I’m sure you have heard about Volkswagen India’s motorsport wing that has been doing some great work over the years with their racing program. They started with the Polo Cup, graduated to the Vento Cup and are now currently running the Ameo Cup. Having said that, the cars have improved massively with time as well and with each iteration of the series, Volkswagen has pushed to up the game and usher in a level of excitement that is much required at this level of motorsport in India.
Volkswagen Ameo Cup car
Following that line of thought, the VW Ameo Cup car is a beast of a machine that has taken the sport forward by leaps and bounds thanks to the fact that it comes powered by the same 1.8 TSFI engine straight out of the Polo GTi. Capable of delivering 205 PS of power and 320 Nm of torque, the Ameo Cup car has been engineered in-house by Volkswagen Motorsport and boasts of a six speed sequential gearbox, modified suspension, a roll cage, racing seats, different tyres and the ability to fly around a race track at scorching speeds. It is built with a single purpose in mind and having the opportunity to get behind the wheel of it for a few laps proved to be the ultimate adrenaline rush. Sure, I wasn’t as fast as the racers who have learnt how to push this machine to the maximum, but I did get my fair share of ‘racer’ moments to give me an idea of what this car is capable of. It goes around the track as though it’s on rails. The car has that ability to push you back in your seat as you accelerate forward, and flying around the track is an experience to be had!
Built to perform!
Clearly, Volkswagen has put a lot of thought into their racing program as it stands as a testimony to their engineering prowess and ability to build great cars. The program does help build an aura around the brand and drive home the point that a Volkswagen product is all about build quality and an excellent driving experience. While the Ameo Cup car showcases that fact at the top of the pyramid, the road going version of the Ameo carries those exact traits as well, and to highlight this very fact, I was given the keys to a 1.5 TDI version to take out on the track so that I could draw parallels with the Ameo Cup car.
The stock VW Ameo is a delight to drive…even on a racetrack!
Having driven the stock Ameo numerous times in the past, I thought I knew what was coming my way with this car out on the Kari race track in Coimbatore, but the car proved me wrong. It wasn’t as sedate as I thought it would be. I took off from the pit lane and started on my laps of the track. With each one, I was able to push the car harder and faster through corners and even hit close to 160 km/h on the straight!
The 1.5 TDI unit in the Ameo is refined and powerful
While the cup car is tuned to deliver on handling, the stock Ameo proved its mettle by not losing its line around corners either. For a road going car to have that level of handling traits was a revelation and the way the 1.5 TDI engine powers up can make you forget that you are in a diesel powered machine! The 110 PS of power and 250 Nm of torque that the stock 1.5 TDI offers proved to be more than ample for the course. Add to that, the 7-speed DSG box does its duty to ensure you are in the right gear at all times and you can really push hard around the track without having to fight to stay in the right gear.
The Volkswagen Ameo 1.5 TDI proved its mettle as being a fun to drive car!
I was really having a blast out on the track and as I pictured myself setting better lap timings each time I went around, I also realized that here is a car that is built for the masses, yet can delight on a race track! The point that Volkswagen wanted to make was clear. Their cars are built tough and are extremely fun to drive. The Ameo 1.5 TDI illustrated this with its agility, handling and sheer driving pleasure and it goes without saying that I was once again impressed by what this car has to offer.
From the road to the track, the core values of the Ameo remain intact!
By driving these two versions of the Ameo back to back, I couldn’t but help feel that the stock car already had the soul of a racer and thus made it easier for Volkswagen Motorsport to use the same platform to build the cup car. Despite the change in engine, suspension, tyres and tweaks to the racing machine to comply with the standards and regulations, the one thing that didn’t change was its soul, and that to me is my biggest takeaway from my weekend out at the track in Coimbatore.