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Report: VW poised to join WRC by month’s end

Filed under: Motorsports, Europe, Hatchback, Volkswagen, Off-Road, Racing

Volkswagen Touareg Dakar

Carlos Sainz at the 2010 Dakar Rally – Click above for high-res image gallery

According to Autocar, Volkswagen is expected to announce its participation in WRC by the end of this month. The automaker has been rumored to enter WRC ever since the racing series announced a shift to 1.6-liter-based rules.

If the rumors are to be believed, the car, which is already under development, will be based on the Polo. Volkswagen has tapped Fracois-Xavier Demaison, who has led rally projects for Peugeot and Citroen, to get the diminutive Polo ready to race.

The driver for VW’s WRC assault remains undetermined, though apparently the German automaker has tried – and failed – to get Sebastien Loeb. Petter Solberg’s name has also come up as a possible pilot for the effort.

Gallery: Carlos Sainz wins the 2010 Dakar Rally

[Source: Autocar]

Report: VW poised to join WRC by month’s end originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 10 Mar 2011 17:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Ken Block unveils new livery for WRC Fiesta, Monster Girls

Filed under: Motorsports, Hatchback, Ford, Celebrities, Racing

Ken Block's WRC Fiesta and the Monster Girls

Ken Block, the Ford Fiesta RS WRC and the Monster Girls – Click above to watch the video after the break

Gentlemen, start your engines. The Monster World Rally Team has announced its full schedule for the 2011 season, and there’s plenty of impending action to drool over.

Speaking of drooling, there’s a video of the the all-new Monster Energy Ford Fiesta RS WRC that Ken Block will be using to contest the World Rally Championship along with Summer X Games, Gymkhana GRID, and select RallyCar rallies and RallyCross events in the United States. Oh yeah, and there’s more than just automotive eye candy in the video you’ll find after the break, if you know what we mean… nudge nudge, wink wink.

Says Block, “We even have a few top-secret projects in the works. I’m a lucky bastard to be doing all this, it’s going to be an amazing year!” Lucky indeed.

For those interested in more, this is said to be the first video in a three-part series. Part two is scheduled to be released on February 9th, so stay tuned for that. Click past the break to watch this first video and to see the full slate of appearances for 2011.

Gallery: 2011 Monster Energy Ford Fiesta RS WRC

2011 Monster Energy Ford Fiesta RS WRC Monster Energy Girls

[Source: Monster World Rally Team]

Continue reading Video: Ken Block unveils new livery for WRC Fiesta, Monster Girls

Video: Ken Block unveils new livery for WRC Fiesta, Monster Girls originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 08 Feb 2011 14:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mini rallies back to Monte Carlo with new Countryman WRC

Filed under: Motorsports, Classics, Europe, Crossover, Mini, Racing

Mini Countryman WRC in Monte Carlo

2011 Mini Countryman WRC in Monte Carlo – Click above for high-res image gallery

Back in the 1960s, the Monte Carlo Rally ran from Marrakech to Monaco (the opposite direction from the Paris-Dakar) and the old-guard Mini made headlines when it took the checkered flag in ’64 an ’67. These days, the Dakar rally has moved to South America, and the much shorter Monte Carlo rally is part of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge instead of the premier World Rally Championship. But though the scene has changed, Mini’s back, and back in a big way.

That Mini will be challenging the WRC with a competition-spec Countryman prepared by Prodrive isn’t news – we’ve been covering that story for over a year now. But as the final version enters its last stages of development before the 2011 season, the Mini WRC has taken a rapid trip down memory lane by reuniting with its ’60s forebear at the Rallye Monte Carlo Historique.

Not only did the trip prove an excellent photo opportunity – the vintage Mini rally machine driven by the same Ruano Aaltonen that finessed it to victory in ’67 appearing alongside its much larger successor – but also gave us our first look at the rally-ready Countryman WRC before it undergoes its final testing in Spain. After that, it will challenge a few select stages at the hands of Kris Meeke and Dani Sordo before contesting the full calendar next year. Follow the jump for the full press release, and don’t miss out on the photos in the gallery below.

Gallery: Mini Countryman WRC in Monte Carlo

[Source: Mini]

Continue reading Mini rallies back to Monte Carlo with new Countryman WRC

Mini rallies back to Monte Carlo with new Countryman WRC originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 03 Feb 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumormill: Mini working on road-going version of WRC Countryman?

