umm well i was driving to work today and i saw a black GTI waving in and out of traffic. it had the GTI VR6 logo on it and it was the previous gen/not the new one. it had some mods on the outside but im not sure what was on the inside (what i could see was rims/lowered/exhaust)

so i pull up next to him, and as soon as the light turns green his car just chirps and starts goin, while im sitting there burning out--i ended up burning out throughout the full first gear and half of the 2nd........and i tied him till we reached 50/then i cut it off since i cant get anymore tickets....he just kept goin

it was weird cause i thought i was gonna take him....something wrong here???? (besides my start )

-IgS

 

nah, just your start

 

GTIs have a decent amount of torque down low, but I dont think theres much up top in the rev band. Plus they should be lighter than the Max, but I think in the end, a Max would take it.

 

I took one a while back i killed it off the line from a roll and i couldnt pull anymore after 60..i had about 4 cars on him with a G35 sedan...

those things are pretty quick in the high rpms and they are pretty light

 

GTI's are very fast... i like the new "aniversarry"

 

I've raced against one at the track(1/4 miles, no time). It was a 95 with VR6 conversion, ECU chip, exhaust and CAI. He had me about 1 to 1.5 full lenght of car!
I chirps maybe too much but those car are really light and as great power!!

 

The previos vr6 was only about 180 hp stock. New ones are 200.
No slouch, but a 3.0 could take em, let alone a 3.5.
However, they are HIGHLY modable.
I saw a 1.8T custom at 300+ whp. Crazy.
I test drove a 2002 gti 337. Great car, but the 3.5 should still smack it down without much drama.

All of this depends, of coarse, on a straight line.

 

It's no comparison with a 3.5L VQ...but I've had my fair share of run ins with S/C and T/C newer VR6's...they are monumentally fast. Low 13's with just 5 PSi on the one I ran at SDR...bastard...

 

ya i was talkin with a kid that drives a 1.8T vw the other day - all he's got is a chip and he ran a 14.8. not bad for a 4 banger

 

Yeah, considering they can get 50 HP from just a ECU upgrade...bastards

 

I pulled up to a light when I first got my 04 and this new anniversary edition GTI pulled up and revved it all the way up. Anyways I proceeded to let him know it was on. We both went on green and I killed that thing off the line, By the time I hit 3rd I had a couple lengths on him and still pulling. Nice cars though.

 

bro.. maximas are heavy... we got to becarefull on first... not too much gas...u dont have to have a hard start cause we can catch up to any car on 2nd and 3rd

 

drivers race... maxima has advantage.

 

sigh, VQ35de+bald tires= major burnout
guess i know what i gotta do this weekend, change them tires

-IgS

 

Well, it depends on the model VR6 he was referring to when he said the "older one, not the new ones"
They are the same car, the only way to tell the difference between the 12V 174 hp VR6 and the
24V 200 hp VR6 is the fact they put straight pipes out of the rear instead of the hidden exhaust on the 1999-2002 models.

Now, if he meant older by 1995-1998 these cars had the same 12V VR6 but rated at 172 hp. They were also 100+ pounds lighter.

The 1999-2002 VR6 ran 15.1-15.2 stock in magazine tests. Had 0-60 times of 6.9 seconds.
The prior 1995-1998 VR6 ran 0-60 in 6.6-6.7 seconds and ran 15.0 1/4 times.

You're dead wrong to think a 5th gen 3.0 could "take" the VR6. It's a strong performer.

If it's the new 200 HP VR6 expect 0-60 times of 6.5 seconds and 1/4 times of 14.8

The 180 hp 1.8T also runs 0-60 in 6.5 seconds and magazine tests have them in the 1/4 at 15.3 @ 93 mph. And that's on crappy all terrain touring tires.

They are quick cars, I owned a 1.8T and though my 3.5 Maxima would take it, a well driven 1.8T or 200 hp VR6 would give it a run.
And with a simple $400 chip the 1.8T would probably give a 6 speed manual 5th gen Max SE all the trouble the driver would ever want.

Don't ever underestimate one if you pull up alongside it.
You'll never know if the 1.8T has a chip. And with better than stock tires, giving the GTI driver the ability to launch harder, you could find yourself looking at taillights.

They are underestimated. And next year, for the 2005 model year, they are getting a 2.0T rated at 200 hp with a 6 speed manual tranny in the completely redesigned car. Expect 0-60 times in the low 6's and my guess would be 1/4 times of 14.6 seconds...from the magazine guys, better with good owners.

 

It's true that the gti can be modded quite easily. I almost bought one for that reason. However, when stock, they are not a match for the max if driven well IMO.
http://www.vw.com/gti/tech.htm
1.8T 0-60: 7.5
2.8 VR6 0-60: 7.7

That's in line with what I read when considering purchasing one.

 

The only stock VR6 that can consistently take a 2K2+ Maxima is the new R32 (and that remains to be seen). HOWEVER, i've seen a number of modded (non-R32) VR6 Golfs and Jettas that can rip a new one into any 2K2+ Maxima.

A friend of mine has a modded 95 GTI that runs mid-upper 13s.

