Date:         Wed, 7 Jun 1995 17:31:49 -0700 (PDT)
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Alistair Bell <ui775@freenet.victoria.bc.ca>
Subject:      5 cyl Vanagon


I just read a May 1991 issue of "car", a South African mag. Tey test drove
the '91 vanagon caravelle 2,5 liter. As some of you know, sa has/had laws
that forced car manufactures that want to sell cars there to set up sa
production. This has meant that some models that were discontinued in the
rest of the world are still being produced in sa. A case in point is the
vanagon. VWSA decided it would be too expensive to retool for the eurovan
so they continued to produce the vanagon. The optional 5 cyl is based on
the ubiqitous audi design and was designed some time earlier as a
replacement for the wasserboxer. It puts out 100kW (approx 130 hp) and
the torque is around 200 Nm. The 5 cyl
required the rear deck to be raised 100 mm, the photos show a nice
carpeted area that is the same height as the folded down rear seat. I
thought it strange that the 5 cyl engine plus a 5 spd trans did not force
the engine right up against the rear of the compartment, in fact there
looks like there is plenty of room. CIS injection and stronger cv joints
are two other mods.
The body looks a bit different than the vans we are used to. The side
windows have been enlarged (deeper) and the corners of the body are
rounder. A full width lower grill at the front, rectangular headlights
above. The rear air intake grills look different (more louvres?).
Inside obvious changes are a nicer steering wheel and rotary dial vent/temp
control (just like mercs).

The reviewers thought the van to be the best of the local bunch (Toyota
hi-ace, vanagon 2.1, ford husky), the classiest looking, loved the motor
which makes 4th gear usable from 60 kmh up to 150 kmh, hated the gearshift
("agricultural"!)

0 to 60 kmh = 5.36
0 to 80 = 9.35
0 to 100 kmh = 14.4 
0 to 120 kmh = 22.76
100 to zero = 3.6 sec
top speed recorded = 159 kmh

1 km sprint = 36.19 s
liters/100 km @ 60 kmh = 8.33
liters/100 km @ 80 kmh = 9.90
liters/100 km @ 100 kmh = 11.94

Engine output
max power = 100 kW @ 5,000
max rpm = 6250
max torque = 200 Nm @ 3,500

Engine config
five in line
Bosch K-jetronic inj
bore/stroke = 82.5/92.8 mm
cubic cap = 2480 cc
comp ratio = 9.7 : 1

Trans
five forward
1 = 4.111
2 = 2.333
3 = 1.476
4 = 1.023
5 = 0.816
rev = 3.667
final drive = 4.833

Dimensions
length = 4,600 mm
width = 1,845 mm
height = 1,950 mm
wheelbase = 2,460 mm
front track = 1,602 mm
rear track = 1,588 mm
clearance = 190 mm
mass as tested = 1720 kg