2010 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Street Edition arrives at dealers in January, price (almost) announced

November 19, 6:32 AMAuto Review ExaminerJohn Matras

Previous Next

Comment Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Auto Review Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

As we previously reported, a roadgoing version of the Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup race cars will be arriving in dealerships, just a little later than we said earlier. The 2010 Jetta TDI Cup "Street" Edition will be in dealer showrooms in January 2010.

The Jetta TDI Cup Street Edition will be powered by the thrifty "clean diesel" two-liter turbodiesel engine used in the 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI and 2010 Volkswagen Golf TDI we recently tested, adding the front bumper cover, side skirts and rear valence used on the TDI Cub race cars. The front bumper features large radiator openings that will make them unmistakable on the road.

To the cosmetic/aerodynamic changes, Volkswagen adds larger brakes with read calipers, sway bars and "European sport tuned suspension" from the Volkswagen Jetta GLI. Eighteen-inch "Charleston"-pattern wheels with all-season performance tires are also included.

Inside the Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Street Edition will come equipped with a leather-wrapped multi-function steering wheel and sport seats covered in Interlagos cloth. Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Street Editions--someone will have to invent a shorter nickname--have steering-wheel mounted paddle shifters when equipped with the DSG automatic transmission.

We haven't driven the Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Street Edition yet, but VW enthusiasts can expect it to accelerate like a Jetta TDI and corner and stop like a Jetta GLI. The price for the TDI Cup Street edition hasn't been set but Volkswagen says to expect a base price of "around $25,000," or about $2,400 more than the $22,660 whitebread version of the Volkswagen Jetta TDI.

"Since our inaugural TDI Cup series in 2008 we have received numerous inquiries as to whether or not we would offer a TDI Cup replica vehicle," claims Mark Barnes, chief operating officer of Volkswagen of America, Inc. The web traffic on our previous reports coincides with Barnes' remark.

Anyone interested, however, should know that Volkswagen said it will have a "firm" 2,500 limit to production of the Jetta TDI Cup Street Edition. But then, before that they told us 1,200. Whatever it is, we suggest that interested parties visit their Volkswagen dealers. The 2010 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Street Edition may not sell out all that quickly, but if it does, don't say we didn't warn you.

Illustration: 2010 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Street Edition. Credit: Volkswagen of America. Click here for pictures of the 2008 SEMA show Jetta TDI Cup Edition concept and the TDI Cup race cars.

Click on "subcribe" above to receive email alerts of the latest articles from John Matras, or follow John on twitter @AutoReview.