 

GTI are quick. Lots of torque at the low end. my friend had a stock 2k VR6, and he would take my 2k1 auto everytime. on the highway those things are very good. the GTI was mainly build for the autoban. from a roll it will give a 2k2 a good race(12V VR6). the 24V VR6(201 HP) are even quicker because of the 27 more HP and because of the 6sp tranny. I bet these can do low 6's, i dont believe magazines times. they always said the 12V VR6 does low 7's 0-60 and one time i even saw a 7.8 0-60. it took my 01 with no problem at all. a 12V VR6 is a very good competitor for the 2k1 5sp off the line. the 24V can take the 3.5 auto.

 

Ben, you are looking at VW's claims for the car. Everyone knows VW drastically underestimates their times.
Pick up any magazine which has tested the cars.
Car and Driver got the 1.8T to 60 in 6.5 seconds and the 1/4 in 15.3 @ 93 mph. MotorTrend was about the same, and every other car mag was in line with that.

I have not seen the new 200 hp VR6 tested in a GTI.
But the 174 hp version was tested in several and I think the fastest time I saw was in Road and Track in early 2002, where they got it to 60 in 6.8 seconds and the 1/4 mile in 15.1 at 94 mph.

They tested it was a bunch of other cars (RSX-S, Eclipse GT, etc etc) the GTI VR6 was faster in the 1/4 than both of them.

I've owned a 1.8T and rest assured it's faster than 0-60 in 7.5 seconds.
Heck, even when it was rated at 150 hp, the car mags got 0-60 times for it in the 7.1 to 7.3 second range (same for the 150 hp New Beetle).
The 1/4 mile times for the 150 hp versions were 15.6 to 15.8 seconds at 89-90 mph.

The 5th Generation 3.0 liter SE manual would maybe be a car length in front of the 150 hp 1.8T, but it would be a car length back on the 1.8T and even further on the VR6, especially the 200 hp one, which with more power and better gearing from a 6 speed manual is surely at least .3-.4 tenths faster than the 174 hp VR6.

And, of course their would be no contest in the twisties, the GTI (although labeled as having a soft suspension by hardcore handlers) still handles VERY well and out slaloms and skidpads the Spec-V in both Car and Driver and Motor Trend's tests of the cars in comparision tests.

It is a highly underestimated "get no respect" car.

 

I remember car and driver finding 8+ seconds 0-60 for the pre 2k2 gti. However, I just found an article from car and driver saying they got 6.5 outta the 2k2+ 1.8.
Perhaps you are right.

Anyway, I never said they weren't great cars. I came very close to buying one before I sat in the back seat.
Besides, the gti is the original "pocket rocket"

 

The 1.8T is a quick car, but runs out of steam above 80 mph or so.
Just like most other turbocharged small displacement engines.
Off the line it's a bit slow too, but the turbo lag is almost non existant and from 10-80 mph it's a very quick car.

The VR6 is much more like a small 3.5 VQ in a smaller car.
It has power basically everywhere.

It's probably only about .2 seconds faster to 60 than the 1.8T, but it will walk on the 1.8T at higher speeds.

The reason that the 200 hp GTI VR6 didn't do well in sales is:
1. It cost about $1,600 more than the 1.8T too much for only slightly better around town performance.
2. The 1.8T is 110 pounds less in weight. It therefore handles better, because most of that weight lose is over the front wheels because of th lighter engine.
3. The 1.8T is VERY easy to mod. Again, a $400 chip and you are at 210 hp and 240 lbs-ft in a car that weighs a moderate 2900 lbs.
4. The 1.8T gets better gas mileage.

You add those things up and it's no wonder not many people bought the 200 hp VR6. Plus many think and dynos have shown the 1.8T actually puts out closer to 190 hp than 180.

I probably would have gotten another GTI if the new one would have been released this year as a 2004.
The 2.0T will most likely be rated at 200 hp, and probably be putting out a bit more. The new car is said to weigh about 100+ pounds more due to being slightly larger and the new independent rear suspension.

But people say that the 2.0T will be good for 250 hp from the factory eventually as they increase the boost.

I am a VW fan as well.
I like the fact they are an affordable German car company. They make VERY solid cars with wonderful interiors. Yes, they've had some electrical issues, but my GTI 1.8T was great and I missed the car. My GF actually liked it better than our 2002 Maxima. She liked the turbo and the quick nature of the car. It's also much more stable at high speed than the Maxima. Driving 125 in the GTI 1.8T and you can do so with a finger on the wheel.
I took the Maxima to 125 the other day, blasting a few ricers and the hood was shaking so bad and I felt uncomfortable with the car at that speed, most likely I'll never go that fast again in the Maxima, even though the engine could easily manage it.

I have a close friend with a GTI 1.8T and although we haven't raced, I think he'd give me a good run in my 2002 Maxima. Though the Maxima feels stronger when you drive the cars back to back, I know the GTI actually surprises you with how fast it goes and how easily it does it.

Take care.

 

GTI VR6 cars aren't really that light, they weight over 3000 pounds. Thats alot for a little car like the GTI.

 

Regardless of the performance stats, they are one of the best all around 2 door FWD performance cars on the market. Even the Jetta is an exceptional car considering the things you get with it. I like VW cars, and always have. They have come a long way, and before too long I might build up another turbo VW project car.

 

Vr6's sound sooooooooooo nice with an itake or exhaust oh my god..

 

OT

 

Yeah thats the R32. But thats V6 + AWD id like to see the G35 AWD run that.