New Volkswagen Golf Race Car Ready for the Track

Volkswagen TCR-Golf race car

Volkswagen Motorsport released information about its first race car based on the Mk VII Golf. This production-based, 330 horsepower, front-wheel drive car is built to Touringcar Racer International Series (TCR) and meant to be a flexible and affordable race car. Its Inaugural appearance will be this weekend in the TCR International Series at Red Bull Ring in Austria.

VW Motorsports is currently evaluating a potential racing program for 2016 and will test the new TCR-spec Golf under race conditions in the four remaining TCR International Series events.

Volkswagen TCR-Golf race car

“The newly created TCR category provides a promising platform for customer racing – on a national and international level. With exciting races, production-based technology and reasonable costs, it offers a new outlook for private racing teams,”said Volkswagen Motorsport Director Jost Capito. “When developing the Golf-based concept car, we are able to fall back on the resources at Volkswagen. This reduces both development time and costs. We will also use the rest of the season to test the car under competitive conditions and evaluate a possible customer racing project from 2016.”

Modified specifically to endure race conditions is a powerful 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, DSG gearbox, and racing chassis. The chassis is approximately almost 16 inches wider than a production Golf and sits on 18-inch racing wheels developed by Volkswagen Motorsport. An aerodynamic front splitter and rear carbon wing are some of the exterior modifications making the Golf track ready. Safety components designed to protect the driver—racing seat with head protection, racing safety cell, and safety fuel cell—are all in accordance with FIA regulations.

Volkswagen TCR-Golf race car driver safety cell

Volkswagen has been absent from motorsports in the US except for some private teams. Previously, Tanner Foust and Scott Speed were driving a VW Polo for Andretti Autosport in Red Bull Global Rallycross, then eventually moving to the Beetle GRC mid-way during the 2014 season. If the new VW Golf racecar proves to be a success, it could possibly be adapted to meet World TouringCar Championship (WTCC) and IMSA rules to compete in their respective race series. Continental Tire Sportscar Challenge series has Mazda MX-5, Honda Civic Si, and a MINI JCW on the grid. Why not a VW Golf?

Volkswagen TCR-Golf race car