New Ford WRC Rally Focus

[MSP4EVER]

Ford's WRC Program. Choosing to move on from its crushing disappointment with its Jaguar F1 program, Ford unveiled its new World Rally Championship challenger last week. Ford, through Ford of Europe, announced a major commitment to the World Rally Championship last Tuesday, entering into a four-year agreement with Malcolm Wilson's British-based M-Sport company, which has operated Ford's WRC program for the past eight years. The commitment ensures Ford's continued presence at the top level of world rallying with the Focus. The existing Focus RS WRC will be the Company's challenger in the 2005 championship, but an all-new Focus RS WRC rally car (below), based on the new road car which goes on sale in Europe later this month, will be introduced from 2006 onward, after a full season of development in 2005. "Ford's long-term commitment to the WRC will provide a great boost to the sport," said Jost Capito, Director of Ford Team RS. "Ford has been involved in rallying since before the World Rally Championship was conceived," Capito said. "Our continuation in WRC is excellent news for the championship and emphasizes just how much the sport has developed in recent years. Our review showed there is a strong business case for Ford's continued involvement. The proposals from the FIA to reduce the costs of competing in the WRC, via revisions to the regulations, convinced us to continue long term. While the exact nature of those revisions has still to be finalized, I welcome these moves. We at Ford look forward to working with the FIA and the other manufacturers to make the sport as cost-effective as possible." M-Sport will also take over Ford's two-wheel-drive Ford Fiesta JWRC program. "We will continue to provide the Fiesta JWRC and Super 1600 cars for private teams," Capito said. "To ensure that the Fiesta remains competitive and fulfills its full potential, M-Sport will take over immediate responsibility for the development of this program and customer support. It will be fully integrated into Malcolm Wilson's activities to guarantee that our customer teams receive the best possible support for their Fiesta programs." What happens next, with French car manufacturers Peugeot and Citroen both announcing their withdrawal last Thursday from the World Rally Championship at the end of 2005, is anyone's guess. It means that only two manufacturers (Ford and Subaru) will be fully committed to the WRC for 2006, with Skoda and Mitsubishi (scheduled to compete in '05) very big question marks for '06.

New car

Focus WRC rally car is one on right. Left is the FWD customer Rally Fiesta RS concept

 

[THEGOLDPRO]

THATS TIGHT! they looks mean as hell

 

[chuyler1]

I'll take the Fiesta (never thought I would ever say that)

 

[Antoine]

Sweet pics!...Hmmm Peugeot and Citroen are calling it quits at the end of '05? Why?Haven't they been totally dominating the past couple years? Is it because they feel there is no more "real competition"?...or are the new Peugeot and Citroen platforms not competitive enough now?

 

[Pretzellogic]

Dig 'em both. Want the fiesta.

 

[mp5jeff]

lol at the wing , anyhow looks like a fun car to run in the dirt!

 

[Iggy]

if both citreon and peugout pull out itll leave alot of space open for a new manufacturer to come on in. maybe GM should take one of their cars rallying.

 

[CChris704]

dare i say it looks good? wouldn't get one tho since i'm biased against focus' and i'll admit it

 

[Matthew]

id take one. of each.

 

[03mazspeedproto]

that wing is ridiculous, but w/o that its would look good

 

[xelderx]

that wing is ridiculous, but w/o that its would look good

I read up on this not too long ago...can't remember the source. The wing is actually extremely functional. Look for this style wing on the new Subaru WRC car as well. The vertical fins help to push the rear of the car back in line with the front when drifting at high speeds.

 

[Jliao]

If Focus actually change the look of the rear-end, I think I might just like it alot. The front is awesome, the back...NAAH~

 

[mazdaspeedpower]

if both citreon and peugout pull out itll leave alot of space open for a new manufacturer to come on in. maybe GM should take one of their cars rallying.

what would they use, a cavalier? They have no production vehicle capable of WRC. On a side note, the new Ford RS looks like it's a much better rally platform than the previous car. Looks kinda fugly, but's it also looks functional. For a change, that spoiler is actually used, not just clipped on to look cool..lol...but still ugly. I think I'll enjoy watching this season of WRC with the new cars and all coming out, and it just looks like the popularity of the sport exploded with all the media it's getting, via games, TV shows, releases of cars like this and so on. PLus, it's a helleva sport to partcipate in.

 

[protegeV]

whoa, those are both SCHWEET(2thumbs)