VW GTI VR8 4motion

esmartin

I saw a 2001/2002 Volkswagen GTI with a badge on the right hand side of the car (where the VR6 typcially is) that said "VR8 4motion". The license plate said "RARE VW". Can anyone elaborate on this? I didn't even know that VW had plans to put a VR8 in a GTI. Is this a European model? Inquiring minds want to know.

andys120

you saw this car in person, rather than in the media I'd guess it was a custom. There is no VR8
motor, VW calls it a W8.

adg44

Just some guy playing around with badges.... It's sad.

tdiphaeton

If VW dropped an 8 cylinder into a Golf, they definately wouldn't call it a Golf GTI.

GTI's are (relatively) lightweight, sporty cars; not necisarily fast, but fun to drive.

No Golf GTI comes with, nor will come with 4motion. GTI's are front wheel drive hot hatches.

Even the new Golf R32 is not a GTI, since it has too much power to be a GTI, and it has 4motion.

wishnhigh1

Actually, there was a production VR8, but it was ultra rare. I think less than 100 stand alone units were built.

The Bugatti W16 engine was created using two VR8 engines mated together, much in the same way that the W12 uses two VR6s, and the W8 uses two pseudo VR4s.

So a W8 exists. Whether he actually has one or not is the real question. It never was a in a production golf, to my knowledge. Definitely custom.

geoffd1

If VW dropped an 8 cylinder into a Golf, they definately wouldn't call it a Golf GTI.

Really? I can't see why not.

GTI's are (relatively) lightweight, sporty cars; not necisarily fast, but fun to drive.

Gee. Mine weighs in at over 2,800 pounds. A small V8 wouldn't add all that much extra weight. And 180 hp in a 2,800 pound car qualified as fast a few years ago. The definition seems to have changed recently.

No Golf GTI comes with, nor will come with 4motion. GTI's are front wheel drive hot hatches.

And AWD and a V8 would make it a really hot hatch.

Even the new Golf R32 is not a GTI, since it has too much power to be a GTI, and it has 4motion.

Of course, VW can do whatever they want with the brand. A 2003 GTI in no way resembles a 20-year-old GTI. Much heavier. Much more power. Much softer ride. And consider some of the disaster cars that have inherited a brand name... Pontiac Le Mans, for example.

So what do you suggest they call it, a GTO? (I just saw Vin Diesel in XXX).

tdiphaeton

"So what do you suggesr they call it, a GTO?"

How about Golf VR8.

inigoco

To help clear all the air. VW does not make a VR8. The W8 is really two VR4's aligned in a V to create a V-8 that is shorter than most and makes a compact engine. The W8 would be a very tight fit in the engine bay of a GTI, if it were even possible and I doubt a VR8 would fit either since it would be too long. There is no such thing as a GTI haven't too much power and therefore not being called a GTI. That is just crazy, GTI's are the most powerful version of the Golf available in the US and that's why they are called what they are. The reason the Golf R32 is not called a GTI is because in Europe where this car is from the standard Golf is available with a VR6 and 4-Motion. The Golf R32 is just the Golf V6 with a larger and more powerful V6, specifically a 3.2 Liter 241 HP VR6. It is not a souped-up GTI, it is a souped-up Golf so that's what it is called. This car is not as groundbreaking in Europe as it appears to be here. They have had the 4-door, VR6, 4-Motion Golf for a few years now. We here in the US are just not used to seeing these because we aren't allowed to have them for whatever reason VW has.

mikos

I have to agree... a GTI is a GTI because that's their name on this side of the pond.. nothing to do with power, weight, etc. Now on to better things.. What is up with the 337? The car is cool but slightly missed the mark with the golf ball shifter. Also.. if you're going to dump all that money into tires, wheels, Brembos, an aero kit.. the time to pony up with the HPs. The 1.8T doesn't do the car enough justice. Totally should've had the VR6 option as the suspension is ready for it.

Then... you send your little ECU off to Wetterauer for a little chipping of said VR6 to squeeze a few more little ponies and torque. Ahhh, that's a good thing. Oh, I know.. someone's going to chime in to chip the 1.8T and get crazy.. but doubling the boost to 14lbs is not necessarily a good thing for the turbo.. best to just tweak the 6 and be happy as most 3 series and Audi counterparts see nothing but your tail-lights.. hee, hee... later!

inigoco

I think the reason the 337 doesn't have the VR6 is probably more tradition than anything. The GTI was created to be a lightweight version of (originally) the Rabbit and later the Golf. It was meant to be the version with the most power and least weight. Well, by using the 1.8T in the 337 rather than the VR6, VW basically goes back tot the roots of what this car was meant to be. Especially good considering the 337 is pretty much the 25th anniversary edition everywhere but in the US. The VR6 pretty much makes equal power to the newer 1.8T, though it does have a bit more low-end power, but the 1,8T is a much lighter engine and it just seems more suited to what a true GTI is. As far as how much power the GTI can make. You can make the 1.8T much more powerful than the VR6 for a lot less money. You can chip the VR6, get a new exhaust and Cold-Air Intake and you may get about 20 more HP out of it. The 1.8T on the otherhand, can be made to make 230-240 HP with a chip alone. Even if you just add a Cold-Air intake and Exhaust to the 1.8T without chipping it, you can still get a good gain in power. I've yet to see people having problems with their chipped 1.8T's. Any problems I've heard of have more to do with bad chips and not the turbo kicking the bucket. And if the turbo is what bothers you, there are a number of kits out there which put a larger turbo onto the 1.8T and the power gains are even greater. This can all still be done for a lot less than what it would cost to make the VR6 make the same power. But anyway, my main point was that i feel the 1.8T is the perfect engine for the 337.

james_ca

when is new model coming out for Passat?was lookin at getting one soon..then heard new one's gonna come out in 2005?does anyone know the timing for new model release?what will be the major changes?any price increase along???

8u6hfd

Funny...GTI are available with 4Motion, where?

Of course, not in the US

Heck GTI's are available with Diesel now

nizmo

There is a 4 motion GTI/GOLF its called the R32 smart guyz! Any more questions about cars or debates. Bastooo93@aol.com