wdimagineer

UPDATED 2/28/2017

Hi! I didn’t see the allroad subforum until just now. I posted an introduction to my car over on the main B9 page, but I figured I’d add a couple new shots here.

My car is Gotland Green with Nougat Brown interior and the Gray Oak inlays with all optional packages. It’s a stunning combination, and these pictures look good but definitely do not do it service until you see it in person. This was the only one of its kind when I picked it up.

I do love wagons, and would love a regular Avant (S4 for sure!) but settled on this primarily for the tech. I used to work for VW’s ERL, and now a supplier, and much of what I helped build is in this thing. Pretty cool. So like my outgoing RoW-conversion 2016 Golf R, I plan on retrofitting many things to this that we don’t get here or are left out as a cost-saving measure. (This also means I have access to resources most don’t.)

Modifications List

Exterior
- RoW Matrix Beam LED headlights with dynamic turn signals
- RoW LED tail lights (with amber dynamic turn signals)
- 20” HRE FF01 wheels (20x9 ET25) with Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires (255/35R20)
- 034 Dynamic+ Lowering Springs
- 034 Transmission Mount Insert
- 034 Front Strut Brace
- Color-matched reflector
- Front plate filler
- OEM headlight washing system
- resonator delete
- RoW auto-dimming aspherical mirror glass
- OEM S4 aluminum mirror caps

Interior
- S4 red ring start/stop switch
- premium carpets
- door warning lights
- Audi Beam “rings” LED entry lights, front/rear
- warning triangles
- RoW first aid kit
- S-Line pedal caps
- RoW rear seat headrests, low profile
- RoW rear cargo rails
- OEM trunk liner
- Auto Hold button
- button panel with parallel parking assist + park assist

In Progress
- front and rear RoW bumpers to finish parallel parking assistant

Planned
- intake
- tune
- exhaust

I absolutely love this car! And can’t wait to share the progress.























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New photos, 2/28/2017

bob m

Wow, got to love that Gotland Green! That is one extensive list of mods; very ambitious. Why aren't some of these items - - back headrests available here? Keep us updated on your progress. Really incredible.

I am assuming you are in the USA? Have you decided on paint protection - EXCEL and/or wax/sealant/coating?

wdimagineer

Thank you!

The short and simple answer is that the US is lagging when it comes to vehicle safety and lighting laws. The rest of the world subscribes to a harmonized UN/ECE vehicle code - we do not. As such, we often miss out on the latest and greatest technologies. This also means that modifications are required to be made to vehicles before they can be sold here, like bumpers or headrests.

Many moons ago you'd see vehicles with completely different front ends sold here versus Europe, to comply with bumper strength/crash laws. Headlights were also different - in 1978 the "sealed beam" came into play and our law allowed it to be used.

It's all quite silly and needs to be updated, but as always, more pressing things are on the cards.

bob m

Aha. To ask further - what's "wrong" in the government's view with having our cars equipped with those back headrests?

wdimagineer

Well, it usually is one of three things:

1. In the case of the headrests, NHTSA (and Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 202) dictates that a headrest needs to be a certain height above a reference point on the seat at the highest extension. 27.6", to be exact. Therefore, the lower profile versions do not comply. However, in Europe, they do - finding evidence that the lower profile helps, not hurts. Again, different strokes for different folks. I feel their regiment is much better suited than ours in the US.

2. The American market is just too stupid. And yes, this is actually a thing. Consumers here don't understand functions like "Auto Hold" or power folding mirrors. We also like to sue. A lot. So automakers often strip functionality that could be litigious or easily confused. Many (VW and Audi included) have very targeted focus groups used to plan (and convince Germany) that certain models should exist here and what they should look like. The Atlas is the latest design to come out of one of these. It's basically a Ford Explorer dressed up like a VW, designed to fit our expanding waistlines and shrinking wallets. True story: the Passat, CC, Golf, and now Tiguan LWB sold here in the US have cupholders without a sliding cover. Why? Americans couldn't figure out how to slide it open to put a drink in.

3. Cost cutting. Sometimes it's noticeable, and other times very subtle. It could be features, or maybe a material selection. Market demand often forces the inclusion of features. A good example of this was any number of driver assistance features that were pretty much absent on every MY15 Volkswagen, but suddenly appeared for MY16. Why? All of the competition had it. But in Europe and elsewhere, the tech has been available for years. This is also the only market where you can buy many VW's with manual handbrakes. The rest of the lineup has moved to electronic versions.

DaveSNJ

I'm most curious to see if you can get the ROW tail-lights working.

This car is crying out for amber turn signals and not the stupid brake lamp/flasher crap we get here...SMH

audiofyl

So where did you obtain those replacement rear seat headrests?

uberwgn

Nice color, WD! Car looks great !

Q-Branch

I'm sure this is minor compared to the work required to installing the matrix lights, but how complex is the process of installing headlight washers? That was one of the features I was sad to see Audi cut from the B9 despite the little doors being there. Thanks for sharing the process of bringing the Allroad up to euro spec, should be a fun thread to follow.

_SlugBug_

Very nice vehicle and beautiful photos! Subscribed, as I'm definitely interested in making my allroad make more sense. Excited to see more details on the build.