A correction: That ain't no R32 drive train

You know how your mom told you not to believe everything you read? Well I should have not believed the Youtube info I read, and I now have to admit a mistake. That insane AME Polo? It does not, in fact, have an R32 motor stuffed under the hood. It is a 1.9 16v turbo. And it makes 1047hp. Let me repeat that. One point nine liters. With a turbo, four valves per cylinder. One thousand and forty seven horsepower.



I suppose I could have caught this had I read the specs listed on AME's website (they're a tuning / race shop in Berlin) or paid closer attention, but well, I didn't. (and the AME site does mention specs on the Polo with an R32 engine, and it certainly sounds like a VR6 in at least one of those clips) But regardless, thanks to helpful reader Marcus, from Germany, I am now fully informed about the tiny little Polo Mk1. I have to hand it to AME Rennsporttechnik. This has got to be one of the most impressive build specs I've ever seen when it comes to pure power in a tiny package.



The engine is based around a reinforced 1.9 TDI block, 86.4mm crank, AME 82.5mm pistons, longer H-beam high strength 160mm rods, cams, mechanical followers, a GT40R Garrett turbo, AME stand alone management and THIRTEEN fuel injectors. Plus the kitchen sink. That all adds up to 1047hp and 950Nm at 7734rpm, with 2.75 BAR boost. (40psi)



The shift point is all the way up at 9400rpm, and in 6th gear the tiny tin can will be going 300kph, at 9000rpm. So theoretically this car could easily top 300kph, which means it's bascially a 200mph Polo. Curb weight is almost exactly 2000lbs with a driver, 0-62 happens in 2.3 seconds, and it will be above 150mph before it gets to 10 seconds. Low 9 second in the 1/4 mile. Etc. That is seriously fast. Power is out through a TT Quattro gearbox and drivetrain, and probably broken quite often.



At least I got one thing right the last time. This car IS pure insanity!

_WRS

Damn I love this car

'nuff said.

_WRS

Winter battle mode: Part 2

So it's been snowing a lot here in the north east the past few weeks. It was pretty intense. This is not the sort of scene you want to wake up to when you have 6 hours to drive and you're on summer performance tires.



Luckily Project Mk5 made it home safe and sound from the icy great white north, despite the poor tire choice, and Josh managed to capture some great artistic shots along the way. Such as:

treading lightly (thank god for Anti-lock and traction control)

spin art salt dirt rims

and

froze up icy 19s

I've been trying to forget how cold it is outside by remembering the good times this past summer. And nothing says summer like a red-hot BBQ with some delicious meats and some Tiki drinks to keep you cool...



I feel warmer already.

_WRS

FULL SIZE over at the Flickr pages

Battling the weather

There's something I've always liked about a car which has spent time battling the elements to reach a destination. Covered in snow, dirt, ice, salt, slammed to the ground and on summer tires, but making it there in one piece. I've learned my lesson a long time ago about summer tires in winter weather (which is why my Falken 615's aren't on the car right now), but Josh still pushes that limit. Perhaps not the smartest thing to do, but the car looks good on the Lambo reps in the snow.

_WRS

Two Words: Totally insane

What a way to kick off the new year.

Insane!




_WRS

Happy New Year

We here at Der Wolfsburg Rennsport would like to wish everyone a very happy, fun, and safe New Year! We've got big things in the works for 2010, including a tentative support role for a team running the vintage race at Sebring this year. (Alan's MG, as mentioned in the Watkin's Glen trip) If everything continues to fall into place, we'll be there up close and personal with reports on all the vintage action, plus the main event, the 12 hours of Sebring. Sometimes wrenching on the car may take priority over pictures, but we should have plenty of exclusive content from the inside perspective. Some possible connections in support of a Porsche team running GT2 as well, but that's all very hush-hush at the moment.



In addition we plan on having more on our various projects, including the Mk5 GTI, Carmen da Corrado, and Crazy like a Fox. Shows will be attended, and we may even start aiming for some unique in-depth features, with real-world driving impressions of these project cars that everyone puts together. After all we can all see them in pictures, but what about the real deal? How do they drive? All that and more, if we can get off our respective rumps and make it happen. I think we can.



Needless to say we're very excitied and looking forward to 2010. It's gonna be a big year, mark my words!

_WRS

Now that's what I call old school....

Photo: Janusz Mrozek, via Railpictures.net

Aside from being a car nut, I'm also a bit of a general transportation nut. Although I'm not obsessive with it, growing up in an industrial blue-collar town will inject one with an appreciation of heavy machinery and things that make the world go 'round. So yeah. I'll just say it: I can be a bit of a train geek. Which is how I came across this awesome picture of Pittsburgh, circa 1978. Talk about a cool Rabbit! Such an awesome color green. How come they don't sell VW's with eye-catching hues like this anymore? It's like people don't have a sense of humor like they used to. These days it's all grays, silvers, dark blues, blacks and whites...and tans. Ugh. Tan.

I might need to find the paint code for this, for the currently super back-burner project Scirocco Madness. Although I'm sure this machine has long since rusted away in the harsh winters that tend to assault Pennsylvania, it's cool to stumble across this sort of history, preserved for the rest of us to appreciate.

_WRS