Good morning, afternoon, evening, or night. I’m Matthew Barchetto, Automotive Journalist at the Glen Echo. Today I’m covering the fastest cars in the school. From my humble GTI to the mighty Challenger, Glen Rock High School has some fast cars. I interviewed several of GRHS’s fastest for their input on their cars. Without further ado, let’s-a go.
Matt Barchetto
Where else do I start other than my beautiful 2017 Volkswagen Golf GTI SE? I love my car; I already ran my mouth on why I love it back in November. It’s not fast, but it’s quick if you catch my cold. It’s got ~230 horsepower, and while you may be thinking, “Matt, that’s nothing”, consider the fact that it weighs only 3,000 pounds. It’s got an inline 4 engine and makes 258 lb-ft of torque, and not to mention, it’s front wheel drive. Also, it’s got a lovely Fender speaker system (Nothing to do with its speed, just thought I’d mention). I think I’m a contender for the fastest car in the school, because once I hit a corner, it’s over for everyone else.
Mr. Vogt
Mr. Vogt is a new addition to the GRHS team; he drives a muscular stock 2021 Dodge Challenger SXT. It has a strong V6 making 303 all-American horsepower, and putting out a fine 268 lb-ft of torque. Weighing in at 4,000 lbs, It has an 8-speed automatic transmission, and has a 0-60 of 4.2s. Plus, it sports a quarter mile time of 12.5 seconds at 116 mph. Additionally, it tops out at 176 mph. Mr. Vogt thinks he’s got the fastest car in the school and is willing to put his money where his mouth is if anyone wants to take him on (on a closed track of course).
Liam Heller
Liam Heller is a Senior at GRHS, who is one of the most passionate car people I know. He drives a 2020 Audi A3 Quattro S line with a 2-liter turbo inline 4 made by Volkswagen. It’s got a bit done to it, making (by his estimate) 230 horsepower “being generous”. It produces around 225 lb-ft of torque, and has an aftermarket intake and Borla exhaust system, boosting power by about 10 hp. Mr. Heller doesn’t reckon he’s got the fastest car in the school, but he nevertheless loves to drive it. He said it’s the most fun thing he owns, and that it builds connections with people.
Mr. Mure
Mr. Mure is one of our lovely physics teachers at GRHS, and he drives a lovely stock 2003 Toyota Celica GTS. It’s got 180 horsepower and weighs in at a featherweight 2500 lbs. It’s got an engine developed by Yamaha. The engine has a lift system, which is an advanced variable valve timing mechanism giving ~50 hp around 3500 rpm. At 3500, the engine’s camshaft changes shape to open the valves for longer, giving more fuel to the engine, similar to Honda’s V-TEC engines. Mure gave a detailed account of how it would feel to be in the car when it activates; “If you were in my car, and you were just like, sitting around, not really like paying attention, and I was in 3rd gear, and all of a sudden I just go and I floor it and go past 3500 rpms, all of a sudden- it lifts. Whooo! You feel a 50 horsepower boost tremendously, and I shift into fourth, and now we’re doing 120, I shift into fifth, we’re doing 150, and now I’m scared.” He doesn’t think he’s got the fastest car in the school. He reckons any EV or vehicle made past 2015 is faster. He also made a good point- in the 2000s, gas prices were high, at around $5/gal, so cars were smaller, had smaller engines, and were generally weaker. But since 2015, when gas prices dropped closer to $3/gal, engines have gotten bigger, cars have gotten bigger (unfortunately), and as a result are more powerful. Mure and I both agree though that hatchbacks are the best type of car. When asked for any additional comment, Mure said, “Only drive fast on a racetrack.” Wise words.
In total, while the performance scene at our school is not the most active, we certainly have our contenders. After hours of careful deliberation (by that I mean playing Cyberpunk 2077 and thinking about it a little bit) I have our final results. Out of all the people we interviewed, the fastest car overall, taking into account power, cornering ability, and of course speed, is… A tie?! Yes, that’s right, it’s a two-way split. Arguments can be made for both candidates. I won’t delay any longer, it’s a split between Mr. Vogt’s 2021 Dodge Challenger SXT and My 2017 Volkswagen Golf GTI SE. Before you say it, no I’m not biased, trust me, this is backed up with math. I did the power-to-weight calculation, and the Challenger came first with 0.079, while the GTI pulled off 0.077. You may be thinking, “Wait, last time I checked, .079 is larger than .077!” And you’d be right. Unfortunately, the Challenger lacks cornering ability, while the GTI shines in that front. So, while the Challenger is more powerful, the GTI is track-built. Factoring in my probable bias, we’ll call it a tie and let you decide! In fact, I made a google form for you guys to vote on! Scan the QR code to vote (or visit https://forms.gle/RR1wpQok9S6nzRz4A)! Anyway, back to more ranking. Through more calculations, the Toyota Celica GTS comes in 3rd, and the Audi A3 Quattro S-line in 4th. The results show how important power to weight ratio is, and how power really doesn’t matter if you can’t take a corner or if you carry too much weight. That’s about all for now. Thanks to everyone who agreed to an interview! Feel free to reach out to me at [email protected] if you have any questions or want to discuss (or think you could beat our finalists). Have a good one!
