Everybody knows the Golf 6 GTI is just a re-skinned version of the groundbreaking Mk5 model, but it does look a whole lot more modern with its big boy exhaust pipes and modern interior.
But what can you do if "Mk5 is love" or you can't afford the newer models? Well, we found a couple of interesting upgrades that you can do to spruce up the interior to the point where you're no longer ashamed to go on dates.
Our favorite is the steering wheel retrofit mod. The 5th gen models have this old-fashioned design where the center is all square, the grips are non-existent, and the buttons look like they came from a 1990 game console.
Fortunately, the Mk6 steering wheel fits easily. This is the kind of mod you would also see on the Scirocco, as it came out with the old-looking donut, minus the GTI badge. But Volkswagen sold the cool new design as part of the R-Line interior package.
Just like any retrofit on a modern car, you'll have to de-couple the battery first, for obvious reasons. Then turn the wheel until the holding latches are exposed. This lets you remove the horn cover; take out the airbags and rench out the nut holding the wheel.
Anybody with a socket set can remove a few screws. But take care also to align the new steering wheel. Otherwise, it will be crooked when the car is going straight down the road. This particular steering wheel is black and says "GTS" on the bottom, which might have something to do with our Scirocco theory.
The second video shows the instrument binnacle from the GTI Edition 30 (also a Mk5) being replaced with the white dials from a Scirocco R and a hybrid Multi Function Display of a Golf 6 R. There are Chinese copies of the original Volkswagen units, so you don't have to spend a fortune or use parts from the breakers yards. But do your homework beforehand.
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
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