2.0L 8v was never meant to have power, it was meant to be a workhorse. "good" on gas and with a decent amount of reliability.
Just hit 194995 Miles on the odo on my way back from work. I'll post a picture tomorrow when I hit 195K miles
Theres a reason the "pre-historic" 2L was in production for so long. It outlasted its competition. I think of the 2L as the great white shark of (VW) engines. Didnt need to evolve over the years. Old, Yes. Obsolete? No. Its long lasting production time is a testament to its greatness. It sure as shit wasnt as fast as a VR6. But it outlasted them lol.
We'll see how the 1.4L holds up... I doubt they'll last as long as the 2.Slow