Not wanting to miss this year's party, the Volkswagen R GTI made sure to show up, and show up it did. Last year, as the GTI's relatives, the Passat and Jetta stole the limelight; the GTI was not able to make the show. This year at SEMA, however, the R takes the center stage at VW's booth. With enough carbon fiber to build a Stealth bomber, it was sure to be a hit, and the fact that it's touting 375 hp doesn't exactly shy people away either.

While last year's cars had horsepower figures in the 500 range, VW engineers wanted this car to feature a more "streetable" figure. Their hard work paid off as well, because the R GTI will give the higher horsepower cars a run for their money, with sports car like zero to sixty times of 4.8 seconds. The car achieves these figures thanks to a list of well planned modifications. VW's Design team asked the German automobile tuner, APR, to give the GTI some extra boost. With a larger, better flowing, ball bearing turbocharger, and an APR cat back exhaust, the R makes a street friendly 375 hp on 93 octane gas. When you want to go to the race track, pour in some 100 octane fuel and you have the ability to run with 400 hp.

Another key factor in this cars performance is the fact that the engineers have employed carbon fiber in almost the entire car. The exterior is mostly comprised of carbon fiber, as well as the interior. The design team even went so far as to replace the rear seats with carbon fiber racing seats. This car is the perfect example of how you can achieve the same performance with less power, as long as you remove weight.

All the horsepower in the world does no good unless it has the suspension to back it up, and this VW has an amazing suspension. Utilizing H&R's Club Sport coil over system, the car maintains a comfortable ride quality, but will also try to detach your retinas as you go through a corner. Coupled with a Quaife limited slip differential, this car not only handles well, but gets the power to the pavement efficiently. The clutch and flywheel have been upgraded to handle the extra power, as well as a set of Brembo brakes the size of normal passenger vehicle wheels. The engine will get you there fast, and the brakes will stop you faster.

This car is another great example of a perfectly rounded automobile. It has the power to thrill you, the suspension to rip through corners, and the brakes to stop you when you get to the finish line. Nothing has been forgotten on this car, and each piece works together with the others. Usually the saying goes, "good things come to those that wait" but this year, because we waited an extra year, we received a great thing. Stay tuned to RPM Planets and Planet Euro for more information on this spectacular Volkswagen.