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Dr. Frank Welsch: “The ID.R is an important ambassador for Volkswagen”
Volkswagen has added two more chapters to the ID.R’s success story: the lap record for electric powered vehicles on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife was followed by the absolute track record at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. This once again impressively demonstrated the performance capabilities of electro technology. But the ID.R is more than a record holder – it is the racing spearhead to the ID. family of fully electric powered production vehicles, which will appear on the market from 2020. In an interview, Dr. Frank Welsch, Chief Development Officer of Volkswagen Passenger Cars, speaks about the significance of the records for the brand’s electro-mobility offensive. -
Faster than Formula 1: New record for the Volkswagen ID.R in Goodwood
The first electric race car to beat Formula 1: The Volkswagen ID.R has made motorsport history again by setting a new all-time record at the ‘Goodwood Festival of Speed’. Romain Dumas completed the 1.86-kilometre track in the south of England in just 39.90 seconds. In doing so, the 500-kW (680-PS) electric race car broke the previous record, which had stood for 20 years, by 1.7 seconds. He also took victory in the Sunday Shootout. The previous record at the famous hillclimb was set in 1999 by Nick Heidfeld in a 574-KW (780-PS) McLaren-Mercedes MP4/13 with a combustion engine. -
Goodwood Festival of Speed: Volkswagen ID.R electric race car sets sights on Formula 1 record
It is a battle of the technology concepts at the “Goodwood Festival of Speed” (04 to 07 July 2019) – electric drivetrain versus petrol engine. Volkswagen travels with the ID.R electric race car to the famous motorsport revival in southern England, where it will take aim at the course record, which has stood for exactly 20 years. Back in 1999, Nick Heidfeld (D) set the fastest time of 41.6 seconds in a Formula 1 car, the McLaren-Mercedes MP4/13, driven by a V10 naturally-aspirated engine generating roughly 574 kW (780 PS). Only last year, the ID.R, which has a system performance of 500 kW (680 PS), set a new record for electric cars in Goodwood. Romain Dumas (F) was at the wheel of the ID.R, the sporty spearhead of the fully-electric ID. family of production vehicles. In doing so, he also set the third fastest time in the history of the event. -
WTCR home race for Volkswagen and Benjamin Leuchter on the Nordschleife
Volkswagen Motorsport and the Sébastien Loeb Racing team are looking forward to a highlight of the WTCR – FIA World Touring Car Cup calendar this weekend: from 20 to 22 June, Mehdi Bennani (MA), Rob Huff (GB), Johan Kristoffersson (S) and Benjamin Leuchter (D) will be driving their Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR on the legendary Nürburgring-Nordschleife (D). The WTCR drivers will be competing as part of the supporting programme for the 24h Nürburgring and 200,000 fans are expected to line the 25.378 kilometres of the combination of Grand Prix circuit and Nordschleife. After claiming the first podiums of the season at the last race in Zandvoort (NL), Volkswagen can approach the home race with plenty of confidence: this is especially true of local hero Leuchter. The Duisburg native knows the Nordschleife better than any other driver in the 27-strong starting field. -
Volkswagen ID.R returns to Goodwood to defend its title
The Volkswagen ID.R is set to defend its title at the “Goodwood Festival of Speed” (4 to 7 July). Last year, Romain Dumas, at the wheel of the fully-electric race car, set a new record for electric vehicles at the prestigious race in the south of England. The Frenchman completed the 1.86-kilometre route of the Goodwood Hillclimb in just 43.86 seconds – the fastest time for 15 years. A mere five weeks after breaking the lap record for electric vehicles on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife, the ID.R – the sporty spearhead of the ID. family of fully-electric production vehicles – is ready to take on its next challenge. -
6:05.336 minutes – Volkswagen ID.R sets new electric record on the Nürburgring
Volkswagen has achieved another milestone in electro-mobility: The ID.R, powered by two electric motors, lapped the Nürburgring-Nordschleife in 6:05.336 minutes – faster than any electric vehicle before it. Romain Dumas (F) beat the previous record set by Peter Dumbreck (GB, NIO EP9) in 2017 by 40.564 seconds. With an average speed of 204.96 km/h, the ID.R once again underlined the impressive performance capabilities of Volkswagen’s electric drive. This 500 kW (680 PS) emission-free race car is the racing flagship of the future fully electric ID. product family from Volkswagen. -
A vessel for technology beyond motorsport – the charging of the ID.R system
It is a science in itself: the ID.R charging system. Only with optimally charged batteries can the pursuit of the lap record for electric vehicles on the 20.8-kilometre Nürburgring-Nordschleife succeed. To this end, driver Romain Dumas (F) will also have to deploy the full system performance of 500 kW (680 PS) on the three-kilometre ‘Döttinger Höhe’ section at the end of the Nordschleife, which is nearly dead straight. -
Volkswagen ID.R on the Nordschleife: High-tech meets tradition
20.832 kilometres, 73 corners, many changes in elevation: the Nürburgring-Nordschleife. Volkswagen has chosen one of the most iconic racetracks in the world for its next record attempt with the fully-electric ID.R. A lap record on the rollercoaster track in the Eifel region of Germany is a prestigious accolade for any race or production car. The current record for electric vehicles stands at 6:45.90 minutes and was set by British driver Peter Dumbreck in a NIO EP9 in 2017. -
Volkswagen ID. R completes its first test on the Nordschleife
