[Vwdiesel] YeeHaa!

[James Hansen]

Greg Johnson wrote:
> When you post something general on a discussion board, such as my post about
> the new Bluesport Concept, it's always interesting to see what lister's will
> focus on.
> 
> With the new Bluesport there's much to talk about.   It's one of the few
> diesel powered sports cars on the planet.  The interior and exterior styling
> is way cool.  It's mid-engined and will therefore handle extremely well.
> It's light weight (2600 lbs) which adds to the handling, creates a wonderful
> power to weight ratio, and contributes to its 0-60 in 6.6 seconds time and
> its awesome 55 miles to the gallon fuel economy (hybrid, schmybird).  Ah,
> and lets not forget 140 mph!  The Blue Concept will run rings (Audi rings?)
> around a Prius, deliver better highway mileage, and probably come pretty
> darn close to the same in town fuel mileage, particularly if you drive it
> like a Prius.   As I said: "Yeehaa!"

Well absolutely, you're preaching to the converted in that vein.
> 
> So, with all there is to talk about, I can't figure out why most of the
> discussion is about a DSG tranny that VAG developed about 6 years ago and
> introduced in the Audi TT in 2004.  Yawn . . .  Snooze

Because a number of us have cars with Tiptronic transmissions.  Tip 
leaves a particularly awful impression on the owner.  So bad, that I 
Never, ever want to drive another automatic that Volkswagen has had 
anything to do with ever again. I have one in my 05 Passat. Feh.  The 
car is wonderful. I barely tolerate the slushbox.  If I could evict the 
damn thing, I would.
Enter DSG.
While it promises to be an amazing transmission, the concept behind 
improving my car by making the transmission a hopelessly complex 
engineering marvel that approaches the efficiency of a standard gearbox 
is lost on me.
I have found that I can very easily achieve the efficiency of a standard 
gearbox with *gasp* a standard shift gearbox and a manual clutch.  I 
really don't give a crap how fast it shifts unless I plan on racing it, 
which for now, I don't, I'm having waaay too much fun with my current 
race car.
I personally view DSG as a very complicated fix for what was not broken. 
My opinion only.
I would probably buy the Blue Concept anyway as it is a wonderful car, 
and a damn fine advertising platform for getting diesel vehicles 
accepted in North America, and most likely an utter adn complete hoot to 
drive, but then so would be a TDI powered Aerial Atom.
As to the service life of a blue concept?  I lay money on the tranny as 
the first piece of technology to shit the bed.
-james