This rallycross car is the ultimate expression of
the third-generation Beetle. Designed and engineered from the outset as a GRC
car, it features a sequential six-speed transmission, with a fixed-ratio
all-wheel-drive system that features multiplate limited-slip differentials at
the front and rear.
For the 2015 season, the team has chosen to change
the engine specification from the car that ran in selected rounds of the 2014
series. In place of that car’s 1.6-liter turbocharged and intercooled TSI®
four-cylinder engine, there is now a 2.0-liter TSI engine that produces 553
horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque. Volkswagen believes that the extra torque of the larger engine
will be important for standing start performance, which is a key element in
Global Rallycross racing, as well as acceleration from slow corners.
The car uses an all-around strut-type suspension,
with ZF dampers and about 9.5 inches of travel to cope with the rigors of the
off-road portion of a rallycross course. The car has 14.0-inch diameter front
and 11.8-inch rear vented disc brakes, with four-piston aluminum calipers. The
17-inch wheels are shod with 240/640-R17 Yokohama competition tires.
The Beetle is highly distinctive, thanks to its
outsize rear wing, widebody fenders, and aggressive front fascia. Overall, the
car is 168.8 inches long and 71.7 inches wide, and weighs in at 2866 pounds.
With this combination of low weight, high horsepower, and all-wheel-drive
traction, the Beetle GRC is predicted to sprint from 0 to 60 mph in around 2.0
seconds.
