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13-year-old VW GTI becomes world's fastest at 208 mph


Andy_Bangle
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During last autumns Texas Mile event, Jeremy Freedman piloted his black 1997 GTI (VR6 so not a ture 4-pot GTI) to a scarcely believable trap speed of 208.1 mph!

Remarkably, Freedman's car is powered by the same VR6 engine and five-speed manual gearbox it left the factory with. They have been slightly modified, however, with the VR6 being opened up from 2.8 to 3.0-litres and turbocharged to the tune of 800 horsepower. More startling is news that the gearbox internals have been been largely untouched save for a beefier clutch and the addition of a limited slip differential. (Those changes were required to put that much power to the ground through the front wheels.) Rather than mess with the gearing, Freedman relied on larger wheels and tires to adjust the final drive ratio so he could top 200 mph.

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1997 Volkswagen GTI - Jeremy Freedman - Eurotuner Magazine

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Don't worry Mook, it's not in any way actually a Golf GTi, so I'm not sure why they describe it so? you'll still be the fastest (apart form the red mk5 GTi's obviously).

And I'm not sure I actually believe the top speed, the power required to overcome it's brick like aerodynamics at those sort of speeds would be (imo) more than 800 bhp, as it would require an almost exponential increase in horsepower to overcome it's aerodynamic deficiencies.

That and the fact it apparently reaches 208mph from 0mph in approximately 26 seconds, bearing in mind that the much more aerodynamic Hennesy Venom with 1100bhp does it in 21 seconds, and the Veyron romps it's lardy arse home in 24!

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They reckon the gearbox is standard aside from having a LSD fitted, and that the gearing is only affected by the larger wheels and tyres.

Personally I think it's all BS!

Ditto.. It reached the apparent terminal speed much quicker than i had inticipated and the car is standard bar a few minor changes cant be right. the gearing would no way reach 208mph.

Either the car is much more modded than they have let on or they lied about the results.

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