The promotion of young talent is a time-honoured tradition at Volkswagen: after the legendary Formula V that launched in 1966, the brand organised its first touring car one-make cup in 1976. Drivers who emerged from the (then) Scirocco Cup included the likes of Manfred Winkelhock who later was to become a Formula 1 driver. The Golf GTI from the first model range replaced the ­Scirocco as the racing car in 1977 and was the popular vehicle for a generation of young racers until 1982. In 1983, the second-generation Polo followed as the Cup vehicle, initially as the 88-hp naturally aspirated engine version and from 1986 with a 112-hp compressor engine. On the ­re-launch in 1998, Volkswagen presented the Lupo, which offered top-class sport at fair prices, as well as the VW New Beetle Cup.

Step-by-step evolution of the one-make cup idea
 
What started at Hockenheim on 17 April 1998 as the "Volkswagen ADAC Touring Junior Cup” with the 112-hp Lupo has long become a success story in junior motorsport and exported around the world several times. Twelve year-groups have completed the so-called touring car school in Germany. In 2010, the Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup replaces the Polo Cup as the Volkswagen manufacturer’s cup in Germany. Many details of the unique concept have basically remained the same, albeit with further improvements: the sound ideas for the regulations, the meticulous Abt Sportsline racing team, the consistently favourable response by young driver generations which in 2010 will be complemented by seasoned one-make cup professionals as well as an even more agile racing car by Volkswagen.
 
Equal opportunities thanks to unique rules
 
The year 1998 stands for a novel concept in motorsport. It features the central fielding and swapping of cars among the drivers and has guaranteed a maximum of equality in opportunities to this day. In 2004, the 150-hp Polo replaced the little "wolf” as the Cup vehicle and the concept was subjected to further refinement. For example, a professional data logging system enhances the learning effects: after each session the juniors can analyse their laps driven on their laptop computers. To enable a direct comparison, one of the five quickest entrants has to disclose his/her fastest lap to the other contenders.
 
First-rate environment and fantastic crowds
 
The DTM as the partner series of which the Volkswagen one-make cups have been held since the DTM was re-launched in 2000 has been closely tied to this success story. The premier league of touring car racing has evolved into a real crowd-puller and represents the career goal for many motorsport juniors. Supporting series like the Porsche Carrera Cup offer the top "graduates” of the touring car school attractive career opportunities in a professional environment.