Today we’re going to be taking a closer look at the kind of drag race you might actually see happen in Europe, where diesel cars are still relevant. The ones we’re going to see in action in the video below are common on the old continent. The race includes a BMW 120d, Golf GTD, and Skoda Octavia vRS, two of these names are new to the segment and may seem a bit unknown, especially for our US readers.
The Golf needs no introduction but the GTD nameplate does. That’s basically Volkswagen’s diesel equivalent to the GTI, yet another badge that needs no more introduction. To be more precise, on the eight iteration of the Golf, the GTD model now has a 2.0 liter four-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine under the hood, making 200 horsepower and 400 Nm (295 lb-ft) of torque. Those are very good numbers and, hooked up to the DSG gearbox, they get the job done.
The Skoda Octavia vRS is an even more outlandish proposal. The Skoda brand doesn’t even exist in the US so customers on this side of the Atlantic are devoid of the joys of experiencing a Czech car brand. Nonetheless, the vRS badge is now used on a number of cars from Skoda, from petrol-powered ones, to PHEV versions and those using diesel. The one in the video below falls in that third category and has the exact same engine and specs as the Golf.
The BMW 120d then is a bit outmatched. That’s because its 2.0 liter diesel engine makes 190 horsepower and 400 Nm (295 lb-ft) of torque so it’s a bit low on power. It also uses a different gearbox, one with 8 gears and a single clutch, unlike the DSG units of its rivals here. Luckily it also has all-wheel drive but it lacks launch control. So, who will win? Place your bets in the comments before watching the video.
