VW teams up with Andretti Motorsports to compete in GRC 2014.

"Fred (FreddsterExprs)" (freddsterexprs) 01/07/2014 at 10:58 • Filed to: VW goes GRC, GRC, Foust, VW, Rally, Cross

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Today VW Motorsport presented their motorsport program for this year. The only newsworthy part: a Andretti built VW Polo for GRC.

Current VW WRC boss Joest Capito is one of the founders of GRC and has been all positive about the development of the series, so the decision comes as no surprise.
There aren't any infos about a possible drivers line-up, but Tanner Foust - Capito worked with him in his Ford days - is rumored to be switching to the germans.

It also looks like the Polo is just the placeholder for an entirely different car that will be used beginning mid-season 2014: The New Beetle. Not sure if it is the right car marketing wise, but what the heck. This could be interesting.

Agrajag > Fred (FreddsterExprs) 01/07/2014 at 11:04

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The New Beetle or the new beetle? Either way, a racing beetle is awesome.

Fred (FreddsterExprs) > Agrajag 01/07/2014 at 11:25

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Well, "The New Beetle" is what I think they call it. That one:

If they get the design right it could be a very cool Rallycross car. Those fenders are just meant to be widened !

willkinton247 > Fred (FreddsterExprs) 01/07/2014 at 11:38

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For the marketing side, I bet VW is desperate to shed the whole "chick car" image they pretty much built for the Beetle themselves. They've made the Beetle fast with the Turbo, but it still has that stigma which makes people who don't want to be seen in a "car for girls." Motorsports could be a way to show that crowd the legitimacy of the Beetle's performance, and shed that image.

I'd rather see the Golf instead of the Polo or Beetle.