>VW never made a sports car?   Scirocco (I had 2), Corrado spring
>to mind immediately, not to mention GTI's... of course, we aren't
>talking Testarossa-level units- but fun, nimble and quick fits my
>easy-going sportscar definition!

>The Brazilian Puma comes to mind.

>They did and it was called 914, there was the Karmann Ghia before then
>(don't laugh - that was back when an MG was considered a sports car too),
>GTI was sporty and fun, Scirocco had you sitting on the floor like a
>sports car and it would out-handle many, and then there was the Corrado (I
>had one nad it ran like a screaming banshee) with wonderful high-speed
>composure,  and great brakes.
>
>As for the current crop of VWs, you'd have to drive the R32 to appreciate
>it.  I had the opportunity to sample one and it was a mind-boggling
>experience.
>
>In the future there will be the Concept C which certainly looks like a
>4-seat sports car
>http://www.vwvortex.com/artman/publish/volkswagen_news/article_807.shtml
>
>
>So while VW never made a narrow-focus fire-breating monster, they
>certainly made more sensible products which could be enjoyed by a
>sports-car enthusiast.

None of those are sportscars. The Scirocco, Corrado, Golf GTi were
sporty but not sportscars! The Karmann Ghias (Types 1 & 3) were
"personal" coupes, not sporty in the least, and not intended to be.
The Puma... gah!

>I caught this thread late, so if this is covered ground delete on, but isn't
>the audi supposed to handle the sport car manifestations of vw, and one of
>the criticisms of vw of late is that the lower end audi lines are competing
>with vws? If vw offers a sport car, they'll be competing with themselves in
>another venue, unless they can reestablish that audi is the luxury brand.

The Audi TT is arguably a sportscar, but not one which handles
(typical Audi excessive understeer). VW's only sportscars are
Bugattis & Lamborghinis. And DON'T try to tell me the Bentley Arnage
Turbo is a sportscar!
--
Andrew Grebneff
Dunedin
New Zealand
<andrew.grebneff@stonebow.otago.ac.nz>
Seashell, Macintosh, VW/Toyota van nut