zzdcar
Home
/
Reviews
/
Culture
/
No More Racing For The Volkswagen Brand
No More Racing For The Volkswagen Brand-July 2024
2024-02-19 EST 22:12:32

The Volkswagen ID.R takes on the Tianmen Mountain in China in 2019.

Volkswagen’s racing days are behind it. The German automaker on Tuesday it would cease all motorsports operations in the coming months, though it’s important to spell out that this affects only the Volkswagen brand. Audi, which just revealed plans to enter the Dakar Rally, return to Le Mans and bow out of Formula E, is unaffected, as are the other marques under the Volkswagen Group umbrella.

This will mark the conclusion of the ID.R, an all-electric prototype racecar that has claimed records on several courses around the world, including Pikes Peak and the Nürburgring Nordschleife. As for other engagements, Volkswagen says it has secured a “long-term supply of spare parts” for customer teams running the Polo GTI R5 and Golf GTI TCR, and that it will cease production of the Polo GTI R5 at the end of 2020.

Volkswagen Motorsport employs 169 people, and it’s been confirmed that all of them will transition to new roles in Volkswagen AG dealing with production vehicles, according to the press release:

“The motorsport workforce will be integrated in Volkswagen AG. The deep technical expertise of the motorsport employees and the know-how gained from the ID.R project will remain with the company and will help us put further efficient models from the ID. family on the road”, said Dr. Frank Welsch, Member of the Board of Management with responsibility for the Development Division.

Volkswagen hasn’t been the most active automaker in motorsport in recent years, especially following the Dieselgate scandal. The aftermath of that episode saw the shuttering of multiple racing programs throughout the larger Volkswagen Group, from its own WRC endeavor to the Le Mans efforts of Audi and Porsche. (Audi is now setting up for a return to the top class of endurance racing.)

Still, you could see Volkswagen as a brand dipping its toes back into the water, particularly with more sustainability-minded campaigns like the ID.R project. Ultimately, though, it seems as if the company’s soul searching has led it to concentrate entirely on efficient cars for the road, while leaving the racing for the likes of Audi and Porsche.

Comments
Welcome to zzdcar comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.
Sign up to post
Sort by
Show More Comments
Culture
Toyota Is Moving A Prewar 700-Ton Press Machine Halfway Around The World
Toyota Is Moving A Prewar 700-Ton Press Machine Halfway Around The World
closed its São Bernardo Plant in November 2023, marking the end of its first overseas production facility. The closure caps off a period of continuous car production in São Paolo, , lasting over 60 years. The plant was home to a Komatsu 700-ton press that predates itself. And now...
Jul 17, 2025
2024 Kia EV9: What Do You Want To Know?
2024 Kia EV9: What Do You Want To Know?
At long last, we are about to get behind the wheel of for the first time. Sure, , and sure, , and sure , but hey — what can you do? Anyway, before we get behind the wheel of this three-row electric beast, we want to know what you...
Jul 17, 2025
Watch ABS Fail When MotorWeek Tests A 1997 Chevy S-10
Watch ABS Fail When MotorWeek Tests A 1997 Chevy S-10
MotorWeek’s is some of the on the internet. The long-running automotive news magazine has a treasure trove of tests after being on the air for over 40 years. Where else can you find detailed instrumented testing of long-forgotten cars like the or a ? MotorWeek’s recent Retro Review upload is...
Jul 17, 2025
I Can't Get Enough Of This YouTuber Who Builds Tiny, Fully Functional Scale-Model Cars
I Can't Get Enough Of This YouTuber Who Builds Tiny, Fully Functional Scale-Model Cars
I love tiny, of . I have a that is roughly half the size of a normal cat, and she’s perfect. I own a 2013 , which is like the miniature version of a normal-sized vehicle (at least here in Texas) — but beyond that, I also own a Hot...
Jul 17, 2025
I Entered My Lifted Miata In A Real Off-Road Race, Here's What Happened
I Entered My Lifted Miata In A Real Off-Road Race, Here's What Happened
I have two automotive loves: The first is the Miata, the second is off-road racing. For a while I raced air-cooled Volkswagens in the deserts of California and Nevada and I was lucky enough to co-drive in a class 11 stock bug in the Baja 1000 a few years...
Jul 17, 2025
Subaru Had It Right All Along
Subaru Had It Right All Along
When first came to the United States, it sold small funky cars that were decidedly un-American. As the company grew its own identity and became more established in the U.S., it became the first automaker to offer an all-wheel-drive passenger car in 1975. Subaru was also an early-adopter of...
Jul 17, 2025
Copyright 2023-2025 - www.zzdcar.com All Rights Reserved