Interactive aero modding on VW.com

[MetroMPG]

A visitor to MetroMPG.com sent me this note, which I'm passing on as an FYI:

VW's site
lets you pick-n-choose the car modifications, and as you add/remove
them, it updates the city/hwy MPG rating. It's not very scientific,
but it's cool that people get to see the numbers get worse as they add
"sporty" ground effects. The ski racks make a big change: 32MPG
without, to 27.9 with the ski racks... or down to 23.15 with the soft
luggage rack. Racks and ground effects are the only things taht
affect MPG, I think.

I wonder when they'll offer options like "grille blocks" and "wheel skirts". :-)

This is in Flash, so I can't send you a direct link. but once the
Flash loads, navigate to:

"Build and Crash" > Jetta 2.0 TFSI
http://www.vw.com/vwfeatures/jetta/en/us/

[GeekGuyAndy]

I'd love to see someone here make one of these of their car and all the mods they've put on. Maybe once I try more things I can make a flash of it. I learned that program a while ago but don't get to use it often now.

[skewbe]

That is an interesting development. A little hokey yet, but it'd be interesting to see the concept evolve into something of a standard. The manual gets worse MPG AND slower 0-60? I wonder if marketing had a hand in the testing

[Silveredwings]

Originally Posted by skewbe

That is an interesting development. A little hokey yet, but it'd be interesting to see the concept evolve into something of a standard. The manual gets worse MPG AND slower 0-60? I wonder if marketing had a hand in the testing

Only for lazy Americans. I bet it's different in Europe. It's all in the final drive they assign to the car.

[Bill in Houston]

Originally Posted by skewbe

The manual gets worse MPG

Honda Elements show the same thing. But, that is an artifact of the EPA testing method. In real life, the manuals do quite a bit better than the automatics.

[skewbe]

Originally Posted by Silveredwings

Only for lazy Americans. I bet it's different in Europe.

I wonder if they can teach flash to look at your IP and determine if you are from america or not and tell you what you want to hear in the numbers?

Originally Posted by Silveredwings

It's all in the final drive they assign to the car.

See, it doesn't make any sense at all. If they put a lower final gear in the manual I would expect it to get better 0-60 times and worse mpg.

Originally Posted by Bill in Houston

Honda Elements show the same thing. But, that is an artifact of the EPA testing method. In real life, the manuals do quite a bit better than the automatics.

That is entirely believable.