VW ID.R Smashes Goodwood Hillclimb Record By 1.7 Seconds

BY Brad Anderson | Posted on

Volkswagen has smashed the outright record at the Goodwood Festival of Speed with the ID.R racer.

Heading in to this year’s event, the fastest time ever recorded up the hillclimb was a 41.6-second time set by Nick Heidfeld in a McLaren-Mercedes MP4/13 Formula 1 car back in 1999. The ID.R set a phenomenal time of 39.90-seconds, beating out Heidfeld by a cool 1.7-seconds, a significant margin over such a short sprint.

Behind the wheel of the record-breaking ID.R was Romain Dumas who drove the car at last year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed and around the Nurburgring last month in a record-setting 6:05.336 for an electric vehicle.

Volkswagen comprehensively modified the ID.R in preparation for Goodwood this year. The car was outfitted with a smaller battery than it was when used at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb and Nurburgring, meaning it weighed less than 1,000 kg (2,200 lbs), including the driver.

What’s even more impressive is that it (unofficially) first broke Heidfeld’s record earlier in the weekend with a 41.1-second time during qualifying for the shootout.

“In setting the new all-time record at the ‘Goodwood Festival of Speed’, the ID.R has once again shown that Volkswagen’s electric powertrain can outperform even the most powerful conventional powertrains,” Volkswagen Motorsport director Sven Smeets said. “Romain Dumas exploited the full potential of the ID.R on this short but tricky track. After the victory on Pikes Peak and the e-record on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife, he has now achieved another milestone for electromobility. It was a strong performance from our whole team, which only had a very short time, in which to get a lightweight variant of the ID.R up and running for the ‘Festival of Speed’.”

VW isn’t done with the ID.R yet, though. Later this year, it will race up Tianmen Shan Big Gate Road in China, a treacherous ribbon of pavement with 99 corners and huge cliffs.

 

Opel’s Outdated Platforms Can’t Keep A Strong Brand Down

Two years after the PSA Group bought Opel from GM, the German brand is already profitable.
Mark Webber Shows Brits What The Porsche Taycan Is All About

The ex-F1 driver drove Porsche’s electric sports saloon up the Goodwood Hill over the weekend.
Ford Brazil Improves Troller T4’s Off-Road Abilities With “Trail” Version

The capable off-roader has just become even better off the beaten track courtesy of several upgrades.
Porsche Unveils New 911 RSR GTE With 4.2-Liter Flat-Six

The racer is 95 percent new and will make its competitive debut on September 1.
VW ID.R Smashes Goodwood Hillclimb Record By 1.7 Seconds

Beating a bona-fide Formula 1 racer, even one that’s a decade old, is by no means an easy feat…
Extreme E To Launch Electric Off-Road Championship With Odyssey 21 Racer

After single-seat circuit racers, off-roaders are now going down the electric route too.
This Is The Rear Of The 2020 Corvette C8

The rear of the Chevrolet C8 Corvette includes four square tailpipes and is painted Elkhart Blue.
Driven: 2019 Mitsubishi Triton Makes Off-Roading And Hauling Comfortable

The Triton GLS Premium starts at $50,990 AUD and comes with the latest tech and good 4×4 capabilities.
Here’s More Proof The Ford Mustang Might Want To Make Your Life… Interesting

Understeer isn’t the Mustang’s only major issue; a self-opening glovebox can be a distraction on a quick lap.
And THAT’S How You Change The Oil In A Rolls Royce Phantom

The Phantom may be owned by the rich and famous, but basic maintenance is the same as any car.