F1 is the next step
Friday 6th May 2011
Volkswagen has confirmed recent speculation it will contest the World Rally Championship from 2013 - and revealed these images of the car it's going to do it with, officially described as "the hottest Polo of all time".
Speaking at a press conference a company spokesman said: "The new Technical Regulations of the World Rally Championship are an ideal fit for Volkswagen's philosophy with respect to the development of production vehicles.
Rally fans will know this isn't entirely new ground for the German company. In 1986 the Swede Kenneth Eriksson and his German co-driver Peter Diekmann in the Volkswagen Golf GTI 16V claimed the world champion's title in the newly incepted Group A.
VW Confirms WRC Campaign For 2013
'Hottest Polo ever' will underpin VW's rally challenge (w/video)
After three consecutive victories at the Dakar Rally Volkswagen has set itself new aims in top-calibre sport, ran the official announcent yesterday: "With three car corporations currently involved in the championship and global media coverage, the WRC offers an attractive, highly competitive environment for Volkswagen.
By 2013 the Wolfsburg-based brand will develop a near-300-hp rally vehicle with a 1.6-litre TSI engine and four-wheel drive based on the Polo."
"Downsizing, high efficiency and reliability are top priorities for our customers. The timing of the WRC debut is optimal for Volkswagen. The big task of engineering a vehicle that is competitive and capable of winning at a large number of challenges holds great appeal for us."
The World Rally Championship project will be handed to the VW factory team that has won the Dakar in the past three years.
Discussion
I guess that VW group will show their interest in the new 1.6 liter turbo engine in F1... Downsizing has it's benefits, now Porsche can come back to F1...
Honestly I am ok with it as long VAG puts this technology in the road cars... We own a new Roomster 1.2 TSI and that car is such fun to drive.
Honestly I am ok with it as long VAG puts this technology in the road cars... We own a new Roomster 1.2 TSI and that car is such fun to drive.
militantmandy said:
renrut said:
Whats that got to do with F1 or have I missed something?
I think just the proposed drop to 4cyl small capacity engines.Car looks great and can only be a good thing for WRC. Now all we need is some decent coverage!
Torquey said:
renrut said:
Whats that got to do with F1 or have I missed something?
I'm lost on this one too??WRC downsized to 1.6 liter turbo also, and who is behind all this? FIA right... or is it VAG...
http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2010/12/115...
The F1 / WRC / lots of others moving to 1.6T was known as the "FIA world engine" concept. It basically means that long term, large manufacturors can make 1 engine, for use in rallying, F1, WTC etc etc. IF it works, it'd be class, because you;d have the same motor in amny different states of tune - something most manufacturors already do for the road.
This would in turn allow sales of road cars based round the technology aligned to sport - be that F1, rallying, or touring cars (to suit the car being sold). IMO it's a great idea, because factory teams bring so much more to motorsport than independants - beause they have more R+D and other resources.
Obviously VAG are interested, but so are most other big players - the japs, french, fiat group, etc etc. It's not the FIA bending just for VW.
This would in turn allow sales of road cars based round the technology aligned to sport - be that F1, rallying, or touring cars (to suit the car being sold). IMO it's a great idea, because factory teams bring so much more to motorsport than independants - beause they have more R+D and other resources.
Obviously VAG are interested, but so are most other big players - the japs, french, fiat group, etc etc. It's not the FIA bending just for VW.
lgomgf said:
Torquey said:
renrut said:
Whats that got to do with F1 or have I missed something?
I'm lost on this one too??WRC downsized to 1.6 liter turbo also, and who is behind all this? FIA right... or is it VAG...
http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2010/12/115...
The Americans would never allow this in their racing series.
Maybe we'll see some BTCC cars in F1 in 2013. Would certainly add some excitement watching people getting punted off at the first corner, and side bull bars to allow ramming without wheel damage.
renrut said:
Fair enough. Good to see WRC getting more manufacturers in again. Hopefully it will spur on some tasty hot road cars. Is there still no homologation requirement to build roadgoing cars?
There's no homologation requirement, but IMO I can see WRC edition Polo GTIs coming out off the back of this.Citroen realised this all too late. The DS3R is excellent, but also proof that a tarted-up Loeb-edition C4 with rally graphics is no match for a proper hot-hatch. Thankfully Ford never forgot the 'win on Sunday, sell on Monday' notion, which is why we have the Focus RS and the factory-sanctioned Mountune Fiestas.
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