David Marshall wrote:

"Not to start a war here as I feel VW Diesels are worth their sale, but
yes
a gasoline powered VW could do the same thing as your hopped up VW
Pickup
it is all power to weight ratio.  Your little trip was actually quite
dangerous if you ask me.  How did you ever stop?  My 1980 Rabbit PU
weighs
950kg and my 1988 Double Cab weighs 1800km, almost twice the weight.
The
old saying of objects in motion tend to stay in motion unless an equall
or
greater force acts upon them comes into play here.

A Diesel power Rabbit will go quite nicely, but a Diesel powered Vanagon

will get from point A to B all be it a LOT slower.

Engine          Power   Torque
1.6L D          52      71
1.6L TD 68      98
1.8L G          100     105
2.1L WB 90      117

I agree with David, the VW 1.8l gas engine puts out more hp and TORQUE
than the VW 1.6 td diesel.  I too have towed cars and boats with both
diesel and gas VWs and if given a choice much prefer to do it with a gas
engine.  Having owned 12 or so VWs both gas and diesel, I choose the
diesel for the fuel economy only.  Not for the noise, smoke, and lack of
power.
Having had 2 Mercedes 190d I feel that the Mercedes really is a better
engine than the VW.  I would never want to rebuild a Mercedes engine
though, I can re-ring the VW diesel in a day, for less than $200 Cdn.
I currently drive a 1986 Jetta td (5.6 liters/100 km), 1984 Jetta td,
1984 Westfalia (14 liters/100 km).

Gary Lee
Calgary, Canada