After a successful debut of the compressed natural gas-powered Scirocco GT24-CNG during the Nürburgring 24-hour race, Volkswagen is now set to launch a one-make Bio-CNG-powered race series in 2010. The goal of the Scirocco Cup is to enable eco-friendly motorsport. With Bio-CNG, an 80% reduction of CO2 is achieved. The Scirocco Cup sets out to prove that major innovative strides continue to be made in motorsport. Its organizers aim to make it the most eco-friendly one-make championship in the world. The Bio-CNG-racing version of the 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine is based on the TSI unit fitted in the Scirocco. It develops 203 lbs ft of torque and up to 223 PS.
Making the race more exciting is the presence of a push-to-pass system that provides a short burst of increased power of 30 PS that makes for intense overtaking action. Its six-speed DSG gearbox is operated by steering wheel-mounted paddle shifts. As with the road-going Scirocco R, power is channeled through the front wheels.
The Volkswagen Scirocco Cup uses Bio-CNG, which is produced from renewable resources such as grass or a special type of maize as well as from refined biological waste. The car is fitted with a fuel tank that has a capacity of 22-liters. The fuel tank is made from a composite material and is situated behind the driver’s seat and protected by the vehicle’s roll cage. The stainless steel pipes and special valves required for CNG operation within the Scirocco Cup use tried and tested components from Volkswagen production models with CNG engines. The system pressures of 200 Bar are identical to those of the production vehicles.
