VW Mk8 Golf GTI BBS – Enthusiast Fleet marketing project

Volkswagen of America asked me to bring a retro-inspired homage to life, 8 months before the launch of the 8th Generation GTI in the USA. This would be the first of the next generation Golf GTI shown at Enthusiast Events, providing tens of thousands of people with an opportunity to see the forthcoming car.

The design was inspired around the classic BBS RS wheels, which have been a staple in the Volkswagen tuning community since the 1970s. The BBS graphics were inspired by a 2nd Generation VW Golf here in the USA, owned by a father/daughter team, who take their 1980’s GTI to many events as well.

I worked with Borla Exhausts, based in California, who measured and built a brand new exhaust system exclusively for this project, and with H&R Suspension in Washington for a custom coilover setup, which allowed the aggressive tire to fender fitment that I wanted to achieve for the bold aesthetics.

This project received great responses both from the media online and in-print, and car enthusiasts in person, with articles from Top Gear, Hypebeast, CNET, and more.

Media articles about this project :

  • Hypebeast – Volkswagen Looks to 1984 for Custom Golf GTI Mk8
    “The German marque has teamed up with VW enthusiast Jamie Orr to recreate a Mk8 GTI inspired by the car’s golden era.”

  • CNET – VW debuts its ’80s-inspired GTI BBS enthusiast concept
     “The car, which was developed with VW enthusiast Jamie Orr, might be our perfect MkVIII.”

  • TopGear – The BBS Concept is a Mk8 Golf GTI modified at VW’s behest
     “Well, here’s a delightful distraction. It’s a collaboration between Volkswagen in the US and Philadelphia-based VW enthusiast Jamie Orr.”

  • SlashGear – Volkswagen Golf GTI BBS Concept pays homage to the Mk2 GTI by Alvin Reyes
    “But for the Golf GTI BBS Concept, only BBS wheels will do. Of course, no VW and Jamie Orr creation is complete without a lowered stance.”

  • CNET (photo gallery) – VW’s GTI BBS enthusiast concept is ’80s cool without the kitsch by Kyle Kyatt
    “With minimal mods and maximum style, this is the GTI we’d have in our driveway.”

  • MotorTrend – You Could Build This Volkswagen GTI BBS Concept by Nick Yekikian
    “If you aren’t familiar with Orr, think of him as a sort of leading light in the world of VW tuning.”

  • Driving.ca – VW teams up with enthusiast for retro-styled Golf GTI BBS concept by Coleman Molnar
    “It’s not too often that brands take inspiration from fans to build actual vehicles based on their work, but Volkswagen has just done so.”

  • Motorsport-Total.com – Volkswagen GTI BBS Concept (2021): Geiler Golf aus den USA
    “Volkswagen und der in Philadelphia lebende VW-Enthusiast Jamie Orr arbeiteten gemeinsam an einem Konzept für Enthusiasten, das eine gesunde Portion Vergangenheit in die neueste Generation einbringt.”

  • Jutarnji.hu – Ovaj Golf 8 GTI BBS koncept nadahnut je Golfom 2 GTI-om iz 80-ih godina! by Karlo Huzjak
    “Jedan od najvažnijih automobila Volkswagenove povijesti sigurno je Golf 2 GTI, koji je samo poboljšao formulu prve generacije. 29 godina nakon prestanka proizvodnje, Jamie Orr je u suradnji s Volkswagenom izradio Golf 8 GTI koji je inspiriran drugom generacijom.”

  • SiempreAuto.com – El nuevo concept car de la marca inspirado en los años ’80 by Marco Carbajal
    “Un modelo inspirado en el icónico GTI Mk2 de 1984 y que tiene como objetivo principal resaltar lo que ha hecho que el GTI sea especial a lo largo de los años.”

  • Motor1 France – Volkswagen Golf 8 GTI BBS Concept – Clin d’œil au passé by Yann Lethuillier
    “Avec le soutien de la marque, un passionné de Volkswagen aux États-Unis nous livre un concept-car faisant écho à la Golf 2.”

  • Razao Automovel Portugal – Volkswagen Golf GTI BBS foi buscar inspiração ao Golf GTI da década de 1980 by Miguel Dias
    “A Volkswagen juntou-se ao preparador Jamie Orr para criar o Golf GTI BBS, um protótipo de inspiração retro que respeita o legado do GTI.”

  • Marca.com Spain – Volkswagen Golf GTI BBS Concept: el GTI con look ochentero by Enrique Naranjo
    “La última versión del GTI recibe un tratamiento de rejuvenecimiento con detalles añorados de la segunda generación, como las llantas BBS.”

  • AutoBlog.rs Serbia – Volkswagen i VW entuzijasta Jamie Orr iz Filadelfije su zajedno kreirali sepcijalni Golf GTI inspirisan nekadašnjim Golfom II GTI.

  • CarAndDriver.com Spanish – Volkswagen Golf GTI BBS Concept: Tributo al Mk2 by Borja Díaz
    “El compacto deportivo recibe una serie de cambios estéticos para acercarse a su antepasado.”

  • AutoBahn.eu Dutch – Volkswagen Golf GTI BBS Concept is tof retro-snoepje by Dylan Smit
    “In samenwerking met een Amerikaanse VW-fan heeft Volkswagen een GTI met een heerlijk retrosausje gecreëerd.”

  • Motor1.com Italy – Volkswagen Golf GTI BBS, il tuning nostalgico diventa una concept by Alberto Carmone
    “Creata come omaggio al tuning di una volta, la Volkswagen Golf GTI BBS ha una dotazione unica e ancora più sportiva.”

  • L’Argus – French – Volkswagen Golf 8 GTI BBS Concept. Coup d’œil dans le rétro – by Johann Leblanc
    “Jamie Orr, un passionné de Volkswagen basé à Philadelphie et assez influent outre-Atlantique, a déjà pu mettre la main sur un exemplaire. Avec l’aide de la marque allemande, il en a même profité pour y apporter quelques modifications.”

  • QuattroMania.it – Italy – Quando il tuning è una cosa seria, arriva la Volkswagen Golf GTI di BBS by Nazareno Bastone
    “Direttamente dall’America arriva la nuova regina del tuning già modificata da uno storico marchio. Ecco la sportivissima Volkswagen GTI BBS.”

  • MotoFilm.pl – Polish – Kupił nowego Golfa GTI i od razu zrzucił go na glebę. I to we współpracy z producentem by Sebastian Rydzewski
    “Razem stworzyli auto nawiązujące do drugiej generacji tego legendarnego hot hatcha. Nazwano go Volkswagen Golf GTI BBS Concept.”

  • NewsAuto.gr – Greek – To BBS Concept είναι ένα VW Golf GTI με ρετρό εμφάνιση
    “Η Volkswagen συνεργάζεται με τον Αμερικάνο κατασκευαστή Jamie Orr για να δημιουργήσει ένα ιδιαίτερης σχεδίασης νέο Golf GTI.”