Alastair's BLE 2 Blog: Volkswagen unwraps new Caddy Racer at Birmingham van show

Filed under: Minivan/Van, Volkswagen, Misc. Auto Shows, UK, Racing

2011 Volkswagen Caddy Racer - Click above for high-res image gallery

Vans may have about as much business on a race track as an Adam's apple does on a working girl, but bizarre though they are, once in a while they pop up just the same. Case in point: the Volkswagen Caddy Racer.

The new race-prepped utility van has just been unveiled by Volkswagen at the Commercial Vehicle Show at the NEC Show in Birmigham, England. It takes the form of the new Caddy panel van introduced late last year and replaces the previous-generation Caddy Racer. Underneath the commodious bodywork sits a 2.0-liter gasoline-burning four with 270 metric horsepower driving the front wheels through a six-speed competition-spec gearbox. The rear axle has been replaced by the Golf's multi-link suspension, with adjustable dampers up front, a Milltek exhaust system and 18-inch alloys housing ventilated brakes discs and wearing Hankook racing slicks.

Like the model it replaces, the new Caddy Racer will be driven by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles director Simon Elliott in the Volkswagen Racing Cup, dicing it with the likes of Sciroccos, Golfs, Beetles, Jettas and Polos of various generations across Britain's finest racing circuits (plus a trip to Zandvoort in Holland) in support of the British Formula 3 and GT championships. Check out the details in the press release after the jump and scope out the images in the gallery below for a closer look.

Gallery: 2011 Volkswagen Caddy Racer