Thursday 22nd April 2010

VW Lines Up Motorsport Legends At Hockenheim

Old hands go head to head in new one-make Scirocco R-Cup

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Five motorsport legends will go head to head this weekend when the Scirocco R-Cup makes its debut at Hockenheim.

Carlos Sainz, Frank Biela, Jacques Laffite, Derek Bell and Martin Brundle will take on each other - and 20 other competitors - in the new one-make series, which will this year support the DTM.

It's always good to see experienced racers battle it out in identical cars, and this lot should be no different. Between them they have two WRC titles, a Dakar victory, a DTM title, a BTCC title (from the super-touring glory days, no less), an FIA Sports Car World Championship and no fewer than 11 Le Mans Victories. Oh, and the small matter of 343 F1 starts. Should be a good race, then.

Aside from the star drivers, VW is also keen to emphasise the green nature of the Scirocco R-Cup. The cars all run on bio compressed natural gas, which helps to cut tailpipe CO2 emissions by 80 per cent, while the production process is virtually carbon-neutral.

Of more interest to petrolheads (should we say gasheads?) is the 225hp turbocharged 2.0-litre engine, which has a 'push-to-pass' button that temporarily increases boost pressure, allowing up to 275hp for a limited number of short bursts.

"With the Scirocco R-Cup Volkswagen rings in a new one-make cup era," says Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen. "We are realising innovative ideas of an eco-conscious powertrain, other innovative technologies and new sporting concepts in the Cup. At Hockenheim, young talents will meet with seasoned pros and true motorsport legends."

The Scirocco R-Cup is also heading to the UK with a round at Brands Hatch over the weekend of 4-5 September.

[CJ.OK]

WOW - This sounds great! Whens the 1st one?

It'll be great to see the legends battling it out - Most interesting for me is how Carlos Sainz gets on. I've always thought rally drivers were the greatest drivers in the world....

[Emeye]

Will this be on the tele?

[sootyrumble]

I comletely agree, i would love to see Lewis Hamilton in a rally car it would be a little embarrissing considering how Raikkonen had previous rally experience and is still getting trounced. How fast would Sebastien Loeb be if given a period in a F1 car, especially as his outing in a Red Bull F1 car in 2008 posted the 8th fastest time of the day.
Rally Drivers have far more feel for the surface that they are driving on.

[soad]

Emeye said:

Will this be on the tele?

I hope so, would love to watch that!

Sounds bloody great.

[_dobbo_]

Don't think it will be on TV - as far as I'm aware the DTM doesn't have a home on UK television at the moment.

[Riggers]

CJ.OK said:

WOW - This sounds great! Whens the 1st one?

• Ahem*

May I point you in the direction of the article's first paragraph ...

"Five motorsport legends will go head to head this weekend when the Scirocco R-Cup makes its debut at Hockenheim."

[Dagnut]

VW must be paying through the nose to get this on the map..some serious talent there.

[Not Ideal]

_dobbo_ said:

Don't think it will be on TV - as far as I'm aware the DTM doesn't have a home on UK television at the moment.

Dtm is on Espn this Sunday.

[sim16v]

Carlos Sainz has done the 'ring 24 hour for the last couple of years, in a Scirocco, so he has a bit of experience in them

[havoc]

Not Ideal said:

_dobbo_ said:

Don't think it will be on TV - as far as I'm aware the DTM doesn't have a home on UK television at the moment.

Dtm is on Espn this Sunday.

Lets hope they show the support race then...that is an awesome line-up!

[chevronb37]

I presume this is superseeding the Polo Cup as VW's DTM support race? Looking forward to Brands Hatch 5th Sept.

[cliffie]

I feel this will be more of a spectacle than the DTM race it supports. Maybe they will need to re-asses the billing.

[nadirv8]

I don't see the point in the 'push to have more power' button. Why not just make is standard performance, or have a perm setting. Personally I'd have my finger on that all the time. POWER!

[scubadude]

nadirv8 said:

I don't see the point in the 'push to have more power' button. Why not just make is standard performance, or have a perm setting. Personally I'd have my finger on that all the time. POWER!

Article says- "which has a 'push-to-pass' button that temporarily increases boost pressure, allowing up to 275hp for a limited number of short bursts."

Note- "Temporarily" and "limited number of short bursts"

[TU Tuning]

Despite the pathetic new regulations in normal road cars, Im loving all this electric motor tech in racing. Along with the impressive driver line up its like a big playstation game come true! Adding another edge to the sport can only be a good thing in my eyes.

Love the look of these too.

[ScoobieWRX]

The push to pass button should be taking that car to around 300+ from 275 which i'm sure that engine and setup is more than capable of delivering and handling all day long.

There is so much promise there yet VW deliver what is some pretty lame factory ECU mapping. However, all that said, something as straightforward as a decent aftermarket remap should sort that nonsense out no problem!!

Apart from factory setup i think that is a cracking good car.

[JJ78]

sounds an excellent recipe!

[CJ.OK]

Riggers said:

CJ.OK said:

WOW - This sounds great! Whens the 1st one?

• Ahem*

May I point you in the direction of the article's first paragraph ...

"Five motorsport legends will go head to head this weekend when the Scirocco R-Cup makes its debut at Hockenheim."

Saturday or Sunday and at what time?!?

[Belfast Boy]

not the first thing I think of with VW is, Motorsport?

[vintageracer01]

So, back to the roots, then. Finally!

This is how it all started in 1976. The VW Scirocco Cup:

(a very rare picture at Nürburgring)

Edited by vintageracer01 on Thursday 22 April 15:16