Top Gear America’s Project Sipster adds 2003 TDI engine to 1981 Rabbit

Posted by in Auto Green on 03 5th, 2009 | no responses

Click above and scroll down to watch the video Project Sipster is underway. This conversion of a 1981 Volkswagen Rabbit into a fast and frugal 70 mpg diesel car is Top Gear America’s way of saying hello to the revived eco-car mindset. In the latest installment of the series, the Rabbit gets an engine transplant courtesy of CWS Tuning in Regina, Canada. One way to help boost the Rabbit’s original 50 mpg up to 70, is to mismatch a transmission from a 1998 TDI to the donor engine from a 2003 Jetta TDI in order to increase the gear ratio. CWS Tuning mechanic Cam Waugh should be able to do this, but it’ll be no easy task. But why let me describe the muddle that they’re making of things when Top Gear America has already written everything up nice and neat – oh, and provided a video as well. You can watch it after the jump and be very glad you’re not responsible for patching all this up. [Source: Top Gear America ] Continue reading Top Gear America’s Project Sipster adds 2003 TDI engine to 1981 Rabbit Auto Blog: Diesel , MPG , Volkswagen , Green Daily Top Gear America’s Project Sipster adds 2003 TDI engine to 1981 Rabbit originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 05 Mar 2009 19:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green