That was a brilliant photo

Result. Glad to hear its done and running.

Does it make a nice noise?

 

Well it's certainly more vocal and deeper.

 

So a mini-review...

 

Sounds glorious when you heel and toe down through the gears on the blip, which to be honest you kind of have to do because the clutch is rated to 600 lb/ft to cover any possible future upgrades.  It's much smoother driven like that and it sounds amazing.

Yet somehow even with such a high performance clutch they've got good pedal feel.  It's less sharp than it was before and the pedal is easier to depress.

I guess that's what you get from bespoke rather than a generic upgraded off the shelf item.

I remember them specifically making the thrust bearing for the car too.

 

It's quick, very, very quick.  Borderline absurd for what it is.

Which is probably quite obvious as I estimate we've increased the bhp by around 65% and the torque by around 50% even though it wasn't slow before in stage 3 K04 tune.

 All while making a weight reduction of round 65kg.

 

With the Haldex you just floor it and in the dry it doesn't look for grip on it's Federal RS-R tyres, it just grips and goes.

 

Inside it does feel like a track/race day car as it's a bit noisy with the back empty, firmly sprung and the clutch/revs are obviously nothing like a regular car.

Yet outside it looks almost like a stock Yeti.

 

There are a few jobs to do, but nothing that will stop me using it for now.

A few odd errors relating to bulbs and the headlamp levelling which is no longer there as the Yeti was an SE.

Maybe a thin rubber covering in the rear to calm the noise under 2,500rpm and a better solution for the brake ducting as it was a bit of a 5 minute special before the TT-RS swap started.

Not to mention I need a Skoda badge on the steering wheel instead of an Audi one.

 

But overall it's just completely nuts.  I love it.

Wouldn't want to drive it every day though, it's beyond that now with the modifications and lack of entertainment.

But I'd happily drive it a few hundred miles to and from track days.

 

I'm wondering if it's time to finish the Citigo and ditch other new projects.

Just focus on existing ones like this, tweak it every winter and just keep tinkering.

I do find the combination of what it looks like and how it goes very amusing.

Can't wait to go for a spin at Combe. I was told it's a bit 'nippy'

Can't wait to go for a spin at Combe. I was told it's a bit 'nippy'

 

You went in the R32 GT-R when it was 520bhp.

It's a bit quicker than that.

Wow! Certainly going to shock the GT-R owners at snetterton!

Wow! Certainly going to shock the GT-R owners at snetterton!

 

Maybe, we'll have to see how much it's brick like shape blunts it's performance on the long straights.

Going to be an interesting day, that's for sure.

A few collection pics...  I still love the colour, really think it suits the Yeti with it's darker plastic parts.

 

 

Hopefully see you at the national meet. Ill have to come and have a chat about your projects

Good to hear you're pleased with it mate. As you say, in stage 3 guise it was quick, can only imagine now.

A bit of Roomster spotting in the background as well

Very nice Richard, yes think you're right about tweaking every winter. This was the "perfect" car a while back being the ultimate sleeper which no one would expect to be so fast... previously it was..."Was that a Yeti that past us?".. now it's going to be "What was that blue streak that past us?". Cannot wait to see this in the flesh after the latest mods going to be a very good day at Coombes.

I cannot wait to see this next week at Castle Combe. This is a truly awesome creation Richard, well done!

I'm looking forward to the queue of Porsche drivers at brands hatch all wanting to chat about the SUV that passed them

I'm looking forward to the queue of Porsche drivers at brands hatch all wanting to chat about the SUV that passed them

They will sell there porsche and buy a yeti

Well it's certainly more vocal and deeper.

 

So a mini-review...

 

Sounds glorious when you heel and toe down through the gears on the blip, which to be honest you kind of have to do because the clutch is rated to 600 lb/ft to cover any possible future upgrades.  It's much smoother driven like that and it sounds amazing.

Yet somehow even with such a high performance clutch they've got good pedal feel.  It's less sharp than it was before and the pedal is easier to depress.

I guess that's what you get from bespoke rather than a generic upgraded off the shelf item.

I remember them specifically making the thrust bearing for the car too.

 

It's quick, very, very quick.  Borderline absurd for what it is.

Which is probably quite obvious as I estimate we've increased the bhp by around 65% and the torque by around 50% even though it wasn't slow before in stage 3 K04 tune.

 All while making a weight reduction of round 65kg.

 

With the Haldex you just floor it and in the dry it doesn't look for grip on it's Federal RS-R tyres, it just grips and goes.

 

Inside it does feel like a track/race day car as it's a bit noisy with the back empty, firmly sprung and the clutch/revs are obviously nothing like a regular car.

Yet outside it looks almost like a stock Yeti.

 

There are a few jobs to do, but nothing that will stop me using it for now.

A few odd errors relating to bulbs and the headlamp levelling which is no longer there as the Yeti was an SE.

Maybe a thin rubber covering in the rear to calm the noise under 2,500rpm and a better solution for the brake ducting as it was a bit of a 5 minute special before the TT-RS swap started.