One day after the world premiere for the new ID. R at the Nürburgring, Romain Dumas drove the first test laps on the Nordschleife in the fully electric race car. On the 20.832-kilometre-long circuit, the Frenchman completed an extensive testing programme, driving two alternative ID. R chassis to make optimal use of the available time. In doing so, Volkswagen Motorsport began the final preparation phase for the attempt to set a new lap record for electric vehicles on the tradition-steeped track in the Eifel with the 500 kW (680 PS) race car. -
Electric to the max: 56 pages on the ID. R and the electro-mobility strategy from Volkswagen
Volkswagen Motorsport presents its new digital booklet, “Electric to the max – the record-chasing ID. R.”, with all the information on the continuously developed version of the first fully electric race car from Volkswagen. Over 56 pages, there are interesting facts, exclusive insights and explanations on how the ID. R, as the racing flagship for future electric production vehicles from the ID. family, combines Volkswagen’s technical competence in relation to electric drive with the emotions and fascination of motorsport. -
Motorsport with electric drive: Double world premiere for the new Volkswagen ID. R
Volkswagen has presented the continuously developed version of the ID. R, the fully electric race car. The racing flagship of the future fully electric product family from Volkswagen is to set a new lap record for electric vehicles on the 20.832-kilometre-long Nordschleife. In order for driver Romain Dumas to undercut the until-now best time of 6:45.90 minutes, Volkswagen Motorsport has consistently and continuously developed the ID. R. On 25 April, the ID. R is to complete its first test on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife. Virtually speaking, the ID. R will already drive its first laps from today; for the first time, a race car will also be presented at the same time in a near-reality computer simulation that can be downloaded free of charge. -
Bring on the Nürburgring – ID. R ready for its record attempt on the Nordschleife
The ID. R has completed the next series of tests in preparation for the challenges that lie ahead. After working on the aerodynamics in the wind tunnel, the most recent tests at the racetracks in Le Castellet and Alès (both France) focused on the energy management software. The objective was to establish the ideal set-up for the electric drivetrain ahead of the record attempt on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife. In the summer of 2019, the ID. R, sporty forerunner of the ID. family of fully-electric production vehicles from Volkswagen, will be aiming to set a new record lap time for electric vehicles at the historic Eifel circuit, with Romain Dumas at the wheel. -
Volkswagen ID. R uses Formula 1 technology for optimal aerodynamics
Volkswagen has set itself a new challenge with the ID. R this year – the Nürburgring-Nordschleife instead of Pikes Peak. A race track instead of a hill climb. Full-throttle sections instead of hair-pins. Because of this, the fully electric-powered ID. R has been continuously developed with respect to its aerodynamics. -
Computer simulations accelerate the continuous development of the ID. R
The continuous development of the ID. R is in full swing. The prototype, powered by two electric motors with a 500 kW (680 PS) system performance, will in summer 2019 hunt down the lap record for electric vehicles on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife with Romain Dumas at the wheel. As well as extensive test drives and the work in the wind tunnel, Volkswagen Motorsport is also strongly relying on computer simulations in the preparation phase. These digital tools not only represent essential support for the engineers, they also save time and costs. -
Cheer us on in Marrakesh – Volkswagen at the starting line of FIA World Touring Car Cup (WTCR)
This weekend (5 to 7 April 2019), the Sébastien Loeb Racing team and Volkswagen Motorsport join the line-up for the FIA World Touring Car Championship in Morocco – with no less than four racing versions of the Golf GTI TCR. The already sporty compact vehicle was tuned to the requirements of the racing track by Volkswagen Motorsport experts and now boasts 257 kW (350 PS). Based on the racing version, Volkswagen offers the Golf GTI TCR production model with 213 kW (290 PS). -
The continuing development of the Volkswagen ID. R to make the record on Nürburgring-Nordschleife possible
The next challenge for the ID. R awaits: in summer, a new record is set to be delivered on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife. The team from Volkswagen Motorsport are therefore working intensively on the continuing development of the purely electric-powered race car. The focus of the testing and development phase is on increasing the efficiency of the vehicle. The ID. R, powered by two electric motors with system performance of 500 kW (680 hp), is the racing forerunner to the ID. product family, the future range of purely electric-powered production vehicles from Volkswagen. -
“China Challenge”: The Volkswagen ID. R on the “Road to Heaven”
The fully-electric Volkswagen ID. R will take on another special challenge in September 2019. Romain Dumas (F) will be back at the wheel of the 500-kW electric sports car for the “China Challenge” on the Tianmen Shan Big Gate Road – a unique stretch of tarmac, featuring 99 corners, which winds its way up Tianmen Mountain, located roughly 1,500 kilometres southwest of Beijing. As no official record exists for the eleven-kilometre mountain road, which is not accessible to public transport, Volkswagen China will run a competition prior to the record attempt, in which participants can set their own virtual time on the Tianmen Shan Big Gate Road. Dumas will then attempt to better the time of the fastest participant under real conditions in September. -
Successful start to the ID. R electric race car test programme
