VW test drives

[Tom Nas <tnas@euronet.nl>]

Hi all,

Yesterday I added two of their new models to my VW experience- the Lupo
(sub-Polo city car) and the Bora (new Vento/Jetta).

The Lupo, VW's version of the Seat Arosa, is a tiny car. The compact engine
and small trunk however have made the interior rather roomy for such a
small car. The trunk is useless (it won't even pass my own '2 cases of
beer' test) but there is room enough for a basketball player in the front
and even six-footers can easily get into the rear.
The build quality of this car is truly outstanding. The doors close with a
solid thunk, and there are no rattles or vibrations. The materials used are
excellent, and I can even live with the vast expanses of painted metal
inside, because at least they did something creative with it. The dash is a
true work of art and shows us that cheap doesn't have to mean nasty.
Driving the 1.0 version (base engine) leaves you feeling that the chassis
is deserving of more power- stomp the accelerator, wait for a bit and then
the speed starts to pick up. With its short wheelbase it's predictably
jittery over bumps, but even at 140 km/h it feels perfectly stable and
safe. The brakes were excellent, and the steering is direct and light and
has plenty of feel. Very good, if rather hard, seats. The gearbox didn't
feel all that nice- a little notchy but not in the classical VW way- this
time it didn't feel rubbery.
All in all a good small car, and a good bet over the small Japanese and
Italian cars on the market. Not to mention that it looks better than all
those cars put together...

The Bora was an altogether different story. While this is essentially a
sedan Golf, it didn't feel like one. The car I drove, a 90 hp TDI, was very
well-equipped and drove a lot better than both the new Golfs I had the
pleasure to drive recently. Actually, it felt more like a Passat (strange,
as to my knowledge nothing much has been changed suspension-wise). Interior
space is disappointing- especially rear-seat passengers have very little
leg room. The trunk on the other hand is huge- I'd have sacrificed a little
trunk space for leg room in the rear. In the front, it's like any Golf:
solid, high-quality but not overly spacious. The 90 hp TDI feels better
than the 100 hp 1.6 petrol engine in the Golf- it pulls strongly from
tickover and has dollops of torque all over the rev range. No sudden kick
in the back when the turbo wakes up (like on the Mondeo TD) but just a nice
even power band. It's possible to drive this car lazily (high gear, low
revs) or aggressively- it acts like any GTI when prodded. When it's warmed
up, it feels like any petrol engine and makes less noise than the 1.6.
Don't like diesels? Get a TDI!

All in all, a very pleasant experience. VW seems to have taken its products
upmarket and now uses its clout as the world's third-largest car maker to
conquer the market in every segment. Judging by these samples, they're
succeeding.

Still no TT for test drives. The dealership where I drove both VWs had just
sold its demonstrator (for considerably more than list price, apparently)
and even the TT in the showroom had a 'sold' notice on it. I've still to
see my first TT on the road, but they seem to be selling very well indeed.
Oh, in black it looks superb, too. And I definately like the alcantara
upholstery.

Tom

 _______________________________________________________________________
 Tom Nas                                          Zeist, The Netherlands
 tnas@euronet.nl
 1987 Audi 90q 2.3E, Tizianrot metallic, 167,000km

                        ENGINEERING TERMINOLOGY
       PHRASE: "Preliminary operational tests were inconclusive."
     TRANSLATION: "The darn thing blew up when we threw the switch."