I was not really thinking of racing with the TDI. However, people who have
driven the TDI Vanagon report a very solid feeling of power thanks to the
torque. This includes people who have done other gasoline engine
conversions. If you thinking of end speed, then there are faster gasoline
engines because of higher rpm. If you are concerned about acceleration and
power from the bottom up and fuel economy, then it will have to be a TDI
which can even be tuned electronically for more power. 

It depends where you want to go. For example take a Syncro off road and you
will appreciate high torque. Yesterday I hit wet clay which grabbed and sank
my front wheels. I got out but only with a lot of clutch play and I was
dreaming of a TDI.

In addition any gas engine will beat the TD or TDI to the gas stations. A
gasoline engine in a vanagon consume typically between 12 and 14+
litres/100kms. A TDI will consume between 7.5 and 8.5 L/100kms. Also
environmentally the TDI does better than a gas engine. The TDI as well as
the modern TD engines do not have the Diesel smell any more since they use a
catalytic converter. 

The German site of Martin Schulte
http://www.koeln.netsurf.de/~Martin.Schulte/welcome.html 
gives you a good run down on a conversion. The problem with the TDI in North
America is its availability and its price, which dampens the economy of the
conversion.

Bj�rn

Bj�rn Ratjen, Ph.D.

Canada
ph/fax (250) 743-7575