The wild-looking Skoda Enyaq RS Race loses 697 pounds to turn a popular crossover into a track toy. Its 335-horsepower dual-motor electric powertrain is similar to the all-wheel-drive system used in the Volkswagen ID.4 available in the U.S. market. The Enyaq RS Race features a distinct suspension, braking system, and a hydraulic handbrake, in addition to being lightweight. The Skoda Enyaq, with its sharp lines, is the more stylish brother of Europe’s VW ID.4. The Enyaq RS Race was the choice for Skoda to turn its small electric car into a track weapon for some reason. Even though the track conversion is an odd choice, we won’t judge Skoda’s work because it looks mean and weighs 697 pounds less, which gives us hope that EV people movers won’t be as dull as we thought they would be. When it comes to width, the Enyaq RS Race is 4.6 inches wider in the back, 2.8 inches wider up front, and 2.8 inches wider in the middle. The Skoda racing unit made it. This unit also makes the Fabia RS Rally2. The main difference between this model and the regular Enyaq Coupé RS is that it has a much lower curb weight. There are two main reasons for the big weight loss. To begin with, the inside seems to have been stripped down to just a roll cage, a big screen, a steering wheel, and two race bucket seats with six-point harnesses. Skoda says it has removed “all components not required for the car’s intended use.” There aren’t any back seats anymore. Biocomposite parts made from flax fibers are used extensively in the car, like the top, rear wing, skirts, and bumpers. This is another important thing to consider. According to Skoda, the eco-friendly materials used for the dashboard, door panels, and footrests inside the car are just as strong and light as carbon fiber. The road car’s panoramic glass roof was changed to a biocomposite panel, and the side and back windows were made of lightweight plastic instead. A unique aerodynamic package with a rear diffuser, a front lip spoiler, and a huge rear wing gives the Enyaq RS Race a sleek look. Small winglets move air into the back wing, and a NACA fan on top of the plane pulls air into the cabin to cool the driver. The brakes are also kept cool by vertical vents on the front and back wheels. To make the production car look scarier, the headlights and taillights have been darkened, and the “Crystal Face” nose has been painted black with a thin LED strip running through it. Because its springs and shocks can be changed, Skoda thinks the Enyaq RS Race can handle just as well as the Fabia rally car. It has a new cooling system and stronger brakes with carbon ceramic discs, 10-piston, and 4-piston calipers in the front and back. You may be interested in the tall hydraulic handbrake that sticks out in the middle of the car. The base Enyaq Coupe RS has a dual-motor drivetrain with 335 horsepower, which is good, even though the electric propulsion stays the same. According to Skoda, the Enyaq RS Race can go from 0 to 62 mph in less than 5 seconds and reach a top speed of 112 mph. Because of this, it’s likely best for smaller tracks with short straightaways, like Lime Rock Park in Connecticut, which is 1.5 miles long. It has also not harmed the 82.0-kWh battery. Plus, and this might be the most interesting part, Skoda put a sound system in the race car that made “characteristic, exhilarating motorsport sounds.” It’s not clear to us why a race car needs this. Skoda says the Enyaq RS Race idea is just a test project that shows off features that could be used in cars that come out later. We think that the Volkswagen Group will use some of this fun attitude in its future electric cars. Still, the Volkswagen-owned Czech company needs to be thinking about making a racing version of its electric crossover.
