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VOLKSWAGEN ID.R TAKES THE GOODWOOD HILLCLIMB RECORD UNDER 40-SECONDS

Volkswagen's electric ID.R smashes another record, posting a time of just 39.9-seconds through the Goodwood Hillclimb course.

Driver, Romain Dumas, has finally beaten the Goodwood Hillclimb's 20-year-old record by piloting the Volkswagen ID.R electric prototype to the finish line in just 39.9 seconds.

Friday's practice session saw the ID.R knock 0.5-seconds off the 41.6-seconds record set by Nick Heidfeld in a McLaren Formula 1 car in 1999. Sunday saw some rain over the 1.16-mile course, preventing the Volkswagen from going even faster, but a final run of 42.32 seconds allowed the electric ID.R to take the overall victory for the weekend.

Speaking after the race, Dumas said; “I am very proud to have set the all-time record. The short Hillclimb is a very special challenge. Because the track is so short, I could not afford to make even the slightest mistake, and every aspect of the fine-tuning of the ID.R had to be perfect. That was particularly challenging as we were not able to test on the route beforehand.”

For the Festival of Speed's showpiece event, the team got to modifying the car – as they did for the Nürburgring record. This time, they could significantly reduce the lithium-ion battery as the course is far shorter, ultimately decreasing the weight of the ID.R to 1100kg with Dumas on board. Even with the reduction of battery capacity, the two electric motors produce 671bhp and send the VW from 0-62mph in around 2.25-seconds.

Next up, Volkswagen has its sights set on the Tianmen Shan Big Gate Road in China, 900 miles southwest of Beijing, in September. But, as the track is not open to the public, there is no current record for the 11km 'Road to Heaven'. Instead, VW is going to invite competitors to set a virtual benchmark on a simulator of the track, which features 99 corners and an elevation gain of 1,200m.

Dumas, who will once again be driving the Volkswagen ID.R, said, “So far, I only know the road from photos and a few videos. The surrounding area is remarkable, like a film set.

"The route is very winding, extremely narrow in places, and very uneven. It is certainly going to be a special experience. I am looking forward to this new challenge.”


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