Actually for about $300, you can have a software upgrade chip put in that will give the TDI a big boost in power. My car has the chip and also a tuning box (~$350) and it will run with about anything out there. It will certainly outrun a 2.0 VW and hold its own against a VR6 or 1.8t at least in town. I can run with my (still in the family) supercharged Bonneville. Not that it gets left in the dust, but until about 45mph, the TDI will pull from the Bonnie.

The TDI is limited by revs, as it really runs out of steam at about 4000rpm whereas the 1.8t will zing way past that.

__________________
Lance Allison
Lance@LanceAllison.com

Current:
11 MB S550 4Matic, 55k miles, Designo Black/Black
14 Ford F150 XLT Lariat Crew, 73k miles, 5.0
Coyote V8 4x4. Black/tan.
09 GMC Envoy Denali, 5.3 V8, 4x4 SWB. 38k miles,
Jewel Red/Med Gray.

Gone:
87 MB 300SDL, 320k miles, Astral Silver/Blue.
98 VW Jetta TDI, 488k miles, Classic Green/Gray.
85 Olds 98 Brougham FWD, 4.3 DIESEL V6, 80k
miles, 3x Gray.

MBCA Member, Chicago Region