Thursday 19th October 2017

Volkswagen to return to Pikes Peak in 2018

VW Motorsport brings some electronica to the Climb Dance party

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The last time VW competed at Pike's Peak it was way back in 1987, using a bonkers 600hp, twin-engined, Golf. Now it's back with an all-new racer and setting it's sights firmly on the 2018 crown.

The new electric race car is a first for Volkswagen Motorsport, aiming to highlight its prowess as an EV manufacturer. In lieu of any internal combustion, it will be equipped with "innovative battery and drive technology", but there's no substitute for some good old-fashioned hill climb aero, and its ultra aggressive package ought to help it through those 156 corners too.

Set to be piloted by three-time Pike's Peak winner Romain Dumas, the goal must surely be to beat the records for both the electric and modified classes. Those are currently held by Rhys Millen, who drove the eO PP100 to the top with a time of 8:57:118, and Sebastien Loeb, who holds the overall record with a time of 8:13:878 in his Peugeot 208 T16 Pikes Peak car.

Sven Smeets, the head of Volkswagen Motorsport is quoted as saying that Pike's Peak is "an important milestone in the company's new motorsport orientation." We'll look forward to seeing how it gets on next summer.

[Fetchez la vache]

Anything to disassociate themselves with the word Diesel, as a guess..