The Mexican 1000 event will be held on Mexico's Baja peninsula by the National Off-Road Racing Association (NORRA). Volkswagen will be there with an updated VW ID.4 electric vehicle that retains its stock powertrain but has a slew of other modifications to help it handle the off-road terrain.
Volkswagen is no stranger to the NORRA Mexican 1000. In 1967, the corporation entered and won the inaugural race with a Meyers Manx based on a Volkswagen Beetle. This year's race begins on Sunday, April 25, and continues until Sunday, April 29, with runners racing 1,141 miles for victory.
Rhys Millen Racing, in collaboration with talented racing driver Tanner Foust and Tanner Foust Racing, updated the Volkswagen for the grueling challenge.
Rally-style coil-over struts, tubular lower control arms, and boxed lower rear ties are standard on the VW. The radiation was lifted for better ventilation and clearance, and 3/8-inch steel skid plates were added to the undercarriages for safety. The standard 19-inch wheels were swapped out for 18-inch units with more sidewall space for grip. A two-inch boost is also applied to the crossover.
The ID.4 retains its stock powertrain, as well as its 82-kilowatt-hour battery pack. The squad expects to finish 98 percent of the race stages without recharging, and it will replenish the racer's electrons with a 50-kWh compact quick charger that runs on bio-fuels. Since the drive mechanisms have not been modified, the engine produces its stock 201 hp.
Foust drove the vehicle several times, finding that the off-roader performed well when left in its standard drive mode modes, with stability control and battery regeneration turned on.