Scirocco Goes Racing

Three factory VW Sciroccos will take part in the Nurburgring 24 Hours

By Oli S / Friday, 2 May 2008 / Loading comments

The new VW Scirocco may have only just entered this world but the firm has wasted no time getting it ready for racing.

Three factory Sciroccos will be tackling the legendary Nürburgring 24 Hours and one of the drivers will be World Rally Champion Carlos Sainz.

Each powered by a 2-litre TFSI petrol engine developing 300 PS, the Sciroccos will be in action on Germany’s daunting 25 km ‘Nordschleife’ in the 24/25 May event.

Also racing are Sainz’s Race Touareg team-mates Giniel de Villiers and Dieter Depping.

The Volkswagen board member for technical development, Dr Ulrich Hackenberg, will drive also.

Last year a Golf GTI clinched its class and finished eighth overall at the Nürburgring.

‘The racing version of the Scirocco was developed and prepared by our technical staff in record time,’ said Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen, ‘and we are well on schedule now that we have successfully completed this first endurance test.

'The Nürburgring 24 Hours is the ideal platform to showcase the performance capabilities of this exciting coupe.’

The Nürburgring 24 Hours has established itself as the world’s toughest car race since its launch in 1970.

A grid of 220 cars is allowed to take the start, with more than 700 drivers scheduled to compete in front of in excess of 200,000 trackside spectators.

German TV is planning 12 hours of live coverage of the event.