>Righto! Why all the blather about higher and higher HP little whizbang
>engines, when what a VANAGON needs is high TORQUE, at lower rpm's. Think
>diesel, direct-injected diesels. VW has the best torque-monsters going,

Wrong. Toyota has a THREE-liter TDi four, and has made it since the
early 90s. From the Hiace van and Hilux Surf SSR. It'll blow any VW
TDi away big time. It'll also blow away any VW transmission... Price
secondhand is generally equivalent to $1750-2250US.

>  and
>they bolt into the Vanagon fairly easily. TDI technology seems to skip right
>over the heads of the geniuses in the far east,

Rubbish. Don't blame the Japanese for the failings of US marketers!

>at least for the US market.

That's better... a bit.

>VW is at least thinking of the future and renewable fuel. Gimme 150 hp and
>250+ ft/lbs at 1900 rpm. Subaru, can you match that, while achieving 50 mpg
>(compact car) or 30~35 mpg van? I think not.

I still refuse to believe claims that ANY diesel van can do 30mpg,
and even more, that this is little US gallons!

They are racing diesel cars against gas in Europe. BMW and Gold 2.0
turbodiesels making 400hp... I wonder how reliable these are, and
what modifications they have. I guess they spin to 7000+rpm too.
Hmmm... maybe I should apply these tricks to my diesel Corolla!
--
Andrew Grebneff
165 Evans St, Dunedin 9001, New Zealand
<andrew.grebneff@stonebow.otago.ac.nz>
Seashell, Macintosh, VW/Toyota van nut