Update for a car with winning ways. The Golf GTI TCR, the successful race version of the TCR International Series championship titleholder, is getting a facelift for the 2018 season. Like the production model, this front end of the successful competition touring car was also redesigned to visually highlight the close technical relationship between the sporty Golf GTI models more emphatically.
"The new look of the Golf GTI TCR was created in close cooperation with Volkswagen Design. Here we want to underscore how closely related the production and race versions are to one another", explains Sven Smeets, Motorsport Director at Volkswagen. "The engine, for example, comes directly from production car manufacturing, and it is modified just slightly for use in racing."
Engine specifications of the Golf GTI TCR:
Ample power for every situation. The 2.0-litre turbocharged engine of the Golf GTI TCR produces 257 kW / 350 PS and can deliver a maximum torque of 420 Newton-metres to the front wheels – via the customer's choice of a racing gearbox or a dual clutch gearbox (DSG).
Body specifications of the Golf GTI TCR:
Perfectly distributed. As in the Golf GTI Performance, a front differential lock prevents wheelspin of the drive wheels.
Less air drag. Wings with special contours and openings boost the car's aerodynamic efficiency on the race course.
Well protected. No air conditioner, no sound system – instead, the driver sits in a safety cell made of steel tubes as thick as a person's arm. The protection package is rounded out by a shell race seat with head protectors and six-point seat belt.
High flyer. The GTI TCR's body was widened by 15 centimetres compared to the standard production Golf GTI Performance. The body of a TCR vehicle is permitted to have a maximum overall width of 1,950 millimetres. All other add-on aerodynamic parts conform to TCR regulations and were tested in a wind tunnel.
Energy. A safety fuel tank constructed according to TCR regulations is mounted at the rear, in front of the rear axle.
Downforce. A distinctive rear wing made of aluminium gives the GTI TCR the downforce it needs in fast cornering.
Cockpit specifications of the Golf GTI TCR:
Sporty without compromise. For weight reasons, there are no door trim panels or window lifts. A strap is used to unlock the driver's door.
Command headquarters. The driver not only uses the steering wheel to steer the car, but also to control all important functions – such as the pit radio, headlights and cockpit ventilation.
Fast shifting. Customers can choose from two transmission variants: DSG or a sequential race gearbox.
Fine tuning during the drive. The driver can adjust the balance of braking power between the front and rear wheels.