Not to mention I need a Skoda badge on the steering wheel instead of an Audi one.

 

But overall it's just completely nuts.  I love it.

Wouldn't want to drive it every day though, it's beyond that now with the modifications and lack of entertainment.

But I'd happily drive it a few hundred miles to and from track days.

 

I'm wondering if it's time to finish the Citigo and ditch other new projects.

Just focus on existing ones like this, tweak it every winter and just keep tinkering.

I do find the combination of what it looks like and how it goes very amusing.

Maybe this is a dumb question, but how feasible would it be to modify a Yeti for "normal" road use, using the same powertrain, brakes, etc. modifications, but keeping the normal interior seats. trim, etc to keep it civilised?

Also, is their a DSG capable of handling the power & torque?

FWIW I really do mean "road use", I'd never want / need to go around a race track, but I can see the appeal in owning / driving a real "Q" car, especially a Skoda Yeti!

 

DC

 

(I'm  going to sell my house sometime in the next year, & have no dependants so I will need something to waste some cash on before I'm too old to drive

but I don't want to be too conventional!) .  

Perfectly viable.

You'd just want to avoid the race spec clutch and a few other things.

No reason you couldn't use a DSG TT-RS or RS3 as the donor.

To do the conversion with the base vehicle cost included you would be talking over the cost of a few new Yetis though which makes it a bit heart over head build.

With little resale value.

Amazing - to me this seems to be what the Citigo was meant to be, and done so quickly too.

 

A car you can use on the road (admittedly to travel to and from track) and have lots of fun on track.

 

Brilliant - must make the effort to see this one.

sounds brilliant Richard, looking forward to seeing it, see you in a couple of weeks

Does the trip computer work with mpg

Can't wait to be a passenger in this - the last time you took me out had me giggling like a fool.

You just don't expect a Yeti, driven by 'older' people to have 500bhp

N.B - when I say older, I mean older than me

Perfectly viable.

You'd just want to avoid the race spec clutch and a few other things.

No reason you couldn't use a DSG TT-RS or RS3 as the donor.

To do the conversion with the base vehicle cost included you would be talking over the cost of a few new Yetis though which makes it a bit heart over head build.

With little resale value.

Thanks Richard.

 

I'm sure I could spend similar money on a new('ish) quick / fun car, but it wouldn't have the "Q" car factor that your Yeti has & it might be a bit too low

for entry / egress..... 

 

Normally I would worry about depreciation, but at my age & "if" I've got spare  money to burn, that might not be a consideration though but insurance might be a problem .

 

DC

Does the trip computer work with mpg

Can't wait to be a passenger in this - the last time you took me out had me giggling like a fool.

You just don't expect a Yeti, driven by 'older' people to have 500bhp

N.B - when I say older, I mean older than me

We get comments from the yoi8ng folk when we are using SWMBO's Vrs Octy, or my EOS, but never when we are out in the Superb....

 

I wonder why?

 

DC

Looks very nice Richard,

Just can't help thinking it would look better with a towbar on the back! But would add weight.

Thanks Richard.

 

I'm sure I could spend similar money on a new('ish) quick / fun car, but it wouldn't have the "Q" car factor that your Yeti has & it might be a bit too low

for entry / egress..... 

 

Normally I would worry about depreciation, but at my age & "if" I've got spare  money to burn, that might not be a consideration though but insurance might be a problem .

 

DC

Well you could always try something a little less cost prohibitive to most, quite a few have done 1.8T Fabia's, even a Felicia, pick a car that you like the look of and then look at conversions. I still remember my standard looking XR3 with a tuned RS Turbo lump in that surprised lots back on the day. What I love about this Yeti the most is it's a practically standard looking car... yet goes like the proverbial rocket chasing far more expensive machinery around the track. You could always try and 4x4 the Rapid possibly... 300bhp and Haldex in that would be interesting and more aerodynamic than the original incantation of this Yeti yet modern enough to use the plug and play one would hope.  

For me it's the concept of a totally practical tall car, (easy access for us pensioners), with the ability to carry the shopping or weekend luggage, & looking almost stock but the ability to scoot as & when the mood takes one.

 

FWIW, a remapped Superb can provide some amusement &  is also fun to drive, but with only 250 bhp, it's not enough..............  

 

Making a cheaper small car go faster is obviously both possible & fun, but at the end it's still a small car. 

 

 

DC

Looks very nice Richard,

Just can't help thinking it would look better with a towbar on the back! But would add weight.

 

Could go for that caravan world speed record again

Thanks Richard.

 

I'm sure I could spend similar money on a new('ish) quick / fun car, but it wouldn't have the "Q" car factor that your Yeti has & it might be a bit too low

for entry / egress..... 

 

Normally I would worry about depreciation, but at my age & "if" I've got spare  money to burn, that might not be a consideration though but insurance might be a problem .

 

DC

I'd have thought that a Yeti like the previous incarnation of this one would be a better bet. A well tuned 1.8TSI is still going to be damn quick but a lot more practical for every day use, not to mention cheaper.