Kaufland is sending a Volkswagen Golf GTI to compete
in the Romanian Rally Championship this year. However, instead of upgrading the
turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, the Kaufland e-Rally Team will
turn the hatch into an electric racer.
Details about the exact modifications and
performance of the compact model are scarce at the moment, but the powertrain
will be swapped with an electric motor. The car will also get a set of
batteries, specific suspension and brakes, and the usual safety amenities,
along with different rims and tires.
With these changes, the Volkswagen ‘e-Golf GTI’ is
said to become extremely agile, almost “action movie-like“, according to the
release. The e-Rally Team will demonstrate it during the
Rasnov Rally, on April 21-22. Subsequently, they will homologate it for the
competition at the end of May, and it will be used as a full-blown rally
starting with the Poiana Brasov special stage, on June 9-10.
Responsible for racing the electric Volkswagen Golf
GTI will be Sorin Ghisoi, a Romanian rally champion with 20 years of experience
in motorsport. Ghisoi holds 5 championship titles and two silver medals. He was
also present on the podium more than 50 times.
