GOODWOOD, July 6 — An electric Volkswagen has smashed a hillclimb record set by a McLaren Formula One car at the Goodwood Festival of Speed 20 years ago.

The Volkswagen ID.R sportscar, already the fastest electric car around the Nuerburgring circuit in Germany and quickest car of any kind up the Pikes Peak climb in Colorado, added another record in southern England yesterday.

With two-times Le Mans 24 Hours winner Romain Dumas at the wheel, the car clocked 41.18 seconds.

The previous best of 41.6 seconds was clocked by German ex-Formula One driver Nick Heidfeld in 1999 in the previous year's McLaren MP4/13.

Volkswagen already held the electric record at the Goodwood festival, one of the biggest and best-attended motoring events in Britain, with a time of 43.86 seconds set last year.

The German carmaker is spending billions on electric vehicles as it seeks to rebuild its reputation after a diesel emissions test cheating scandal. — Reuters