The countdown has begun: at the sun-drenched “Circuit de Almería” in Andalucía, the purely electric powered ID. R began the preparatory phase for its record attempt on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife. Driver Romain Dumas, who in summer 2019 will seek to break the current record for electric vehicles on the 20.832 kilometres racetrack in the Eifel, completed the first test runs in Spain with Bridgestone tyres this week. -
WTCR quartet complete: Benjamin Leuchter to drive fourth Golf GTI TCR
The driver quartet of Volkswagen and Sébastien Loeb Racing for the FIA World Touring Car Cup (WTCR) is complete: Benjamin Leuchter (D) moves from ADAC TCR Germany to the pinnacle of touring car racing and will compete in the Golf GTI TCR alongside his team-mates Mehdi Bennani (MA), Rob Huff (GB) and Johan Kristoffersson (S). Sébastien Loeb Racing will field four cars supported by Volkswagen for the first time in 2019. -
Volkswagen sets sights on electric record on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife
Volkswagen is driving electromobility forward at high speed, both in production vehicles and on the racetrack. Following the record-breaking run at the famous Pikes Peak Hill Climb, the ID. R – Volkswagen’s fully-electric sports car – has now set its sights on another record in the summer of 2019: the lap record for electric cars on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife, which is regarded as the toughest racetrack in the world. -
Return of the ID. R: Volkswagen to present plans for future applications
Family get-together for three generations: Volkswagen will take the past, present and future of motorsport to Zell am See for the return of the awe-inspiring Ice Race. On show for all to see on 19 and 20 January 2019 in the town to the south of Salzburg (Austria) will be the Volkswagen ID. R, which this year set a widely-acclaimed all-time record on the legendary Pikes Peak in the USA with a fully-electric drive. Volkswagen will also offer a glimpse of what awaits the ID. R in its immediate sporting future. -
Electrifying a wide audience: Volkswagen ID. R crowned “Race Car of the Year” twice
Breath-taking all-time record at the legendary hill climb on Pikes Peak with a pioneering, fully-electric drivetrain and a spectacular look – the Volkswagen ID. R Pikes Peak has already justified the use of many superlatives. The 500-kW (680-PS) prototype sports car has now been crowned “Race Car of the Year” twice – by specialist German magazine Auto Bild Motorsport and by British car magazine BBC Top Gear. This recognition from two renowned and high-circulation magazines follows a year of success on the track. -
FIA World Rallycross Championship Johan Kristoffersson is the 2018 FIA World Rallycross Champion
He has done it again! Johan Kristoffersson (S) has claimed his second title in the FIA World Rallycross Championship at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin (USA). The defending champion was victorious in his Volkswagen Polo R Supercar at the tenth of this season’s twelve rounds, just in front of his team-mate Petter Solberg (N), and now has 281 points to his name. With a lead of 77 points over second-placed Mattias Ekström (S), and a maximum 60 points up for grabs at the remaining two events, the driver of the Team PSRX Volkswagen Sweden can no longer be caught at the top of the overall standings. -
WRC comeback with Volkswagen: Petter Solberg to drive the new Polo GTI R5 in Spain
He’s back! 2003 champion Petter Solberg (N) returns to the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) with the Volkswagen Polo GTI R5. Solberg and co-driver Veronica Engan (N) will compete in the WRC 2 class at the Rally Spain in Catalonia from 25 to 28 October. Six years after his last rally in 2012, the Norwegian will make his comeback in precisely the same place, at which he called time on his rally career. Solberg, who drives a Polo for his PSRX Volkswagen Sweden team in the FIA World Rallycross Championship (WRX), will briefly change fields. The Polo GTI R5 will make its competitive debut at the Rally Spain, which will be the car’s only outing with the Volkswagen works team. The R5 rally car will then be run by customer teams in national and international championships. -
Dr. Frank Welsch: “The success on Pikes Peak is of long-term importance”
The Volkswagen ID. R Pikes Peak made history with its record-breaking run at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb on 24 June: the first fully-electric racing car from Wolfsburg conquered the 19.99-kilometre route in 7:57.148 minutes. However, the 500-kW (680-PS) ID. R Pikes Peak is far more than just a record holder – it is the sporty ambassador for the ID. family, Volkswagen’s range of fully-electric production vehicles, which will hit the market from 2020 onwards. In an interview, Dr. Frank Welsch, Member of the Board of Management of Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand with responsibility for Technical Development, speaks about what this means for the future, the challenges faced when developing the ID. R Pikes Peak, and the strategy behind competing at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. -
California Dreamin’ – with the Volkswagen ID. R Pikes Peak
Two months after the historic, record-breaking triumph at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, the ID. R Pikes Peak is set to make a first return visit to the United States: the first fully electrically-driven race car from Volkswagen will be appearing at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance on 26 August. The globally renowned event is one of a kind, a unique exhibition – for exceptional historic automobiles and for innovative concept cars. It represents the highlight of the Pebble Beach Automotive Week, which is taking place this year from 21 to 26 August. -
Success factors for the ID. R Pikes Peak: reduced weight thanks to on-board power generation
