Apprenticeship schemes for teenagers are nothing new, but it seems you couldn’t wait to start working, right?
When I was 10 years old, my father took me to his friend’s garage in Heliopolis, Cairo, during the summer holidays. It was here that I learnt the basics of repairing cars. He was my biggest influence and got me interested in anything with wheels. Now, I am trying to instill the same passion in my son.
The first car you drove was your dad’s BMW, then you got your own set of wheels. What was it and what did you do to it?
It was a 1994 Honda Civic that I bought after I graduated. It became my project car, which lasted four years. I swapped a Type-R engine with a turbo into it. It made around 400bhp and really was one nasty JDM beast. It used to eat sportscars for breakfast. Then I sold it to one of my friends and bought an Audi S3 which was very edgy yet comfortable and had superb street performance. I really enjoyed that car, especially on long, open roads.
Your R32 must be equally fun to drive. Where did you pick this up?
I got it early this year from the pre-owned department of Al Nabooda. It’s been mine
for 10 months.
It looks really sharp. Was it in decent condition when you bought it?
Yes, it was very well maintained and it had low mileage too. It also came fully loaded including leather seats, sunroof, DSG gearbox, a Haldex all-wheel-drive system and of course the famous R32 dual-centred exhaust tips. I was considering a Subaru Impreza STi but it was a bit risky since the dealer only offered a short warranty and it had a low resale value.
Tell us about some of the modifications you have done to your ride...
I added a full cat-back exhaust from Borla, K&N Generation II induction kit and a ECU remap. I also added a carbon fibre diffuser to enhance its looks. These mods have improved its response. It has a much deeper idle now, but at higher RPMs it sounds a lot smoother. The 3.2-litre VR6 engine is powerful too. As you guys mentioned in a previous article, the R32 is a VW with an Italian soul. The performance is awesome. It has a top speed of 250kph and let me tell you, it has surprised quite a few sportscars by leaving them in its wake. Plus, it can be used as a family car and has plenty of room for a baby seat in the back.
I imagine it gives you quite a buzz when you drive it...
Absolutely. When you floor the throttle, the 320Nm of torque pins you back into your seat.
It has amazing low-end torque and driving it at night in Dubai is a fabulous feeling. The ESP system gives you the confidence to throw it into corners pretty hard and that’s when
you can really feel the four-wheel drive start to work.
Although you have done quite a lot to it, there are more plans in store in future...
Yes, I plan to add Bilstein suspension and get a set of lightweight 18in BBS rims. I’m very happy with my R32 and it’s given me no problems, but it does like a drink. It chugs
14 litres-per-100km.
Remember, it’s smiles to the gallon, not miles! Tell us about your affiliation with the UAE VW-Audi Club?
My friend, Craig Cameron, manages the group (vwaudiclubuae.com) and he is
doing a fantastic job. He regularly organises a lot of cool trips that sometimes include other cars such as Mitsubishi Evos and Porsches as well.
Sounds like fun. If money were no object, what car would you buy?
It would have to be a Nissan Skyline GT-R R34 V-Spec. I have loved this platform ever since the Skyline C10, which was better known as the Hakosuka.
Bio
- Name Mahmoud Sharaf
- Job Technical relationship manager
- From Cairo, Egypt
- Wheels 2008 Volkswagen MKV R32
- In the UAE One year
