The Bosotan Volkswagen Polo

Something tells me that I might regret this when it comes to dealing with the comments afterwards.

For the record, I’m not posting this for the sake of controversy or to purposely whip up an e-storm. I’m posting this because I think it’s a genuinely interesting approach and not something I’ve seen before. It’s probably the first car in a really long time to take me aback, for good or bad.

2017 Players Classic VW Polo Bozotan Spotlight Speedhunters by Paddy McGrath-10

It was hiding under the trees on the outside of the circuit at Goodwood, during Players Classic. A black car on a sunny day, in the shade; I thought my eyes were playing tricks with me at first. ‘Surely, there’s no way they’ve gone that wide with the overfenders,’ I thought, while simultaneously reminding myself not to call me Shirley.

2017 Players Classic VW Polo Bozotan Spotlight Speedhunters by Paddy McGrath-8

But they had. I’m not even sure if Bosozoku is even the correct term to describe it, or even if a German car can be described as such, but there’s nothing else that comes close when trying to compare it. Khyzyl jokingly described it as Bosotan, a combination of Bosozoku and Shakotan, but I think in his quip, he might have come closest to putting a label on it.

Not that it needs, or even wants one.

Polo-Corrected

Once I got past the initial shock, I began to try and rationalise it. Maybe it’s a statement against overfenders, hurriedly forcing the craze to its inevitable conclusion? Maybe it was born out of a genuine dedication to fuse two very different styles into one car? Or maybe, someone just wanted to build a car for themselves and be damned what others might think? It’s an odd car, that’s for sure; but it’s not something you’re going to forget.

Building something like this, you would have to know that it’s going to divide opinions, but some people genuinely don’t care what others think. I would have loved to have spoken to its owner and to pick their brain about it, and to find out what inspired them to build this. Whether you appreciate the concept or not, it is well put together. The extreme, well, everything, are all part of the look.

I really did consider not sharing this, purely to avoid the headache of what might come afterwards. But, that’s not what Speedhunters (or Stancehunters or Stretchhunters etc… we’ve heard them all before, they’re still not original or funny) should be about. You might love it, you might strongly dislike it, but it’s still a part of what makes up car culture today, regardless. Personally, I don’t love it, and I don’t hate it, but I sort of respect it in some ways. Is brave the right word, perhaps?

One thing’s for sure, you won’t see another like it today.

Paddy McGrath
Instagram: pmcgphotos
Twitter: pmcgphotos
paddy@speedhunters.com

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91 comments

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1

How do you open the fuel cap?

Author2

It's been modified so it still opens as normal.

3

Does look sloppy just seemingly covering it up though. The fenders could use some work towards continuity, but what do I know lol?

4
Matthew Dockery

You take the fender off XD

5

fuel cell?

6

So functional and practical. I love it.

7

So dry. Top marks!

8
JBfromSiliconValley

No Polos in the U.S. No new Sciroccos in the U.S BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

9

Really?? You're bemoaning the lack of an eco-hatchback and one of VW's most boring cars (and they're all boring) in a country full of interesting vehicles that span nearly a century???

10
JBfromSiliconValley

Econo hatchbacks make the best swap candidates: low starting weight.

Author11

Your VW hatred is a bit boring, TBH. You don't like them, we get it, and that's fine, but that's the second comment in one discussion.

Why did you click through to here if you hate them so much, BTW? Genuine question.

12

I genuinely wanted to see if anything unique had been done with this and, besides the deep offset of the wheels, nothing is new.

The modified VAG scene is the most played out thing in the motorverse and I'd love to see something truly unique come out of it, kinda like the mental mid engine rwd golf that VW made and never put into production, but I don't hold my breath.

13

It was a project car... Also, Clarkson drove it, and apparently it was abysmal.

14

sorry man i forgot that you see widebody polos all the time ?

