The all-new TSI Race Polo car that will compete in the Polo R Cup 2012 was launched by Volkswagen Motorsport on May 17, 2012. The names of 20 drivers who will be participating in this year's championship were also declared. Having witnessed two successful seasons already, the 2012 Polo R Cup will usher in a host of new developments, most prominent being the shift of Race Polo from diesel to petrol cars. Kari Motor Speedway, Coimbatore will be hosting the debut race of the event on July 07, 2012. Apart from Coimbatore, one round will be conducted on the Buddh International Circuit, Noida, while MMRT, Chennai will play host to the rest of the races.
Polo R Cup 2012 will be characterised by more power, speed and strength as the racing model of the Polo has shifted to petrol engine from diesel, which was used in the last two seasons. The new TSI Race Polo features a 1.4 litre, 4 cylinder, direct injection powertrain which belts out peak power of 180 hp at 6200 rpm and maximum torque of 250 Nm at 2000-4500 rpm. It is a two wheel drive model that comes with Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG), which is an upgrade over the manual gearbox used earlier.
Junior, Pro and Master are the three categories under which the participants will be classified this year. To be eligible for the 'Junior' category, a driver has to be between 16-26 years of age and have experience limited to maximum of 8 races in a national championship over the past 5 years. Drivers of same age group but with more experience will be clubbed under the 'Pro' category. 'Master' category is for those who are more than 26 years of age at the time of registration.
This year, the fee structure and the prize money have been changed as well. The first, second and third place winner will get Rs. 50,000, Rs. 40,000 and Rs. 30,000 respectively. Junior and Pro categories will command a fee of Rs. 7 lacs, while the fee for Master category is Rs. 14 lacs for the complete season. Alternatively, drivers can display the branding of their respective sponsors on the bonnets of their Race Polo vehicles to refinance the fee.
Volkswagen Group Chief Representative India, President and Managing Director, Volkswagen India Private Limited, Dr. John Chacko said, “We are delighted to present the new TSI Race Polo 2012 along with the 20 promising drivers today. With the immense success of the inaugural Indian GP, India is establishing itself as a motor sport hub and we are happy to play our role in promoting the same. Volkswagen is committed to developing motor sport in India along with the young talent through our Polo R Cup program. We had an excellent season last year and we are looking forward to the upcoming season.”
Head of Motorsport, Volkswagen India, Prithviraj Siddappa commented, “After two successful seasons of Polo R Cup, we are looking forward to this year’s championship with a brand new car. It is a strategic decision for us to shift from diesel to petrol as we want to offer our drivers a more powerful racing machine. Polo R Cup program has set benchmarks in Indian motor sports by being focussed on professionalism, technology and safety. It has grown stronger year on year and has cemented its place on the Indian motor sport map.”
