Some comments lately from the engine swap guys " the Vw motor cant hope to give the performance of modern day cars ".
Got me thinking... What performance is out there ?
--- Money = Speed ......
I researched some internet sites to find the following, cant vouch for the accuracy and the prices are prob couple years old.
USA of course....
Modern Performance Cars.
Thanks to edmunds.com , wrx-turbo.com , autorev.com



Summary: Dodge Viper GTS 2001 4.2 (0-60mph) 12.3@115.9 mph. $80K US.

Porsche 911 Carrera Turbo 4.2sec(0-60mph) 12.7@110mph. Max 26.8 lbs boost. $114K US.

Chev Corvette ZO6 4.5sec(0-60mph) 12.8@112.9 mph.

Mustang Cobra R 4.6sec (0-60mph) 13.0@107.6 mph.

Honda Acura NSX 4.8sec(0-60mph).

Audi S4 5.5sec (0-60mph).

WRX Impreza 5.6sec (0-60mph) 14.3@95mph Max 14.2 lbs Boost.

Falcon XR6 8. sec .(0-100KPH).
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So what is a fast street car.?
Any one got other examples of what they consider fast street car.
.... I might be Biased ( sure am) but an early Beetle with a hot 1916cc eng would make many so called fast street cars look overpriced.

The Mk1 Golf Euro GTi has practically the same performance as the 2002 golf Gti. yet the Mk1 costs about $10000 for an immaculate one and the other one is like $50000. Go figure...

New Cars. Be nice to own one but I sure would be annoyed at the " Drive out the gate devaluation."

Yeah i think i might have said something along those lines

it is cheaper to get a grey import jap turbo car and dial up the boost

how long it will last, and how available parts will be is something thats in question

All the above cars are stonkingly quick, both in a straight line and round the twisty stuff but I for one don't feel that you have to pull a 12 second quater to be considered a quick car. I would consider any car capable of running a sub 14 to be extreamly quick on the street. This sort of performance is easily acheivable from a VW motor too guess it all depends on what your trying to acheive. For example I have a number of friends with Westfields (lotus 7's) that are scary quick (sub 4 to 100 with a big clutch dump) but would be lucky to pull a mid 14 through the quater as they are shaped like brick walls.

heh so are beetles although a beetle has larger frontal area than a westfield or a clubman. yeah anything that is sub 14 and streetable is already damn fast

Totally agree with you 555 , the Westfield an " Australian " sports car is extremely quick.
The 14 sec area to me is the fast street mark.
And Yes the Hotted up VW Beetle will make it into this time slot. That is what I'm looking for. Certainly a lot cheaper than the ones I listed above. Of course comfort and handling are another story.
1302 Steve has designed his Beetle with some thought to Handling and comfort as well as speed & its most impressive.
Yes it Depends what you're after.

Isn't the W12 from VW the fastest steet car. It broke alot of records a few months back.

To me it's not about how fast a hotted up VW will actually go, its that look of disbelief from the drivers of the cars Glen has on the list, when a VW goes a lot faster than they expect them to go.

Most people perceive a VW to be slow. But to me a hotted up VW is the ultimate sleeper. The other guy will always get a surprise.
The same surprise that hotted up VW's gave the V8 boys 30 years ago when go fast stuff was being done to innocent little Beetles.

Pretty difficult to compare a car designed in the 30's to a modern car and i don't know why people always try to.

you missed a car;

Mercedes Maybach Limo
2.8 tonnes 6.2m long
5.5 litre twin turbo V12 405kw & 900nm torque
0-100km/h 5.2 seconds and stops from this distance in 38m

and its got 2 dvd/cd/tv systems and a 21 speaker bose sound system.

Quicker than an impreza, the mind boggles

yup its definatly horses for courses..I must admit though that the satisfaction from shutting down a modern car in a bug just can't be beat + after your finished spanking their ass they are generally as pleased as punch..this is definatly not the case whilst driving my honda Oh an as for fast...well every year they have a top speed shoot out in Italy..all the big guns are there..but a while back a little German tuner by the name of Ruf drove his 993 (named the yellowbird) that he converst to four wheel drive etc.. anyway he came he saw he kicked some ass 0-100 2.3sec top speed?? but I guess it must have been faster than the 380kph a McLaren f1 can pull. Hmm fast cars

good replies... and Ruf - Whoa !
Whilst researching this I came across the Nissan GTR R32 -- twin turbos - four wheel drive - computer aided traction control/torque splitting - etc, I was Very impressed, dont think the wife would like me to sell the house to buy one though.

[Edited on 22-11-2002 by OvalGlen]

yeah i think the whole sleeper/underdog factor is what appeals to me too. its just like a 13 second hyundai excel! the humiliation factor of being beaten by a "slow shitbox" is exhilirating. and i reckon beetles are completely ahead in terms of style... something which no amount of money can buy

I agree totally with Grey57 - its the best thing to see the look on a guys face in an expensive car or imported whatever when u are keeping up with them...
Overtaking cars uphill is always great for a laugh...

LOOK AT ME!! lol

Che Castro - there is an excel here that has the 2.0l SCoupe motor in it and is also rumured to be running off the bottle...
Its been the talk of the town for ages coz he is beating or keeping up with 13sec cars!!

yeah there was a turbo excel in

http://www.autospeed.com/A_0662/page1.html

although its 14 sec not 13, whoops. still a sleeper tho. although a beetle makes a much better one :puke

beating any modern car or any car that is "supposed" to be faster than a beetle would be so satisfying people already assume they are going too slow if i pass them, and i have a stocker! Its funny how people somehow always assume that if they pull up next to u in a bug they think they will absolutely dust u no matter what...

Another reason to get a type 4 into the back of my bug quick smart, just putting the pedal down going uphill and whoosh!

I still haven't got tired of the surprised looks I get when people see a kombi overtaking them at 110kmh!!! :o