VW Caddy Racer

New promo vehicle will be a 200bhp diesel van

By PH Staff / Tuesday, 25 June 2002 / Loading comments

White Van Man doesn't need any more encouragement but that's exactly what VW are doing with their extreme version of the Caddy TDI.

Developed with the help of the Volkswagen Racing team, the Caddy TDI Racer is a one-off project. It was undertaken as a technical exercise with a view to illustrating how the award winning Caddy van could be adapted to meet the rigours of modern motor racing.

Taking a standard Caddy TDI, Volkswagen Racing’s engineers have modified the 90 bhp TDI unit to produce 130 bhp. However, this early model is merely a taste of things to come, as work is now well under way to coax over 200 bhp from the 1,896 cc direct injection diesel powerplant. Using expertise gained on the Volkswagen Golf TDI racer, the first diesel-fuelled racing car in the UK, the forthcoming engine is predicted to propel the Caddy from 0 to 60 mph in around 5.5 seconds, before going on to a top speed of almost 140 mph.

The work has taken eight weeks and the main difficulty was fitting the unique welded-in roll cage into the shell of the Caddy so it conformed to competition standards.’

In order to reach the magical 200 bhp mark, several modifications are being made to the TDI engine. These include the fitment of variable turbine geometry (VTG), larger versions of the intercooler, pump and injectors, plus a reprogrammed electronic control unit (ECU).

The Volkswagen Racing team has no plans, as yet, to race the Caddy TDI Racer, but it will be on show at motoring and racing events throughout the year.