We've been keeping you updated about Volkswagen's quest for making a statement with its electric car and now it's not only made that statement but written history in its course to achieve greatness at the 2018 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. Driver Romain Dumas was driving the 670 bhp I.D. R Pikes Peak and defeated a field including cars with conventional drivetrain technology. In doing so, he not only broke the previous record for electric vehicles, but also bettered Sebastien Loeb's all-time record from 2013 - by a full 16 seconds. Dumas' new record stands at 7:57:148 minutes is now top of the list of Pikes Peak champions, which includes acclaimed drivers as Loeb, Walter Rohrl, Michele Mouton, Stig Blomqvist, Nobuhiro Tajima and also Rod Millen and his son Rhys.
Sven Smeets, Volkswagen Motorsport Director said, "This is a fantastic day for Volkswagen and one, of which we are very proud. The I.D. R Pikes Peak is the most innovative and complex car ever developed by Volkswagen Motorsport. Every employee involved in the Pikes Peak project has constantly had to push their boundaries and show extreme commitment and dedication. Without this, it would not have been possible to repeatedly overcome new challenges and come up with new solutions."
19.99 kilometres, 156 corners, just one attempt - and a successful one at that and it was all upto driver Romain Dumas to take it to the chequered flag. Dumas claimed his fourth overall victory at the iconic Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, which has now been held 96 times since 1916. With the I.D. R Pikes Peak, Volkswagen has created an extraordinary racing car, specifically tailored to the demands of the most famous of hill climbs: a combination of minimum weight, as much downforce as possible, and maximum power, designed to achieve the best possible performance. Including its battery cells, the I.D. R Pikes Peak weighs less than 1,100 kilograms. When evaluating performance, Volkswagen employed simulation software to calculate exactly how to achieve the optimum in energy demand and performance for the record attempt on Pikes Peak. In the matter of aerodynamics, the key was to compensate for the loss of downforce caused by the thin air on Pikes Peak. The result of this endeavour could be seen from afar: the flat, streamlined chassis and huge rear wing.
Romain Dumas said, "We exceeded even our own high expectations with that result. Since this week's