Is this the world’s coolest VW Polo GTI?

Two years ago, Jericó Perera bought a Volkswagen Polo GTI. But not content with the stock car, he set about on an ambitious project to tune and modify it. He also added a striking Motul livery. The car has gone on to gain a cult following on social media as well as star status in his native Gran Canaria. We gave Jericó a call to find out more.

I had this idea of ​​creating a different car that would look like the old Marlboro rally team. I think that doing something different is very risky, but that’s what also makes it special when you get it right. I’ve always liked having cars that are different. Whether you like the style or not, it gets a lot of attention, and people seem to really appreciate it. The VW Polo GTI is not a common car here in the Canary Islands (this was the second one on the island), especially one that looks like this.

The inspiration to put the Motul name on it is because I thought it would work well with the car’s red paint. But more than this, I’ve always regarded Motul as the best brand for car preparations. I’ve always used Motul in my cars. And I always wanted to have a car inspired by a rally car. My project is supported by Comercial Abona, Motul Ibérica and Full Street Garage, who treat me like one of their family.

I’ve had the car for just over two years, and in that time I was constantly thinking about how to create a different car. The Motul lettering took about a week. But I haven’t stopped modifying it. It’s an ongoing project. A month after I got it, I changed the tyres and suspension. The car has H&R springs, Asga Ultralight rims, carbon paddle shifters, an MST performance air intake, Toyo Proxes R888R tires and a new exhaust. I’ve also installed the brakes from a 300hp SEAT Cupra, with 340mm disc brakes. I think it’s the Polo with the best brakes in the world.

It’s a car for daily use, but I also take it to events and exhibitions. The last event I attended was "Volksmeeting" in Tenerife. It’s also used for track days, circuit runs and also as a promo car for many brands, including MST Performance, Motul Ibérica and Toyo Tires.

My car right now has all Motul oils, brake fluid, DSG gearbox fluid, coolant and so on. You get the idea. I think the performance improves a lot since the car cools better. The engine also sounds much better and it’s more reliable. And I’ve noticed the braking response is better as the brakes don’t fade at high temperatures like when I’m driving fast on track.

This is my third project. Previously, I had two Volkswagen Golf MKIV GTIs, but this is the one that excited me the most as it was my first new car and I started from zero on the modifications. There’s still a lot to do. I work hard to be able to do it, as an automotive sales manager in Gran Canaria. Many people actually visit the garage because of my car.

© Picture credits: Jandri Angel