When we talk about ideal cars for drag racing, we immediately think of muscular cars equipped with V8 gasoline engines capable of generating more than 1000hp. The last car that crossed our minds would be the friendly Seat Arosa. Small, front-wheel drive, Diesel...
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Thanks to the work of Darkside Developments, this Seat Arosa has gone from being a simple city dweller to a veritable drag racing colossus. The original small 1.4 TDI engine (known as “lame”) gave way to a highly modified 2.0 TDI (pump-injector version) unit. Cylinder head, pistons, cooling system, lubrication system, crankshaft, turbo from a tractor (capable of generating 4.1 bar), injectors with 120% more output, intercooler, nitrous oxide kit, gearbox a Golf… well, almost everything has changed!
The result of all the transformations is in the numbers: the 2.0 debit TDI engine is now 507hp of maximum power and 813Nm of maximum torque – both reached at 4000rpm. As an example, in terms of maximum torque, only the new Audi SQ7 TDI can cope with 900Nm of maximum torque at 1,000 rpm(!).
This true muscle car also inherited the six-speed gearbox of a Volkswagen Golf, which was altered to support 507hp. It also has a Quaife differential and massive drag race tires, thus avoiding traction losses.
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If at the exterior level the car is easily recognizable, at the interior level the case changes its shape. All plastic and dashboard parts were removed, leaving only a protective structure, the quadrant panel and a single accent. Weighing just 800kg, the little Arosa manages to cross the finish line of the first 400 meters in just 10.14 seconds, reaching a speed of 239.47 km/h.
And yes… we know that in Portugal there are preparation houses capable of rivaling this Diesel from Darkside Developments. We are waiting for you to send us some examples to [email protected]. The best will be published here ? . Until then, stay with the videos of this small thunderstorm:
Images and Video: Darkside Developments