Ford Stepping Up Work On 2011 Fiesta RS WRC

By Nelson Ireson

Nelson Ireson

Senior Editor BIO

Nelson is a Senior Editor at High Gear Media focusing on reviewing cars and covering the hottest topics in luxury and performance cars, car culture... More

LATEST ARTICLE
2015 Lamborghini Aventador SV Spy Shots
The Lamborghini Aventador is many things to many people: ultimate modern expression of the... Read More

• #3LEADERBOARD RANK
• 6353ARTICLES CONTRIBUTED
• 229COMMENTS POSTED

5,780 views Mar 19, 2010

Follow Nelson

Add to circle

Ford Fiesta S2000 rally car

Ken Block's Fiesta rally car for the 2010 Rally America season has saturated the tubes of the Internet this year, as has the current Focus RS WRC car. But for 2011, Ford is planning to move its WRC bid to the Fiesta RS platform, and finalization of the engine rules for next year's championship have kicked development into high gear.

The new rules allow for the new 1.6-liter turbocharged engine to be production-based or purpose-built. Ford is excited about the car's possibilities--the U.S.-spec rally car has acquitted itself well so far this year, winning the Rally in the 100 Acre Wood after Travis Pastrana's Subaru WRX STI ended its run with broken rear suspension due to a tire coming off the rim at the Super Special Stage in Potosi.

The Fiesta RS WRC will be based on the current M-Sport Fiesta S2000 rally car (pictured), but the WRC car will get the new 1.6-liter engine and a host of appearance differences for 2011. The 2011 WRC rules will adopt the current S2000 technical regulations to improve the green image of the sport. "It's vital for the sport that we respond to greater environmental awareness and also reflect the direction that our road cars will take.  It makes good sense to introduce the 1600cc turbo engine as early as possible, while using all the existing S2000 technical regulations that have proved so effective," said Ford of Europe's motorsports head Gerard Quinn.

The first cars will enter testing in July of this year to prep and develop its performance for the 2011 season, though initial work will be done with the current Focus RS's 2.0-liter turbo engine until the 1.6-liter engine for the new spec arrives in August.

[Ford]