For a fully-electric racing car like the Volkswagen ID. R Pikes Peak, the weight of the battery is especially important: it is the heaviest individual component – and each increase in weight has a detrimental effect on the car’s performance. It was logical for the Volkswagen Motorsport engineers to keep the batteries as small and light as possible in the record-breaking car. In addition to the sophisticated, weight-saving lithium-ion design, they are relying on technology that is already implemented in numerous electrically-driven production models: recuperation. -
Success factors for the ID. R Pikes Peak: 4.000 kilometres of test drives
It was all over after exactly 7:57.148 minutes. With Romain Dumas at the wheel, the ID. R Pikes Peak crossed the finish line in the world’s most famous hill climb. A record-breaking sprint that lasted 19.99 kilometres, preceded by numerous tests over a distance of 4,000 kilometres – spread over six months. -
Success factors for the ID. R Pikes Peak: teamwork between racers and technicians from production development
Motorsport is a team sport. At the same time, the individual team members sometimes do their thing on different playing fields – under certain circumstances, they can usually be found playing a completely different sport. A prime example of this is the ID. R Pikes Peak, with which Volkswagen driver Romain Dumas set a new record of 7:57.148 minutes at the most famous hill climb in the world on 24 June 2018. As well as Volkswagen Motorsport, a whole host of departments from within the Volkswagen Group were involved in making the project a success. “The help we received from production development was crucial to the success,” says Volkswagen Motorsport Director Sven Smeets. -
Volkswagen aims to break the land speed record on the United States salt flats with its new Jetta
Volkswagen is still on the hunt for new records: only a few weeks after the success of the electric ID. R Pikes Peak in the “Race To The Clouds” held in the Rocky Mountains and in the UK’s Goodwood Hill Climb and it’s already time for the next sporting highlight. Between 11 and 17 August, Volkswagen of America will be aiming to break the land speed record in the BGC/G class of the Southern California Timing Association on Lake Bonneville – the salt flats in the US state of Utah – with its specially prepared but near-production version of the new-generation Jetta. -
Success factors for the ID. R Pikes Peak: Pacemaker Dieter Depping, test and development driver
He is the unsung hero and secret pacemaker behind the successful Pikes Peak project: Dieter Depping. The man from Hannover (Germany), who celebrates his 52nd birthday today on 7 August, has been a motorsport test and development driver for Volkswagen for 16 years. Without him, the twelve titles in the World Rally Championship (WRC), a further two titles in the FIA World Rallycross Championship (WRX), the three Dakar victories with the Race Touareg, and the many class wins at the Nürburgring 24 Hours would have been inconceivable. Or, as Romain Dumas puts it: “Dieter was my second throttle foot. Without him, the record on Pikes Peak would not have been possible”. The fact that this quote from Dumas came just moments after the ground-breaking 7:57.148 minutes, in which he had made motorsport and electromobility history, speaks volumes of the key role that Dieter Depping has played in the Volkswagen Motorsport success story. -
ID. R Pikes Peak makes Germany debut at Classic Days
From 03 to 05 August the time has come: the Volkswagen ID. R Pikes Peak will make its debut in Germany at the 13th Classic Days at Schloss Dyck. The Autostadt in Wolfsburg will present Volkswagen’s first all-electric powered racing car at their “Passion | Pace | Performance” exhibition. With around 40 exhibits, ranging from the 1920s Bugatti to the current Volkswagen ID. R Pikes Peak, the motorsport brand diversity of the Volkswagen Group will be presented, focussing on the past, present day and future. The 500 kW (680 PS) ID. R Pikes Peak is the sporting forerunner of the ID. family, the series of all-electric powered production cars that Volkswagen will be launching as of 2020. -
Success factors for the ID. R Pikes Peak: Computer is important factor for development in record time
The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb is unique in many ways. One thing that makes the most famous hill climb in the world so special is the heavily restricted test drives. Volkswagen Motorsport wasn’t able to complete hundreds of laps during the development of the ID. R Pikes Peak, like Formula 1 teams are allowed to do on certain racetracks, for example. Before driver Romain Dumas reached the 4,302-metre summit in a new record time, he wasn’t even able to complete one full test run of the actual track with Volkswagen’s first all-electric powered racing car. -
Success factors for the ID. R Pikes Peak – a record breaker, thanks to 3D printing
It is less than four weeks since Romain Dumas and the ID. R Pikes Peak set a new all-time record of 7:57.148 minutes for the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. For the Volkswagen Motorsport engineers, the race against the clock lasted far longer – about eight months. In motorsport, this is an extremely short period in motor racing terms, yet this is all the technicians were given to develop Volkswagen’s first fully-electric racing car. -
Record-breaking run of the ID. R Pikes Peak from different perspectives
Volkswagen made motorsport history at the 2018 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb on 24 June. At the wheel of the 500-kW (680-PS), fully-electric ID. R Pikes Peak, Romain Dumas (F) defeated cars powered by conventional drivetrain technology. The 40-year-old’s time of 7:57.148 minutes, not only smashed the previous record for electric cars, but also bettered the all-time record set in 2013 by Sébastien Loeb (F) – by fully 16.730 seconds. -
ID. R Pikes Peak thrills fans with record run at Goodwood
