Just when you thought Volkswagen had done all the hot Golfs we could handle, its motorsports division has come out with an even hotter one. This racing version is built to compete in the Touringcar Racer International Series (TCR) across Europe and Asia, and certainly looks the part.
Based on the production Golf hatchback we all know, the TCR competition version promises to be to circuit-based touring car racing what the Polo R WRC is to the rally stage. And that little pocket rocket has been positively dominating the World Rally Championship.
Developed in conjunction with Seat's racing department and Liqui Moly Team Engstler, the Golf touring car packs the 2.0-liter turbo four from the Golf R. Only instead of 292 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque in the production version, it's been tuned to channel 330 hp and 302 lb-ft to the front wheels (instead of all four) through a six-speed dual-clutch transmission. It rides on 18-inch alloys fitted to a track widened by nearly a foot and a half, along with a competition-spec aero kit to keep it glued to the tarmac and a stripped-out cockpit.
Though the 2015 TCR series is already under way, a pair of these racing Golfs will be entered in the upcoming round at the Red Bull Ring in Austria, before the series heads off to Singapore (in support of the F1 grand prix there) and Thailand ahead of the final round in Macau. If everything goes well, customer teams will be able to pick these up and enter them in next year's championship.
Based on the production Golf hatchback we all know, the TCR competition version promises to be to circuit-based touring car racing what the Polo R WRC is to the rally stage. And that little pocket rocket has been positively dominating the World Rally Championship.
Developed in conjunction with Seat's racing department and Liqui Moly Team Engstler, the Golf touring car packs the 2.0-liter turbo four from the Golf R. Only instead of 292 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque in the production version, it's been tuned to channel 330 hp and 302 lb-ft to the front wheels (instead of all four) through a six-speed dual-clutch transmission. It rides on 18-inch alloys fitted to a track widened by nearly a foot and a half, along with a competition-spec aero kit to keep it glued to the tarmac and a stripped-out cockpit.
Though the 2015 TCR series is already under way, a pair of these racing Golfs will be entered in the upcoming round at the Red Bull Ring in Austria, before the series heads off to Singapore (in support of the F1 grand prix there) and Thailand ahead of the final round in Macau. If everything goes well, customer teams will be able to pick these up and enter them in next year's championship.
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.
- 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.
Volkswagen Golf Information
Featured Gallery Volkswagen Golf TCR
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