If you've ever encountered Aaron Pierce, whether it be through CMMP or his denim brand Gentry & Rose, you know he is very passionate about what he does. Outside of the fashion world, Aaron is a car guy, but not just any kind of car. He's got a love for cars that have been painstakingly built, like his very own Audi A3. Read on to hear about why he started Kensington Car Club and about his very own special build:
- What was the driving force behind starting the Kensington Car Club?
Kensington Car Club was founded on the principles of built not bought. All of our members have years in the car game. We’ve got master mechanics, paint and body, drivers, photographers, and everything in between. We pride ourselves on being a club - We’re not an event, not a cars and coffee. We’re a club where members come to drive, converse, and inspire each other’s builds. Our members tend to drive German cars currently or previously, but we currently have members driving JDM and other European options. The driving force behind creating the club was my love of cars and feeling that while cars and coffee’s are great they’re for looking at cars, not plotting cruise routes and driving cars.
- Tell us a little about your car and what you have done to it.
I converted my 2006 year 1, generation 1, US Spec A3 8P Sportback into a Euro Spec S3 8P Sportback. We never received the S3 Sportback stateside, so I went about building my own. The first 2 years of production on the US A3 shared a motor with the Euro S3, a turbo charged 2.0L BPY code engine. Listed below are the modifications I’ve done to the car since buying her. She was a 1 owner, 60k miles at the time of purchase in 2018.
Performance Upgrades
Genuine Audi S3 Camshaft (Rev J)
ECS Tuning Downpipe
Milltek Sport Catback Exhaust
RamAir UK Air Intake
Bosch R8 Red Top Coils
Genuine Audi S3 Intercooler
APR Tune Stage 1+ 93
034 High Density Motor Mount
034 Dog Bone Mount upper insert
034 Dog Bone Mount lower Insert
Bilstein Dog Bone Mount
OEM Trans Mount w/Power Flex Inserts
Stage 2 DKM Clutch w/ Lightweight Single Mass Flywheel
H&R Sport Lowering Springs
Bilstein B8 Performance Struts
Raxle High Performance CV Axles
Maintenance
Latest Rev. Cam Chain, Tensioner, & Follower
NGK Iridium Spark Plugs
Performance Brake Rotors
Akebono Ceramic Brake Pads
Refinished/restored OEM Calipers
Stainless Steel Brake Lines
Stainless Steel Clutch Lines
Bosch Fuel Filter
Bosch Cabin Filter
Bosch Wiper Blades
LiquiMoly Synthetic Trans Fluid
LiquiMoly Synthetic Motor Oil
New OEM Timing Belt / Tensioner
New OEM Water Pump
New Battery
Continental Drive Belt / OEM Tensioner
OEM Piston Driven Diverter Valve w/spacer
OEM N80 Valve
OEM N205 Valve
OEM 02 Sensors (Front and Rear)
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 Tires
Visual
Audi Euro-spec S3 Front Bumper
Audi RS3 Wheels
Smoked Headlights
6000k Hyperwhite Xenon Bulbs
Tinted Glass
Restored OEM Rear Bumper
Restored B Pillars
Custom Diamond Floor Mats
Alpine Apple CarPlay Equipped
- Do you see a correlation between building a car that can be translated into what you do at Commonwealth Proper?
There are a lot of overlapping qualities when designing out a customized car and designing out a full custom garment. It starts with vision and planning, identifying the needs of the buildout and what can be accomplished within the budget set forth. After that, it’s all about attention to detail and execution - Both things take a ton of time, a ton of work with one’s hands.. subtle mistakes can be incredibly costly and time consuming, but completing and executing your vision is priceless in both realms and make a huge impact on how people perceive you.
- Dream 2 car garage?
My perfect 2 car garage would include an Audi RS6 Avant for life and either a completely restored and modified air cooled 911 Turbo, both in silver or black. Since I’m never getting rid of my currently build, she’ll always be stored somewhere.