I would like to gauge your guys' interest on doing a "TDI Challenge" similar to the Diesel Power Challenge for the trucks. (Although VW's legal department might make us call it "Diesel Car Challenge."

I'm thinking the same events as the truck event, with the exception of the trailer tow, substituting an autocross or lap times on a track. What do you guys think?

Should it be open to all diesel cars? VWs, Mercedes, domestics, etc? What do you think?  

I think this is a terrific idea. On one hand with VW/Audi, we got Euro performance and handling, and with Mercedes diesels we could see quite a few vintage diesels. Of course, theres could always be hot rods with diesel engine swaps. Diesel performance cars are getting all sorts of attention these days, such as VW hosting their Jetta TDI cups.  

Hey that gives me an idea  Jetta+4BT+solid axles=one funny looking car but throw in the sled pull and trailer tow. Game on!  

Sounds like a good idea to me, like the jetta idea, so ill put a 6bt in a 69 charger, general lee paint job, and a dana 80 rear axle, and see what wins, light weight and gas mileage, or big motor...lol. I saw a show on tv where these guys in california built a car for the guy that played warrick brown on CSI las vegas, they took a 69 charger and put it on a 2007 charger frame, so they had the modern handling and engine, and even got the factory (08) air conditioning and heat to work through the original vents. Id like a 69 general lee painted charger on the new frame and suspension with solid front/rear axles, and a 5.9 cummins with custom AWD for ultimate drag strip launches. The jettas are pretty sweet, i know a guy with a souped up one and it hauls ass and will roll the smoke, but i guess i cant resist the muscle cars.  

Oh, ya we can't call it TDI challenge for sure. Acutually VW already has a Jetta TDI challenge/cup. I'm sure we could do something similar, but not at that extreme and make the barriers of entry more friendly so most readers with qualifying cars can join.  

Okay, let's noodle around on this a little more. I think you'd have to have a few different classes for it. Maybe FWD, RWD/AWD and "Open," which would be the class for all the crazy engine swaps and customs. For the FWD and RWD classes, the vehicles would have to have some semblance of the original engine (although modifications would be allowed, of course). As far as the events, like I said, 60 ft, 1/4-mile, autocross or timed lap, dyno run, and fuel economy test.  

Whaddaya say?  

Maybe its cause i got a soft spot for dirt but a rally type event would be awesome. Not with any jumps or any of the crazy stuff, but it would make for some interesting action. Im sure it would be hard to get competitors to participate in that kind of event, though.  

I think a rally challenge is a really cool idea, but it's going to put a lot of restrictions, and there needs to be legal consent papers which...will be a big hassle since rally tracks can be extremely hazardous. Just youtube rally racing, and theres quite a few infamous rally corners that always get tons of crashes. It's a pretty dangerous sport, and I doubt many of the cars that will enter a competition like this will have the proper rollcages, engine filters, etc for personnel and mechanical safety.  

I think a simple autocross or road race on a longer track would be fine. Besides which, non-AWD vehicles would be at a distinct disadvantage in the dirt.  

i think thats a totaly awesome idea. could i enter my rabbit pickup in that since it is a vw diesel and basicaly a car cuz i cant haul 500 pds in the bed w/ out the clutch slipping?? anyway i hope it happens!!!!  

I've got some new ideas.

I think to keep it simple, we could use a format similar to the Diesel Power Challenges (and to keep costs down, hold both of them back to back or even together as one event with 2 classes).

Basically, a drag race (qtr mile or 1/8), a fuel economy run, a towing competition (albeit much lighter loads than the heavy trucks) and of course, a dyno run. Maybe instead of tractor pulls, an autocross like esanchez suggested could help it differentiate from the truck crowd. Wouldn't be too hard to hold both events together I would think, as long as we can get sponsors (VW is a likelihood) and a little bit more staff to work on it? I think it's a great idea only a few steps away.

Plus, I think it's great to breathe in some fresh air into Diesel Power. I think some more features with souped up diesel cars would appeal to a broader crowd and up subscription rates. I know quite a few people who would subscribe to Diesel Power if it just wasn't all about trucks, heh.  

I think a car challenge would be really interesting. You'd have everything from old GM diesels, to Mercedes, VWs, Peugeots. But the diversity would also make the organization and categorization of the even a little more challenging as well. I still think they should do it.    

I'd rather see only the new line up of diesels, and you could call it the "EuroDiesel Challenge".

With all the passenger cars on the market, there aren't many choices for a diesel here in the US .... which sucks.  I'd love to see VW, Mercedes, Fiat, etc. with cars currently on the market bring them to the US.  Maybe this would help spark diesel passenger car options here in the States.

I loved my folks' 1980 Cadillac Seville with the old 5.7L, and my dad's work trucks which all ran 5.7's.  Later on he switched to 6.2L's, and while it still was a dog with all of 180hp it still could out-pull a gasser.

While the memories of those old diesels does bring a smile to my face, the idea of a Chrysler 300M-TDi with 400hp and 450 ft-lbs of torque, chipped with an aftermarket cold air intake and stainless exhaust getting 40 MPG @ 75 MPH is what I really want to see.



Kris