VW Jetta TDI Review

by Chris Hall on September 2nd, 2009

If there was an award for ‘Sim-Racing Car of the Year,’ then a hot contender for the prize would be iRacing’s latest addition to its stable, the Volkswagen Jetta TDI.  The car is a first on many fronts for the Boston-based development team.  The spec saloon is a mirror of the showroom specification vehicle; with the exception of a fitted roll cage and slick tyres, the racing Jetta truly is a standard street car thrown onto a race circuit.  A testament to the online model is the fact that this real life series for fledgling racers will use its iRacing counterpart as a path to entry into future seasons of the competition.

iRacing’s version of the TDI is their first front wheel drive-modelled car; the first with a diesel power unit.  What’s more, the iRacing VW Jetta TDI Cup series is the first ever series to award its top sim-racer a fully funded season’s drive in a professional race series, namely the SCCA Pro Racing VW Jetta TDI Cup*.  A testament to the online model is the fact that this real life series for fledgling racers will use its iRacing counterpart as a path to entry into future seasons of the competition.

All this, coupled with fact that the Jetta offers the first ‘Touring Car-esque’ competition on the iRacing service, is making the car a hit with rookies and pros alike.

So why is the Jetta TDI so popular with iRacers when it’s just a road vehicle?

The VW Jetta TDI is iRacing.com's first front-wheel drive car

Once in the Jetta, the first thing to jump out at the driver is the level of detail; the dials, dash and interior being an exact replica of its real-life counterpart.  In fact the only thing missing is that ‘new car smell’ . . . and a few fast food wrappers to make you feel as though you are in your own car. A couple of blips of the throttle, and the rasping turbo diesel struggles to make itself heard through the aluminum shell, a gentle reminder of the Jetta’s true street car status. The Volkswagen is fitted with a ‘Direct Synchronous Gearbox’ (DSG), making up and down gear changes almost instantaneous. However, as this reviewer found out to his peril, timing is key when moving down the sequential transmission, as the 2 litre diesel will refuse to change-down if the resulting ‘cog’ will over-rev the power unit.  It’s a fact worth bearing in mind the first time out in the Jetta, unless you’re a fan of turn one kitty litter.

Traditionally, Rudolph Diesel’s engine has had a reputation for high torque at low revs, and despite the evolution of his 1897 design (and the advent of turbocharged diesels in the past two decades), its pulling power is still its strongest asset.  It’s worth mentioning this, as the Volkswagen engine is no different.  It peaks around a very low 4800 rpm, which takes some getting used to as the engine note on gear change is not the traditional high pitch scream racers are used to.

Heading on to the track for the first time, the iRacing Jetta’s front wheel drive characteristics are immediately apparent, as a small amount of torque-steer pulls the TDI out of its pit box. On reaching the first corner, it becomes evident that driving a front wheel drive car is going to take some adjustment.  In the Solstice or Spec Ford, for example, when tyre traction breaks and a slide is induced, resettling the car is simply a case of backing off the throttle.  With the Jetta, just the opposite is true. Take the VW past the limit and firmly planting the right foot on throttle will pull the car out of its sideways excursion. As you may imagine, this can be unnerving the first few times.

With the front wheels pulling and steering the Jetta, understeer is the driver’s nemesis and iRacing’s model is no different.  Try carrying too many mph through a corner, and the steering will refuse to react, resulting in the car ‘ploughing’ straight through and, even out of, the turn. Thankfully the TDI is fitted with ABS brakes, its stopping power transmitted to the driver via tactile vibrations in the force feedback, which should help scrub off all the velocity you need.

So on the face of things, the car is not likely to be a legend.  But its fixed setup format and simple-to-master controls means the focus is on race craft, not car performance.  Line up for a twenty-four car race and you can be assured of some close racing and possibly some paint trading, hopefully keeping the safety rating intact during the thirty minute events. The Jetta’s relatively slow top speed, tin top design and popularity have given iRacing’s VW TDI Cup series a taste of touring cars, which traditionally has a reputation for uncompromising racing: in other words, furious if not awesomely fast.  Nevertheless it’s not for the faint-hearted.