2008 Volkswagen Jetta TSI Racer

(from Volkswagen Press Release)  Volkswagens latest track challenger, a supercharged and turbocharged Jetta saloon, was unveiled today (Thursday) in Britain.

The Jetta TSI Sport made its debut at the Autosport International racing car show at Birminghams NEC, taking centre stage on the British Racing and Sports Car Club stand. The new machine will take to the track for the first time on Easter Monday (24 March) in the opening round of the Hankook-backed Volkswagen Racing Cup, at Oulton Park.

In road-going form the Jettas 1.4-litre, 16-valve engine produces 170 PS but the engineers at Volkswagen Racing UK, with the help of their technology partners at Superchips, Milltek Sport and Turbo Dynamics, have boosted this to 230 PS.

The TSI power unit was proven in competition last season under the bonnet of a Golf; Volkswagen Racing UKs Melissa Wright believes that the Jetta TSI is a potential race winner: We learned a lot about the engine during the course of 2007 and we have incorporated that knowledge into the new installation, she said. In the right hands and with some development mileage under it, the new car will be a front-runner, I am sure.

The TSI features an engine-driven supercharger and an exhaust gas powered turbocharger, arranged in series; the supercharger operates at lower engine speeds and the turbo cuts in as revs rise. The result is excellent driveability and performance throughout the rev range, with no turbo lag and high maximum torque. The power unit was named Best New Engine of 2006 in the International Engine of the Year Awards.

Its not only in Britain that the Jetta will be cutting a dash this season the Sports Car Club of America is to stage a championship for turbodiesel-powered machines. The Jetta TDI Cup will launch in May.

In the UK, the Jetta TSI Sport will be raced by selected motoring and motor sport journalists. The Volkswagen Racing Cup expands to 14 rounds this year and will once again be the chief saloon-race support to the British Formula 3 and British GT Championships.

The Volkswagen Racing Cup in association with Hankook is further supported by Augustus Martin, Castrol, ECM Vehicle Delivery, Milltek Sport, Mondial Assistance, KW Automotive, Superchips, TNT Logistics, Turbo Dynamics, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles and Volkswagen Financial Services UK.

Jetta TSI Sport racing version
Engine capacity (litres / cc) 1.4 /1390
Configuration 4 cyl, 16v, turbocharged and supercharged
Engine management Volkswagen Racing mapping
Power output (PS) 230 (standard model 170)
Drive Front-wheel drive
Gearbox Six speed sport ratios, limited slip differential
Clutch Sintered metal plate
Exhaust system Bespoke race system with race catalyst
Shell Production shell, fully stripped welded-in multi-point roll cage to FIA standard
Safety Recaro HANS racing seat, six-point harness, plumbed-in extinguisher system
Steering Power assisted rack and pinion
Brakes 360 mm VWR ventilated front discs, 12 pot calipers, VWR ventilated rear discs, ABS disabled
Adjustable bias
Front suspension VWR two-way adjustable race dampers
Adjustable anti-roll bar
Solid bushes
Rear suspension Multi-link production suspension, VWR two-way adjustable race dampers
Adjustable anti-roll bar
Solid bushes
Wheels 18 in BBS alloy wheels
Tyres Hankook slick/wet
225/40 ZR18
Weight objective 1223 kg
Lubricants Castrol