Volkswagen announced all the way back last spring that it was getting back into World Rally Championship competition amidst new rules that call for smaller, less powerful cars that are cheaper to run. Nevertheless, the new Polo WRC car is one of the most awesome looking rally cars we've seen in a long time -- just look at those engorged fenders.
Volkswagen has been testing the car on tarmac in Germany this month and well-edited highlights of the test sessions are after the jump. Like other new-gen WRC cars, the Polo uses a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder good for about 296 hp and 285 lb-ft of torque. It doesn't sound much different from other rally cars, but still looks neat ripping and sliding through corners.
Today, VW announced it has signed its first factory driver for its new WRC campaign -- Sebastien Ogier, who drove for Citroen in 2011 and finished third in the driver's championship. Ogier had already left Citroen to make way for Mikko Hirvonen. He'll sit out the 2012 season to help Volkswagen develop the Polo; the new team will run a full season in 2013.
diagun says:
10:39 PM, 11/23/11
look like its so cool !
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stovt001 says:
10:45 PM, 11/23/11
Loren and I had a good discussion on this today. I tipped him to the Hirvonen move, and he was on this one before I was. Sordo didn't seem too happy to be Loeb's #2 either, but he's leading MINI to a pretty solid opening season this year. Hopefully Ogier can do the same. It was hugely entertaining to watch Ogier and Latvala really get going this year (though Loren disagrees with me on Latvala's awesomeness, some nonsense about consistency or something like that...). Well as cool as it would have been to see Ogier and Hirvonen just swap seats, I'd love to see who's in that empty Ford seat next year. My pick would be Ostberg. I'm surprised Hirvonen essentially gave up on winning a world championship for years now since it is clear Loeb is Citroen's #1 and Citroen loves them some team orders.
dinobot666 says:
06:36 AM, 11/28/11
Correction, the engine size will be a 1.6 liter.
daniel89 says:
06:01 AM, 02/17/12
Nice car!
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