Photo: Volkswagen
With less than two weeks left until the start of this year’s Pikes Peak hill climb, Volkswagen is the carmaker that makes the most noise.
The Germans are returning to the race 30 years after their last entry, so the excitement they feel is understandable. All this talk about their latest racer, the I.D. R, does however create a lot of expectations that must be met.
To be driven by Le Mans winner and current Porsche factory driver Romain Dumas, the I.D. R would go straight for the record in its category: beat the 8:57.188 time set in 2016 for electric cars by Rhys Millen.
This weekend, Volkswagen unveiled the car in the livery it will be wearing during the climb, and also said it would be wearing number 94 on its sides.
And while we were expecting a much more intricate explanation for the choice of number, Volkswagen revealed that it merely reflects the number the I and D letters have in the alphabet.
The I.D. R is currently being tested and “bonded with” Dumas on-site at Pikes Peak. The test drives up and down the hill would have to take a break next weekend, as its driver would have to head back to Europe to race in the Le Mans race.
Back to the I.D. R, the car is powered by two electric motors that give it a troop of 680 horsepower and torque rated at 650 Nm. That’s enough to boost the machine from naught to sixty-two faster than Formula 1 and Formula E cars, in only 2.25 seconds.
As for the challenge ahead, the Pikes Peak Hill Climb is the most famous annual event of its kind. It takes cars up from 4,720 ft (1,440 m) at the start at Mile 7 on Pikes Peak Highway, to the finish at 14,110 ft (4,300 m). The road is made up of over 156 turns spread over a 12.42 miles (20 km) distance.
To be driven by Le Mans winner and current Porsche factory driver Romain Dumas, the I.D. R would go straight for the record in its category: beat the 8:57.188 time set in 2016 for electric cars by Rhys Millen.
This weekend, Volkswagen unveiled the car in the livery it will be wearing during the climb, and also said it would be wearing number 94 on its sides.
And while we were expecting a much more intricate explanation for the choice of number, Volkswagen revealed that it merely reflects the number the I and D letters have in the alphabet.
The I.D. R is currently being tested and “bonded with” Dumas on-site at Pikes Peak. The test drives up and down the hill would have to take a break next weekend, as its driver would have to head back to Europe to race in the Le Mans race.
Back to the I.D. R, the car is powered by two electric motors that give it a troop of 680 horsepower and torque rated at 650 Nm. That’s enough to boost the machine from naught to sixty-two faster than Formula 1 and Formula E cars, in only 2.25 seconds.
As for the challenge ahead, the Pikes Peak Hill Climb is the most famous annual event of its kind. It takes cars up from 4,720 ft (1,440 m) at the start at Mile 7 on Pikes Peak Highway, to the finish at 14,110 ft (4,300 m). The road is made up of over 156 turns spread over a 12.42 miles (20 km) distance.
Google News