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)
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>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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