What class? 150hp, fwd, mac strut/irs, 3230 curb weight?

[Marcus Miller]

Anyone have an idea of IT WHP? If it could be made to handle, that looks like a mighty interesting ITA car.

[JamesB]

Bolt on and chip mods look about 10-15%, full motor build could hit the majic 25% motor wise. Gearing and handling would be something to figure out. its mk4 mac struts but idependant rear suspension.

[shwah]

I agree with James. I would guess ITA weight is reachable. We'll see what I turn up.

[cjb25hs]

I would assume the following guesses, keep in mind its German

sound deadening and undercoating - 100lbs
Gutted interior carpet seats door panels etc.. - 250lbs
A/C System - 50lbs
Stock exhaust - 120lbs
Stock wheel savings - 20lbs
14.5 gallons of gas - 90lbs

That would be about 630lbs off the stock curb weight bringing it down to 2600 lbs. The other thing to keep in mind is the amount of torque that car has stock which is 170. To be classed in A I believe that the curb weight would have to be higher closer to the 01-03 ACR Neons at 2780. The first gen DOHC Neons only made 150HP & 133TQ. The 01-03 ACR's made 150HP & 135TQ. Also keep in mind that the 2004 Mazda 3 is classed at 2840lbs with the 2.3l at 160HP & 150TQ.

I would think that somewhere in the 2800lb range would be the correct weight for the '05 Jetta.

[shwah]

Looking ahead the 5th gen 06 Rabbit/Golf sneaks under 3000 lbs just barely. I don't think it would play well to go up in weight for ITS. ITA sounds more and more 'right' to me.

[JamesB]

I still think that the weight it would get is based on what Andy posted, but that could be subject to change by maybe 50# but not as much as your quoting.

As for reduction, I think your over estimating things. I figure it this way

3230
-65# for the rear seats (around the same weight of the previous generation) and door cards
-80# for all the damn air bags the car has. (4 of them, 2 live in the front seats.)
-120# for the front seats and center console
-75# for carpet and headliner.
-100# for exhaust after replacing it with raceable exhaust.
-60# for all the crap in the trunk plus rear speakers

Then add in a full cage, and there may be just enough after door glass, automajic locks and undercoating is removed to make weight.

[shwah]

According to the interwebs:

"just food for thought. completely gutted you can get the rabbit down to 2400lbs... removing EVERYTHING including cutting metal bars off the car and all the wiring, weather stripping, etc etc. everything really does mean everything."

[shwah]

It also looks like it is likely that the only change when they went from 150 hp to 170 hp was a spec line in the brochure. The motor is the same, some say even the programming was the same, and the early motor was intentionally under rated to distance it from the 2.0t motor (200hp), and in fact it had 170 from the get go.

I wonder if that puts it into S territory, considering that the 172hp VR6 is classed there at 2600.