Volkswagen ID.R sets world record in China

The all-electric Volkswagen ID.R prototype has set a new benchmark time on the Tianmen Shan “Big Gate Road” mountain pass in China, covering the 10.906km (6.77 miles) route in 7:38.585 minutes at the hands of French racing driver Romain Dumas. The road winds through 99 hairpin corners and climbs to a maximum altitude of 1,110 metres (around 3,600 feet).

Volkswagen’s ID.R is the first racing car to set an official time on the Tianmen Shan pass. Official start and finish points were defined as part of the attempt, with the latter set at ‘Heaven’s Gate’, a 131.5-metre natural arch at the mountain’s summit. During the run, Dumas averaged 53.2mph and reached a top speed of 143mph.

• Volkswagen ID.R: a year of record breaking

Apart from a new livery and a fresh set of Bridgestone Potenza tyres, the Volkswagen ID.R remained unchanged from its Nurburgring and Goodwood record attempts. It wore its standard aero package (rather than the more aggressive package fitted to the ID.R Pikes Peak), while power and torque figures remained the same for the run at 670bhp and 650Nm respectively.

Dumas commented: “The little information and testing we had beforehand made it a huge challenge. The road is incredibly narrow and winding, but the drive was unbelievable fun with the electric power of the ID.R. The huge torque was a big advantage on the short straights, while the aerodynamics provided additional traction in the fast sections.”

The ID.R is the halo car for Volkswagen’s forthcoming range of all-electric “ID” models, based on the brand’s latest MEB platform, the first of which will appear at this year’s Frankfurt Motor Show in the shape of the ID.3 hatch. The hatch will then be joined by a range of 27 pure-electric models from across the Volkswagen Group by the end of 2022.

What do you make of the Volkswagen ID.R’s latest record? Let us know in the comments section below…