[MINIAC]

Originally posted by mr.bill in the Nissan kicks butt thread:

For the past few days, I have seen TV ads for the new "VW Turbo S." It is a New Beetle with a 180HP engine and the ad implies that it is "fast." Gee, I wonder why they call it an "S." Could it be a slap against the Cooper S? I have no doubt the Cooper would handle better in the "twisties," but around here the leadfoot crowd is into straight line speed runs.

The $23,400 (MSRP) VW Beetle Turbo S is equipped with:

• 1.8 litre Turbo engine with 180 hp @ 5500 and 173 lb-ft @ 1950-5000
• 6-speed manual transmission
• 17" wheels with 225/45 all-season tires
• Sports suspension
• ESP anti-skid system
• Sunroof
• Monsoon sound system
• Leather sport seats and something in between

I thought I read somewhere that 0-60 is 7.4 secs ... if so it will not kick MINI (S) butt

 

[MadMiniManiac]

Pitty it looks so horrible from the outside though!
Although i must admit the seats look nice.

 

[BruceK]

Pitty it looks so horrible from the outside though!
Although i must admit the seats look nice.

And what is that silly boxy light gray thing between the seats? Surely nothing the driver of a proper sports sedan would consider taking his hands off of the steering wheel to use. (he ducts as he resurrects the dreaded armrest debate )

 

[Llama]

Just look at the price though!!!

It's nearly £10k more!

 

[loder]

another S competitor from VW

I found this on VW vortex. Car seems nice, especially the wheel and interior, but not as well equipped as a MINI S could be for the same cash.

The DE GTI will be introduced at the New York Auto Show in March this year. Volkswagen is building 1000 DE GTI models all in Silver for 2002. Cars should be available for delivery sometime in early summer (June or so).

The best news? Almost no changes from the German version.

Everything is being carried over as is with the exception of a few cosmetic items:

- DOT blacked out headlamps could not be sourced quick enough for these models, so our standard headlamps will be on the DE GTI. Blacking them out should be an easy mod.
- Black headliner can not be sourced quick enough for our cars. Because of the head airbag system in U.S. spec models, a different headliner material is required that is more of a mesh fabric and requires the plastic underneath to match.
- Different U.S. spec rear seats with a center 3-point seatbelt and no rear armrest. Not sure how VWoA is handling the Recaro rear seat patterns yet, but well see what happens.
- U.S. Spec front bumper and corresponding front valance
- U.S. double-din radio
- U.S. instrument cluster. Not the european unit with the aluminum trim rings around the tach and speedo.

Other than the above items (which are all fairly minor cosmetic issues) the rest of the car is coming over with everything else-

- 18" BBS RC wheels
- Upgraded brakes with red calipers
- Real lowered sport suspension (identical to the German-spec car)
- six-speed MQ350 manual transmission
- 180hp 1.8T
- body kit
- rear stainless exhaust with 3" tip
- Recaro seats
- golf ball shift knob
- aluminum interior trim

We really beat Volkswagen up about bringing this car over as close as possible to the German model and they have delivered (surprisingly I might add). You can thank yourselves for convincing VW to offer this car here.

Pricing will not be announced till the New York Auto Show, but the target price was $23,500 or less. We expect that you will be happy with the price if everything goes the way it supposed to.

On the issue of availability - Volkswagen of America is working on a plan to try and offer this car through the Internet first where you would express interest in the car, be sent a numbered certificate and take your certificate to a dealer to arrange financing and pickup. If you don't like the deal you get at the dealer you go to, you take your certificate to another dealer and try again.

I can try to answer questions if you have them, but there are still some details about the car that I won't know for sure till it actually arrives.

Good job everyone. You asked and you received.

 

[smiffy]

What about the new MG range of sports cars based on the Rover 25 & 45

 

[R1]

What about the new MG range of sports cars based on the Rover 25 & 45

What about them? (I thought this was about competition for the Cooper "S"?

 

[MINIAC]

Just look at the price though!!!

It's nearly £10k more!

The $23,400 price quoted is US dollars.

Spec'ing an 'S' similarly:

Base ................ 19,850
Sports package ....... 1,250
17" alloys
DSC
Xenon headlights
Front fog lamps
Sunroof ................ 800
H&K sound system ....... 550
Leather .............. 1,250
Heated front seats ..... 270
..................... ------
Total ............... 23,970

I'm not sure if the Turbo S price includes destination charges ($550 on the MINI) or whether it has Xenon headlights or fog lamps.

