need help please tt cutting out

my mate doesnt have net access and he asked me to post a thread regarding his problem has just bought his 1992 tt short wheel base auto he has had it for a week ill get to the point we went to a petrol station we filled it up with £20 optimax took it for a run went to parked it up i opend the passengers door and there was a strong smell of petrol didnt think much of it then he went out half hour later and rang me up he said when he gives it a kick down and boots it then takes his foot of the gas the reves come back down then cutts out and when he trys to keep it running it sounds like its starving for petrol is this a common problem what is going on