Re: Why Was That?!

[MHLIGGINS@aol.com]

<<- Chrysler minivans with a turbo four option
- Chevy Chevettes with a diesel option (hey, zero to sixty in a week or so)>>
	I still remember cruising at 110 m/h across Austria two years ago.  Got
passed, SIGNIFICANTLY by a Chrysler Minivan with "TurboDiesel" stenciled
across the back end.

<< and many poorly designed applications gave the reliability of a $2.00
watch. >>
	Are you sure?  I've still got some $2.00 watches that I bought 12 years ago
that are still running great.  I just have to change the battery in each about
every 15 months.

	And with respect to the initial question(s), I think VAG has some of the
mentality that GM had in the early pony car years.  That is, that only so much
horsepower or displacement should be available in certain packages.  Remember
how (in the early "power wars" ) displacement for the Chevy Chevelle was
restricted to no more than 400 cid?  So the designers and engineers simply
badged the cars with "396" even though the engines got bored to 402....
(Then, of course, the gloves came off and out came the 454s.)
	To our way of thinking most euro cars are significantly underpowered.  But it
makes sense to them, I guess.

	That's it from Bucksnort.
	--ml