VW Will Not Cancel Its Uber-Expensive Motorsports Programs (yet)

Except for LeMans, Porsche and Audi will continue their dominance in front of the empty grandstands at most WEC races. The justification? An engineering exercise

In the aftermath of Volkswagen's diesel emissions scandal, new VW CEO Matthias Muller has finally answered the biggest and most concerning question looming over the German brand's various global motorsports programs with VW, Audi, and Porsche.

Muller spoke last weekend in Bahrain at the FIA World Endurance Championship season finale, and according to former Porsche CEO, its major racing programs will not be axed.

"The motorsports programs are not in danger of being dropped or significantly reduced because motorsports is very important for the group and the brands," Muller was quoted by Autosport. "Basically, we do not question our motorsport efforts."

The Volkswagen Audi Group is bracing for a multi-billion-dollar fine by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and with a pair of FIA WEC LMP1 programs that consume hundreds of millions each year on its books, parking the Audi and Porsche sports car projects would have been an obvious cost-saving move to make.

Porsche, which claimed the LMP1 Driver and Manufacturer championships in Bahrain, also took its 17th overall victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June, displacing sister brand Audi and its diesel-powered prototypes. Muller also allayed any fears of racing and promoting diesel products while dealing with the waves of bad publicity stemming from its diesel road car scandal.

"The World Endurance Championship's ground-breaking regulations allows both of the group's brands–Audi and Porsche–to test and develop future technologies for road going cars," he continued. "Motorsport was and remains an important tool within the Volkswagen Group."

Although VAG's existing, expensive racing programs appear to be safe, the diesel scandal has had an impact elsewhere within the company's motorsports offerings. Bentley, which had been working towards a new-for-2017 IMSA P2 prototype effort, was forced to cancel the program once the diesel news went public. The German-owned British marque also halted a one-make series it was close to launching.

No changes are expected with the customer racing programs where Audi, Bentley, Lamborghini, and Porsche – among top-tier VAG brands, sell race-ready cars for use in the WEC, IMSA, Pirelli World Challenge, and other series. RoadAndTrack