’d argue any drawbacks are far outweighed by the advantages.

The actual speaking level of the Golf – except for its sheer velocity, in fact – is the aerodynamic bundle, which has been honed and developed by Nigel with the assistance of some confirmed testing strategies, technical literature and his pricey spouse, Louise.

Armed with a duplicate of Competitors Automobile Aerodynamics by Simon McBeath, Nigel started working on his first entrance splitter and air dam idea, which he notes did make a noticeable distinction within the velocity he might stick with it observe. “The primary splitter seemed horrendous; I simply thought I’d see if it really works… and it did!” Nigel says.

Nonetheless, after a couple of tweaks, a slightly scary second at Silverstone Circuit – the place the rear finish of the Golf tried to overhaul the entrance – taught Nigel the significance of aerodynamic stability. Periods on observe with strings of wool taped to the facet of the automotive and Louise taking images at varied factors on the observe to search out pockets of ‘lifeless’ air and wind stream have culminated in what you see right here. “I’m on model six of the entrance splitter now, and model three of the rear diffuser,” Nigel added.

I can inform you personally that at velocity you’ll be able to actually really feel simply how planted the Golf is round corners and quick sweeping bends. At excessive speeds particularly, it’s the Golf’s flat ground that makes the distinction. Nigel mentions how even towards “sleeker” vehicles with comparable energy, the Mk2 continues to tug away because of its lack of underbody drag.

Even with a completely stripped automotive, Nigel needed to retain a point of consolation for his journeys and observe periods with passengers, akin to his spouse. The roof scoop directs air at Nigel while the NACA ducts and ducting all through the automotive retain cabin airflow.

A really driver-focussed cockpit with a number of digital readouts for driver and passenger hold Nigel knowledgeable concerning the Golf’s situation, whereas the passenger show retains the sufferer occupant knowledgeable about how briskly they’re being hurled into corners.

With very changeable climate situations at Thruxton Circuit, Nigel switched twice between semi-slicks, slick tyres and his moist climate Michelin Pilot Sport 4s, all mounted on 17-inch Staff Dynamics wheels in 17×8-inch, and 17×9-inch for the rear full slicks.

What caught with me probably the most from our day at Thruxton wasn’t simply how blindingly quick and succesful the Mk2 is as a observe device, nor was it Nigel’s ability behind the wheel. It was his can-do, nicely organised and optimistic angle.

Nigel’s strategy to trace days and the approach to life that surrounds them is about as healthful because it comes. He commonly attends observe periods along with his household, making entire journeys and experiences out of it. They’ve spent total summers tenting on the Nürburgring, doing observe laps and exploring the area.

Even on the day, a silicone increase hose actually exploded within the engine bay on our second lap out. As a substitute of being disheartened about it, a brand new hose was sourced from a close-by efficiency workshop and the observe motion continued.

Facet observe: This explicit workshop is a gold mine for a BMW nerd akin to myself and would possibly warrant one other journey…

More than pleased to reply questions and chat with passersby, and preferring to share his observe periods with a passenger over heading out on the circuit by himself, Nigel is a real gentleman and represents the very best of what observe day tradition is about.

I’ll go away you a gallery beneath with some highlights from the day. Due to Nigel and the Pinderwagen, it’s one I received’t overlook.

Mario Christou
Instagram: mcwpn