 

[Llama]

Doh!

/me does not support multi-currency yet!

Still, it's still a boring looking VW!

 

[MGB Boy]

What about the new MG range of sports cars based on the Rover 25 & 45

ZR160 (25 based)
160hp
0-60 7.4sec
£14560

ZS180 (45 based)
177hp
0-60 7.3sec
£15825

For what it's worth, the ZR160 isn't expected to be the "top end" ZR, MG are screwing around with bolting a turbocharger or a supercharger onto the K series inline 4, for use in the ZR as well as the MGF/MGTF. Word from those in the know is that it won't be out until later this year. Insider speculation has been in the 220hp range. Anyhow, the ZR is the basis for their JWRC/Super 1600 rally entry. The rules for that are: Front wheel drive, maximum displacement of 1600cc, naturally aspirated (sorry, no "S"), available to privateer teams for under Euro100K. MG's race-prepped ZR gets about 200hp out of a naturally aspirated 1588cc inline 4.

I love Mini, by I'm an MG junkie too. In case you couldn't guess

-Ricardo

 

[Spoolin']

Yeah, but none of these are MINI's

 

[An_S_4_Mutley]

Originally Posted by Smiffy
What about the new MG range of sports cars based on the Rover 25 & 45

Yeah, maybe my Grandma would like one



Andy

 

[Exbat]

No VW worries at the stoplight, or the twisties:

New Beetle S Weight/HP: ~16.7
MINI Cooper S Weight/HP: ~15.6

And for reference, Audi TT225:~14.6; Porsche Boxster:~12.8
My chipped Passat 1.8T: ~16.0

All have decent torque (unlike VTEC H cars).

 

[coopercrazy]

Cool, now there are even more cars whose @ss I will be able to whip w/ my Cooper S!!!

 

[Llama]

Wow, you can even rearrange the number plate on that Rover to say 5H1T, seems more appropriate!

 

[Llama]

..in fact, its a shame that the reg is BU rather than BO as this would have been an anagram for 5H1T BOX !!

Sorry, couldn't help it!

 

[Silverstone]

Focus ST170 is Closer to "S" than Beetle

The soon to be launched Ford Focus ST170 is going to be a bit of competition for our beloved Cooper-S. I worked on the project a few years ago at Cosworth and drove one of the early protoypes - it really flew. It has fantastic torque for a normally aspirated engine due to much trick tuning of intake, exhaust and variable cam timing. The handling is also pretty damn good.

It won't have the image, quality or sheer feel-good factor of a MINI, so I won't be rushing-out to order one.

The stat's are:

Power: 170bhp - a "very healthy 170hp" ('cos SVT got burnt in the press for short changing customers on an earlier product)
Torque:145 lb.ft (with 90% available from 2500rpm)
0-60: 8.0sec (it got a lot slower since I drove the prototype)
6-speed gearbox

Price in UK £15,995
US $17,995 (hell that's cheap!) available mid March

 

[Spoolin']

Careful, the Beetle freaks are getting upset now.

 

[LMB]

I personally wouldn't touch a beetle with a barge pole

That special addition Golf looks all right thought, I like the way they have styled it like the old GTI. 180BHP isn’t too bad either, my dad had a 1.8T Golf and I actually quite like it. The gearbox is shite, but apart from that I think the car drives superb. The special addition will just add the final touches it needs.

LMB

Ps./Get my Cooper tomorrow

 

[Jazzy Jase]

ZR160 (25 based) 160hp 0-60 7.4sec £14560
ZS180 (45 based) 177hp 0-60 7.3sec £15825

For what it's worth, the ZR160 isn't expected to be the "top end" ZR, MG are screwing around with bolting a turbocharger or a supercharger onto the K series inline 4, for use in the ZR as well as the MGF/MGTF. Word from those in the know is that it won't be out until later this year. Insider speculation has been in the 220hp range.

Ricardo. The MG's are certainly capable cars, but the ZR(25) is still based on a 7 year old chassis design. Things have changed a lot since then. The MINI has a brand-new, state-of-the-art chassis, BMW's weird rear suspension, equal-length drive shafts and is stiffer than a 3 series. It should be able to handle 200bhp. How will the MG cope with this? Badly methinks.

By the way, I am not trying to rubbish any of the Cooper S's rivals, I am just trying to be constructively critical. I seriously considered the Civic Type R, and the Focus looks quite good too. The Focus RS should be storming... More of an Impreza rival I think.