| On 14th October, a prototype of Volkswagen's W12 Coupé
concept car set the world speed record (subject to recognition by the
FIA) for distance covered in 24 hours.
On the Nardo high-speed circuit in southern Italy the
sports car covered 4402.8 miles at an average speed of 183.45 mph,
improving on the previous record set by a Chevrolet LTS Corvette by a
margin of 7.5 mph.
At the same time the team of drivers broke two other
world records in the W12 Coupé and six vehicle class speed records. |
Volkswagen isn't a name you associate with life-on-the-edge type sportscars.
Reliability and build quality are the buzz words when it comes to VW, not kidney
squeezing acceleration. If they can combine those qualities then they really
will take the supercar world by storm.
That's precisely what they're trying to do with the unimaginatively named W12
(it's got one of the new bizarre W12 configuration engines). Surely the
Blitzkrieg 12 or Blitzen 600 would be more evocative? Mind you this is the
company that produced the Rabbit and the Bora.
Dull names aside, the car itself is an amusing little runabout. Developing a
handy 600 bhp at 7000 rpm and maximum torque of 457 lbs ft at 5800 rpm, the new
W12 can reach 62 in less than 3.5 seconds and goes on to a top speed of over 217
mph. Weighing just 1200 kg, it is of course one of the fastest sports cars in
the world.
Key to this is the mid-mounted lightweight (239 kg) and compact 6.0-litre 12
cylinder engine with 4 valves per cylinder. The layout of the W12 engine imay be
described as two narrow-angle V6 cylinder blocks joined side by side at an angle
of 72 degrees onto a common seven bearing crankshaft. This makes a "double
V" or "W" formation of this exceptionally smooth and compact W12
engine.
All that lovely power is transferred to the rear axle via a sequential
six-speed gearbox located behind the engine. The rubber is 255/35 ZR front tyres
and 275/40 ZR at the rear decorating the tasty magnesium 19 inch alloys.
Front and rear suspension is with double wishbone layout and weight
distribution is 50:50 over a wheelbase of 2.63 metres. An electronic stability
program (ESP) and traction control system (TCS) provide stability and safety at
speed for road use but can be switched off for motor sport conditions.
Ventilated Brembo brake discs with a diameter of 318 millimetres are fitted at
both the front and rear and the electrically activated handbrake has been set up
for an easy integration in standard production.
The design study drafted by Italdesign has been further refined in comparison
to its two predecessors; newly designed headlights and rear lights are more in
keeping with future Volkwagen styling.
The W12 Coupé has two wing doors, and a central glass panel which extends
the length of the roof from the windscreen to the end of the engine compartment
enabling the W12 engine to be seen through the transparent engine compartment
cover.
Inside VW have taken the safe option of smatterings of leather, aluminium and
carbon fibre dominate. Seats, fittings and door trims have been finished, for
example, with a black/grey suede and a colour coded leather. The red aluminium
elements in the interior are also distinctive – Volkswagen has used a new
chemical process to achieve this surface finish. The layout of the instruments
is classical with two round main displays providing the most important
information, while the controls for the air conditioning, navigation system,
on-board computer and car telephone are controlled via a colour display in the
centre console.
Volkswagen are still refering to this car as a design study so if and when we
see them braving the GATSO's in the UK remains to be seen.
