A Year In Review

We take a look back at 2019 to reminisce over all of the projects, new products, shows and events, and just plain fun that we've had the great fortune to experience in these short 12 months. We're grateful for the chance to be able to live out what we love and to continue to bring you the very best year in and year out. It's hard to believe we're going into our 20th year in business, and we could not have made it this far without the support from all of you. Thank you for making 2019 another fantastic year, and for choosing us as your favorite parts source!

Cerakote Shift Knobs

Add a bit of fun to your interior with the new BFI exclusive Cerakote shift knobs! Only 10 of each of these exist right now, and there’s no guarantee that we’ll ever make more, so if you see one (or even two) that catch your eye you better snap them up quick because otherwise they may be gone forever.

Project MK7 GLI

We took on the latest iteration of Volkswagen's Jetta GLI and gave it our usual Black Forest Industries treatment. This Jetta received subtle yet effective cosmetic upgrades, suspension tweaks, interior bits, as well as a substantial boost in power, thanks to a CTS Turbo Boss 500 kit. We upgraded the intercooler to a much more robust version by Integrated Engineering, as well a custom exhaust overhaul. In total this car looks and performs in a very OE+ fashion while making right at 400 whp. Here at BFI, we're about balance. We do not aim to build the fastest or most obnoxious visual cars. We build cars that take what the factory came up with and elevate them several levels, while still maintaining the function and reliability that comes with that. To us, this build has been yet another success of our goal to build a well rounded vehicle.

Drop Cars, Not Bombs.

With our new "BFI Bomb Plates" you can drop cars AND bombs. These stainless steel plates are designed and machined in-house here at Black Forest Industries and specifically engineered to offer the maximum amount of possibilities for lowering your vehicle. With our flex fit mounting locations you can choose to lower your vehicle in 1/2" increments to let you dial in the perfect fit.

Not only are these great for lowering your Caddy, but these also work great on your other MK1-MK3 for lowering the rear of your vehicle, while still maintaining suspension travel, as well as geometry. Lowering range from 2.0"- 3.5"

Control Yourself.

With our new control arm brackets you can improve the feel and handling of your MK5/ MK6 chassis vehicle significantly by altering the geometry of your suspension. Anti lift geometry + 1.5° of Caster correction - with solid rubber TTRS control arm bushings will give you a much more stable and confident driving experience while also improving responsiveness due to the increased bushing material. The stock bushings have a void in the rubber which induces slop and movement, whereas our fully solid bushings will transfer more information to the driver and give a more consistent response, without sacrificing comfort.

Rubber TTRS Bushings are the Perfect OEM+ Solution. An excellent choice for comfortable spirited street driving, yet durable enough for the track.

CNC Machined in-house here at Black Forest Industries for maximum durability. We take quality seriously and by producing these parts under our roof we can ensure a perfect fit every time.

Simple, direct factory replacement- upgrade instead of just repairing your worn our bushings.

MQB Transmission Mount

The Black Forest Industries Complete Replacement Transmission Mount has been a long time in the making. We've spent countless hours of R&D and road testing to bring this total solution to market. We're confident that this is the most robust, most durable, and best performing transmission mount available for the MQB platform, period. Available in two different durometers to suit any driving style, with its indestructible billet aluminum brackets machined right here in-house!

Top down design means a perfect fit every time.

Currently available for select 6 speed and DSG MQB cars.

Stainless brackets offer durability and also prevent corrosion

Proven Performance.

The factory transmission mount equipped from Volkswagen was never meant to handle the stress and abuse that comes from the increased torque and horsepower in a tuned vehicle. We commonly see failures and worn bushings at very low mileage on cars that are even just driven spiritedly on the streets. It doesn't take a track car to warrant upgrading your mounts, and many people will not believe how big of a difference it will make in the way that your car feels. Many will describe as a night and day difference, and most are often surprised at just how much this part is taken for granted.

Functionally a stiffer mount will limit engine and transmission movement, which will in turn allow more power to be transmitted to the wheels. Essentially you are freeing up wasted horsepower and effectively making your car faster. In addition to improving power transfer, in manual cars in particular your shifting will feel more crisp and deliberate as there will be less delay coming on and off throttle while engaging your clutch.

