RGMotorsport will be making their first official visit to the Jaguar Simola Hillclimb this year, and are busy putting the finishing touches to a seriously quick Golf7R, which is entered in Class A2 for four-wheel-drive, forced-induction, four-cylinder road cars.
The distinctively-coloured Volkswagen has already been making a name for itself at sanctioned drag-racing events, and despite being a fully-trimmed car, has managed to dip into the mid-11s for a quarter-mile (402 metres) and run a 0 – 100 km/h time of under four seconds. This in a car without a single piece of upholstery removed.
But the Simola hill is a different beast and despite a 200 metre sprint to the first corner, getting off the line quickly is only part of the story: the sweeping right-hander needs to be negotiated perfectly as it determines how much momentum is carried up the hill and into the fast left-hander where the highest speeds on the course are attained…
Explains Rob Green, company patriarch and managing partner: “This event is a huge challenge. There is little room for error and as well as making a great start, getting through some very fast corners is critical. The first half of this run is what determines success or failure. What we need to do with the suspension to get maximum traction is somewhat at odds with what we want it to do in terms of roadholding, so it is going to be a tricky juggling act.”
With this in mind RGMotorsport are busy with a suspension set-up which will be the best possible compromise between standing start traction and cornering grip. The RGMotorsport team has also been hard at work with Stigworx – a driver coaching company which specialises in measuring times, distances and G-forces down to the last inch so that the engine management system can be optimised. Data-logging and suspension partners will work closely with RGM’s tuning guru, Steve Green.
Experienced race driver and RGMotorsport Brand Ambassador, Jacques “The Stiglet” Joubert, will be behind the wheel and come May 6, RGM intend to have a fast, well-sorted car with which he can tackle the hill….
ENDS