Volkswagen I.D. R’s record-breaking Pikes Peak run – onboard video

Volkswagen set a new record at the Pikes Peak International Hillclimb a whole month ago, but onboard footage of Romain Dumas' full run in the I.D. R is only just surfacing.

The all-electric racer annihilated Sebastien Loeb's record up the famous Colorado course, completing it in just 7:57.148 – and apparently it could have gone faster, had the high-altitude hillclimb not been cloaked in soupy fog.

With 500kW on tap from its four electric motors and an 1100kg kerb weight, the I.D. R is well qualified for high-altitude driving, where internal-combustion engines start to struggle for breath.

Four-wheel drive and torque-vectoring, along with clever integration between the brakes and regenerative system, also helped Dumas set his record-breaking time.

"The I.D. R Pikes Peak is the most innovative and complex car ever developed by Volkswagen Motorsport. Every employee involved in the Pikes Peak project has constantly had to push their boundaries and show extreme commitment and dedication," said Sven Smeets, VW Motorsport's director, of the record.

Since toppling Loeb's record in Colorado, the ID R has smashed the marker for all-electric cars at Goodwood.

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