Volkswagen announces official support to Golf GTI Cup

The fourth round of this racing event that features amateur racers in their Golf GTI's testing their racing skills will be held on 26 January 2007.

Commenting on the support of Volkswagen for the popular event that includes eight rounds in a season and is acclaimed as a family entertainer, Mr. Sajid Khan, Managing Director, Motorworks, said: "Being a motor racing enthusiast, I was captivated by the Golf GTI racing events that are hugely popular in Europe. These events through their very format not just gave racing enthusiasts an ideal venue to put their talents to test in an extremely safe environment, but also form a good opportunity for the entire family to get together and enjoy a nice exciting day."

The Golf GTI Cup is part of the national race day organized by the Dubai Autodrome Motorworks Club.

"The GCC and the region is very passionate about motor racing. Though the GCC has its own Formula 1 and other associated racing events, the region does not have a single racing event for amateurs. It is with this backdrop, and inspired by racing features of the Golf GTI, we took up the responsibility of conceiving a one make race series and introducing the Golf GTI Cup in the UAE for the first time," he said.

Mr. Khan said that it is a matter of immense pride that Volkswagen has extended their official support to the Golf GTI Cup which is in its second season now. "Going forward we are confident that along with their support we will be able to substantially grow this championship, even expanding it to cover other GCC countries in the future," he added.

Last season, the first Golf GTI Cup was held in association with Al Nabooda Automobiles at the Dubai Autodrome, the region's first fully integrated motor sports facility as a part of the National Race Day, and featured standard specification latest model Golf GTI cars specially prepared for racing. The cars boasted of a 2.0 T, 197 BHP, 207 lbs-ft torque (280 NM @ 1800-5000 RPM), inline 4 cylinder, 4 valves per cylinder, turbo-charged engine.

Commenting on the sponsorship, Ms. Iris Kraska, Marketing & PR Director, Volkswagen Middle East, said: "Globally, Volkswagen has followed a policy of extensively supporting motor sports in different categories. The Golf GTI Cup organised by Motorworks Racing is not only unique in its concept and a first of its kind in the Middle East, but also features all Golf GTI cars. It thus gives us enormous pleasure to officially announce our support to the Golf GTI Cup and we are confident of its overall success."

Last month, Motorworks and Superchips agreed that the latter would be the official tuning partner for the Golf GTI Cup. As per the agreement, all race cars have received an ECU map up-grade, which has seen the BHP increase. Motorworks will be supplied with the necessary tools which will allow them to check every car to ensure they are all running the same power.

Commenting on the current season, Mr Vijay Rao, General Manager, Volkswagen, Al Nabooda Automobiles, support sponsor of the series added "This season, all cars are identical 2006 Volkswagen GTI Turbos with 230 bhp fully modified in race trim, featuring tyres by the events official tyre sponsor Bridgestone. They will compete in eight of close, competitive races."