The ID. R Pikes Peak has wrapped up its next record. Romain Dumas (F) set a new record for electric cars of 43.86 seconds in Volkswagen’s first fully-electric racing car at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Following his record-breaking exploits at the legendary Pikes Peak International Hill Climb just three weeks ago, Dumas beat the previous fastest time for electric cars on the Goodwood Hillclimb, which has stood since 2013, by 3.48 seconds. The all-time record still belongs to Nick Heidfeld (D). The former Formula 1 driver completed the 1.86-kilometre route in 41.6 seconds at the wheel of a McLaren-Mercedes MP4/13 Formula 1 car in 1999. -
Volkswagen ID. R Pikes Peak goes in search of more records at Goodwood
Memories of victory at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb are still fresh: Volkswagen made motorsport history on 24 June, when Romain Dumas (F) and the ID. R Pikes Peak set a new all-time record of 7:57.148 minutes at the most famous hill climb in the world. From 12 to 15 July, the pursuit of records continues at the 2018 Goodwood Festival of Speed. The iconic motorsport event is the largest event of its type in the world and is celebrating its 25th birthday this year. More than 200,000 visitors from all over the world are expected to flock to the south of England for this unique homage to motorsport. -
Product Milestone as Volkswagen R delivers 200,000th ‘R’ model
Volkswagen R has handed over the jubilee car to a UK customer. Volkswagen R stands for performance, sport and emotion. Since it was established in 2002, Volkswagen R has developed and retailed 200,000 cars. -
Video: Helicopter footage of the ID. R Pikes Peak’s record-breaking run
Volkswagen made motorsport history at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb on 24 June. At the wheel of the 500-kW (680-PS), fully-electric ID. R Pikes Peak, Romain Dumas (F) defeated cars powered by conventional drivetrain technology and, with a time of 7:57.148 minutes, not only smashed the previous record for electric cars, but also bettered the all-time record set in 2013 by Sébastien Loeb (F) – by fully 16 seconds. -
All time record: Volkswagen makes history with the ID. R Pikes Peak
Volkswagen and the ID. R Pikes Peak have made history at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. Driving the 500-kW (680 PS) ID. R Pikes Peak, Romain Dumas (F) defeated a field including cars with conventional drivetrain technology. In doing so, he not only broke the previous record for electric vehicles, but also bettered Sébastien Loeb’s (F) all-time record from 2013 – by a full 16 seconds. Dumas’ new record of 7m 57.148s minutes is now top of the list of Pikes Peak champions, which includes such acclaimed drivers as Loeb, Walter Röhrl (D), Michèle Mouton (F), Stig Blomqvist (S), Nobuhiro Tajima (J) and also Rod Millen and his son Rhys (both NZ). -
Two days to go until the record attempt: kW buzz on Pikes Peak
At 10:00 local time (18:00 CEST) on Sunday, Volkswagen will begin its pursuit of the record for electric vehicles, which currently stands at 8:57.118 minutes, at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in the US state of Colorado. Three-time overall winner Romain Dumas will be at the wheel of the ID. R Pikes Peak, Volkswagen’s first fully-electric racing car. The Frenchman set the fastest time in qualifying on Wednesday. Much is new to many of the Volkswagen crew on Pikes Peak, both on and off the track. -
Volkswagen I. D. R Pikes Peak sets fastest time in qualifying
Romain Dumas and the Volkswagen ID. R Pikes Peak made a clear statement of intent in qualifying ahead of the 2018 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in the US state of Colorado. The Frenchman, at the wheel of Volkswagen’s first fully-electric racing car, was the fastest of all the competitors, setting an eye-catching time of 3:16.083 minutes. The three-time Pikes Peak winner went 11.049 seconds quicker than second-placed Simone Faggioli in his Norma M20 SF PKP with its combustion engine. “That was a very good day for us,” said Dumas. “The ID. R Pikes Peak is incredible. I have never experienced acceleration and power like that in a racing car. I am noticing how the car and I are becoming more and more of a unit with every kilometer,” said the Frenchman. -
Romain Dumas: “I have a great respect for this mountain”
Romain Dumas has won the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb three times already. On 24 June, the Frenchman will contest the most famous hill climb in the world for Volkswagen for the first time. He has one goal behind the wheel of the 500-kW (680-hp) ID. R Pikes Peak: The 40-year-old is aiming to break the record for electric cars. This currently stands at 8:57.118 minutes and was set by New Zealand’s Rhys Millen in 2016. -
The clock is ticking: Just ten days to go until the start of the ID. R Pikes Peak
Final preparations are underway and the tension is mounting. Race week at the “Pikes Peak International Hill Climb” kicks off on Monday (18 June) with the Technical Inspection for participating vehicles in Colorado Springs. Attendance is compulsory for the ID. R Pikes Peak, the first fully-electric racing car from Volkswagen. The official practice session starts the next day. “The adrenaline levels will rise steadily until the race on Sunday,” says Romain Dumas, the three-time Pikes Peak winner who will be driving the ID. R Pikes Peak. -
A science in its own right: The rapid-charging system for the ID. R Pikes Peak
The corresponding paragraph in the regulations for the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb is clear: Should a participant in the most famous hill climb in the world be forced to suspend their run for safety reasons – for example, should it suddenly start to hail or another car require recovering – they have exactly 20 minutes, in which to prepare for their second attempt and to return to the start line. “This time frame was a crucial factor when configuring the battery for the ID. R Pikes Peak,” says François-Xavier Demaison, Technical Director at Volkswagen Motorsport. “Furthermore, the charging strategy and independent mobile power supply are also important aspects of the rapid-charging system.” -
