Volkswagen Motorsport’s Rally-Spec Polo R2 testing begins at K1000 today
Malaysian rally ace and Team Slideways Industries driver Karamjit Singh to test the Polo R2 during the upcoming IMS K-1000 Rally
- Polo R2 will start competing in the Indian Rally Championship from 2014 season
Pune, November 5, 2013 – Volkswagen Motorsport India will begin the testing of Polo R2, a specially developed rally car, during the upcoming IMS K-1000 Rally at Bangalore. Multi-APRC title holder Karamjit Singh, who has been driving for Team Slideways Industries, will get behind the wheel of the newly developed prototype. The Polo R2 will compete in a new category that will be introduced by FMSCI in the Indian Rally Championship (IRC) 2014.
Volkswagen Motorsport India has been the pioneer of one-make car racing series in India. Polo Cup started in 2010 and is now in its fourth successful season. While young talent has been identified, trained and promoted to international racing series through the Polo R Cup series over the last few years, it was time for Volkswagen Motorsport India to expand to other forms of motorsport in India. The logical step was taken with the extension of technical support to rally teams competing with Volkswagen Polo in the Indian National Rally Championship.
In an effort to further promote our association with Indian motorsport, Volkswagen Motorsport India has now developed its first prototype of the Volkswagen Polo R2 – a rally-spec version of the Polo. The Polo R2 will compete in a new category R2 that will be introduced by FMSCI in IRC from 2014 season. Before entering the competitive season, the Polo R2 will be tested at upcoming IMS K-1000 Rally in Bangalore and then at the Chikmaglur Rally in December 2013.
The Polo R2 is powered with a four cylinder 1.6-litre MPI petrol engine that produces over 130 PS of power. The engine has been mated with a 5-speed manual transmission. Other modifications to the car include Reiger Suspension and uprated Alcon brakes (285mm front disc and 255mm rear disc). The bodywork modifications comprise of aerodynamic body kit, rear spoiler, a roof vent and stripped interiors. From safety point of view, the car has been equipped with FIA-spec roll-cage, fire extinguisher system and OMP rally seats with six-point harness for the driver and navigator. The Polo R2 will run on 15-inch alloy wheels shod with JK Rally tyres.
Prithviraj Siddappa, Head of Volkswagen Motorsport India, said “The first running in of the car has been done and the feedback has been good so far. Karamjit Singh has been driving the Group N Polo this season for which we have been providing technical and spares support at the rally stages. He will now move up to the R2 which is a more powerful car. His inputs are crucial for us in developing the car further and we hope to see some positive steps after the K-1000 Rally.”
Mahesh Kodumudi, President and Managing Director, Volkswagen India Private Limited, commented “The Volkswagen Polo is a perfect example of German engineering. And when the engineering is right, it is always possible to extract more out of the car. Pushing the performance of the car to the limits and putting it through extreme driving will only bring out the Polo’s real potential. I believe that the Polo R2 is our next step in showcasing the capabilities of the car.”
Motor sports enthusiasts interested in getting further information can log on to the website, www.volkswagen-motorsport.in. This website displays information about all the activities undertaken by Volkswagen Motorsport India.
Follow Volkswagen Motorsport India on Facebook: www.facebook.com/vwindiam and Twitter: www.twitter.com/vwmotorsportind
About Volkswagen Motorsport
In more than 40 years of motorsport history Volkswagen has been setting standards primarily in three areas: The brand celebrated exploits in touring car racing, formula racing and rally racing.
The brand’s history in motorsport started in 1966, in formula racing. Formula V – “V” stood for Volkswagen – became an important career step for drivers like Keke Rosberg or Niki Lauda. With 58 hp and the robust technology of the Beetle it offered favourably priced entry and high-quality racing for young drivers. Later, one-make cups like Formula König powered by Volkswagen and Formula Volkswagen built upon this line and consistently followed through on the one-make cup idea with standard chassis. In 2008 Formula ADAC powered by Volkswagen started to continue this tradition.
In comparison with other manufacturers Volkswagen set the pace on the formula stage as well. Between 1979 and 1994 Volkswagen, as a Formula 3 engine manufacturer, won 55 international titles, including seven in Germany. Since September 2007 Volkswagen has been competing in the Formula 3 Euro Series, since 2008 in the German Formula 3 Cup and since 2009 in the British Formula 3, and with success: 2009 saw the title wins in the German and British Championships, and 2010 in all three series. At the prestigious Formula 3 finale in Macau in November 2009 and 2010 Edoardo Mortara celebrated wins “powered by Volkswagen”.
Successes in rally sport
While the first off-road excursions date back all the way to the 1970s, Volkswagen has been systematically promoting young talent since 1980. For half a decade, the Golf Rally Cup offered optimum opportunities to young drivers. Concurrently, Volkswagen in the 1986 World Rally Championship (WRC) clinched the title win in Group A with the Golf and driver Kenneth Eriksson. In cross-country rally sport the brand achieved its first big exploit by winning the 1980 Dakar Rally. From 2009 to 2011 Volkswagen became the first manufacturer to win the legendary rallye with a car powered by a Diesel engine. Volkswagen created history once again by re-entering the WRC 2013 and winning the championship in the debut season itself.
Attractive one-make cups in touring car racing
In more than three decades Volkswagen has shaped the touring car scene as well. The Scirocco Cup, as the first one-make cup from 1976 onwards, produced a subsequent Formula 1 driver, Manfred Winkelhock. It was followed by the Golf Cup and the Lupo/Polo Cup from which numerous talented drivers managed to ascend to higher-level series. Currently, the Scirocco R-Cup is setting bench-marks in the European racing circuits.
Follow the link to take a visual sneak-peek into the history of Volkswagen Motorsport:
http://www.volkswagen-motorsport.com/index.php?id=128&L=1
ends
