Volkswagen’s ID.R electric prototype racer has been steadily adding record-breaking performances to it résumé. It already has the record for the fastest electric car around the famous Nurburgring Nordschleife (click here to see more info and a video). More recently it grabbed the all-time record at the 2019 Goodwood Festival of Speed. Now a red VW ID.R heads to China to claim another title for itself.

New look for the East

We’ve seen several different liveries on the bespoke racer. In fact, Volkswagen Motorsport has tailored the car for each challenge it has attempted. You can read about its unique aerodynamic package that was used for the Nurburgring record at this link. A red VW ID.R heads to China for its record attempt on Tianmen Mountain in China. The fully-electric, 500 kW prototype will be aiming for its fifth record attempt.

As a precursor to the ID family, which is due for launch in the “Land of the Dragon” in 2020, the ID.R will attempt to set a record for the ascent of Tianmen Shan Big Gate Road. The famous mountain pass features no fewer than 99 corners. The ten-kilometre road to “Heaven’s Gate” is regarded as one of the most demanding mountain roads in the world.

Light-grey, blue and red

In June 2018, it set a new all-time record on Pikes Peak in Colorado/USA and a few weeks later, the ID.R set a new e-record at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. The colour chosen for these first records was light-grey. Roughly eleven months later, the ID.R broke the lap record for electric cars on the infamous Nürburgring-Nordschleife by about 40 seconds. The colour for this record-breaking run was blue.

On Tianmen Mountain, Volkswagen and the ID.R are attempting to establish a record time for the mythical 99 hairpins that lead to “Heaven’s Gate” with a bright red livery.

In his own words

“The pioneering ID.R is the ambassador for our fully-electric ID. family, which will be launched in China from 2020,” said Dr. Stephan Wöllenstein, member of the board of management of the Volkswagen passenger cars brand and CEO Volkswagen China. “I think we have come up with a spectacular livery for the ID.R for its ‘China Challenge’ in September. The ID.R’s records have allowed us at Volkswagen to demonstrate our passion for e-mobility and its potential in a diverse range of conditions. The ID.R is the first member of the ID. family to take to the roads of China.”

“We hope that the ‘ID.R China Challenge’ will make Tianmen the place to develop electric cars, in order to achieve new dimensions,” said Dr Wöllenstein.

You can see a really cool drift video shot on the Tianmen Mountain below: