Volkswagen to Announce I.D. R’s Next Mission in January

Volkswagen is taking the I.D. R to Austria’s famous Ice Race at Zell am See, but only as a showpiece. The car will be doing another hot lap in the near future, though, and VW plans to announce that record attempt at the January 19-20 event.

Reports and common sense indicate that the car will take on the Nurburgring at some point and attempt to beat the track’s 6:45.9 electric record (set by the NIO EP9 in 2017). But of course, there’s any number of tracks where the I.D. R can flex its muscles.

If it does take on the Nurburgring it’ll have its work cut out for it, since the NIO EP9 made 1,450 hp and accelerated from 0-60 in just 2.3 seconds. That said, the I.D. R can hit 60 in just 2.2 seconds and also has some of the best aero on the planet.

Aero designed in conjunction with Porsche, which currently owns the outright record around the track of 5:19.55. While the 919 is living proof that the Volkswagen Group has no qualms about competing with itself, an outright record for the I.D. R still feels unlikely.

Although the I.D. R is uncannily fast, the 919 broke a record that stood some 35 years and which many considered to be unbeatable by nearly a whole minute and rounded Spa Francorchamps faster than an F1 car shortly before that.

Unfortunately, we have yet to see the two cars take on the same track since Porsche turned down a chance to take on the Goodwood Hill Climb. Both the I.D. R and the NIO have done the British hill climb, though, with the NIO climbing the hill in 44.61 and the VW climbing it in just 43.05 seconds.

Although the difference is only about a second and a half, on a climb that short it’s a sizeable difference.

Getting the car ready to race at sea level will take some doing, though, since it’s been set up for high altitude racing ever since Pikes Peak. Wherever it decides to set a lap time, VW’s crack team of engineers will have work to do before setting records.

The post Volkswagen to Announce I.D. R’s Next Mission in January appeared first on VWVortex.

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