Volkswagen Golf Racing revealed

Volkswagen Motorsport dropped these images to our inbox overnight and we like what we’re seeing. This is the 243kW/410Nm Golf Racing. It’s been built to compete in the final four races of the 2015 Touringcar International Series (TCR) and will make its competition debut at the Red Bull Ring this weekend.

The production-based concept will test the waters for Volkswagen Motorsport to see if there’s a market to offer this as an ongoing customer racing model for the 2016 season. The Volkswagen group is already represented in TCR with the Seat Leon and Audi TT.

Taking power from an uprated 2.0 litre Golf R engine the Golf Racing puts its power to the ground through the front wheels only, using a 6-speed DSG and 18-inch wheels and tyres. The somewhat extreme bodykit is in keeping with its competitors and is 400m wider than a standard Golf VII.

Officially still in a development phase, the Golf Racing will be run by Liqui Moly Team Engstler for the remainder of the TCR season, which has rounds to follow Austria in Singapore, Thailand and Macau.

“The newly created TCR category provides a promising platform for customer racing—on a national and international level,” said Volkswagen Motorsport Director Jost Capito. “With exciting races, production-based technology and reasonable costs, it offers a new outlook for private racing teams.”

Volkswagen develops new Golf for the racetrack

• 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 (09 July 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.