BEAST MODE: BEETLE? |

Words and Photography by: Sid Fligel
Running furiously down the mean streets of NYC, screaming around turns, avoiding pedestrians, making his way to the FDR to head home, it’s a R32, it’s a S5, it’s a…Beetle?
“I’ve had this car for 6 years and just been recently putting the car back together for the 2011 season.”

That’s right, a Beetle. Derek Harvey is the proud owner of this 2000 Beetle 1.8L Turbo. Boasting a 5 speed tranny and a TDO4-19T Greddy tuned turbo with Giac programming and Tt Maf-tt blue 380cc injectors as well as other goodies like its custom Forcefed engineering 3in downpipe, this Beetle rips through the city with ease.

“Lucky enough most MK4 Gold parts fit, especially the Mitsubishi hybrid turbo setup.”

Keeping it safely on the ground, Derek went with FK Streetline Coilovers with Koni Yellow adjustable rear dampers. Also, Derek is sporting a B&M short shifter and a Sachs VR6 clutch with a lightweight single-mass flywheel to keep the car from spinning out. Derek also added Porsche Boxster S 4-Piston monoblock brakes with slotted ECS 13′ 2-piece floating rotor set and ECS SS brake lines paired with rear slotted rotors and Hawk HPS pads all around to ensure maximum stopping power.

The wheels are iconic for the VW community. Mercedes Ronal Alphard wheels,18×8.5 front 18×9.5 rear with a final et of 20 all around. Derek opted for 205/40/18 f 215/40/18 Nitto Neogen tires.

“I honestly was about to give up on the car considering how hard the parts and tuning was for this car but sucked it up and I did it for the 2012 season.”

Derek, by trade, is an aquarium designer. Customizing aquarium show pieces for hotels, restaurants, museums, clubs, and luxury homes in the tristate area, he understand that style is everything. For exterior aesthetics he chose the European Votex front end, Caractere side skirts and rear whale tail spoiler, Turbo S Rear bumper and diffuser with shaved blinkers, as well as shaved and smoothed all of the emblems off. The paint is actually not the original Beetle paint but rather, custom paint conversion from Silver Arrow to Reflex Silver. Derek complimented the new paint with a black roof and shaved antenna.

“Nothing is better then cruising this down park avenue in the summer and having constant looks and smiles from the ladies or seeing the stupid look on the Porsche drivers faces as I take them in a passing lane. This is why I Drive a Beetle.”