Twin Charged Passat Syncro

While this project may not have been a resounding success, we're still wouldn't change anything about how this went down. We knew this was going to be an ambitious challenge, and that some of the unique parts that were required were going to really strain our already short deadline. All in all this thing turned out to be an awesome build and we're proud of the effort that ECS and ourselves put in over the course of just a few short days.

New Shift Boot Options

Upgrade Your Look.

After you upgrade to a BFI shift knob, the first thing you notice is just how much the factory shift and brake boots are lacking. We now offer specific fitment boot options in various materials to compliment your new shift knob. Don't underestimate just how much such a simple piece can dramatically improve the feel of your interior. These boots are precision cut for consistent fit. All boots are produced in-house using only the best materials available. Choose from the available material and thread colors to give your interior a unique, or OEM plus look.

Now available for new fitments including: 8P DGG, Porsche 996 / 986 Manual, Audi B9 Manual, BMW E90 Manual, BMW F10 Manual, BMW F30 Manual, VW MK4 Elastic, MK6 Jetta Facelift Manual, MK7 Jetta Manual

Finally, A Better Option For The B8.

We're proud to offer this total solution for replacing and upgrading your notoriously weak stock engine mounts for your B8 / B8.5 Audi. The BFI Complete Replacement Engine Mounts are engineered from the ground up to be an extremely durable and high performance alternative. Constructed of in-house billet machined aluminum and stainless steel, coupled with cnc molded polyurethane bushings, these mounts can take whatever you can throw at them. Shifting feel will be greatly improved as well as power transfer to the wheels. By limiting drivetrain slop and movement you will essentially harness previously wasted torque which will improve acceleration noticeably.

Why Do I Need To Replace My Engine Mounts?

The B8 chassis vehicles are equipped with notoriously weak engine mounts from the factory. Given just how much power, and more specifically torque, that these cars are able to produce with just a small amount of tuning, and even with stock power level, the OEM mounts just are not up to the task. Shown is an example of a failed engine mount, and if you'll notice the long horizontal black line just below the bolt hole, this is a complete tear in the rubber bushing and the top half of the mount is separated entirely from the lower portion. At this point, the engine mount is no longer sufficiently holding the engine to the subframe and a significant amount of power is being lost in the form of unwanted energy transfer. In addition to this the driver will also notice very poor and sloppy shifting as well as audible noises on and off throttle. This mount was removed from an S4 with less than 75k miles on the odometer.

Which Mount Is Right For Me?

**STAGE 1** with its 70a durometer bushings are geared towards the spirited enthusiast who wants better control over motor movement without the sacrifice of excessive vibrations. This is the best choice for daily-driven vehicles and these are recommended for majority of our customers.

**STAGE 2** with its 85a durometer bushings are for the enthusiast who is looking for maximum performance from their motor mounts - great for heavily modified street cars and track cars. Expect a noticeable increase in noise, vibration and harshness when adding Stage 2 mounts to your vehicle.

Better Shifting You Can Feel

While technology has moved forward in the pursuit of function, often form is overlooked and subtlety cast aside in the process. Our latest shift knob restores a touch of class and tactile sensation to the cabin of your DCT equipped BMW, recalling an era when cars were meant for being driven. Available in a variety of OEM quality materials and colors, this is better shifting you can feel.

All shift knobs come paired with our custom tailored shift boot solution. Simply choose your shift knob colorway, your boot material and stitch color, and your preference of color on your coin.

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OEM+ Fit And Finish

We take an exceptional amount of pride in the craftsmanship of each and every piece that leaves our facility here in North Carolina. All of the parts that you purchase are carefully cut and sewn under our roof to ensure that when you install a Black Forest Industries shift knob and boot in the interior of your vehicle, you'll feel as if it was meant to be there from the very beginning.

With our proprietary adapter installation is extremely simple, something that anyone can do at home in their driveway. We are the only company to offer a solution like this specifically for the BMW DCT transmissions, and we are confident that once you've experienced any of our GS Series knobs first hand, you will agree that there is no denying this is money well spent.

