Volkswagen Develops New Golf for the Racetrack
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- Concept car for customer racing, in line with new TCR regulations
- Production-based touring car with 330 hp, front-wheel drive and six-speed DSG gearbox
- First competitive test this weekend in Spielberg (A)
WOLFSBURG, GERMANY -- July 10, 2015: A new Golf for the racetrack:
Volkswagen Motorsport is developing its first racing car based on the
seventh generation Golf. The production-based, 330-hp concept car is
assembled in accordance with TCR regulations and is intended to help
Volkswagen evaluate a potential customer racing programme from the 2016
season onwards. In order to accelerate the development of the car, the new
Golf will be tested under competitive conditions between now and the end of
the season: as cooperation partner, the Liqui Moly Team Engstler will run
two cars at the eighth round of the Touringcar Racer International Series
(TCR) at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg (A).
“The newly
created TCR category provides a promising platform for customer racing
– on a national and international level. With exciting races,
production-based technology and reasonable costs, it offers a new outlook
for private racing teams,” said Volkswagen Motorsport Director Jost
Capito. “When developing the Golf-based concept car, we are able to
fall back on the resources at Volkswagen. This reduces both development
time and costs. We will also use the rest of the season to test the car
under competitive conditions and evaluate a possible customer racing
project from 2016.”
Dynamic appearance: new Golf
epitomises racing genes
Visually, the racing genes
are clear to see on the Golf developed by Volkswagen Motorsport: 18-inch
racing rims, a chassis roughly 40 centimetres wider than that of the
production Golf, and a striking rear wing give the Golf a
“ready-to-race” look and first-class handling. An
aerodynamically designed front splitter and carbon rear wing are also among
the modifications for the racetrack. Among the components designed to
protect the driver are a racing seat with head protectors, a racing safety
cell, and a safety tank in accordance with FIA regulations.
Under the bonnet: the inner values of the new Golf for the
racetrack
A powerful four-cylinder engine, DSG
gearbox with shift paddles mounted on the steering wheel, a consistently
developed racing chassis – even under the bonnet, the new Golf has
been meticulously prepared for its outings at the racetrack. Volkswagen
Motorsport is developing the car in cooperation with the sport department
at SEAT, meaning it can call on SEAT’s experience with the Leon Cup
Racer. As with the Volkswagen Group’s production vehicles, the MQB
platform also offers many synergies for racing cars and reduces the cost of
assembling and running the touring car. The two-litre turbo engine with
direct fuel injection comes from the top sporting model, the Golf R. The
racing version of this engine generates 330 hp (243 kW) and 410 Nm of
torque.
Testing under race conditions: first start at
the Red Bull Ring
In order to accelerate development,
the concept car will be tested under competitive conditions at the
remaining four race weekends in the international TCR series. The renowned
Liqui Moly Team Engstler, which boasts decades of experience of touring car
racing, will take responsibility for running the car during the remaining
test phase.
Calendar for the Touringcar
Racer International Series (TCR)
28–29/03/2015
Malaysia (Sepang)*
11–12/04/2015 China (Shanghai)*
02–03/05/2015 Spain (Valencia)
09–10/05/2015 Portugal
(Algarve)
23–24/05/2015 Italy (Monza)
30–31/05/2015
Austria (Salzburgring)
20–21/06/2015 Russia (Sochi)
11–12/07/2015 Austria (Spielberg)
19–20/09/2015
Singapore*
24–25/10/2015 Thailand (Buriram)
21–22/11/2015 Macau
* on support programme for the
Formula One World Championship.