15

There's 2 widebody polos and an ibiza with bentley rims that park in a mcdonalds parking lot near my house and they just sit there on a night playing obnoxiously loud techno music.

@john best: i never said it was good but it was unique and not a stretched tyred, airbagged fwd econobox

16

Well, it's a car...

17

Not sure about that - cars are meant to be driven. This looks undriveable :P

18

And Speedhunters was so on track (yes little pun there) with the Angira (rotary Anglia). Now we get to see in this article something that is possibly little more than a static display (the "image" is everything people here will bemoan this comment and cry "hater". If all that stance, tire stretch and so forth is a good thing then let's see if it is faster than the unmolested version of this model.

Author19

Who said anything about it being faster?

20

So why copy a "racecar look"? Pretender, fake, slow, so of anti-evolution of the automobile,..perhaps I'm to pragmatic...let me switch mindsets, maybe it is a great car, but more is better, as such it needs narrower tires for more stretch, it does not have nearly enough negative camber...

Author21

I've never considered that style (Bosozoku) to be a 'race car' look.

22

except that this abomination isn't bosozoku, it'd be like calling tyler fialko's miata massacre a zokusha, which it isnt

23

Isn't it derived from those silhouette race cars though?

24

I appreciate the effort, the "out-there" thinking of it - i'm not feeling the execution though. The lines going on to the rear arch are awful, doesn't flow at all which gives it a massive flaw.
Almost pulled that off, almost.

25

agreed. Needs some cleaning up.

26

I did ask before and no reply from SH - What about TAKATA scandal and bankruptcy? Also, why SH treated VW DIESELGATE so lightly? I clearly remember one of editors saying that is no big deal. This is no good SH. Is it?

Author27

I've absolutely no idea what this car has to do with your grievances, but it's worth pointing out that Takata Racing is a different company to Takata.

28

About VW scandal in VW article? Really, you don't see it? Look again. If not, try the last 20 articles about VW when SH also did not say anything about DIESELGATE.

Author29

I've had my say about dieselgate (notice, not in all caps), but it's done now. I've no idea why you want to drag it up again.

30

As long as Takata is a SH sponsor, you wont hear bad about them here.

Author31

I'll never understand why people feel the need to take a dig at a company who help keep Speedhunters alive so you can read it for free. Again, Takata Racing is a different company to Takata.

32

Paddy, you can not say that TAKATA helped SH in the past and after that you said that they are not even the same company. Wtf? Did it helped or not? Same company or not. Pick a side mate. Also, when did I say that I want to "take a dig at TAKATA"? I just wanted for my trusted site to inform me about they're sponsor financial trouble and associated scandal of bad products. Or that is another company? That didnt help SH. Or it did help SH as you say...Paddy?

Author33

Let me be very clear about this: Takata Racing, who are affiliated with Speedhunters and have been a long time supporter of ours, are not the same Takata that is currently in the new with regards bankruptcy and airbag failures. They are two different companies.

34

It's because we don't work for SH lol. You did ask. IIRC you guys even made an editorial that was more or less about how the way your sponsors are represented in the articles would change going forward. Which has improved since then. Also, greenroadster is a goon for starting this terrible conversation lol.

The digs probably come from the frequency of seeing sponsor material/overfenders/ls swaps. I think people want more because they come here for more, which you guys always deliver on anyway imo.

35

Speedhunters is not for your daily car news, it's about meetings, nice cars, grassroots events and professional racing. Of you want to discuss these subjects you should look somewhere else.

36

The 90's called, they want their body kit back.

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37

wut? the car you pictured actually took the fuel cap into consideration lol.

38
Chris Colouryum

Close but this derives more from the 1970's!

39

I saw this beast at the West London meet on Sunday.

40

Awful quality of work. No opinions... It's built awfully with all of these descended putty, overlappings and flows. Moreover it designed roughly. Any ideas, any designs and styles, but let's do as good as we can, not just "to visit Players Classic next week". We are car the culture, keep it in quality.

