Hi, folks. Noob, here. Just bought a Thunder Ranch 550 Spyder & had a bad idea (my favorite kind):

Can you install a modern VW diesel engine (ala Top Gear's "Project Sipster")? In a 550? Has anyone tried?

I'm aware of the many reasons NOT to do it, but is it POSSIBLE? A 1300 lb car + a motor that pulls 40MPGs in a 3000 lb Jetta has to be good for at least decent gas mileage, right? If a watercooled Sube WRX engine, will work, why not a diesel? Tom @ Thunder Ranch told me it could be done... with a little creativity in the motor mounts/half shafts dept.

I'm no mechanic so I reserve the right to be wrong about everything.

please go into a room full of mirrors, well you know the rest

anythiing can be done, they drove on the moon didnt they? they throw chevy V8's in the front of beetles, so why not throw a diesel donk in the back of a Porsche?

You may run into trouble with the height of the engine. Most 550 replicas have a 'flat' engine [mine is a Beck, with a 911T ], so height is not a problem.

Measure the height of the engine that you want, to make sure it will fit.