Filed under: Performance, Crossover, Mini, Rumormill, Off-Road

Mini Countryman WRC

Mini Countryman WRC – Click above for high-res image gallery

Tail-slidin’, bump-jumpin’ heroics are all good and fun, but one of the things we love most about rallying is that the cars are closely based on production models. Often rather ordinary ones at that, like Ford Fiestas, Subaru Imprezas and the like. And what turns easily from a road car into a rally racer can just as easily be turned back into a road car.

Look no further than examples like the Subaru WRX and Mitsubishi Evo X for evidence. And now that Mini is getting into the World Rally Championship, rumors are beginning to circulate that they’re planning a rally-derived performance model as well.

Since the Mini WRC is based on the Countryman crossover, word has it that a showroom-ready, performance-oriented Countryman could be in the works. Something with even more power than the existing JCW version and a wide-body kit for an extra dose of attitude. Even with all the Mini variants on the road and in the pipeline, this one has us particularly intrigued.

Gallery: Paris 2010: Mini Countryman WRC

Photos by Zach Bowman / AOL

[Source: AUSmotive via MotoringFile]

Rumormill: Mini working on road-going version of WRC Countryman? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 27 Jan 2011 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford releases new Fiesta RS WRC in full livery ahead of season debut

2011 Ford Fiesta RS WRC – Click above for high-res image gallery

The World Rally Championship is downsizing. Not in the number of teams participating – that’s actually expected to increase – but in the size of its cars. While Formula One is set to switch to turbo fours, the WRC is switching to smaller cars, similar to the Super 2000 formula. And so, in-line with the new regulations, Ford is switching from a Focus-based rally challenger to the new Fiesta.

The WRC-spec Fiesta RS was revealed in tentative, showgoing livery back in Paris, but the team has now unveiled the car in the full competition livery in which it will take on the world’s most challenging rally stages. Similar to the livery featured on the outgoing Focus, the new Fiesta RS WRC is dominated by the logos of title sponsor Abu Dhabi – which takes over from BP – and secondary sponsor Castrol’s Edge range of motor oils.

Full specifications have still yet to be released, so we’ll have to wait until early February before the new Fiesta RS WRC hits the season-starting Rally Sweden from Feb 10-13. Details in the press release after the jump with high-resolution images of the liveried rally machine in the gallery below.

Gallery: 2011 Ford Fiesta RS WRC

[Source: Ford]

Continue reading Ford releases new Fiesta RS WRC in full livery ahead of season debut

Ford releases new Fiesta RS WRC in full livery ahead of season debut originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 11:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Loeb takes 2010 WRC title

Filed under: Motorsports, Europe, Citroën, Racing

Sebastian Loeb

Sebastien Loeb has effectively secured his seventh World Rally Championship title, netting his 60th carrier win by taking the Rally de France in the process. With a total of 226 championship points under his belt and two rallies left in the schedule, there’s simply no way for any of the other competitors to get within arm’s reach of the WRC gold. The Citroën team managed to pull off a one-two win at the French rally with Loeb’s teammate Dani Sordo walking away with the second fastest time. Sordo is currently fifth in the point standings.

Rounding out the podium in France was Peter Solberg, who currently occupies fourth place in points. Gymkhana guru Ken Block managed a respectable 12th place finish, though that result isn’t enough to gain the American racer any points. Currently Block is sitting at the bottom of the Championship rankings with zero points to his name.

With both the Spanish and British rallies left on the schedule, all eyes will be on who will take the bronze in this year’s WRC. With Jari-Matti Latvala currently holding onto 144 points in third place and Peter Solberg trailing by just 11 points in fourth, the bottom rung of the podium could easily go either way. Thanks for the tips, Joe and Novac!

