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Date:         Sun, 8 Sep 2002 10:43:54 -0700
Reply-To:     Rich Blake <blake@OAKHARBOR.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Rich Blake <blake@OAKHARBOR.NET>
Subject:      Re: Eurovans future (now-vw does not make sportscars)
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

>I find my Corrado to handle wonderfully. Flat, sharp turns without any >problems. Makes twisty roads in the mountains a LOT of fun. Perhaps you've >never driven a Corrado. They were the last (and arguably the best) sports car >that Volkswagen made.

>>VW has NEVER made a sportscar...

True in the sense that a "sportscar" has only two seats and maybe a removable top. The A1 and A2 platforms are still a kick to drive, especially tuned ones. They can hold their own against any stock Porsche 944 and most older 911s and any other car (within reason flamers) for that matter on a twisty course such as an autocross. I know because I regularly turn faster times than some of the so called "sports cars" at the local auto-x in my GTi.

VW deserves more credit in the "sports hatch" arena because they pretty much defined it. Look at all the "sport hatch" cars flooding the market from every manufacturer ("zoom-zoom" et al). Why, because the current A4 GTi is still the standard (again). Look at the World Rally championship, 3of5 top runners are hatches, Ford, Peugeot, Citroen, etc. Remember the Omni, Colt, Escort, Fiesta, Corolla, Civic, 323, Justy, Metro, etc? VW is their momma. Thanks VW for creating a genre of fun driver cars (twice) that can carry stuff in the back.

>> But handling? The Golf 1 was a handling benchmark. All subsequent VWs >> (excepting the T3) were understeering pigs, and that's the "European" >> suspensions... the US versions were far worse.

VW got lucky on the A1, they designed something that was cheap and easy to manufacture. Theoretically the suspension design on all fwd vws sucks ass (Torsion beam WTF? anybody ever heard of A-arms and independent suspension? not VW).

BTW the A2 is a better handling platform than the A1. Stiffer unibody and more precise handling. A1 makes up for floppy body and floppy front suspension through lighter weight, it "feels" more tossable but the clock never lies. A stock A2 will out corner a stock A1 every time. Properly stiffened with proper shocks/springs, strut bars and a lower front arm connecting bar however, the A1 is a very competitive car and can outhandle an A2. Also, ALL front drive cars are understeering pigs to some degree, think about it, (hint-weight transfer). The Euro cars and US cars are virtually identical except for the engine internals, emissions control and safety features. There is no difference in the suspension. The only car that had truly different suspension was the very rare Euro only A2 Golf Rallye (4WD syncro, 1.8L G60), but I digress.

Vanagon content...My van doesn't make a good sports car or auto-x car unless the objective is to run over the cones and spectators at slow lumbering speeds (thump - pause - thump). However the potential is there, I actually passed other cars going over Washington pass on the last trip over HWY 20, amazing.

Rich Blake 90 Carat 88 GTi16v SCCA STS 88 Jetta 84 Rabbit L 84 Quantum GL5 01 NB GLX 1.8t


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