41

It's not my cup of tea, but it does kinda remind me of a modern take on the Berg Cup kit for the Mk1 Golf, just more fashion orientated perhaps? Fair shout for having at it. You won't see another, not sure if that's a good or bad thing...

42

It looks like something from Max Power magazine in the 90s, just missing the 'bad b po y' bonnet treatment.

43

'bad boy'

44

It's a typically modified VW: Form over function to the point of barely functioning.

That being said at least it's not stickerbombed or a "dubrat"

45

Can we have an article about a test drive of this? I mean if it is indeed a car, then it is meant to be driven, isn't it?

Author46

It is driven. AFAIK, it's just come back from Worthersee, too. So I'm not sure what your point is?

47

Does it drive better than the original, probably not. But okay it probably gets around a carpark under its own power. So it's not completely a "static display". This is Speedhunters but what you have there is far from "speedy".

48
Jordan Butters

Yikes. That front bumper is waving so much I feel rude for not waving back.

I'll pass on this one Paddy!

49

I think that style already has a name. Trolling.
But regardless somebody put a fair amount of effort into that little rig. More than I've seen from other builds here.

50

I'm gonna be sick. Thing looks terrible, Finish is crap. Paint looks like it's been done with an aerosol.
There's no way of getting the front bumper off now either.
Who wrote an article on here recently about some builds being made for instagram fame? well here you go

Author51

I've no issue if someone doesn't like it, but don't make stuff up. The finish isn't crap and the paint is fine.

52

I wonder if our reactions to this car would be in line with seeing the first RWB....?

I too laughed when I first saw the Polo-bozo-creation. But take a step back and consider how different it is -

Berg cup / Bozo influenced flares, its not a Golf, not on Rotiform or BBS but on Bozo influenced wheel choice and stretched tyres. Kudos for being different and painting it black.

Author53

That's an interesting question...

54
Chris Colouryum

I'd love to see this in a old livery like Bridgestone or something!

55

^ YES...!

56
ThosePeskySkids

Not a fan... but I'll let you off because of the line from Airplane

57

Just post without the disclaimer... Seriously, because if the hate in the comments is irrelevant then don't even mention it in the article.

Anyway! No, I don't like it. lol but it is pretty wild.

58

Not my thing... to be honest I think it looks awful. Its just taking the over fender thing way to OTT

59

This is so off but looks so good at the same time. Dope, I love it. Made me laugh.

60

Not a fan, but I don't mind seeing cars like this on here occassionally. It's definitely interesting. I'd much rather see this than a Ferrari that almost no one can afford with an air-ride suspension and overfenders.

61

I bet half the people in here pointing out how much they hate this car drive plasti-dipped Grand Am's and Accords. This thing is cool, may not be to some peoples taste but I love the Japanese bozo/kaido racer "works" inspiration oozing from it. It does have a few imperfections but thats expected when this was probably done in his garage. the wheels and fitment are on point.

62
Chris Colouryum

Exactly this. I mean this is what the whole boso/shakotan builds are about - getting dirty in your garage and showing off your personality. Not some big SEMA budget build. It's about what Dave next door could be knocking up over the winter while you're sat at home posting comments on the internet.

63

I absolutely agree! Geez, a lot of people actually seem angry that this car exists lol

64

nice rivet-less overfenders and the futuras look right at home imo. do worry about the stretch on those tires though lmao

65
Chris Colouryum

Found the owner:
https://www.instagram.com/po10_s_vw/

Hit him up Paddy!

66

Perhaps this was better emailed to Paddy rather than put on an open forum currently full of hate haha

67
Chris Colouryum

He's aware of peoples opinions... he has an instagram. And I'm sure he'll be stoked to see he's been featured on here.

68

Fair enough. He'll definitely be pleased to see the feature, I would be regardless of opinion.

69

not my cup of tea, but i appreciate the variety of posts that speedhunters has been putting up lately.

