There are certain shops that are known for their high level of skill with a particular automobile manufacturer, from Underground Racing and their over-the-top twin-turbo Lambos to Lingenfelter and their top-shelf GM builds. In the Volkswagen universe Paradise Motorsports is one of the biggest names in the business with a long list of records and an even longer list of great builds that span everything from drag racing to the dunes of the deserts.

The team at Paradise Motorsports has been churning out high level foreign and domestic builds since 1982. On the drag strip, Kris Lauffer has been setting all kinds of records in the VW racing world piloting a few front engine dragsters. Lauffer was the first to punch a VW-powered anything into the 200 MPH zone in the quarter mile.

A few years later, Lauffer set another record with his 216-inch Spitzer dragster known as “The Nail”.  With the big tune up loaded up, The Nail went an astounding 6.53 at over 202 MPH — that’s a whole bunch of steam out of a little Pauter VW cast aluminum engine. The most impressive thing about these engines is they’re making such big power out of a mill that has less than 200 cubic inches!

The word on the street though is that Lauffer and his boosted monster are making a comeback in a big way, as an all-billet bullet is rumored to be going into the car to make a run at the five-second barrier. The full specs on the engine haven’t been released, but numbers like an 88mm stroke x 108mm bore engine that totals 197 cubic inches have been thrown around. With this much rip on tap, The Nail could very well hammers its way into once untested waters.

Photo and video credit VW Paradise Motorsports