Concours newcomer scores quartet of summer wins
Passionate car modifier, Mark Byrne, has secured an unprecedented four concours wins with a 15-year old Volkswagen Golf in his very first summer season of competition.
Proving that any motorist with sufficient dedication and passionate attention-to-detail can achieve spectacular results, 25-year old Mark Byrne from Sutton in Surrey has astonished judges, established concours regulars and event spectators alike. His Volkswagen Golf – bought eight years ago for £3,500 as a base 1.4-litre L model – is now one of the most envied rides in the increasingly popular modified cars scene.
The Golf is finished in Silverstone Blue – a colour borrowed from his BMW M3 – and is fitted with a Volkswagen Corrado engine bored out from 2.9-litres to 3.0-litres which produces 220 bhp.
The modified concours champ collected its first trophy in the Autoglym Best In Britain competition at the International Styling and Tuning Show at Silverstone in April. It then won the Ultimate Show Car Competition at the Modified Nationals held at the Peterborough Showground in late May. Most recently, it was awarded top prize in the Ultimate Challenge for Modified Cars at the Bromley Pageant of Motoring in June, where the pristine display under the bonnet also won the Best Engine award.
Owner Mark, who has undertaken the majority of the modifications himself without specialist training, said: “I am thrilled to have my efforts recognised with competition wins. I have always been keen on cars, but fell into modifying a little by accident, just because some of my friends were doing it.
“I started off just doing small bits and bobs, but it soon turned into an addiction. I’ve even covered much of the underneath of the car in carbon fibre and chrome so it’s beautiful to look at when it’s on an inspection ramp.”
Paul Caller, CEO of Autoglym, said: “It’s unprecedented that anyone should win four concours trophies back-to-back, but to do so in their first year of competition makes the feat even more remarkable. Mark’s passion and thoroughness in ensuring every part of the car has been attended to is awe-inspiring. He is a shining example of how even someone without previous experience can modify their car and produce a result that is absolutely stunning.”
Mark uses only Autoglym products to wash and finish his car in preparation for concours events. Mark now plans to take the car to European concours events and to visit the famous Nürburgring in Germany to test and improve the Golf’s performance credentials so they match its visual impact.
More information about Autoglym’s range of premium car-care products, and details of nearby retailers, is available at autoglym.com.
