Car and Driver , September 2007

The Thunder Ranch 550 Spyder can be devilish. Above 80 mph, wind turbulence delivers rabbit punches, and some sort of eye protection is a must. The transmission in our car had a short-shift kit that made the four-speed’s throws annoyingly stiff. Stops from 70 mph required a lengthy 224 feet, so braking demands advanced panning. Focusing on the numbers misses the point, however, as this is not a numbers car. It’s plenty quick – 5.5 seconds to 60 mph – but more important, it has a vintage feel.

There’s a fair amount of looseness in this car. The chassis flexes, the steering is light and a tad sloppy, and the handling can be hairy. In a corner, the car feels like a wound-up spring that releases and catches in an almost periodic frequency. The 550 seemed happiest at a more relaxed pace, after we had set up a rhythm and learned to work around its idiosyncrasies.

Our car probably would have been more graceful if it hadn’t had the $1500 optional 550A body that is three inches wider, permitting the use of wide, modern tires. It wore 205/55R-16 rubber up front and 225/50-16s in the rear. The chassis didn’t seem to like this setup, and we think that’s why the car had that wound-up-spring feel, so consider that option carefully.

Vintage cars, however, are known for their quirks, and this replica relies on 50-year-old technology. So some goofiness is to be expected. What’s cool about the Thunder Ranch 550 Spyder is that it uses inexpensive, reliable VW components and as a result goes for about the price of a new Honda Civic Si yet provides a thrilling experience that no Civic can match.