Get Boosted.

With our latest Stage 3 PEM software, you can now safely turbocharge your OBD-II VR6 or ABA MK3 and see optimum performance gains. This software is specifically calibrated to work with 440cc injectors, and a 4" / 3" MAF housing. This is the preferred tried and true recipe for making reliable and impressive horespower gains.

Both the 12V VR6 and the ABA have been proven over the years to hold up well to forced induction, as well as being cheap and reliable engines. There's never been a better time to choose this powertrain for your project! Our software is the key to consistent power gains.

There's definitely more than one way to go about building your set-up, but ultimately with the right software there are only a few specific things that you'll have to adhere to. With our PEM Stage 3 chip, you'll need to make sure that you stick with 440cc injectors and either a 4" MAF housing for your VR6, or a 3" MAF housing for your ABA turbo build. The software will be able to handle the rest. This leaves you free to decide what turbo manifold to go with and how to best route your intake plumbing, as well as what type of intercooler to choose. On our Killr Bee 2.0 ABA project, we chose to use an air to water intercooler core as it offered the maximum amount of performance in the smallest amount of space. A standard front mount would do the trick too, but it's all up to you.

VR6 & ABA

The Stage 3 software solution is a plug and play PEM chip that simply slots into your existing ECU for your OBD-II ABA MK3. This chip will correct fuel and timing to compensate for the added boost pressures.

The VR6 is an extremely solid powerplant and can take a lot of abuse. This makes it an excellent candidate for a custom turbo build. With our software you can make big power without having to worry about costly damage or running into weak points with your engine.

DIY Horsepower.

ou don't have to accept your naturally aspirated fate! Take charge and build that beast that you've been dreaming of. With our software you do not need to spend hours logging and dyno tuning, instead you can simply plug our PEM into your ECU, bolt on your choice of turbo, upgrade to 440cc injectors and a larger MAF housing and you're making substantial horsepower gains all from your garage. Anyone can do it, so what are you waiting for?

Prost!

This was possibly the most chill and laid back Oktoberfest yet, with one of the best turn outs that we've ever seen. Despite some parking issues people still remained calm and everyone was able to relax and have a great time with a few brews. We're already looking forward to next year which will be our 10th annual event. It's crazy to think that we've come this far and amazing just how fast time flies. Can't wait to see everyone again next October!

Images: Antonio Logan

Get That Solid Feel.

These RS3 style solid rubber control arm bushings make the best possible OEM+ upgrade for your MQB vehicle. By eliminating the voids in the rubber and having a completely solid rubber bushing, you will gain a significant amount of feel and response during spirited driving, while introducing minimal additional noise, vibration or harshness into the cabin.

The benefits of a solid rubber bushing include:

Less deflection of the control arm under load
Reduced deflection under "bump" load
Increased quickness on steering turn-in
Decreased Wheel hop on launch

OEM Bushings vs. BFI Bushings

Factory bushings shown on the left, with the obvious voids in the rubber, leaving space for unwanted movment. BFI RS3 bushings shown on right, completely solid with no voids to eliminate unwanted movement.

In addition to the added performance benefits, the solid rubber bushings will last longer than the original OE style as they cannot tear and fail as the factory design is prone to doing. If your car has anywhere near 50k+ miles on it, then you will surely benefit from this simple upgrade!

Project: Blue Ridge 3.6 VR6 VW Atlas

It's no secret that there's a growing trend to take a would be suburban hauler and attempt to make it into something it was never really intended to be. From Subarus to Ford E series, and even a few Porsche 911s as well, this overlanding fad has gained quite a bit of momentum. While it would be easy to shake our canes at the sky and bemoan the fact that these vehicles are clearly not built from the ground up as true off-road weapons, it's more fun to participate and see just what these oversized Golfs are capable of, and more importantly how cool we can make them look. It's true, we may not be tackling the most complex and skill-challenging obstacles in the wilderness, but we are aiming to add bit of competence to our Atlas, as well as bit of confidence to the driver behind the wheel.