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The Electric Volkswagen I.D. R Is the Fastest Car to Ever Climb Pikes Peak


al mcguire

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The forerunner of Volkswagen's electric lineup, the I.D. R is all about balance. With 680 horsepower and a weight of just under 2425 lbs., it's not the most powerful Pikes Peak special, nor the lightest. But Volkswagen knew that the torque delivery of the electric motors and the mechanical grip provided by all-wheel drive and purpose-built Michelin tires would give a huge advantage. Aerodynamics played a major part, too, considering how thin the air becomes as a car climbs the 12.42-mile course. The solution is a flat-bottom streamlined chassis with a huge rear wing, shaped by data gathered from Porsche's LMP1 program.

Pikes Peak. The 96th International Hillclimb since 1916. Now fully paved, it's still 156 corners and just one attempt, in a car that VW built from scratch in just 250 days. Luckily, Romain Dumas already knew his way around above the clouds.

 

 

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