[Source: WRC | Image: Lionel Cironneau/AP/Getty]

Loeb takes 2010 WRC title originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 04 Oct 2010 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Paris Preview: Citroën teases DS3 WRC car (w/video)

Filed under: Motorsports, Paris Motor Show, Citroën, Racing

Citroen DS3 WRC

Citroën DS3 WRC teaser – Click above to watch video after the jump

Citroën’s DS3 WRC entrant, the car they’ve chosen to adapt to the new regulations, will be unveiled at the Paris Motor Show next week. Among the deluge of pics and videos teasing all manner of creations we’ll be seeing on the French floor, the Gallic firm has strung together a few shadowy snippets of the hot hatch that Sébastien Loeb will pilot next year (according to him, his final year) in his attempt to win yet another title. He’ll have to beat the new Mini Countryman WRC along the way. Follow the jump to be teased. Hat tip to Dan

[Source: YouTube via WRC.com]

Continue reading Paris Preview: Citroën teases DS3 WRC car (w/video)

Paris Preview: Citroën teases DS3 WRC car (w/video) originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 25 Sep 2010 17:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rhys Millen piloting Hyundai WRC car in U.S. Rallycross

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Performance, Marketing/Advertising, Hyundai, Racing

Hyundai WRC car

Hyundai and Rhys Millen are prepared to take on the U.S. Rallycross field thanks to a 500 horsepower Korean monster machine. Millen, a Pikes Peak class record holder, will run the car in rounds two and three of the Rallycross championship. The races will take place at New Jersey Motorsports Park on October 2-3 and November 6-7.

Rhys Millen was part of the original crew that brought rally cars to the X-Games six years ago. “I’m excited to be stepping back into the world of rally,” said Millen “… with rallycross here in the U.S., what better way to prove the performance and power of the Hyundai brand.”

Hyundai’s goal is to run the 2010 events to gain insight for next year when they’ll run a full series with an all-new car. The car is powered by a turbocharged four-cylinder paired with a six-speed sequential gearbox. Xtrac four-wheel drive, large Brembo brakes and a Proflex jumbo coilover suspension setup help keep the 2,805 pound car pointed where Rhys tells it to go.

Gallery: RallyCar Rallycross at New Jersey Motorsports Park

[Source: Hyundai]

Continue reading Rhys Millen piloting Hyundai WRC car in U.S. Rallycross

Rhys Millen piloting Hyundai WRC car in U.S. Rallycross originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 22 Sep 2010 16:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mini Countryman rally car shown testing for WRC

Filed under: Motorsports, Performance, Europe, Hatchback, Mini, Racing

Mini Countryman WRC

The more we hear about Mini’s quest to run the Countryman in the World Rally Championship, the less and less it sounds like a publicity stunt. The company has just finished testing its prototype rally beater at Prodrive’s private test facility, putting the car through its paces over four days and multiple road surfaces. According to Mini, most of the abuse took place on a tarmac circuit, though the team did spend plenty of time getting the car situated on a few low-grip stages. The R&D was prep for an excursion to Portugal, where the team plans to put the Countryman through a full week of gravel testing.

Despite the psycho-swirly camo, Mini says that the racer is currently wearing “an interim body and aero package” while the minds at Prodrive concoct the final lines. It remains to be seen who the company will come up with to helm its high-riding missile. We’re just happy to see Mini back in the WRC. Hit the jump for the brief press release.

[Source: Mini]

Continue reading Mini Countryman rally car shown testing for WRC

Mini Countryman rally car shown testing for WRC originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 09 Sep 2010 12:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumormill: Saab to enter WRC with new 9-2

Filed under: Motorsports, Saab, Rumormill

Saab 9-X Air BioHybrid Concept

Saab 9-X Air BioHybrid Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

Saab was quite successful in rally competition once upon a time, and it looks like the automaker’s new management hopes to kick-start the brand’s revival with a return its motorsports roots.

The word out of Europe is that Saab has met with World Rally Championship officials and committed to a 2012 entry into the series with a machine based on its upcoming smaller car. Depending on who you talk to, the new model could be dubbed either the 9-1 or 9-2.

The small car project originally began several years ago when Saab was still under the General Motors umbrella with the car expected to be based on the Gamma platform that underpins the Opel Corsa. As an independent, Saab doesn’t have the resources to develop such a platform on its own and is currently talking to other potential partners including BMW and some Chinese makers. Expect its design to be inspired heavily by the Saab 9-X Air BioHybrid concept (above).

If Saab hooks up with BMW, it could have a Mini-based 9-1/9-2 competing against the new Mini Countryman WRC.

Gallery: Saab 9-X Air BioHybrid Concept

[Source: CAR]

Rumormill: Saab to enter WRC with new 9-2 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 09 Aug 2010 13:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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