I would love to see this car in person so i could get a better look at how this was put together. Some areas that i think could have been better implemented:

-that flat part on the front of the rear fender that matches up with the concave in the polo body lines (maybe it just looks weird because of the angle of the picture)
-where the rear fender meets up with the rear bumper... it seems abrupt considering the front fender is rounded in the back
-the fuel cap i would have flushed up the filler neck to the body and then used a locking twist on cap (it probably wouldn't intefer with the fenders then?)


that being said, different strokes for different folks.

70
Michael Silcock

damn the internet is serious!

love the diversity of Speedhunters, its why I keep coming back!

whether you like it or not, its interesting, and I like to read interesting things.

71

Totally late to the scene. Japan has been doing this for decades. Buy the rim you want then build a fender to fit the rim and stance out of sheet metal.

72

This car is questionable but that's kinda why I like Speedhunters. I can be assured that I'm going to get exposure to all kinds of different rides. If i have to deal with a blown out Polo article once in a while to read about that Little Red Truck or the Franken Jaguar earlier this week then I'm all for it!

73
Jignesh Rathod

Interested

74

I really dont care about this car, I'm only a little offended you guys called his "bosotan". Slapping big overfenders on a car doesn't make it bosozoku, and why give a european car in England japanese names like shakotan? just call it a lowered/fitted/flushed car or whatever you hotbois call it these days.

75

Thanks for showing this Paddy. In a broader perspective, when one is pushing boundries, there is always a chance one might take it a bit over. That isn't all bad because we learn what works and what doesn't. Besides, I'd prefer to hang out with anyone that has done something to their car, than someone that doesn't give a crap about their MoT. In other words: live and let live. Hoping the owner has heaps of with this ride!!

76

It is different, for sure. Personally not a fan, but I'm not the one driving it. Respect for just going his own direction and creating his vision.

I appreciate the odd creations lately that I normally wouldn't have seen, or clicked on somewhere else. Like the Little Red Truck, that thing is wicked, same with that Frankenjag.

77

don't forget Slowhunters

78
Christophe Jergales

Has it been lowered?

79

about as ugly as anything tyler fialko will ever make

80

as ugly as anything tyler fialko has made

81

almost as bad as the Moonlight Runners, or the blacked out rolls with overfenders

82

Shit this car got some attention....LOL
For what's my opinion is worth it......not my cup of tea.

What I genuinely don't understand is this: clearly Paddy covers this VW and many more VW events and VW cars cause his love for the brand, that I understand it and respect it.
SH covers a shit ton of different car cultures and what not.....but, I'd say that over the years its name (SPEED Hunter) got lost in its translation.
I could be wrong....but this car screams everything but speed.

Paddy if you read this, maybe you guys from SH could sit down all of you and brain-storm a different catchy name for the site, so that it gathers a wider range of car enthusiasts w/o upsetting the haters....as the actual name of the company does not portray (often time) the cars features on here.
Just my .02

83

Surprisingly, I find myself quite liking this. It just, somehow, sits right. Has attitude. Maybe because it's not got retard-camber? I'm not sure. I'm not really a fan of either stance, stretch, or polos. Yet somehow, the mix all things wrong, looks just right to me now. A nice surprise on a Wednesday morning.

84

Geez you were so right about the comments Paddy..

85

Just great

86

Güzel yes

87

Nice but not my cup of coffee.
The main thing buggin me are the flippin tires, seriously?!
A good way of screwing up a set of good wheels like that.

88
MPistol HVBullets

with tires stretched that far........ brave is definitely the word

89

If you want to see more photos of see what it looked like before his instagram is @po10_s_vw

90

Paddy, not my style pref, but thank you for showing someone else's. Takes a particular kind of mind to actually this to a car...

91
Martín Brandán

I can't help but imagine people who say things like "What's the point if it makes the car slower?" as the type who wear nothing but shorts and sandals.

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