INTERNATIONAL SPEED RECORD

VW ID.R knocking on Heaven’s Gate

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:38.585 minutes to reach Heaven’s Gate. That is how long it took the Volkswagen ID.R, driven by Frenchman Romain Dumas, to master the 99 hairpins on the 10 906 km “Big Gate Road” of the Tianmen Mountain in China – to literally help drive electromobility to new heights.

Driven by two electric motors with a total system performance of 500 kw and riding on special Bridgestone Potenza tyres, the ID.R is the motorsport ambassador for the Id.-family, the new, fully-electric range of vehicles from Volkswagen, the first (ID.3) of which premiered at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

The Chinese mountain Tianmen, about 1 300 kilometres as the crow flies from the capital Beijing, is host to one of the most spectacular roads in the world: the Tianmen Shan Big Gate Road close to the city of Zhangjiajie. With 99 hairpin corners, it climbs about 1 100 metres in elevation and is a true test for car and driver.

Dumas approached the 10 906 km “China Challenge” to Heaven’s Gate – a 131.5-metre natural arch – with respect. He had to negotiate the seemingly unending run of hairpins, some with a radius of just six metres, followed by short sprints and fast winding sections with speeds of up to 230 km/h, and execute hard braking manoeuvres in extremely narrow tunnels.

He brilliantly overcame these extreme challenges to set the new official record. Afterwards he said the little information and testing the team 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.”

Sven Smeets, Volkswagen Motorsport Director, said the team broke new ground on the Tianmen Mountain. “This was extremely unusual territory for a sports car like the ID.R and we had to take a whole new direction once again during preparation and car setup. The entire team adapted, and I am proud of what we have achieved.”