Highly-sophisticated and highly efficient – the drivetrain technology in the ID. R Pikes Peak
The ID. R Pikes Peak that Romain Dumas will be driving on 24th June 2018 at the “Pikes Peak International Hill Climb” boasts the most sophisticated powertrain ever developed by Volkswagen Motorsport. “We are breaking new ground with the ID. R Pikes Peak: This is the first time ever that Volkswagen will be competing in a race with a fully-electric car. Alongside the elaborate aerodynamic concept and the special requirements for the sports car chassis, the development of the electric drivetrain was the greatest challenge,” explains François-Xavier Demaison, Technical Director at Volkswagen Motorsport. -
Sporty outfit unveiled: The ID. R Pikes Peak to bear start number 94
The countdown is on to the 96th Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. Two weeks ahead of the start of the most famous hill climb in the world, the ID. R Pikes Peak appeared at the final official test in its final livery and bearing its start number. Volkswagen’s first fully-electric racing car lines up on 24 June in grey – the hallmark colour of the ID. family. -
Emotional and functional – the design of the ID. R Pikes Peak
Development of the ID. R Pikes Peak started around seven months ago – a multifaceted challenge, including for the Volkswagen Design team. “We already have a wealth of experience with high-performance cars and with racing cars, but a powerful prototype like the ID. R Pikes Peak was a world first for us,” said Klaus Bischoff, Head of Volkswagen Design. “Our task was to transfer the unmistakable style of the ID. family to such an extreme and emotional racing car.” -
Romain Dumas completes first test with the ID. R Pikes Peak in the USA
The ID. R Pikes Peak has completed the first test for the “Pikes Peak International Hill Climb” on the original track in the US state of Colorado: Driver Romain Dumas was impressed with the performance of the all-electric powered racing car. Since the track to the summit at an altitude of 4,302 metres is a public road, the team only had access to it for three hours. For preparing for the further test runs and the race on 24th June, Volkswagen Motorsport has established a permanent base in Colorado. -
Every gram counts – lightweight design strategy defines ID. R Pikes Peak concept
It started with simulations. “Before we actually assembled the ID. R Pikes Peak, we used computers to analyse a multitude of different configurations,” says Willy Rampf, technical advisor to the project and a man with a wealth of Formula 1 experience, recalling the start of the development of the car for the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. “It was clear to us that we would not have time to build multiple test vehicles. We had to get it right at the first attempt.” -
Up in the air – Volkswagen Motorsport breaking new technological ground with the aerodynamics of the ID. R Pikes Peak
At first glance, it is clear to see that the ID. R Pikes Peak has been developed for extreme conditions. The aerodynamic aspect of Volkswagen’s first fully-electric racing car is also uncompromisingly designed to tackle the most famous hill climb in the world. “The start line is located at an altitude of almost 2,900 metres, with the finish at 4,300 metres above sea level. The low air pressure up there means that the aerodynamic conditions are different to those at a racetrack on flat land,” explains François-Xavier Demaison, Technical Director at Volkswagen Motorsport and the man responsible for developing the ID. R Pikes Peak as project manager. The relatively open regulations gave the engineers far more leeway, with which to design the chassis and rear wing of the ID. R Pikes Peak, than in other racing disciplines. -
The countdown has started: the new Golf GTI top model is set to be the highlight of this year's GTI meeting at Wörthersee
Wednesday 9 May will see the largest GTI meeting in the world get underway. The location: Reifnitz am Wörthersee. Last year, 7,300 cars and around 125,000 visitors turned the Austrian town into the Mecca of the GTI world. Figures of this magnitude are expected again this year. Volkswagen will also present a special highlight to the participants and visitors: the new Golf GTI TCR, which is nearly ready for production. As a tribute to fans, the 290 PS GTI will be unveiled in a world première at Wörthersee. The future top model in the Golf GTI series, which has sold more than 2.2 million units worldwide, will be launched at the end of the year. -
The Volkswagen ID. R Pikes Peak – Motorsport driving electromobility to the top
A new era for Volkswagen in motorsport: The brand unveiled its fully-electric super sports car, the ID. R Pikes Peak, today. With 500 kW (680 hp), 650 Nm of torque and weighing less than 1,100 kg, the super sports car will take on the iconic Pikes Peak hill climb in Colorado Springs, USA, on 24 June 2018. The goal: To beat the existing record of 8:57.118 minutes for electric cars at the “Race to the Clouds”. To achieve this, the ID. R Pikes Peak will positively sprint into the future: 0 to 100 km/h in 2.25 seconds is faster than Formula 1 and Formula E cars. The ID. R Pikes Peak was unveiled in the Alès, France, before taking to the racetrack for the first time at its roll-out. -
Charging to the peak – Volkswagen ID. R Pikes Peak set for world premier
It is the start of a new era in motorsport for Volkswagen – and one thing is already certain: This Volkswagen is set to electrify its public. When the ID. R Pikes Peak is presented to the public on the coming Sunday, 22 April, it will be Volkswagen’s first fully-electric racing car. Lightweight construction and aerodynamic perfection contribute to an exciting design, which houses a powerful electric power unit. The ID. R Pikes Peak will first take its place under the spotlight of the international media at the racetrack in Alés, France – home of world-class driver Romain Dumas (F), who will be at the wheel for the Pikes Peak Hill Climb – before the official test programme gets underway just one day later. Key date, 24 June 2018 – one goal: Break the record for electric racing cars. -
