Breath-taking all-time record at the legendary hill climb on Pikes Peak with a pioneering, fully-electric drivetrain and a spectacular look – the Volkswagen I.D. R Pikes Peak has already justified the use of many superlatives. The 500-kW (680-PS) prototype sports car has now two “Race Car of the Year” awards. They are from specialist German magazine Auto Bild Motorsport and by British BBC Top Gear magazine. This recognition from two renowned and high-circulation magazines follows a year of success on the track.
Back at the end of June, Romain Dumas set a new all-time record of 7:57.148 minutes with the I.D. R at the “Race to the Clouds” on Pikes Peak,
He smashed the previous record for the extremely demanding, 19.99-kilometre hill climb by 16 seconds. This triumph made the I.D. R the first fully-electric racing car to come out on top in direct sporting competition with cars powered by combustion engines. The I.D. R is the motorsport forerunner of the I.D. family of electric cars, which Volkswagen will launch in 2019.
“We wanted to achieve two things with the I.D. R. Set a new record on Pikes Peak and show how dynamic, emotional and powerful electromobility can be,” said Volkswagen Motorsport Director Sven Smeets. “When it comes to the sporting result, we far exceeded our expectations. However, having these two popular magazines from Germany and Great Britain acknowledge this effort and crown the I.D. R their ‘Race Car of the Year’ underlines the fact that we have also achieved our goal from a communication point of view.”
In justifying their choice of “Race Car of the Year”, the editors at Auto Bild Motorsport were not sparing with their praise:
“It is the fastest hill climb car ever built – and at the same time a technological milestone.” The BBC Top Gear magazine also focussed on the innovative concept. “Powered by electricity not only to defy oxygen starvation at altitude but also develop the instant torque necessary for teleport-level acceleration. So complete, so honed, surely the ID. R is now the template for success at Pikes Peak,” wrote the BBC Top Gear magazine.
From 30 November, the I.D. R Pikes Peak is on display at the Volkswagen stand (hall 3, stand 3A43) at the Essen Motor Show. The exhibition will continue until to 9 December.
