Volkswagen enters 2011 WRC events.

Volkswagen have started gearing up for their Polo R WRC programme by entering 2 young drivers in both the Rally Finland and Rally Germany.  Volkswagen Motorsport are entering a pair of Skoda Fabia S2000s on each event to gain experience for the whole team (including on event and off event personnel) on WRC rallies before it enters the 2013 World Rally Championship with the Polo R WRC. The are also using the events as assessment of potential drivers for their WRC programme, including development of the car in 2012.  Andreas Mikkelsen (22) and Joonas Lindroos (26) will drive the VW Motorsport Skoda Fabias in Finland with Hans Weis Junior (24) and Christian Riedermann (23) taking over driving duties in Germany.  Volkswagen Motorsport are expected to enter more rounds of the 2011 WRC as they assess more drivers and gain valuable experience for there forth coming challenge.

Volkswagen Golf R

Volkswagen {link} have given the motoring world its first official look at the range topping Golf, the Golf R. Meant as a direct replacement for the out going mark 5 Golf R32 the mark 6 Golf R offers 270PS (a 20PS increase over the R32) and 350Nm of torque from a 2 litre turbocharged engine, thereby becoming the most powerful production Golf ever made. The TSI engine in the Golf R is similar to that fitted to the GTI but not the same. Originating in the mark 5 GTI the engine has undergone a large amount of development to produce 270PS; this includes stiffening of the cylinder block, new turbo, new intercooler, high pressure injectors and heavy duty internal parts.
As with the old R32 the Golf R uses Volkswagen’s 4motion 4 wheel drive system to transmit its power to the road, when combined with a DSG gearbox this means the Golf R can sprint from 0-62mph in a creditable 5½ seconds carrying on to an electronically limited top speed of 155mph.
The latest generation 4motion fitted to the Golf R is the most sophisticated yet and, for the first time, will allow almost all the power to be transmitted to the rear wheels only. The system is supposed to react quicker and smoother that the generation before thanks to the use of a new, pump driven pre-charged hydraulic system. Development of the transmission, and Golf R in general, started in the spring of this year at the motor industries favourite test track, the Nürburgring.
Working in conjunction with 4motion is enhanced ESP (with a specific ‚Sport’ mode designed predominantly for track use) and suspension that sits 25mm lower than standard. Wheels are 18“ as standard with 19“ optional, standard tyre size is 225/40..
Styling wise the Golf R To set the Golf R apart from a conventional Golf or has a new front fitted with LED running lights, a new rear bumper with a gloss black diffuser that houses the trademark pair of centrally exiting exhausts. The Golf R also comes a new black grille, wing mirrors and a set of sill extensions. Bi-xenon headlights are standard providing excellent forward lighting, the rear lights are unique to the Golf R with high-intensity LED bulbs and behind smoked lenses.
The interior remains traditional Golf with extra R badging and detailing, as per other R models this includes pedals, steering wheel and sill protectors.Volkswagen have mentioned that the Golf R (produced, incidentally, by Volkswagen Individual) is a more extreme performance model than the Scirocco R, claiming that where the Scirocco stops in terms of performance and handling the Golf R starts. Certainly Ford, Opel/Vauxhall and Renault will be studying the Golf R very carefully to see if it does set new standards in the performance (or ‚hot’) hatch segment.
Sales commence at the end of the year with prices expected to start around £28,500.

British Formula 3, Rockingham.

Mercedes powered teams redressed the victory count in this year’s championship by winning both races this weekend. Nick Tandy claimed an emotional victory in race one for his family run JTR whilst Marcus Ericsson took the spoils in race 2 driving his Mercedes powered Double R Dallara.
Top Volkswagen powered driver in race 1 was Carlin driver Max Chilton who finished 5, race two was better for VW poered teams with both Carlin and T-Sport getting drivers on the podium. T-sport driver Adriano Buzaid claimed 3rd overall with Henry Arundel finishing 2nd in his Carlin prepared Dallara.
Volkswagen powered driver Daniel Ricciardo still leads the championship despite crashing out of the first race at Rockingham.

ADAC Zurich 24 Hours, Nürburgring.

This year’s Nürburgring 24 hour race saw a historical achievement as the Manthey Porsche {link} team claimed its 4th successive victory.
After a race long battle with the Abt Audi R8 LMS the Timo Bernhard, Marc Lieb, Romain Dumas and Marcel Tiemann Porsche 911 GT3 RSR came home with a winning margin of 1 lap.
Behind the Christian Abt, Jean-Francois Hemroulle, Pierre Kaffer, Lucas Luhr Audi R8 LMS of came another Manthey prepared car, the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup S car of Emmanuel Collard, Wolf Henzler, Richard Lietz and Dirk Werner. Uwe Alzen, Sascha Bert, Lance David Arnold and Christopher Mies finished 4th in their Porsche 997 GT3 Cup with the Phoenix Racing Audi A8 LMS of Marc Basseng, Marcel Fässler, Mike Rockenfeller and Frank Stippler rounding out the top 5.
Volkswagen scored an impressive 17th overall with their natural gas powered Scirocco as well as a class win and 15th overall with their petrol powered version.

Volkswagen Golf R20

Volkswagen have seemingly opted to scrap the sweet sounding top preforming V6 powered Golf R32 replacing it with a 2 litre turbocharged 4 cylinder Golf known as the R20.

It may have a smaller model number but the R20 will out perform the R32 in all areas. Volkswagen will continue the Golf R tradition by making the 270PS direct injection R20 four wheel drive.

Performance is expected to be better than any of the current hot hatch range, including the new Ford Focus RS, with pricing being exceptionally competitive.

Volkswagen Scirocco Studie R

Volkswagen used this month's Bologna Motor Show to give a very serious glimpse of what the R20 Scirocco will look like. Based on the, very successful, Scirocco GT24 racing car (pictured below) the Studie R benefits from an impressive power hike over the range topping GT, offering an impressive 266PS.
To cope with the extra power the Studie R has 4-pot front brake calipers protected from the tarmac by 5 spoke, heavily detailed 19" wheels. The suspension has also been adapted to handle the extra performance of the Studie R.
Styling is more aggressive in a definite nod to the GT24 as well as practical performance requirements. A deep front bumper/spoiler combination provides extra cooling air as well as combating lift whilst the rear roof spoiler also combats lift but less subtly!
The interior's acres of carbon fibre was more for the Bologna show, than any production model, as were the red and green details on the show car's white exterior (including the Italian tricolore and Bologna 08 for those who weren't sure where they saw the car.....)