Passat as a Track Car - Feasible?

[Baron Reg]

Three of us mates have been thinking of pooling our resources and getting a joint track car. Now two of us advocate the little MX-5 as being an ideal choice. Cheap, fun to drive, engine in the right place, driven wheels at the back and lots of third party mods available. The third chap in the group isn't convinced. He gets a bit broody about the good old VW Passat.

So ladies and gents. Just how feasible is a Passat as a track car? Not any old Passat mind. The archetype - the one whose natural home is on lane 3 of the M4, usually 6" off the rear of your pride and joy. The mighty Tdi

Can the combined intellectual might of the Pistonheads community put this man out of his misery? Or are we three consigned to the hell of him trying to get us into "Automotive Beige"?

[drakart]

ditch your friend and buy a proper car! a passat for a track car???? what the hell does he drive normally??!!

[Baron Reg]

drakart said:

ditch your friend and buy a proper car! a passat for a track car???? what the hell does he drive normally??!!

Well, he is quite fond of his Passat.

[chrisr29]

Does he bore everyone stupid about how brilliant it is?

FFS though, a passat as a track day car! Give him a slap and tell him to get a grip!

[Baron Reg]

Interesting intellectual challange though. Volvo sent those big old barges racing a few years back.

[vantage4]

I was driven round the Nordschleife in a Passat diesel estate rental car a few years back by the then- reigning Porsche Championship champion. The sense of abject terror will stick firmly in my mind for the rest of my days!

[richad027]

A complete and utter waste of time, the MX5 is the way to go, but if it must be a vw then use a golf.

Richard.

[philevo6]

Passat...too heavy,too under powered,it would just be a nightmare on track.

If you do decide to get one,make sure the indicators work,cos thats all you will be doing all day.INDICATING to get out of everyones way!!

Pug 205 gti or mx5/mr2 for cheap cheerful fun.

[philevo6]

Then again,you wont be on track that long in a passat....it will destroy brakes and tyres in no time.

[tertius]

Does he have one he wants to offload two-thirds of by any chance ... ?

[schuey]

I took mine to donnington last year,very short notice day and my track car was ill. 20v turbo with 210bhp ish remap,standard otherwise!!! No slower than any of the other tin tops on track,considerably faster than all the 182/type r brigade and faster than the usual got an elise but cant drive crowd!
It did murder its breaks in no time though,but they were standard.I quite enjoyed it,confidence inspiring handling and doing about 110-115 over the crest down craners. The tyre sqeal was pretty amusing from the outside apparently,and as you can see the body roll was entertaining!

[rallycross]

richad027 said:

A complete and utter waste of time, the MX5 is the way to go, but if it must be a vw then use a golf.

Richard.

passat is an odd idea, probably fun for one day just to be different but you'd soon get bored of that rubbery bouncy suspension and terminal understeer. (and the black clouds of TDi soot painting the face of any caterhams coming up to lap you)

forget the mx5; having owned one can assure you they are so slow you'd think you were in a pedal car.

[pikeyboy]

forget the mx5; having owned one can assure you they are so slow you'd think you were in a pedal car.
[/quote]

yeah they are slow but i took one to spa couple of years ago although i hammered it to within an inch of its life you learn alot about how to be gentle when driving and maximise corner speed on to the straights.

very realiable too

[GJL]

Rob Wilson uses a Passast TDi for coaching some serious professional drivers around Bruntingthorpe. Not sure if that means it is great or rubbish!