Using the latest Volkswagen seventh generation Golf as a base, Volkswagen Motorsport is testing out a program to allow their customers to buy ready made test cars. Much like how BMW has the M235i racing for privateer racing teams, Volkswagen Motorsport is aiming for exactly that with this Golf.
Built to TCR (Touringcar Racer International Series) regulations 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, Austria.
“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.”
I have always wanted to build a racing car based on the VW Golf design but that is still a dream for me. Seeing one built by Volkswagen Motorsport gives me goosebumps knowing that what I envisioned is somewhat similar. The car comes with 18-inch racing rims (it isn’t easy to find slick tyres for larger sized 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. Nothing says racer as loud as the typical “ah beng” rear spoiler.
Of course these components (wings) are aerodynamically designed. 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.
In terms of power, this baby is powered by a powerful four-cylinder engine, DSG gearbox with shift paddles mounted on the steering wheel, a consistently developed racing chassis. As with most race cars, 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 and 410 Nm of torque.
