Finally | The full ID.R 6min 05secs lap - onboard
Volkswagen has heard us and responded - here's the full ID.R lap from the hot seat...
UPDATE - 07.06.19
We've had the piecemeal video - now for the real thing, from start to finish. 'Nuff said.
No bones about it: beating Stefan Bellof's 1983 lap record is an astounding achievement. None of us doubted that the ID.R would crack the 6:45.9 set by Peter Dumbreck in the NIO EP9 in 2017 - because that was a (sort of) production car and Volkswagen's all-electric racing concept certainly isn't. But to dip under the 6:11.1 that Bellof achieved at the wheel of the Porsche 956 is remarkable. Lest we forget, the record stood for 35 years until Porsche shattered it with the 919 Evo.
The ID.R's distance from that car's 5:19.5 lap is notable, of course - but Volkswagen would never have targeted the trick LMP1 hybrid's time because it is in a different league from almost anything you'd care to imagine. Instead it is likely that the team were hoping to break the 6-minute mark (not least because the director of motorsport told PH that the car's simulated time was slightly quicker than the one Romain Dumas actually laid down). Regardless, the new EV record is likely to stand for a while.
As with Pikes Peak, Volkswagen Motorsport doesn't seem to inclined to give us unfiltered onboard footage of the lap right out of the gate (despite it being the way that every other manufacturer on earth does it) so the first official video is a slight mixed bag. But the bits you do see from a camera positioned ahead of Dumas does give you some idea of the astonishing speed being summoned up by the ID.R - made even more hyper-real by the ghostly whine which accompanies it. You'll have heard sweeter Nurburgring laps, sure - but only one quicker. Kudos, VW.
Same reason why classic and historic racing interests me so much more nowadays than modern glued down, on rails cars. Also domestic rallycross too, seeing cars sliding about a bit and driver car control on display.
i reckon that is around the pace a modern gp bike could run round there if allowed, maybe even sub 6, but i doubt we ever find out.
In terms of evolution, this is early days for the EV, 11 years since the Tesla Roadster appeared which was sort of day 1 for the start of the current shift to electric power.
So, this by VW is 45 ish seconds behind the Porsche, which was so far in front of everything else, part of the same group so the cynic in me thinks that there may be some stage management going on, not saying it could go faster than the 919 but even if it could I think it would have a Porsche badge on it.
How long before a pure EV beats that time, does anyone think its not possible, I personally think its a when, rather than an if, within 5 years I reckon.
They dont sound very edifying, granted.
I've no idea if it's set to any specific regulations in general for the pikes peak car, would they be able to wring a chunk more pace out of it just adding a bit more batteries to it and a slightly beefier motor? Top end speed isn't ridiculously quick tbh, though that's not what it's about.
i reckon that is around the pace a modern gp bike could run round there if allowed, maybe even sub 6, but i doubt we ever find out.
Like it or not, those of us who love internal combustion engines are dinosaurs.
Imagine the New York city scene of Gumball Rally if they were in EVs... Even the Chevy Van was interesting despite not being particularly fast.
Anyway, not meaning to start an EV Vs Petrol debate, I'm well aware that EVs are the future and as posted above I'll be surprised if the outright record isn't beaten by an EV in the next 5 years or so.
https://www.pistonheads.com/news/ph-french/bridge-...
This guy up here is one of them ^^^
No desire to drive the 2nd fastest car ever round that track, because it doesn't sound exciting enough.
If you can only derive enjoyment from a car via noise and the vibrations that the engineers work so hard to minimise, you're sort of missing the point of it all, in my opinion.
In terms of evolution, this is early days for the EV, 11 years since the Tesla Roadster appeared which was sort of day 1 for the start of the current shift to electric power.
So, this by VW is 45 ish seconds behind the Porsche, which was so far in front of everything else, part of the same group so the cynic in me thinks that there may be some stage management going on, not saying it could go faster than the 919 but even if it could I think it would have a Porsche badge on it.
How long before a pure EV beats that time, does anyone think its not possible, I personally think its a when, rather than an if, within 5 years I reckon.
They dont sound very edifying, granted.
I know they are the future but so were diesels. There was the issue about the the mining of the metals used in the batteries. Has that gone away?
I know I’m a dinosaur. Even if this was a petrol powered car I still wouldn’t be interested. I don’t think I’ve liked a new car since the Ferrari 458 and that was the first one in a while.
Electric, hybrid and modern turbos can suck my ar$£!
This guy up here is one of them ^^^
No desire to drive the 2nd fastest car ever round that track, because it doesn't sound exciting enough.
If you can only derive enjoyment from a car via noise and the vibrations that the engineers work so hard to minimise, you're sort of missing the point of it all, in my opinion.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff