Monday 19th October 2009

Ford Fiesta Rally Car On Track

Update from M-Sport says S2000 Fiesta has 'massive potential'

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M-Sport's new Ford Fiesta S2000 rally car has successfully completed its first phase of preliminary asphalt and gravel tests in the UK.

After undergoing initial systems checks on Tarmac close to M-Sport's Cumbrian base with Matthew and Malcolm Wilson sharing the driving duties, the car has covered over 1200kms on gravel in Greystoke Forest, says a new M-Sport press release.

The Fiesta S2000 will be taken to Ford's proving ground at Lommel, Belgium at the end of the month where it will undergo kinomatic and compliance testing at the company's state of the art facility.

This technology, also used to test Ford's road cars, will be used to assess the stiffness of the suspension and the centre of gravity of the Fiesta S2000.

Following the testing in Lommel the test programme moves to Spain where the cars will undergo trials on both gravel and Tarmac.

The Fiesta S2000 is due for homologation in January 2010 and will be aimed at competitors in the WRC World Cup, IRC and national rally championships around the globe.

"Testing has gone really well so far with minimal problems, and each time I get in the car it is just getting better and better. The general feeling is that, for a car that's come straight out of the box, it is absolutely awesome. I think that is has massive potential and it has been fantastic to drive so far," says test driver Matthew Wilson.

[Northern-Loop]

Really hope they can make a quick car out of it!

[stockhatcher]

i would put money on Matt Wilson driving this car in the IRC next year. As he is not going to complete the final year of his 5 year plan with rally wins in the WRC - so to save face they'll stick him in this.. Of course the official word will be to give the lad some s2000 experience prior to his return to the WRC... Still he is quicker than Henning Solberg.

[chuntington101]

Northern-Loop said:

Really hope they can make a quick car out of it!

should be pretty quick. what are the S2000 rules on the engines? obviously 2.0ltr and N/A but are there any other restrictions? how much dose a S2000 set you back? are the 1600cc cars still going?

Cheers

Chris.

[Project 644]

Aren't the y 1600cc next year, then 1600cc turbo the year after?

[malcysmith]

I am really struggling to understand this. On a visit to M Sport last year for a tour of the facilities, We were shown what was then the new Fiesta. Obviously the first question was what is happening with the current ST in terms of the ST Sporting Trophy and do Ford have any plans to introduce a ST to the new Fiesta range. This was dropped very quickly and we were told under no certain terms would the Fiesta come in a 2 litre format. So what I cant understand is, that if no production model comes with the 2 litre na engine, then how can it become homologated. Will they make a run of 500 2 litre NA road cars?

Malcolm

[zac510]

I think the FIA basically let the rules be bent to keep a couple of manufacturers in the WRC.

[Munter]

malcysmith said:

I am really struggling to understand this. On a visit to M Sport last year for a tour of the facilities, We were shown what was then the new Fiesta. Obviously the first question was what is happening with the current ST in terms of the ST Sporting Trophy and do Ford have any plans to introduce a ST to the new Fiesta range. This was dropped very quickly and we were told under no certain terms would the Fiesta come in a 2 litre format. So what I cant understand is, that if no production model comes with the 2 litre na engine, then how can it become homologated. Will they make a run of 500 2 litre NA road cars?

Malcolm

I would guess the same way touring cars can run with any engine from the manufacturer (E.g. the Chevy Laceti which only comes in 1600cc form is running a 2.0 Red Top as found in the Astra GSi in the 90s).

That and the FiA wanted to release their own 2000cc engine for all forms of competition that can be bolted into anybodies car.

[Ranger 6]

Huh? S2000 regs mean any 2.0 engine from a mfrs range can be put into a shell with a 4wd system. What's bending the rules in that?

So far, VW, MG, Fiat, Skoda, Toyota and Peugeot have built them....

[Jungles]

chuntington101 said:

what are the S2000 rules on the engines? obviously 2.0ltr and N/A but are there any other restrictions? how much dose a S2000 set you back? are the 1600cc cars still going?

The S2000 engines are rev-limited to 8500rpm for rally cars with 4-cylinder engines (5 and 6-cylinder engines are allowed, with 8750 and 9000rpm limits, respectively). Otherwise, the only other limit is reliability.

Maximum resale price for a S2000 car is supposed to be €168,000, but I've read that they are often sold at a higher price.

S1600 cars are and will continue to run in the JWRC.

Project 644 said:

Aren't the y 1600cc next year, then 1600cc turbo the year after?

S2000 next year, then 1600cc with spec turbo from 2011.

Ranger 6 said:

So far, VW, MG, Fiat, Skoda, Toyota and Peugeot have built them....

...as has Ford Australia. Britek Motorsport has run Fiesta S2000 rally cars since 2008.

Edited by Jungles on Friday 13th November 14:05