Ford’s next generation Fiesta unveiled for the 2011 World Rally Championship
The Paris Motor Show has unveiled yet another beauty this year with the presentation of Ford’s all-new Fiesta RS WRC vehicle. The vibrant successor to the renowned Focus RS WRC, the Fiesta was met with
great enthusiasm at its debut event, winning the hearts of Ford fans and critics alike.
The most recent model, which will run on a 1.6 litre Ford Ecoboost turbo unit, is another revival by the esteemed Ford company to ensure a successful future in the sport.
“The introduction of Ford’s latest engine technology to its rally programme reinforces further our commitment to motorsport,” stated Ford of Europe motorsport manager Mike Norton. “It also demonstrates
our continued support for affordable competition by using an off-the-shelf production engine [ French tuner Pipo Moteur] on which to base our WRC power plant.”
Senior manager Gerard Quinn added, “We’re delighted to preview the Ford Fiesta RS WRC in such a prominent Motor Show as Paris. There are significant visual differences from the Fiesta S2000 base car as
well as major changes under the skin. The biggest, of course, is the 1.6-litre Ford EcoBoost turbo engine – the original version of which was developed by Ford’s Powertrain Engineering team.”
The engine is the latest in a series of innovations implemented to improve the car’s performance, which, despite the high expectations, has a hefty legacy to live up to. Its Ford Focus predecessor has
thrived on the rally circuit, winning the manufacturer’s title in 2006-07, and recently celebrated its 75th victory in New Zealand earlier this year, cementing the Blue Oval as the most successful car producer in the history of the championship.
Whether or not the prospective model will live up to its forefather’s reputation remains to be seen, but with Ford World Rally Team drivers Mikko Hirvonen and Jari-Matti Latvala behind the wheel, the car
is in good hands. Team director Malcolm Wilson is optimistic about the group’s potential.
“This is a thrilling time for everyone involved in the car's development,” Wilson said. “Countless hours have gone into the Fiesta RS WRC to reach this point, and for the car to be unveiled in public for
the first time is a proud moment for us. We are right on track with our development and the team is delighted with testing to date. Another major step forward will be taken at the start of October when the car tests in full 2011 technical specification for
the first time.”
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