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It appears that car builder Jamie Orr has never met a Volkswagen he didn’t want to modify. In 2018, for instance, he shipped a Passat 300-horsepower 3.6-liter V6 from the US to South Africa, where he swapped out the 89-hp 1.8-liter and then rebuilt a rare 1991 VW Mk1 Citi Golf (which was produced in South Africa and never sold outside of the continent) all in seven days.
The SEMA regular and Pennsylvania-based VW enthusiast is working his magic again, and this time it’s a 2021 Tiguan SE R-Line Black RiNo Concept that will travel to enthusiast events across the country. Waffle House-style, this concept Tiguan has been scattered, smothered, and covered with aftermarket parts, all of which are off the shelf. The only exception is a custom quad stainless steel exhaust pipe set with gloss black tips.
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The four-door hatch received some welcome exterior improvements, skimming the ground with a height-adjustable coilover suspension and blacked-out aluminum side steps. Orr adorned his project with three spoilers, the most prominent on the trunk lid, and on the front a jaunty lip that adds to the Tiguan’s looks.
Inside the trunk, Orr turned the space into a mobile repair shop for cyclists. He added a cargo divider, a legit Volkswagen accessory, and created a helmet holder out of a dock-and-hook setup that one might typically use as a coat hanger or electronics mount. An LED light bar illuminates the hatch area for repairs in low-light situations. A built-in compressor sits inside for blowing up your tires for your bike or even your car if you’re stranded; it includes both bicycle and car tire valve connectors. The brand worked with Marin and the press photos show it with a $5,000 bike strapped to the back on a Thule T1 bike rack rated to hold up to 1,500 pounds.
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Named for the artsy Riverside North district in Denver, the RiNo is underpinned by the MQB platform that Volkswagen reportedly spent a whole lot of coin to develop and roll out back in 2012. In Europe, there are two chassis options for the Tiguan: the “regular” Tiguan and Tiguan Allspace. In the US, all Tiguans are built on the larger Allspace option, including this one. The SE R-Line Black RiNo concept includes a two-liter turbo and Orr slyly suggests that you could swap that out. “It’s MQB, baby, you can do whatever you want,” he says.
I like the Tiguan, but I haven’t been inspired to buy one… until now. Pricey bike not included.
![message-editor%2F1618031828354-tiguaninline1.jpg](https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/content-b/message-editor/1618031828354-tiguaninline1.jpg?strip=all&quality=95)
Got a tip? Send the writer a note: kristin.shaw@thedrive.com