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Note: This article was transcribed from a brochure I picked up at a VW dealer in 1997 titled, "Volkswagen TDI - And Now for a Totally Different Idea." It was reprinted from Volkswagen World Magazine. All photos are from the original article. Enjoy.
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Around the Nation in a Volkswagen Diesel That Surprised Many...
"One Lap of America" originated in the early Eighties as a responsible offspring of the notorious "Cannonball Run" of the Sixties and Seventies, a highly illegal flat-out race from coast to coast. These days, the One Lap event doesn't span the width of America. It does, however, cover the equivalent mileage - and then some. Much of the journey takes place on public roads at legal speeds, but with daily competitive events held at race tracks along the route. As such, it's as much an endurance run as a road rally.
Eighty-five cars participated this past year (1995); among them an unusual entry from Volkswagen - unusual because it was the only diesel-powered vehicle to enter the 4000-mile (6437 km) event: a new Jetta TDI (Turbo Direct Injection). This particular car was the European version of the Jetta, called the Vento (Jetta TDIs were not yet available in the U.S.).
The Jetta TDI was piloted by Bill Visnic, Managing Editor for Ward's Engine and Vehicle Technology Update, a respected trade journal for the automotive industry. His co-driver, Stacy Reitmeir, is a race-driving instructor with the Skip Barber Racing School. Bill's Report follows.
Day One
My co-driver, Stacy, has raced and taught professionally at several
levels, both regionally and nationally, including SCCA Showroom Stock and
the Firestone Firehawk series. We meet at a test track and when I first
tell her the car is a diesel, she says somewhat skeptically, "Wow, a diesel
on the track! This should be interesting." After a few practice laps,
though, Stacy says, "I can't believe how much usable power this thing has.
On the tight tracks that we'll be competing on, which won't let the
big cars use their power advantage, this car should be really
competitive." |
Another point to ponder: consider that we left the start of the event in Detroit more than an hour behind the front-runners, yet we are the fourth car to arrive at the first track, Road America in Wisconsin. While others stop at least once, and many two or more times for gas, we run the entire first leg to Wisconsin and race at the track on the same tank of fuel with which we left Detroit. How much time can be saved - even for the average traveler - just from not having to stop to refuel?
Day Two
"That's a diesel?", they keep asking. Before we put the
stickers on the side, two dozen people, many of them highly informed car
nuts, just can't believe it when we tell them the car that just squealed
around the track is powered by a diesel. If there's a theme line for
running the TDI in the One Lap of America, "That's a diesel?" has to be
it.
On tracks with long straights, the high-horsepower car win with clear advantage. But on tighter tracks, Stacy is right: look at the times and the TDI isn't that far off cars with twice as much horsepower. In the course of my job, I drive just about everything offered by every manufacturer. This car is as "balanced" a package as I've seen in a long time; fuel economy is really a bonus, because this car is so well sorted that I'd recommend it on its dynamic qualities alone. |
Nor is this any "slow poke" of a diesel. Forget the days of low revving, sluggish smokepots. This engine runs hard up through each gear to at least 4,000 rpm. After the first 40 feet (12.2 meters), this car's acceleration is nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, more than once at stoplights I deliberately try to be first in line, next to something I know to be a fairly decently accelerating vehicle. The TDI doesn't get left in the dust often.
Day Three
Ed Varga, owner of That Foreign Car Place, Blawenburg, NJ, has worked
on or owned just about every type of European car imaginable. He turned
all the wrenches on the extensively modified - and quite fast - #71 16-valve
gasoline powered Jetta that runs alongside us for the entire event. After
riding on one long highway leg with me through the mountains of Virginia
and West Virginia, he gushes several times, "I can't believe this is a diesel.
It's amazing - it pulls more like a little V-6. The torque is
unbelievable. I want one of these." |
Day Four
Note that our most direct competitor, the #71 16-valve (previous generation Jetta) is objectively the faster car on paper, but the TDI in the end out runs it at nearly every event and we finish ahead of that car overall. Ed Varga, who has modified the other Jetta's gasoline engine, believes that the car produces about 160 horsepower (119 kW). So the TDI, when driven by a professional - Stacy - and a semi-hotshoe (me, attendee of several high performance driving schools), is better than a match for their 160-horsepower car. In essence, this car's dynamic excellence and strong mid-range power - often very helpful in traffic and on the racetrack - make up for a 50 horsepower (37 kW) deficit to the previous-generation Jetta 16-valver.
Day Five
Almost everywhere we stop, Volkswagen aficionados swarm the car, anxious
to know what's under the hood that we feel we can run with a big-iron Chevy
Impala SS. A few already know the TDI and are quite positive about
the idea of VW returning to diesels. "I'm glad to see they're going
to sell a diesel again," says one highly motivated VW enthusiast who'd driven
about 70 miles (112.7 km) just to see us race at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
"I truly enjoyed the VW diesel I owned before, and if this one's half
as good as you say it is, I know I'll buy one." |
Day Six
At Waterford Hills, Michigan, the last race, a couple of young mechanics from a VW dealership (driving a nicely tricked up G60 Corrado) trek out to see the TDI run. They'd heard about it, but had yet to see one "in the flesh." They're slack-jawed when Stacy flies it around Waterford's tight little track. "That's incredible," one says to me, "that car's actually making some speed. Are you sure that's a diesel?"
Conclusion
Total fuel used for the 4000-mile trip was 97.3 gallons (368.3 liters).
In the entire course of the event, the car refueled just 10 times,
and earned about 42 miles per gallon (5.60 l/100 km). Finishing position
of the TDI put Visnic and Reitmeir ahead of 24 other cars, including a Porsche
911 Carrera, a Ford Taurus SHO, and two new BMW M3s. |