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NEWS RELEASE: 17 JULY 2013

VOLKSWAGEN RACING UK UNVEILS TRACK GOLF 7 GTI

Volkswagen Racing UK has unveiled its latest track version of the iconic Golf GTI. The seventh generation of race-prepared Golf was revealed on the Volkswagen stand at the Goodwood Festival of Speed (12-15 July).

The new Golf is the result of six months of hard work behind the scenes by the Volkswagen Racing UK team in Germany and the UK, spent finalising the latest VWR RacingLine Motorsport and Performance parts range for the newly released Golf 7 GTI.

“For a car-launch as important as a new Golf GTI, it was crucial that we got ahead of the game on the development of our range of VWR Motorsport and Performance parts,” explained Matt Walker, Technical Director of Volkswagen Racing UK. “The new Golf platform has proved to be a great starting point for a high-performance track car, and I’m delighted that we’re first to market with our upgrade range.”

With several teams and drivers already expressing interest in developing the Golf 7 GTI for the APR Volkswagen Racing Cup, and customers worldwide already wanting to uprate their new Golf 7s for track work, this rapid development process has been critical for Volkswagen Racing UK to help speedily convert this interest into cars on the grid.

“We’ve been extremely fortunate to get very early access to GTIs in Germany and in the UK, which has fast-tracked our development process since the beginning of this year,” explained Walker.  “The unveiling of our GTI at Goodwood is the culmination of a lot of work behind the scenes.”

Track testing can now begin in earnest to complete the durability testing process to which all products in the VWR Motorsport and Performance Parts range are subjected before release.

The new VWR Golf 7 GTI features development VWR TrackSport adjustable coilover monotube suspension, along with new adjustable VWR top mounts.  With the resulting low ride height and negative camber provided by the new top mounts, the handling characteristics are every bit as impressive as hinted at by the purposeful looks of the new car.

VWR’s light alloy wheels, finished in white for the show car, are 9in wide, just fitting under the larger wheelarches of the new Golf and allowing a wider tyre to be used.  The proven VWR Big Brake Kit, as used on race-winning Golfs and Sciroccos, has been adapted for Golf 7.  The large 352mm two-piece discs and six-piston aluminium calipers in GTI red have been developed to fit under both the standard 18in GTI alloys, and the VWR wheels.

Meanwhile, APR, title sponsor of the Volkswagen Racing Cup, has recalibrated the GTI to add another 40bhp to the 2.0 turbo engine’s output, bringing the chassis modifications to life and aligning the new car with the Volkswagen Racing Cup’s 260bhp power classification.  VWR’s uprated engine mounts keep the drivetrain in place, and the VWR quickshift allows rapid gearchanges from the manual six-speed transmission.

It is anticipated that the VWR Golf 7 GTI will begin a full testing schedule very shortly, and that additional development parts will appear soon.

Technical specification
Engine capacity (litres / cc)  2.0 TSI
Configuration  4 cyl, 16v, turbocharged
Engine management  APR ‘Cup’ mapping
Power output 260PS (std model 220PS)

Drive  Front-wheel drive
Gearbox  Six-speed sport ratios, limited-slip differential
Clutch  Sintered metal plate
Exhaust system  Bespoke race system

Drivetrain  VWR engine mounts
VWR Quickshift gearchange

Steering  Power assisted rack and pinion

Brakes  VWR Big Brake Kit:
352mm ventilated 2-piece front discs
Aluminium 6-piston calipers

Front suspension  VWR TrackSport adjustable monotube dampers
Adjustable hollow VWR anti-roll bar
Solid bushes

Rear suspension  Multi-link production suspension
VWR TrackSport adjustable monotube dampers
Adjustable hollow VWR anti-roll bar
Solid bushes

Wheels  9x18” VWR light alloy wheels
Tyres  Hankook slick