Volkswagen in customer sport Milestone: Hundredth Golf GTI TCR handed over in Autostadt
When a Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR in full racing regalia is to be found alongside perfectly polished production models of the Volkswagen Polo, Golf, Passat, Arteon, Tiguan and T-Roc in the striking, futuristic handover towers at Autostadt in Wolfsburg, then there hast to be a special reason. Instead of being handed over at Volkswagen Motorsport in Hannover, as is customary, a special honour was bestowed upon the 100th model of the 257 kW / 350 hp Golf GTI TCR: a handover in Autostadt. -
New Polo for driving thrills: The Volkswagen Polo R Supercar
The stage is set for the title defence: Volkswagen Motorsport's new Polo R Supercar has been unveiled in Autostadt Wolfsburg. The 570-hp four-wheel drive powerhouse for the FIA World Rallycross Championship (WRX) has a new look. As well as optimised aerodynamics, it also showcases a new strategic partnership: Volkswagen R, home of Volkswagen's most powerful and sporty production models, is partner of the PSRX Volkswagen Sweden team in 2018 and is intensifying its cooperation with Volkswagen Motorsport. The new WRX season gets underway on 14/15 April in Barcelona (E). -
The latest member of the ID. family: the ID. R Pikes Peak
Volkswagen's latest motorsport project has been named: ID. R Pikes Peak is the title of the all-electric prototype racing car, with which Volkswagen will compete in the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb on 24th June 2018 in Colorado, USA. -
New champion in the Golf GTI TCR: Luca Engstler wins the TCR Middle East
Luca Engstler (D) is the 2018 TCR Middle East champion. The 17-year-old driver from Liqui Moly Team Engstler won the first TCR title of the year for Volkswagen in the 350-hp Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR at the final round of the touring car championship in Bahrain (BRN) this weekend. This makes Engstler the youngest champion to date across all the TCR series. Team Engstler also won the team championship, which meant titles number eleven and twelve for the production-based racing Golf from Wolfsburg, since the car made its debut on racetracks around the world in 2016. -
Volkswagen signs up Le Mans winner Romain Dumas for Pikes Peak International Hill Climb 2018
Volkswagen is banking on experience for its comeback in the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. On 24 June 2018, more than 30 years after Volkswagen last entered the world's most famous hill climb, Romain Dumas from France will be behind the wheel of the marque's first fully electric racing car. Dumas has already won the so-called ‘Race to the Clouds' in the US state of Colorado three times. He is also able to build on the experience gained from driving hybrid prototypes in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC): Dumas secured the world title in this high-tech racing series in 2016 as a Porsche works driver. -
Bundesliga meets motorsport: Max Kruse Racing to run the Golf GTI in TCR Germany
German international Max Kruse, who plays his club football for Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga, is looking to make his mark on the motor racing scene. At the start of the year, the 29-year-old formed the Max Kruse Racing team, which will run a Volkswagen Golf GTI in the ADAC TCR Germany series. The man behind the wheel for the team at this year's seven race weekends will be Volkswagen driver Benjamin Leuchter (30), who just a few days ago tasted success in a Golf GTI TCR at the 24 Hours of Dubai. Leuchter and Kruse visited Hannover (D) to receive the first 350-hp Golf GTI TCR to come off the assembly line in 2018. -
Victory for the Golf GTI TCR at 24-hour race in Dubai
Perfect start to the season for the Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR: Drivers Luca Engstler (D), Florian Thoma (CH), Benjamin Leuchter (D) and Jean-Karl Vernay (F) of the Liqui Moly Team Engstler claimed a TCR class victory in the 24-hour race in Dubai which was also the victory in the TCE touring cars category. As at the Nürburgring 24 Hours 2017, the 350-hp-strong Golf GTI finished ahead of all the GT4 cars in Dubai, underlining its reputation as something of a surprise package on the sports car scene. -
Success around the world: Record year for Volkswagen Motorsport
Volkswagen ended the 2017 motorsport season with a record. Never before had the Wolfsburg-based brand won more international and national championships. Volkswagen is the only automobile manufacturer to have won titles in such a wide range of different motorsports: Volkswagen drivers overcame strong opposition to win a total of 15 renowned championships around the world, in rallying, Rallycross, touring car, single-seater, sprint and endurance racing. -
The rally sports car: World premiere of the new Polo GTI R5
The stage is set for the rally GTI: The Volkswagen Polo GTI R5 enjoyed a successful world premiere. The four-wheel drive rally car for customer sports, which is based on the sixth and latest generation of the new Polo, was introduced to the public for the first time at the official driving presentation of the new Polo GTI in Mallorca (Spain) on Monday evening. The development of the new rally sports car incorporated the experience and know-how acquired whilst winning four world titles in the pinnacle of rallying, the WRC, from 2013 to 2016. -
New design for the motorsport-champion: Update for the successful Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR
Update for the winning model: the Golf GTI TCR, the successful racing version of the compact sports car from Wolfsburg, is getting a facelift for the 2018 season. The front end has been reworked in the same way as for the production model, increasing the emphasis on the visual similarities and close technical relationship shared by both sporty Golf models. -
