Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari (AKA Imola circuit) is the infamous Italian racetrack near the town of Imola plus a jaunt within the highway through the Ferrari factory in Maranello. It’s an unforgiving and blindingly fast 17-turn circuit known as much for its flat-out speed as for its uncompromising nature. It’s a special place with a rich history of photo-finish championships and tragic crashes. But what does this legendary racetrack have in common with an aired-out Jetta? It’s simple, the Jetta is number 993 of 1200 Imola Yellow Fahrenheit GLIs ever produced.
It was what attracted Vinny Castrogivanni, although it might be a stretch trying to think of the VW lapping the track its color was named after. I truly wanted an ’07 Fahrenheit GLI due to the unique color. It’s not something the thing is every day, he was quoted saying.
I found the auto at a Volkswagen dealer with only 7000 miles upon it. It was apparently a corporate car that had been driven around the different dealerships. It had the factory Votex body kit, which I didn’t even appreciate until I delved deeper into the VW scene, Castrogivanni confessed.
We’re talking about a rare car with a rare kit. The amount of Fahrenheit GLIs with factory-equipped Votex kits do you think exist? Before he officially became a Dubhead, but the VW rookie would remain at night a few months longer. Prior to the Mk5 I owned an Oldsmobile, so it’s safe to say the Jetta was my first real car. When I bought it, I wasn’t into the aftermarket scene. Actually, I was just happy to have aat the red light. A guy inside a modified Mk5 GTI pulled up close to me and after complimenting me in my Fahrenheit Edition, he explained to check out the local VW forums and from that point it just snowballed, Castrogivanni explained.
And snowball it did… I blew my entire bank account at my first Waterfest. I bought a downpipe, cold-air intake and a number of other stuff, Castrogivanni laughed. The truth is, he had the ECU flashed also but the tune couldn’t be activated up until the downpipe being placed in the trunk was installed.
Ah, everything we wouldn’t share with step back to the youth, our first VW and a little cash burning a hole in your pocket yet againare a nice touch
With the next paycheck came the installation of the APR 3 downpipe and activation from the stage 2 software, together with a custom 3 exhaust produced from Magnaflow and Autotech components. Inlet restrictions were relieved with a BSH True Seal intake.
Other upgrades included a Forge diverter valve relocation kit and Eurojet PCV fix. A VAG-com session also traded USDM annoyances for Euro features like auto window up and down from the keyfob.
While on the subject of up and down, the Jetta drops due to one of the few Bagyard Bomber Classic air-ride kits to float over the pond. Viair compressors, controlled by an AccuAir E-Level management system, fill these rare bags. The five-gallon air tank sits in a custom trunk enclosure, looking discreet and classy.
More was needed, though Pulling and rolling the rear fenders so thin they’d cut sashimi wasn’t enough to provide sufficient tire clearance, hence the pads in the wheels were shaved. So Castrogivanni possessed a local legend fabricate custom adjustable rear control arms that allowed up to -7° of camber to tuck the wheels.mixture of Ford and Lamborghini paints
And speaking of the wheels, Castrogivanni went West Coast lowrider style with 18 Work Desmond Verse wheels. The modular design had powdercoated centers and was wrapped in Nitto rubber.
It sounds so simple, but we’d be lying when we said it was. The car was ruined twice: Once when my ‘pop-up’ garage blew over in addition to the car, as well as the second time when it was hit inside the parking lot at work, Vinny said.
The hit and run incident brought forth significant exterior changes, like the Lamborghini/Ford yellow paint – I know, we crafted a big deal from the factory Imola Yellow, but Castrogivanni always sets himself apart. Following the second mishap I decided to color it a blend of Lamborghini and Ford yellows, fitting a shaved R32 front-end at the same timeto boost negative camber and tucked the tires under the pulled and rolled fenders. The Bagyard Bomber Classic air-ride is controlled by AccuAir E-Level management system.
A keen eye will likely notice the shaved front extremities and bumper, along with the retrofitted Seat Cupra R front lip plus the late-Mk5 tail lights in a darker shade of red. Like we said, he’s all about the details…
Which reminds us: did you spot the paisley-wrapped roof pillars and full stereo system? They are nice interior touches which also incorporate a hidden button for his train horn. And therefore hints at Vinny’s sense of humor that includes the vanity plate that’s worth a few laughs, no matter where he goes.