We're changing how we name the Goblin V2 kit stages.

• Stage 1 is now the Running Stage.
• Stage 2 is now the Driving Stage.
• Stage 3 is gone, replaced by add-ons you can pick from when you order or come back for later.

Why the Change

If you spend any time in the Mk7 Golf community (and many others), you already know where this is going. "Stage 1" and "Stage 2" mean something specific in the tuning world. They describe levels of an engine tune, usually tied to the supporting modifications a build needs at each step. Stage 1 is a tune on a stock engine. Stage 2 adds bolt-ons. And so on up the ladder.

That's a problem for us. When someone familiar with tuning reads "Stage 2" on our site, the natural read is that we're talking about a tune. We're not. We're talking about a batch of parts. Same words, two completely different things.

The new names describe what each stage actually does in plain English. The Running Stage gets the engine running. The Driving Stage gets the car driving. No room for confusion.

Running Stage

The Running Stage is the chassis and everything you need to mount the donor powertrain and get it running. That's the bare chassis, the fuel tank, the cooling system, the pre-drilled floor and firewall panels, the pre-bent brake lines, and all the hardware to bolt it together.

When you finish the Running Stage, you've got a chassis with the engine and transaxle installed and able to run. The car isn't on its wheels yet, but it's alive.

Note: The Running Stage also includes the front and rear control arms so that you can get them powder coated or painted at the same time as your chassis.

Driving Stage

The Driving Stage is what gets the car on its wheels and driving. That's the front and rear suspension components, the steering hardware, the brake system parts, and the hardware to assemble it all.

When you finish the Driving Stage, you've got a complete rolling car. You can steer it, you can stop it, and you can drive it.

Add-Ons

What used to be Stage 3 is now just add-ons.

Stage 3 always covered a wide range of parts: body panels, lights, mirrors, seats, performance upgrades, and so on. Most builders never bought all of it. They picked and chose based on what they were building. Treating those parts as a single "stage" never quite reflected how people actually order them.

Add-ons are their own category now. You can include them with your initial order or come back for them later. If you're planning to use large body panels, it still makes sense to ship them with the Running Stage to save freight, but that's a logistics question, not a stage question.