Volkswagen develops electric race car for world's most renowned mountain race
New challenge in motorsport with the technology of tomorrow: Volkswagen is developing an all-electric race car for the world's most renowned mountain race. The all-wheel drive prototype is scheduled to be at the start of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in Colorado, USA on 24 June 2018. Its goal: to set a new record for electric cars at the finish line which is at 4,300 metres elevation. The new motorsport project is part of Volkswagen's process of transforming itself into the leading producer of electric vehicles. By 2025, the Volkswagen brand will already be offering 23 all-electric models. -
Features of the Arteon
The new Arteon is positioning itself as bold and avant-garde with an extremely emotive outline. These attributes of the new Gran Turismo can be further accentuated with the expressively designed alloy wheels from Volkswagen Zubehör. However, as the Arteon is also a spacious yet extremely practical fastback, the accessory range also includes practical accessory solutions for transport in and on the vehicle, as well as for comfort and value retention. -
Volkswagen realigns motorsport programme
The Volkswagen brand realigns its motorsport programme. From 2017, Volkswagen will focus on new technologies and customer sport. The commitment to the FIA World Rally Championship is coming to an end after four historically successful years, in which Volkswagen won WRC titles in the driver, co-driver and manufacturer rankings in a row with the Polo R. -
Champions, champions, champions, champions*! Ogier/Ingrassia claim fourth WRC title in a row with Volkswagen
Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia (F/F) were crowned World Rally Champions for the fourth time in a row after taking victory at the Rally Spain. They guided their Volkswagen Polo R WRC to a fifth win of the season in Catalonia, finishing ahead of Dani Sordo/Marc Martí (E/E, Hyundai) und Thierry Neuville/Nicolas Gilsoul (B/B, Hyundai). Their ninth podium in eleven races triggered wild celebrations. The Frenchmen can no longer be caught at the top of the overall standings in the 2016 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC). Team-mates Andreas Mikkelsen/Anders Jæger (N/N) went into the Rally Spain as their closest rivals in the title race, but the Norwegians' hopes of winning the championship were dashed when they were forced to retire from the rally. Eighth place in the Manufacturers' classifications for Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila (FIN/FIN) means Volkswagen is well-placed to claim its fourth Manufacturers' title in a row next time out at the Rally Great Britain. -
World premiere of the new Tiguan in Frankfurt
The International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt will be the stage for the presentation of the new Tiguan. After selling over 2.64 million units of the first generation, Volkswagen is revealing the latest generation of the SUV at today's Group Night and at the IAA that begins tomorrow. -
Volkswagen presents the new Touran
Volkswagen presents the new Touran. The completely redesigned MPV was showcased before an audience of international media representatives at the Autostadt in Wolfsburg, not far from the production site where the popular family car is made. The interior of the new model has undergone a significant increase in size and is highly configurable. Refinements have been made all around the vehicle, which boasts a range of six new economical engines and an extensive line-up of assistance and infotainment systems. The public premiere of the new Touran will take place in the coming week at the Geneva motor show.
Stories
24 hours in the Green Hell
The Volkswagen ID.R captivates 230,000 spectators at the endurance classic. Popular Girls Only racing team dogged by bad luck at the 24-hour race in their Golf GTI. GTI TCR wins two races in the Touring Car World Cup.
"Girls only" are getting ready
The “Girls Only” team and their Golf GTI TCR take part in the Nürburgring 24-hour race. How does the crew prepare for the mammoth task?
An emission-free record
The Volkswagen ID.R is the fastest electric vehicle ever to complete a lap of the legendary Nürburgring Nordschleife. We have first impressions of the record run, plus two new videos: the complete run from cockpit- and helicopter perspective, amongst others.
Goosebumps guaranteed!
Romain Dumas chases the lap record for electric vehicles on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife with the ID.R. During the trackwalk, the Frenchman explains a few key points of probably the most challenging race track in the world. In addition, check out our three videos, cruising the Nordschleife with Romain Dumas, amongst others.
Will 20 girls rock the ring?
A racing team comprised entirely of women? Even in 2019, it’s still a noteworthy sight. Volkswagen supports the “Girls Only” team – we visited them in the pit at the Nürburgring.
The German in the world cup
Benjamin Leuchter is a racer, through and through. This year, the man from Duisburg, about 70 kilometers north of Cologne, will compete with a Golf GTI TCR in the WTCR – FIA World Touring Car Cup, the pinnacle of touring car racing. His close connection to Volkswagen has grown over the years. A portrait of a man who is living his childhood dream.
PS fireworks, ice cold
The relaunch of the iconic ice race at Zell am See, Austria thrilled participants and spectators alike.
When Zell freezes over
Car races on frozen tracks pulled huge crowds in the middle of the 20th century. The Ice Race in Zell am See on the upcoming weekend is reviving this tradition.
Grand finale - Johan showing off
The last race of a motorsport season is always something very special. Even more when it´s time for the final of one of the most spectacular racing series in the world: the World Rallycross Championship, the WRX.