Just a few days after the FIA sanctioned motor racing authority, the technical provisions for the World Rally Championship in 2011, driving forward the development of the new Ford Fiesta RS WRC at high pressure. The focus is on the construction of a new engine. For the next season 2011, the current World Rally Cars will be replaced by a new generation, where instead of a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine is a 1.6-liter unit with turbocharging to a must.
The engine can either be derived from a stock engine or a complete personal design for competition use. In addition, the vehicles are based in the highest league of rallying in the future largely on the technical provisions of the S2000-rules.
Gerard Quinn, motorsport boss of Ford Europe, is looking forward to the new challenge: "For the motorsport, it is very important to respond to the increasing environmental awareness and pursue the same direction as the current production models. I think it is useful to the 1.6-liter turbo engine introduced as early as possible, while maintaining the proven S2000-regulations. "
Malcolm Wilson, director of the BP Ford Abu Dhabi team, looks to the start of the season in 2011, contrary to optimistic despite the tight time frame, "In the expectation that the new 1.6-liter formula would give the green light, we have a few months ago started with the first fundamental work. Now the team is flat out. I am confident that we have enough time for the development and construction of the new engine as well as for test drives. "Wilson estimates that are completed by the end of July first aggregate and begin driving tests with the new Fiesta RS WRC in late August. Previously, the team the new Fiesta S2000 with a 2.0-liter turbo engine from the current Focus RS WRC will try to better understand the behavior of the car with a turbocharged engine.
It will focus, and the Ford World Rally Team M-Sport is not used exclusively on the development of the new four-cylinder engine. The Fiesta RS WRC will also differ in design from the current S2000 model. Martin Smith, design chief of Ford Europe, "The rally car is all about functionality. Together with our colleagues from M-Sport, we work to ensure that the Fiesta RS WRC looks just as spectacular as he will go to the special stages. "
The basis for the new Fiesta RS WRC is the Ford Fiesta, of which Ford has sold since its launch in autumn 2008, more than 680 000 copies. The Fiesta S2000 crowned his premiere competition by winning the Monte Carlo Rally. In early March in Mexico followed the first World Cup victory in the S2000. From the beginning of season 2011, the new Fiesta RS WRC follows in the footsteps of the hugely successful Ford Focus RS World Rally Car, which ruled since his debut in 1999 42 Cup races for himself and gave Ford the manufacturers' title in 2006 and 2007 in the top league. Moreover, the Turbo-wheel drive vehicle to set a new record: Since 2002, Ford Focus RS WRC drivers drove at 121 consecutive championship rallies in the points.
