Attention to detail is what they do at 42, and that certainly shows in the design and construction of their 3" cat-back exhaust systems. From the hardware to the tip fitment it's clear upon installation that they've done their homework. They began development of these systems in November 2005 and have spent the last two years perfecting our production tooling, finding the best vendors & suppliers, and long-term testing their systems. The end result is a 3" system that fits great, sounds amazing, and adds hp & torque.

42's 3" cat-back systems begin with a CNC machined flange located roughly 4" into your existing downpipe. Though designed to bolt to their 1.8T 3" downpipes, this flanged start allows for a perfect, leak-free installation on any model. After this flange, an oxygen sensor bung allows for installation of the post-cat oxygen sensor. In a straight shot our system bolts to your downpipe and installs at the first hanger, while a resonator removes any rasp from the exhaust note. Next, their system makes the bend around the gas tank and over the rear axle. Fitment in this area is crucial. Their over-axle pipe is bent correctly and built correctly to avoid rear-axle rubbing on the lowest cars. Next, a Magnaflow muffer is tucked into the heat shields, almost hidden from view. To finish the system off they have three tip variations available for both Jetta and GTI models - hidden, single, and dual. Their tips not only look amazing, but fit perfectly as well. Their tips are custom made from T304 stainless steel in fully polished, double wall and angle cut form.

42's attention to detail shows up in the construction, fitment, and installation of our 3" cat-backs. Their flanges are CNC machined in house from 1018 cold roll steel. Adjustable flanges are used where appropriate to allow each piece to bolt-up as designed on every car. Hangers bars are precisely bent to slide into the factory hangers straight and level. At the rear hanger we include two stainless steel collars designed to lock the position of the rear muffler in place. Once you've adjusted your tip fitment - keep it there! Each and every system is built by hand on production tooling and TIG welded. All the hardware needed for installation is included - gaskets, two lengths of bolts, washers, and locknuts. They include mechanical locknuts to assure your system never vibrates loose.

The sound of their systems has been imitated since the first clips hit the internet. They describe the sound as "quiet when you need to be and loud when you want to be." At idle, the car emits a deep rumble. At low rpms and crusing speeds the sound is mellow and quiet. The exhaust opens up at full throttle and high rpms with a great tone and not a hint of rasp or drone. They tested various resonator and muffler conbinations before finding the perfect balance of power and sound.

While all of their long-term testing was done on 1.8T vehicles, this system will also fit 2.0, VR6, and even TDI equipped mk4 VWs. Fitment is designed to connect to your existing 3" downpipe. The system will bolt-up perfectly to our 1.8T 3" downpipes, but we also accomodate other brands of 3" downpipes and custom downpipes by including an extra flange. This flange is designed to be welded to the end of your existing 3" downpipe. Precise fitment of our flange to your existing downpipe is necessary in order to fit this cat-back correctly. While this may seem like a hassle, it is necessary for us to assure perfect leak-free fitment. Keep in mind, these 3" cat-backs are designed for factory and custom turbocharged vehicles (1.8T, 2.0T, VR6T). 3" piping is beyond over-kill for all-motor applications. 42's fitment method is designed to accomodate their 1.8T 3" downpipes and allow custom fitment to any 3" downpipe on any motor.

Horsepower and torque gains for these cat-back systems cannot be accurately reported as a nominal gain. These cat-backs will be installed on such a range of vehicles - from a 200whp 1.8T to a 500whp VR6 turbo. Naturally, power gains will depend on turbo size, tuning, and what you're replacing. In their testing they gained 22.5 HP and 48 lb/ft of torque at the wheels on a stock turbo 1.8T!

42's 3" cat-back systems are available in 3 tip configurations, each with unique fitment on Jetta and GTI models. The single tip GTI system includes a 4" tip designed to fit the 337/20th valance. Their single tip Jetta system also includes a 4" tip. This system is designed to fit the GLI single tip valance only. Their dual tip GTI and Jetta systems include a pair of 3" tips spaced to fit perfectly within the stock valance. These systems fit all models from 2001+ with the factory dual-tip valance. They offer a hidden tip model for both GTI and Jetta models. On both systems the hidden tip dumps exhaust gases right before the start of the valance. Height and angle of the cut is designed to reduce drone and not melt the valance. The hidden tip is exposed only 1/2" below the bottom of the valance. Truely hidden.

Full turbo-back systems are available for 1.8T models in street and race configurations.