Nine months after making its debut as a concept, VW’s new racing car has been rebadged the GTI TCR and is ready to hit the tracks.
Wolfsburg is keen to emphasize the link between the racer and the road-going Golf “Gran Turismo Injection”, aka GTI, that celebrates 40 years in production and is now in its seventh generation.
The TCR features a body kit that is 40 cm wider and is fitted with a front splitter and a carbon rear wing. VW Motorsport has cooperated with Seat’s sports department and benefited from their experience gained by the Leon Cup Racer that’s also built on the Group’s MQB platform.
Based on the unit that powers the range-topping Golf R, the TCR’s turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder pumps out 330 PS (325 hp) and 410 Nm (302 lb-ft) of torque that are transmitted to the front wheels via a six-speed sequential gearbox.
In order to get ready for the 2016 season, VW fielded two cars in the TCR International Series with Liqui Moly Team Englster. The new car showed its potential at its first-ever race weekend, winning the second race at the Red Bull Racing track.
All 20 examples of the Golf GTI TCR have been snapped up since mid-January and deliveries to customer teams will commence today in Barcelona, with the 2016 premiere scheduled for March 14 at the Valencia official championship test session in Valencia.
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