2016 Volkswagen GTI TCR race car
There’s a new FIA-sanctioned racing
series known as the TCR International Series, where the cars competing are all
based on affordable compacts. The series was started by organizers of the World
Touring Car Championship and prides itself on having a low cost of entry and
low running costs, thus making it ideal for small private teams and
up-and-coming drivers.
To keep things affordable the cars have
a cost ceiling of approximately US$ 90,000, and in addition to the main TCR championship,
which will have some races supporting the Formula One World Championship, there
will be a number of regional championships including one here in the United
States.
A handful of automakers have developed
cars for TCR, including the Volkswagen Group which has one each for its VW,
Skoda and SEAT brands (Opel has one based on its Astra). A Golf-based TCR race
car started competing last summer and managed to win a race in only its second
outing. For the 2016 season, VW is using the GTI as the basis for its TCR
racer.
In line with the regulations, the GTI
TCR is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine rated at
maximum 330 horsepower and 302 pound-feet of torque. The engine is paired with
a 6-speed, paddle-shifted sequential gearbox and drives the front wheels only.
The minimum weight of the car, with the driver onboard, has to be 1,280
kilograms. According to VW, its GTI TCR will accelerate to 62 mph
from rest in 5.2 seconds and top out at approximately 143 mph.