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Road Atlanta Will Be the First Site for New Beetle Race

8 March 2000

Volkswagen Announces Road Atlanta Will Be the First Site for Special High-Powered New Beetle Race to Benefit Charity-Race Car To Be Shown at Atlanta Auto Show

    ATLANTA, March 8 Just in time for the Atlanta
International Auto Show, Volkswagen announced that it will hold a special New
Beetle Cup race at the Road Atlanta Motorsport Center, featuring high-powered
New Beetle race cars.  The race will be held on September 30 at the "Petite Le
Man," which is part of the American Le Mans Series.
    The New Beetle Cup race will benefit local charities.
    The Atlanta event will mark the first time a New Beetle Cup exhibition
race has been held in the United States.
    Beginning today, Volkswagen will display one of its New Beetle Cup race
cars at the Atlanta International Auto Show, which runs through March 12.
    Drivers for this New Beetle Cup exhibition race will include international
driving legends, top automotive journalists and celebrities.  They will be
driving high-powered New Beetle race cars equipped with Volkswagen's 2.8
liter, 24-valve V6 engine.  Based on Volkswagen's road car engines, this
powerplant delivers an unusually high torque of 270 Nm and a superb power
output of 204 hp.  Additional equipment includes a 6-speed road version
gearbox, 18-inch wheels and special racing brakes.
    Security features include a driver airbag, roll cage, fire extinguisher
and six-point safety harness.
    Atlanta will be only the second time a race of this kind has been held
outside of Europe.  Volkswagen announced earlier this year that it will hold a
special race for its New Beetle Cup European series this June in Montreal at
the Air Canada Grand Prix.
    Originating in Germany in 1999, the actual Volkswagen New Beetle Cup is
held during the ten rounds of the German Super Touring Car Championship (STW).
The Volkswagen New Beetle race cars are prepared and maintained centrally by
Volkswagen Motorsport in Hanover, allowing drivers who can't establish and
maintain their own teams to participate.  To be part of the New Beetle Cup,
competitors must pay 100,000 Deutschmarks (plus VAT).  In return, Volkswagen
offers half a million Deutschmarks as prize money.

                              NEW BEETLE CUP CAR
    Technical Specifications

    Engine                  V6
    Position                Transversally mounted front engine
    Displacement            2800 cu. cm
    Valves Per Cylinder     4
    Power Output            150 kW (204 hp)
    Rev Limit               6800 revolutions
    Maximum Torque          270 Nm
    Engine Software         Bosch
    Fuel                    Unleaded Super Plus (98 octane)
    Gearbox                 6 speed road version gearbox
    Clutch                  Road version
    Suspension              Bilstein-H&R-Sport suspension, adjustable ATE-
                            Racing anti-lock brakes
                            front: 4-pot calipers, ventilated ATE Power discs,
                             (diameter: 355 mm)
                            rear: road version calipers, solid ATE Power
                             discs, (diameter: 232 mm)
    Wheels                  9x18 OZ BBS
    Tires                   Pirelli 235/825-18 (slick + rain)
    Safety Equipment        Airbag, Roll cage, Fire extinguisher OMP,
                            6 point safety harness OMP
    Length/Width/Height     4081/1770/1450 mm
    Track (front/rear)      1550/1640 mm
    Wheelbase               2500 mm
    Weight                  1200 kg