Golf R wins big at first ever F.A.T. Ice Race Aspen

February 13, 2024 by Volkswagen

• Volkswagen brand ambassador Tanner Foust takes day one win in AWD category and holds onto fastest lap time across both race days

•Hoonigan host and professional off-road racer Blake Wilkey takes day two win with same vehicle

Reston, VA — Volkswagen of America celebrated this past weekend with multiple wins in the 2024 Volkswagen Golf R at the inaugural F.A.T. Ice Race Aspen driven by Mobil 1. Volkswagen brand ambassador Tanner Foust drove the hot hatch during both days of the event, competing in the day one activities.

Hoonigan host and talented off-road racer Blake Wilkey piloted the Golf R on day two for the race and pulled through with a repeat victory for the Golf R in the AWD category. Foust also maintained the quickest recorded lap time at the event across all categories, solidifying the hatchback's place amongst an amazing paddock of vehicles.

'As a stock vehicle fitted with snow tires, this result was a great way to show the true capability of the Golf R,' said Foust. 'It handled the challenging course well on both days at this fun event and I'm happy to have brought a win to Volkswagen!'

This unique motorsport festival featured amateur and professional drivers in a roster of 50 specially invited classic and iconic racecars. Each took part in demonstration laps or raced against the clock. The six quickest joined a face-off to choose the quickest of the day and the format was repeated the second day.

The inaugural F.A.T. Ice Race Aspen driven by Mobil 1 followed the event in Zell am See, Austria last month and is expected to become an annual event in the Colorado town. Rooted in an event that ran from the early 1950s until 1974, this ice race was revived in 2019 by motorsports lifestyle brand F.A.T. International.

Golf R Carries VW Motorsport Heritage

The Volkswagen Golf R that Foust and Wilkey drove was factory-stock with the exception of snow tires. Also on hand at the event was the 2025 Volkswagen Golf GTI as a display vehicle and the historic and unique twin-engine 1987 Volkswagen Golf racer that ran in Colorado's Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. A significant piece of Volkswagen Motorsport history, the twin-engine Golf made its way back to Colorado for the first time since 1987 for the ice race. A favorite with Golf enthusiasts, power comes from turbocharged front- and rear-mounted dual 1.8-liter GTI engines, making a combined output of around 640 horsepower. Built for high-altitude competition, the vehicle has a riveted aluminum monocoque, Kevlar body panels and pure racecar suspension and transmission.

2024 Golf R

The Mk8 Golf R is the most powerful production Golf ever. Its 2.0-liter TSI® turbocharged, direct-injection four-cylinder engine produces 315 horsepower (using premium fuel) at 5,600 rpm and 295 pound-feet of torque at 2,000 rpm on DSG-equipped models. (Manual-equipped models produce 315 hp at 5,900 rpm and 280 lb-ft of torque at 1,900 rpm). The DSG dual-clutch automatic transmission incorporates a launch-control feature.

The Golf R's advanced 4Motion all-wheel drive system can send up to 50 percent of available torque to the rear axle, and a torque-vectoring rear differential can distribute up to 100 percent of the rear torque to an individual wheel in drift mode, designed for track use. The latest DCC® adaptive damping system manages suspension rebound and compression rates individually, helping to improve vehicle dynamics. Standard 19-inch machined aluminum-alloy wheels are fitted with 235/35 summer performance tires.

The 2024 Golf R is available in one fully-equipped trim, with a starting MSRP of $45,665 for the 6-speed manual and $46,465 for the 7-speed DSG (and destination charge of $1,225).

Photo credit: Volkswagen
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