Another Speed Record Topples To VW’s ID. R. e-Race Car

Volkswagen’s single-seat electric sports car, the ID. R which had a record-setting run in last year’s “Race to the Clouds (Pikes Peak),” continues to set records. In this case, Romain Dumas also was the driver on the Pikes Peak run, beat the previous for the Nurburgring-Nordschleife by 40.564 seconds. He has one other record, as well, while behind the wheel of the ID. R., top speed at England’s Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Cuts Large Piece From Former Record

Dumas lapped the Nordschleife in 6:05.336 minutes, faster than any other electric vehicle. The ID. R. ran with an average speed of 204.96 km/h, underlining the impressive performance capabilities of VW’s electric drive. The dual-motor ID. R. is the flagship of the automaker’s ID. product family. The all-electric, emission-free race car, used dual 500 kW (690 PS) motors to drive the ID. R. to the record. Peter Dumbrek set the former Nurburgring record.

“The Nordschleife … is not only the world’s most demanding track, but it is also the ultimate test for production vehicles,” says Herbert Diess, chair of VW’s management board. “The ID. R. has mastered this challenge with great distinction and has completed the fastest emission-free lap of all time.”

Excited by the results, Diess continued that the automaker can now “call itself ‘Nurburgring-approved.’” He went on to “congratulate the team from Volkswagen Motorsport and driver Roman Dumas on the third record for the ID. R.”

Three Records Fall To VW’s ID. R. racer

In the last year, Volkswagen Motorsport has set three track records with the ID. R. Last June, Dumas achieved the absolute track record of 7:57.148 minutes at the famed Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. And, last July Dumas achieved the best time for electric cars of 43.86 seconds at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in southern England. And, now it has added the new record for the Nordschleife.

For Romain Dumas, the Nurburgring is his favorite track. Not only does he now hold the speed record for the track, but he has also is a four-time winner of the 24-hour endure held there.

“To be a record-holder on the Nordschleife makes me unbelievably proud,” a happy Dumas said. “For me, this is the best and most difficult race track in the world. I want to thank the team at Volkswagen Motorsport, who have once again done a fantastic job. The engineering team set up the ID. R. was perfectly prepared for the Nordschleife, and it was so much fun to experience the blistering acceleration and rapid cornering speeds.”

ID. R. Continues To Show Its Surprising Capabilities

With the e-record on the Nordschleife, Volkswagen has once again demonstrated the performance capabilities that come with electric mobility. VW Motorsports Director Sven Smeets said enthusiastically: “This impressive success story is the result of meticulous preparation by our engineers, the flawless work by the whole team during testing and, of course, a perfect driving performance by Romain Dumas.”

Getting the ID. R. ready was quick. In just five months, the Volkswagen Motorsports crew gave the electric race car a complete makeover. Following last year’s Pikes Peak and Goodwood performances, the team had to give the ID. R. a complete makeover.

“For this evolved version of the ID.R, the aerodynamic configuration was more strongly adapted to the highest possible speed, rather than maximum downforce,” explained François-Xavier Demaison, VW’s Technical Director. “With extensive test laps in the simulator and on the race track, we adapted the ID. R to the unique conditions of the Nordschleife, focusing mainly on chassis tuning, energy management and optimal choice of tires for the record attempt.”
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