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..

[Dr G]

Just as a lot of the Le Mans program was to say "we're best at [cheating at] diesel" this is to say "we're best at electricity".

[Futse]

That's of course a big point of racing, to say you're the best at something :-)

[Amanitin]

Futse said:

That's of course a big point of racing, to say you're the best at something :-)

when you win, that is

[cognac1979]

I find this more exciting than formula e anyway. At least VW can go all out without restrictions and give it a right old bash, look at what loeb did with full factory support, an incredible climb. I would like to see more manufacturers competing at Pikes Peak. It would be like their one shot per year to prove something, unlike a new nurburgring lap time coming out by different manufacturers every other week.

[smilo996]

Great and it looks amazing from what little can be seen.

The whole dribbling brigade moan about diesel is getting dull. Move on.

[lindrup119]

cognac1979 said:

I find this more exciting than formula e anyway. At least VW can go all out without restrictions and give it a right old bash, look at what loeb did with full factory support, an incredible climb. I would like to see more manufacturers competing at Pikes Peak. It would be like their one shot per year to prove something, unlike a new nurburgring lap time coming out by different manufacturers every other week.

I know it's a topic that's been beaten to death, but Pikes Peak itself lost most of it's excitement for me once it was fully tarmacked, restrictions or no restrictions.

*insert "now this is Pikes Peak" cliche here before linking to Climb Dance below*

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEuZG37gFdM

[rb26]

Looking forward to laughing when it overheats and stops working half way up the hill.