Auf Wiedersehen VW!!
Volkswagen realigns motorsport programme.
The Volkswagen brand realigns its motorsport programme. From 2017,
Volkswagen will focus on new technologies and customer sport. The
commitment to the FIA World Rally Championship is coming to an end after
four historically successful years, in which Volkswagen won WRC titles
in the driver, co-driver and manufacturer rankings in a row with the
Polo R.
Volkswagen will focus on new technologies and customer sport. The
commitment to the FIA World Rally Championship is coming to an end after
four historically successful years, in which Volkswagen won WRC titles
in the driver, co-driver and manufacturer rankings in a row with the
Polo R.
“The Volkswagen brand is facing enormous challenges. With the
upcoming expansion in electrification of our vehicle range we must focus
all our efforts on important future technologies. We far exceeded our
sporting goals in the WRC, now we are realigning Volkswagen Motorsport
and moving the vehicle technology of the future more starkly into
focus,” said Frank Welsch, Member of the Board of Management responsible
for Technical Development, to about 200 motorsport employees in
Hannover. “At the same time, Volkswagen is going to focus more on
customer racing. As well as the Golf GTI TCR on the circuit track and
the Beetle GRC in rallycross, we also want to offer customers top
products and will develop a new Polo according to R5 regulations.”
upcoming expansion in electrification of our vehicle range we must focus
all our efforts on important future technologies. We far exceeded our
sporting goals in the WRC, now we are realigning Volkswagen Motorsport
and moving the vehicle technology of the future more starkly into
focus,” said Frank Welsch, Member of the Board of Management responsible
for Technical Development, to about 200 motorsport employees in
Hannover. “At the same time, Volkswagen is going to focus more on
customer racing. As well as the Golf GTI TCR on the circuit track and
the Beetle GRC in rallycross, we also want to offer customers top
products and will develop a new Polo according to R5 regulations.”
Started with the 2016 season, the Golf GTI TCR prepared by Volkswagen
Motorsport offers a production-derived customer sport vehicle for
ambitious drivers and teams committed on global and national levels in
the fast growing TCR touring car category. In the USA, Volkswagen of
America has successfully entered two Beetle vehicles, developed by
Volkswagen Motorsport in Hannover, into the Global Rallycross series and
has already prepared them for the 2017 season. Scott Speed won the
drivers’ title in the popular US series in both 2015 and 2016, and this
season the manufacturer’s title also went to Volkswagen. The brand will
investigate the expansion of these activities on the strength of their
existing experience in rallycross. Moreover, in 2017 Volkswagen will
begin development of a new rally vehicle in the R5-category based on the
next generation Polo and will offer the car to customers to buy from
2018 onwards.
Motorsport offers a production-derived customer sport vehicle for
ambitious drivers and teams committed on global and national levels in
the fast growing TCR touring car category. In the USA, Volkswagen of
America has successfully entered two Beetle vehicles, developed by
Volkswagen Motorsport in Hannover, into the Global Rallycross series and
has already prepared them for the 2017 season. Scott Speed won the
drivers’ title in the popular US series in both 2015 and 2016, and this
season the manufacturer’s title also went to Volkswagen. The brand will
investigate the expansion of these activities on the strength of their
existing experience in rallycross. Moreover, in 2017 Volkswagen will
begin development of a new rally vehicle in the R5-category based on the
next generation Polo and will offer the car to customers to buy from
2018 onwards.
The new vehicle, the Polo, will reap the benefit of the entire
experience from the successful WRC commitment, where the factory teams
of Sébastien Ogier / Julien Ingrassia, Jari-Matti Latvala / Miikka
Anttila and Andreas Mikkelsen / Anders Jæger competed in 51 rallies with
42 wins and 621 best times in the special stages – no other car in the
history of the World Rally Championship has a better success rate. Last
weekend, Volkswagen won their fourth manufacturer’s title* in a row in
the UK World Rally Championship.
experience from the successful WRC commitment, where the factory teams
of Sébastien Ogier / Julien Ingrassia, Jari-Matti Latvala / Miikka
Anttila and Andreas Mikkelsen / Anders Jæger competed in 51 rallies with
42 wins and 621 best times in the special stages – no other car in the
history of the World Rally Championship has a better success rate. Last
weekend, Volkswagen won their fourth manufacturer’s title* in a row in
the UK World Rally Championship.
“I want to give our heartfelt thanks to our drivers and co-drivers
for their outstanding achievements. They are not only unbelievably
quick, but also extremely effective ambassadors for the Volkswagen
brand. The whole team built around Motorsport Director Sven Smeets has
created the basis for this success with the enormous commitment of each
individual. We want to continue working with this excellent team and
bring about the realignment. In the same way, we will expand the close
cooperation between production development and motorsport, which has
always shown benefits to both sides in recent years. There is a
guarantee of employment for the Volkswagen Motorsport employees,” said
Frank Welsch.
for their outstanding achievements. They are not only unbelievably
quick, but also extremely effective ambassadors for the Volkswagen
brand. The whole team built around Motorsport Director Sven Smeets has
created the basis for this success with the enormous commitment of each
individual. We want to continue working with this excellent team and
bring about the realignment. In the same way, we will expand the close
cooperation between production development and motorsport, which has
always shown benefits to both sides in recent years. There is a
guarantee of employment for the Volkswagen Motorsport employees,” said
Frank Welsch.
Volkswagen Motorsport Director Sven Smeets explained: “Of course, we
regret the departure from the WRC very much – as this was the most
successful chapter in the Volkswagen brand’s motorsport history. The
team has done great things. At the same time, our vision is firmly
ahead, because we are aware of the great challenges facing the entire
company. We want our realignment to contribute to the success of the
Volkswagen brand. From now on, the focus is on upcoming technologies in
motorsport and on our customer sports range, where we will position
ourselves more broadly and attractively.”
regret the departure from the WRC very much – as this was the most
successful chapter in the Volkswagen brand’s motorsport history. The
team has done great things. At the same time, our vision is firmly
ahead, because we are aware of the great challenges facing the entire
company. We want our realignment to contribute to the success of the
Volkswagen brand. From now on, the focus is on upcoming technologies in
motorsport and on our customer sports range, where we will position
ourselves more broadly and attractively.”
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