€50,000 turns Golf into super model

A car fanatic has spent an incredible €50,000 on turning a standard Golf into a James Bond-style vehicle.

A car fanatic has spent an incredible €50,000 on turning a standard Golf into a James Bond-style vehicle.

The four-wheeled wonder has more gadgets than even Q could dream up. Decorator Mr Sean O'Dwyer, from Kenmare, Co Kerry, has managed to squeeze five TV sets, a DVD player, a playstation and a state-of-the-art stereo system into his Golf GTI turbo two-litre car, which he bought six months ago for €29,000.

Mr O'Dwyer won the main prize at Ireland One Hundred Per Cent Modified Car Show in the RDS in Dublin last weekend for his amazing automobile.

The only original part left in the car called White Lightning is the VW emblem on the bonnet.

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Mr O'Dwyer (32) spent every spare minute of his time over the past six months painstakingly decorating his car. The miniature television sets have been set in the head-rests of the seats, back and front, and the fifth has been lodged in the dashboard. The playstation was built into the glove box along with the DVD player.

The car has also been wired for sound with a top-of-the-range stereo system in the boot.

"I could have bought a Mercedes for the money I've spent, but my car is better looking than any Merc or Ferrari," Mr O'Dwyer said.

"I don't drink or smoke but this is what I love doing. On the first day I got it, I ripped it apart. I pulled everything out - glove box, dashboard, seats, everything. The stereo equipment alone cost me €12,700."

He estimates he spent 2,000 hours working on his car. He even ripped out the standard engine and replaced it with a bigger model. The self-employed decorator took two weeks' holiday to travel to a specialist car seat covering centre in England.

He said his girlfriend Ms Catherine Whorton gave him tips and helped out with their labour of love. "She decided we should have all-white leather seats. I got all that done in England for €5,000."