Volkswagen joins Global Rallycross with Foust and Speed

The biggest splash at the 2014 Chicago Auto Show might have been made by Volkswagen on Thursday. The giant German automaker, along with Andretti Autosport, unveiled its 560-hp, all-wheel-drive Global Rallycross Beetle.

GRC champion Tanner Foust will pilot the first car while ex-Formula One driver Scott Speed will helm the second. VW and Andretti say the team will initially compete with hopped-up VW Polo hatchbacks, built on the same chassis that won the 2013 World Rally Championship, but will switch to the GRC Beetle at the Summer X Games in Austin, Texas.

“Red Bull Global Rallycross is the perfect form of motorsports for a youthful, exuberant, and growing brand in the U.S. market,” said Michael Horn, president and CEO, Volkswagen Group of America. “We're excited to partner with Andretti Autosport, one of the great names in American motorsports, and delighted that we will be running the iconic Beetle in the series.”

Foust will be in the Rockstar Energy Drink Beetle, while Speed's main sponsor will be 7Up. The Global Rallycross series opens in May.

By Jake Lingeman